Dr. Nathan Robinson
Principal Research Fellow, Soil Science
Campus
Biography
Dr Nathan Robinson is a principal research fellow at Federation University, specialising in pedology, pedometrics, agricultural land management and information systems. He leads Program 2 (Soil Performance Metrics) for the Soil CRC.
Nathan joined the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) in 2017 after more than 18 years with the Victorian Government, where he worked in soil and landscape analysis and led major projects across the Corangamite, Wimmera and Goulburn Broken catchments.
His research focuses on the use of proximal sensors and rapid sensing technologies to assess soil properties and their relationship to crop yield. He completed his PhD at Federation University in 2016 on digital soil mapping and soil productivity, receiving the CG Stephens Medal from Soil Science Australia for best thesis.
Nathan has contributed to several advisory groups, including Soil Science Australia’s Smart Soils Community of Practice, Catchment Management Authorities, the Victorian Geomorphology Reference Group, and the NCST Advisory Group on Digital Soil Assessment. He also serves on the Victorian Committee of Soil Science Australia and is an associate member of the Future Regions Research Centre and the Centre for Smart Analytics.
Alongside his academic work, Nathan manages Linwood Grange Enterprises, a family livestock and grain production business.
Fields of research
- Pedology and pedometrics
- Agricultural land management
- Information systems for sustainable development and the public good
More about Nathan
Qualifications
- Higher Doctoral Degree – Soil Science, Federation University
- Diploma in Frontline Management, University of Melbourne
- Graduate Diploma of GIS and Remote Sensing, Charles Sturt University
- Bachelor of Applied Science (Hons), University of Ballarat
Areas of interest
- Pedology and pedometrics
- Soil and landscape analysis
- Inference modelling and prediction using ML
- Proximal and remote sensing
- Soil constraints to edaphic performance
- Data, information and knowledge management
Areas of expertise
Nathan has interests in the evolving technology solutions, including ML and AI and transformations to management of agricultural soil and land resources by land managers. He has interests in citizen science and how technology transfer can be accelerated through upskilling to increase positive benefits of latest beneficial agtech products and services.
Grants
- Robinson, N. (2024–2026). 2.1.009 – Review of target values for soil performance indicators and their interdependencies. ($399,982)
- Robinson, N. (2020–2022). 2.2.005 A coordinated and consistent approach to managing and enabling soil data. ($312,513)
- Robinson, N. (2018–2020). Machine learning to extract maximum value from soil and crop variability - UOA2002-007RTX. ($950,993)
- Robinson, N. (2019–2021). 2.1.006 Matching soil performance indicators to farming systems. ($250,406)
- Robinson, N. (2020–2022). Project 6.4.001 A soil investment strategy for livestock grazing systems. ($178,900)
Current
- Master's student, Federation University, 'Improved Soil Mapping using Hybrid Sampling Techniques'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Research data management attitudes, capability and support infrastructure for the small sciences'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Integrating Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge into Green Crediting Policy Design: Community Participation and Ecological Restoration Outcomes'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Developing new methods to help farmers make decisions on lime use and lime requirement'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Predicting crop yield within the growing season at sub-paddock scale: a big data approach'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Achieving net zero emissions in agriculture: Developing decision support systems for land and enterprise managers'.
- PhD student, Charles Sturt University, 'Development of a grower focused mobile app for estimating, analysing and recording soil properties'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Soil Health and Carbon Management Levers for Farming Systems Optimisation'.
Past
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Precision conservation agricultural practices (PCAPs) and agriculture performance: the mediating and moderating roles of FAIR data and resilient practices'.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'In-Paddock Variability of Plant Available Water'.
- Soil science
- Pedometrics
Specialist roles
- Program 2 Leader – Soil Performance Metrics (Soil CRC)
- Associate Professor – Soil Science
- National Committee on Soil & Terrain Advisory Group on Digital Soil Assessment
- Soil Science Australia’s Smart Soils Community of Practice
- Victorian Geomorphology Reference Group
- Victorian Committee of Soil Science Australia
Professional association memberships
- Soil Science Australia
- Royal Society of Victoria
- 70th anniversary – Soil Science Past, Present & Future. Soil Science Australia event at Royal Society of Victoria (4 July). Soil Science Australia, 2025. https://vimeo.com/1099557551
- Soil science achievements, future opportunities and challenges for soil security in Australia. Interviews with soil scientists from across Australia [HREC: 2025/157]. In progress.
Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI)
Future Regions Research Centre (FRRC)
Centre for Smart Analytics (CSA)
- Publications
Managing data in collaborative research starts with the researcher: A Soil CRC case study
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1080/08989621.2025.2525878
Towards Data-Driven Decisions in Agriculture - A Proposed Data Quality Framework for Grains Trials Research
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.3390/data11010019
Assessing Soil Indicator Practices: Determinants and Variations Among Australian Farmers
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1111/sum.70196