Director of Research and Development, Soil/Soil Health Testing
Ward Laboratories, Inc.
Dr. Patrick Freeze is the Director of Research and Development – Soil/Soil Health Testing at Ward Laboratories in Kearney, Nebraska. In this role, he leads method development, conducts soil and plant research, and provides education and support to growers. Prior to joining Ward Laboratories, Patrick was an R&D Scientist at Matrix Sciences in Central Washington State, where he developed testing methods for soil, soil health, and apple tissue for large consulting groups.
Patrick earned his PhD in Soil Chemistry from Washington State University, where his research focused on using artificially modified soil amendments to reduce plant uptake and mitigate heavy metal exposure risks in contaminated orchard soils. As a USDA NIFA Needs Fellow, he received advanced training in soil carbon characterization techniques in southern Italy. Additionally, he spent a year as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar working on reducing cadmium uptake in rural Thailand’s rice paddies. Patrick holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Nevada – Reno, with a specialization in forest soil science, environmental policy, and green chemistry.
