Contact Information:
457 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building University Park, PA 16802- Phone: 814-865-1143
- Fax: 814-863-7043
- E-mail: emg900@psu.edu
Ephraim Govere
Research Support Associate
Responsibilities and Interests
Management and Administration
I manage and direct the operations of a multi-function, multi-user Soil Research Cluster Laboratory (SRCL) in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences (CSS), College of Agricultural Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University with the aim to provide access to reliable, high quality, efficient and cutting edge research analytical instruments in the areas of soil chemistry, soil fertility, soil physics, pedology, and hydropedology. The main objectives of the SRCL are to:
- Provide centrally accessible instrumentation and equipment for chemical analyses of soils, water mixtures, biosolids, biological and detrital samples, and geologic materials in support of research.
- Provide centrally accessible instrumentation and equipment for pedological, soil physical and hydropedological analyses in support of research.
- Build, preserve and upgrade the knowledge and skills required for the optimal operation and research capability of the soil chemistry and physics laboratory instrumentation by developing standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Teach faculty, staff and student researchers to apply soil chemistry and physics analytical instrumentation, knowledge and skills most fruitfully.
- Support teaching activities and encourage classes to use current analytical equipment in the SRCL to obtain hands-on experience in soil, plant, water, and environmental analyses as well as in quality assurance and control procedures.
- Ensure that efficient means exist for students, staff and faculty to produce timely, accurate, and validated analytical results.
Teaching
SOILS597D — Analytical Techniques for Soil Ecosystem Measurements
SOILS 597D is a two-credit advanced quantitative laboratory experimentation course that is designed to give students an understanding of modern analytical instruments and the background theory and principles underlying chemical measurements of plant and soil solids and extracts, water and wastewater, fertilizers, microbial biomass, biosolids, and geologic materials.
Research Interests
- Development of instrumental methods of analysis applicable to soil chemistry, soil fertility, soil physics, pedology, and hydropedology.
- Development of measuring and analysis technology.
- Development and implementation of quality assurance and quality control procedures in soil analytical laboratories.
Education
- Ph.D. Soil Science, The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
- M.S. Agronomy, The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
- MBA. Business Administration, University of North Alabama, AL.
- M.Ed. Educational Administration, The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
- Post Grad. Cert. Educ., University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
- B.S., Forest Management, Oregon State University, OR.
- Teacher’s Cert. Educ., Mutare Teachers’ College, Zimbabwe
Selected Publications:
- Govere, E.M., M. Tonegawa, M.A. Bruns, E.F. Wheeler, K.B. Kephart, J.W. Voigt and J. Dec. 2007. Using minced horseradish roots and peroxides for the deodorization of swine manure: A pilot scale study. Bioresource Technology, 98 (6), 1191-1198.
- Govere, Ephraim M. 2006. Guidelines on Determining and Reporting Significant Figures in Chemical Measurements (Handbook). Journal of Chemical Education (JCE) Books Online, 2006; http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCEBooks/sigfigs.html
- Govere, E.M., M. Tonegawa, M.A. Bruns, E.F. Wheeler, P.H. Heinemann, K.B. Kephart, and J. Dec. 2005. Deodorization of swine manure using minced horseradish roots and peroxides. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53 (12): 4880 -4889.
- Govere, E.M, S.H. Chien, and R.H. Fox. 2004. Iron oxide-impregnated paper (Pi) vs. Bray-1 soil-test methods predicting crop response from phosphate-rock sources. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 35:1981-1993.