CALF_News_October_November_2019

20 CALF News • October | November 2019 • www.calfnews.net By Patti Wilson Contributing Editor W hen we doubt the American Dream or wonder about the value of opportunities in our country, we need only look in our own neighborhoods to find that the system is working well. The lesson we should remember is that anyone who has good integrity, work ethic and a bright attitude can achieve and serve in a successful career when employed by responsible people. Martha Mamo, Ph.D., is an Ethiopian immigrant who has worked her way up to Department Head of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). Her open and frank responses made our interview easy. She enjoys interacting with students (who obviously love her), which speaks volumes about why she has become a welcome teaching and research faculty member at UNL. Starting out Mamo spent her early years in Ethiopia, an eastern Africa country we widely associate with food insecurity and drought. Although Mamo did not expe- rience food insecurity herself, she saw enough of it and wanted to be part of the solution. Mamo has a driving desire for education and for passing her learned skills along to those who might benefit. Having family members already settled in Alabama, Mamo left home as a teen to pursue her goals. She finished high school in Huntsville and was accepted into Alabama A&M University, an 1890 land-grant institution, where she attained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Mamo earned her doctorate in soil science at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, and moved on to long-term employment at UNL. When asked why she chose Nebraska, she laughs and says, “I didn’t choose Nebraska, Nebraska chose me.” She is most motivated by soil resources and conservation.“Agriculture is the backbone of many regions,” Mamo says. She is driven by the question “How can I improve my skills and knowledge sufficiently to help others?” Mamo’s observation of East Afri- can subsistence farmers provided the background and desire from which she works. It led to a life of research and experiential learning. She notes that crops and livestock touch all aspects of daily life for everyone, everywhere. husband, Daniel, an Indonesian immi- grant) was granted permanent residency through an immigration process called National Interest Waiver. The waiver includes scientists whose expertise and works are proven very significant for U.S. interests. She explains that after getting her permanent residency (Green Card), she applied for U.S. citizenship five years later. Mamo went through naturalization ceremonies at the Homestead National Monument near Beatrice, Neb.When asked whether it was difficult for her to relinquish citizenship to her native Ethio- pia, Mamo explains,“Not at all. The key part of living anywhere is to do good.” She says that being a U.S. citizen gives her many privileges, including ease with international travel. Thoughts on her job Mamo explains life in her own terms. Opportunities present themselves, and she asks,“Is this something I can do?” This is in contrast to thinking of self- advancement as clawing your way to the PRODUCER PROF I LE Martha Mamo The Value of a Good Attitude Martha Mamo, left, visits with one of her students, Nicole Strand of Albion. The two attended the Nebraska Grazing Conference in August. Continued on page 27  Mamo takes soil samples on the UNL Barta Brothers Ranch near Bassett. Economics and health are directly affected by these issues, and connecting herself to food production enables Mamo to have an impact on issues here as well as Africa. Mamo’s collaboration with univer- sities in Ethiopia enrich the people’s lives on both continents. The question becomes, how do we manage soil to conserve it as our pre- cious natural resource? For years, much of Mamo’s research has been conducted at the UNL Barta Brothers Ranch south of Bassett, evaluating how grazing prac- tices affect soil resources. Reflections on citizenship Mamo came to the United States for educational opportunities. She (and U U