Nigerian soil scientist Victor Izuchukwu Ugwuegbu has been awarded the 2025 Robert Luxmoore Travel Award of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA).

The Robert Luxmoore Soil Physics award supports the travel expenses of undergraduate or postgraduate students to attend the annual meeting of the SSSA. Given to only two graduate students each year, the award honours outstanding research contributions in soil physics and hydrology.

Ugwuegbu, who is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Kentucky, was selected for the award for his work on soil nitrate sensing using visible and near infrared spectroscopy. His winning research was presented at the 2025 Crop Agronomic Environmental Soil (CANVAS) Conference, one of the world’s largest meetings of soil, crop, and environmental scientists.

Commenting on the award, Ugwuegbu said the recognition reinforces his commitment to developing soil technologies that address real agricultural challenges, and also encourages him to keep working towards solutions that can serve both local communities and global food systems.

“I want my research to help farmers make better decisions, especially in regions where access to laboratory testing is limited,” he said.

He further said that the recognition is not only for him but also for the many young scientists across Africa who are working hard under difficult conditions, adding, “I hope my journey encourages others to keep pushing and believing that their work can make a difference.”

Ugwuegbu, also a recipient of the Hans Jenny Soil Field Trip Award, which supports student participation in scientific field tours at the SSSA annual meeting, hopes his research will contribute to affordable soil testing solutions that can be used by farmers, extension agents, and agricultural development programmes.