Tim A. Craul, CPSSc

May 17, 2024

Environmental Science

Title: President
Company: Craul Land Scientists
Location: Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, United States

Tim A. Craul, CPSSc, president at Craul Land Scientists, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in soil science.

With almost five decades of experience to his credit, Mr. Craul has excelled as a leader in the field of soil science. Currently serving as the president of Craul Land Scientists since 2001, he has skillfully managed over 30 ongoing projects, consistently delivering high-quality work and effectively juggling complex schedules to maintain efficiency. His strategic approach to project management underscores his deep commitment to advancing land science through innovative practices and solutions.

Mr. Craul began his career observing soil sampling for the Bucks County Soil Survey in 1967, a survey he later updated in 1988 while working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). His foundational roles in soil science were solidified through various key positions at the USDA-NRCS, starting as a soil scientist in 1988, advancing to soil project leader by 1990, continuing to a soil specialist at Penn State University from 1994 to 2006, and later as a soil scientist project leader until 2012.

Mr. Craul’s tenure at the USDA-NRCS was marked by significant achievements, including leading the team that converted paper soil survey maps into Geographic Information System data for the national web soil survey. Supervising the data capture process for Pennsylvania, parts of Maryland, West Virginia, New York and South Carolina underscored his expertise and leadership in overseeing complex processes and contributing valuable insights into land resource management.

Before embarking on his professional path, Mr. Craul pursued an education at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in agronomy in 1984 and a Master of Science in soil science in 2000. He is also a certified professional soil scientist through the Soil Science Society of America.

Beyond his responsibilities within his field, Mr. Craul has been an active member of several industry-related organizations, including the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Soil Science Society of America. He served as past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Soil Scientists and contributed to the Pennsylvania Stormwater Manual Working Group. Additionally, he authored two books in his area of expertise, marking significant contributions to urban landscape projects and several professional articles.

In light of his impressive undertakings, Mr. Craul was recognized with accolades, including a Merit Award for Shoemaker Green from the Society for College and University Planning, an Engineering Design Award from the Illinois Society of Civil Engineers and an accolade from the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling in Charleston.

Looking ahead, Mr. Craul plans to reduce his project load to focus more on lecturing and completing a third book for publication. This shift reflects his ongoing commitment to education and knowledge sharing within his field, ensuring his legacy will continue to influence future generations of soil scientists and landscape architects. His advice to aspiring professionals is to cultivate a deep understanding of their discipline while staying adaptable to the evolving technologies and methodologies that shape the landscape of soil science.