Dr. Bryant Scharenbroch, a soil scientist for the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, works in the lab and in the field to improve the growth and longevity of trees.

Dr. Bryant Scharenbroch, an urban soil scientist at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois is the 2013 recipient of the International Society of Arboriculture's (ISA) "Early Career Scientist" award.

The award recognizes exceptional promise and potential for becoming internationally known for contributions to arboriculture. ISA President Terrence Flanagan honored Dr. Scharenbroch at an August 4th ceremony in Toronto as part of the ISA Annual Conference and Trade Show.

"For the past five years, we've been quite active with ISA and the local chapters, presenting much of our applied research on assessing and improving urban soils for trees," explains Dr. Scharenbroch. "As a scientist, I am fortunate to interact with ISA professionals, who guide our research questions and implement our results."

Dr. Scharenbroch is one of eleven distinguished professionals who make up the circle of winners for ISA's Awards of Distinction, sponsored by Bartlett Tree Experts. ISA has honored members and industry professionals with the Awards of Distinction since 1963. The winners are selected by a diverse group of experts in arboriculture. ISA comprises more than 20,000 members worldwide.

The Morton Arboretum, 25 miles west of Chicago, is internationally recognized for its tree and plant collections, scientific research and educational programs. Designed with natural landscapes, the 1,700-acre grounds present specialty gardens, including an award-winning four-acre interactive Children's Garden, a one-acre Maze Garden, plus 16 miles of trails and nine miles of roads. The Arboretum welcomes more than 800,000 visitors each year, and has more than 35,600 members.