Authored by: Aubrey Pawlikowski Sanford Stadium’s usual game plan features football and fans—but this spring, the field played host to a different kind of ‘down and dirty’ competition: soil science. Instead of a traditional final exam, Rebecca Abney’s students collected soil samples from Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium as part of the Community and Urban Soils Site Development course. The course aims to equip students with skills for urban planning and addressing urban tree problems through assessment and remediation. This experiential learning approach gave students a chance to engage directly with their environment, measuring greenhouse gas fluxes from the soil and analyzing real data on the spot. “We wanted students to connect with the place they’re studying,” Abney said. “When they say, “I’ve been to that spot,” it makes the learning personal and memorable.” Using the LI-COR trace soil analyzer, students measured concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor across several test squares painted in Bulldog red, black and white, alongside a control area of untouched green field. These measurements contributed to a larger dataset of flux data being collected across campus. As the data continues to be synthesized, they will support the creation of detailed urban soil maps using GIS technology. The goal is to transform this information into actionable insights that turf management specialists and UGA Facilities Management can use to improve soil health and make informed decisions about field care and potentially reduce the impact of management activities on climate change. This hands-on opportunity was made possible by a Student Technology Fund grant to Abney, which provided critical support for equipment and resources needed for the fieldwork and data collection. “The data are live and, in the moment,” Abney noted. “Students had to problem-solve on the fly when readings didn’t seem right, which added another layer to the learning experience.” “This project shows how real-world data collection can bring classroom lessons to life,” Abney added. “Students aren’t just learning about soil, they’re contributing to actual management implications on campus.” As the University of Georgia continues to prioritize sustainability and urban ecosystem health, projects like this offer a blueprint for integrating experiential learning with practical outcomes. From the roar of game day to the quiet science beneath the turf, Sanford Stadium is proving to be a winning field in every sense.
