Rate My Professor Chris Anderson

Professor Chris Anderson serves as Professor in Environmental Science, Group Leader of the Environmental Sciences group, and Director of the Farmed Landscapes Research Centre within the School of Agriculture and Environment at Massey University. He completed his BSc (Hons) in 1997 and PhD in 2000, both at Massey University. Promoted to full professorship in 2017 within the then Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Professor Anderson has built a distinguished career focused on soil science at his alma mater. As a soil chemist with expertise in environmental geochemistry, he applies novel environmental chemistry techniques—both analytical and technology-based—to tackle pressing science and technology challenges. His research emphasizes the use of plants to extract, degrade, or immobilize contaminants in soil, particularly trace elements, with extensions to organic contaminants. Professor Anderson investigates the flux of contaminants through the soil-plant-animal biogeochemical system, applying these insights to phytomining, phytoremediation, artisanal gold mining, and the management of contamination on agricultural land.

In recognition of his international collaborations, Professor Anderson received the Guizhou Scientific and Technical Cooperation Award from the Guizhou Provincial Government in China in 2016, honoring his long-term partnership with the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guiyang. As a Doctoral Mentor Supervisor, he guides postgraduate research at Massey University. He also contributes to the New Zealand Soil Science Society as a council member and engages in public outreach through workshops, webinars, and presentations on topics such as sustainable farming landscapes, nutrient management, and environmental challenges in primary production. His leadership of the Farmed Landscapes Research Centre underscores his commitment to advancing research on farmed environments, fostering innovations that support sustainable agriculture and environmental management in New Zealand and beyond.