 Professor David Mulla's favorite fishing spot is in his own backyard where the Mississippi River flows along the property line of his home in the northern suburbs. “I can catch almost anything…smallmouth bass, catfish, pike, perch, and walleye,” says Mulla. One of the goals of Mulla's research at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is to protect the water systems that make fishing spots like his possible.
When Mulla began his studies, he was more concerned with water on the molecular level than water systems. After completing his undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences at the University of California-Riverside, Mulla pursued his graduate and doctoral study in Soil Chemistry and Physics at Purdue University. Mulla created a theoretical modeling study of water molecules on clay surfaces for his doctoral dissertation. In 1983, Mulla went to Washington State University as an Assistant Professor in Soil Physics to continue research.
At Washington State University, two major areas of research emerged: soil and water resource management and precision agriculture. Soil and water resource management analyzes the causes, effects and management of water and soil degradation. In contrast, precision agriculture focuses on information systems to improve the efficiency of water and fertilizer management.
When Mulla began his work in precision agriculture during the mid 1980's, this field of science did not have a name. At Washington State University, Mulla studied the spatial variability of soil phosphorus across the landscape. Phosphorus is an essential element for plant growth and a key ingredient in most fertilizers. His research attracted the attention of a Minnesota company named SoilTeq, which asked him to test and develop software for mapping spatial patterns in phosphorus levels. This software was an integral component of the earliest computerized variable rate fertilizer applicator equipment, and by 1987 Mulla was involved in some of the earliest field trials involving variable rate technology. By analyzing the spatial variability of soil nitrogen and phosphorus, Mulla was able to recommend site-specific guidelines for the application of fertilizers. Increasing the efficiency improved profits for farmers, who used less fertilizer and water, and reduced pollution. Better management of these soil inputs benefited farmers and the environment.
At the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, professor Pierre Robert developed research similar to Mulla's. Both Mulla and Robert recognized the importance of precision agriculture for farmers and the environment, but neither knew of the other's work. In 1992, Robert invited Mulla to speak at the First Annual Conference of Site Specific Crop Management. “This was the beginning of my interaction with the U of M,” says Mulla. Mulla came to Minnesota in 1995 when he was selected as the Larson Chair in Soil and Water Resources. In 2003, Mulla was named the Interim Director of the Precision Agriculture Center after Pierre Robert's untimely death. This summer, the Precision Agriculture Center will host the 8th International Conference on Precision Agriculture (formerly the Conference on Site Specific Crop Management). 
Mulla's research in Soil and Water Resource Management involves many aspects of non-point source pollution. His research focuses primarily on identifying the sources of lake and river pollution, and on developing tools and strategies to improve water quality. He has worked extensively on water quality across a range of scales, from the Minnesota River to the Gulf of Mexico. Most recently, he is turning his attention to sediment and phosphorus pollution in Lake Pepin. Lake Pepin is a natural widening on the Mississippi River, and is famous for being the birthplace of water skiing. Three watersheds drain to the lake: the Mississippi, St. Croix, and Minnesota Rivers. Sediment and phosphorus have entered the lake in increasingly large quantities during the last 200 to 300 years. Phosphorus has stimulated the growth of algae, which lowers levels of oxygen in the water during drought years, leading to fish kills. The damage to the environment has caused the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to identify Lake Pepin as an “impaired water body.” Currently, Mulla is contributing his expertise to help determine the maximum amount of sediment and phosphorus that may enter Lake Pepin without violating Federal guidelines. The results of the Lake Pepin project will be completed in 2009.
In addition to working on the Lake Pepin project and as Interim Director of the Precision Agriculture Center, Mulla has taught Environmental Science 3221: Soil Conservation and Water Quality Impacts. He enjoys working in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate because it gives him the opportunity to learn new things and meet new people. His work in Soil and Water Resources and Precision Agriculture allows him to interact with students, farmers, scientists, agency personnel, politicians and the public. Mulla especially likes working with graduate students to develop research projects. “It's really enjoyable helping students achieve their goals,” says Mulla.
Each fall, Mulla teaches a short course on nitrogen pollution at the National Institute of Agronomy in Paris. Being conversant in French has proven invaluable and is appreciated by his French students. Mulla's expertise offers many opportunities to mix work and travel. “Traveling is one of my favorite pastimes,” he explains. Mulla's research has taken him to many locations in the U.S. as well as to many countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In the summer of 2005, Mulla presented papers in France and Sweden. After the conferences, he and his wife of 25 years, Nahid, traveled to London. While traveling, they love to visit museums and eat good food from different cultures.
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