Research Bio

Timothy Bowles is an agroecologist whose research investigates soil health, climate resilience, and sustainable farming systems. He leads the Berkeley Agroecology Lab, which conducts interdisciplinary research on farming systems that rely on and restore biodiversity in order to produce food, rather than non-renewable and often harmful inputs. The lab in turns studies how these farming systems - in California, the broader U.S., and the world - affect soil health and climate resilience. The lab also collaborates widely to understand how policies and socioeconomic issues help or hinder such farming systems. Their research contributes to designing, managing, and making the transition to broader adoption of farming systems that support environmental stewardship with production of healthy food and support of farmers' livelihoods. 

Bowles is an Associate Professor of Agroecology and Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley, and works extensively with the Berkeley Food Institute, including as the faculty director. He has received NSF, USDA, and State of California funding for his work on climate resilience, soil health, and agricultural sustainability. At Berkeley, he teaches agroecology and the capstone course for the Food Systems Minor for undergraduates, as well as rotating graduate courses, while also mentoring PhD students and postdocs in sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management. He has earned campus and college awards for his mentoring and teaching.

Research Expertise and Interest

agroecology, soil ecology, biogeochemistry, plan-soil-microbe interactions