Food for Thought

A world-renowned expert on the ecological impacts and management of genetically engineered crops, University of Arizona professor Yves Carrière presented the findings of a recent National Academy of Sciences report on the sustainability impacts of genetically engineered crops in the United States. He also discussed the scientific record from the global use of herbicide- and insect-resistant crops, which were designed to reduce the use of pesticides, improve yields and provide economic benefits to farmers and consumers. Outreach in Biotechnology's Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB Recorded 11 Apr 2012

A world-renowned expert on the ecological impacts and management of genetically engineered crops, University of Arizona professor Yves Carrière presented the findings of a recent National Academy of Sciences report on the sustainability impacts of genetically engineered crops in the United States. He also discussed the scientific record from the global use of herbicide- and insect-resistant crops, which were designed to reduce the use of pesticides, improve yields and provide economic benefits to farmers and consumers. Outreach in Biotechnology's Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB Recorded 11 Apr 2012

National Geographic Explorer Mark Lynas won the 2007 Royal Society Prize for Science Books for Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet. His is also author of High Tide: The Truth About Our Climate Crisis and The God Species. In his Food for Thought lecture, he discussed the nine planetary boundaries, including climate change, that humans are threatening to violate, the potential catastrophic impacts of transgression, and what can be done to mitigate or avoid them.

National Geographic Explorer Mark Lynas won the 2007 Royal Society Prize for Science Books for Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet. His is also author of High Tide: The Truth About Our Climate Crisis and The God Species. In his Food for Thought lecture, he discussed the nine planetary boundaries, including climate change, that humans are threatening to violate, the potential catastrophic impacts of transgression, and what can be done to mitigate or avoid them.

A Cooperative Extension Specialist and faculty member at the University of California at Berkley, Lemaux’s outreach and educational programming increases public understanding of agricultural practices, food production and the impact of new technologies on food and agriculture. Her research focuses on the development and use of genetic engineering and genomic strategies for cereals, wheat, sorghum, barley, rice, maize and certain grass species. In her Food for Thought lecture, Peggy discusses the challenges faced by having to feed an estimated 9.1 billion people by 2050. Even today there are 923 million chronically undernourished people in underdeveloped regions of the world and increasingly even in the developed world. Through improvements in crops and agricultural practices, crop yields have steadily risen, but those increases are beginning to decline. New agricultural methods and improved crop species are needed to provide adequate food in an environmentally friendly manner without increasing cultivated land.

A Cooperative Extension Specialist and faculty member at the University of California at Berkley, Lemaux’s outreach and educational programming increases public understanding of agricultural practices, food production and the impact of new technologies on food and agriculture. Her research focuses on the development and use of genetic engineering and genomic strategies for cereals, wheat, sorghum, barley, rice, maize and certain grass species. In her Food for Thought lecture, Peggy discusses the challenges faced by having to feed an estimated 9.1 billion people by 2050. Even today there are 923 million chronically undernourished people in underdeveloped regions of the world and increasingly even in the developed world. Through improvements in crops and agricultural practices, crop yields have steadily risen, but those increases are beginning to decline. New agricultural methods and improved crop species are needed to provide adequate food in an environmentally friendly manner without increasing cultivated land.

Wes Jackson is a long time advocate of sustainable agriculture, and his creation, The Land Institute, is working to develop perennial, polyculture systems for grain agriculture to reduce soil erosion and pesticide use. Wes Jackson is the founder and current president of The Land Institute, a research, education and policy nonprofit dedicated to sustainable agriculture based in Salina, Kansas. Jackson and his colleagues are working to develop an intensive, energy-efficient agricultural system that reduces inputs – water, fertilizers and pesticides – and enhances soil fertility and biodiversity. Jackson explains how, for the first time in 10,000 years of grain production, the processes of wild ecosystems could be brought to the farm using perennial crops.

Wes Jackson is a long time advocate of sustainable agriculture, and his creation, The Land Institute, is working to develop perennial, polyculture systems for grain agriculture to reduce soil erosion and pesticide use. Wes Jackson is the founder and current president of The Land Institute, a research, education and policy nonprofit dedicated to sustainable agriculture based in Salina, Kansas. Jackson and his colleagues are working to develop an intensive, energy-efficient agricultural system that reduces inputs – water, fertilizers and pesticides – and enhances soil fertility and biodiversity. Jackson explains how, for the first time in 10,000 years of grain production, the processes of wild ecosystems could be brought to the farm using perennial crops.

Alison Van Eenennaam is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in animal biotechnology and genomics at the University of California, Davis who has taken an active role in scientific and regulatory evaluations of a number of genetically engineered animals. Alison Van Eenennaam discusses the lengthy, tortuous path the company producing the salmon has taken as it has sought regulatory approval from the FDA. She also compares conventional and new forms of animal biotechnologies, focusing on the expected benefits, safety and social acceptance of fast-growing, genetically engineered salmon proposed for contained, land-based aquaculture systems.

Alison Van Eenennaam is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in animal biotechnology and genomics at the University of California, Davis who has taken an active role in scientific and regulatory evaluations of a number of genetically engineered animals. Alison Van Eenennaam discusses the lengthy, tortuous path the company producing the salmon has taken as it has sought regulatory approval from the FDA. She also compares conventional and new forms of animal biotechnologies, focusing on the expected benefits, safety and social acceptance of fast-growing, genetically engineered salmon proposed for contained, land-based aquaculture systems.

Creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, founder of The WELL, the Global Business Network, and the Long Now Foundation, and author of several books including Whole Earth Discipline: Why Dense Cities, Nuclear Power, Transgenic Crops, Restored Wildlands, and Geoengineering Are Necessary, Stewart Brand rejects the dogmatic messages of Green fundamentalism and welcome genuine debate, experimentation, and common sense. In his Food for Thought lecture, Stewart explains why we need to be more daring as we strive for sustainability, and encourage us to embrace sensible technological advances as environmental stewardship opportunities. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 10 Mar 2011

Creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, founder of The WELL, the Global Business Network, and the Long Now Foundation, and author of several books including Whole Earth Discipline: Why Dense Cities, Nuclear Power, Transgenic Crops, Restored Wildlands, and Geoengineering Are Necessary, Stewart Brand rejects the dogmatic messages of Green fundamentalism and welcome genuine debate, experimentation, and common sense. In his Food for Thought lecture, Stewart explains why we need to be more daring as we strive for sustainability, and encourage us to embrace sensible technological advances as environmental stewardship opportunities. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 10 Mar 2011

Pamela Ronald is a professor of plant pathology and the chair of the Plant Genomics Program at the University of California, Davis. Raoul Adamchak is an organic farmer and the Market Garden Coordinator of the Student Farm, also at UC Davis. In their Food for Thought lecture, this married couple explains how some genetically enhanced crops can improve wholesome agricultural productivity and help achieve the low chemical inputs that are the goal of organic agriculture, while some genetic enhancements are best avoided altogether. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 25 Nov 2008

Jason Clay ran a family farm, taught at Harvard and Yale, worked at the US Department of Agriculture and spent more than 25 years working with human rights and environmental organizations before joining the World Wildlife Fund in 1999. Now, as Senior Vice President of Market Transformation at WWF, Clay influences the way governments, foundations, researchers, and NGOs identify and address risks and opportunities for their work. He brings people together to improve environmentally sensitive practices in agriculture and aquaculture. In his Food for Thought lecture, Jason focuses on creating global standards for producing and processing raw materials from plants, particularly in terms of carbon dioxide emissions and water use. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 19 Nov 2009

Gary Marchant is the Lincoln Professor of Emerging Technologies, Law, and Ethics at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. He is also a Professor of Life Sciences at ASU, and Executive Director of the ASU Center for the Study of Law, Science and Technology. Professor Marchant has a PhD in Genetics from the University of British Columbia, a Masters of Public Policy degree from the Kennedy School of Government, and a law degree from Harvard. Prior to joining the ASU faculty in 1999, he was a partner in a Washington, DC law firm where his practice focused on environmental and administrative law. At ASU, Gary teaches environmental, food, genetic, and drug law, and has studied the legal aspects of risk assessment, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. Are genetically engineered foods safe? Should biotechnology products have special labels? Under what circumstances can nations restrict imports of GE foods? Should genes and organisms be patented? The law ultimately decides these and other difficult questions about biotechnology. Gary’s Food for Thought lecture examines how and if these decisions can be made in a fair, scientifically credible, and socially acceptable manner. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 15 Nov 2007

Rachel Ankeny is Senior Lecturer in the School of History and Politics and Manager of the Graduate Program in Gastronomy at the University of Adelaide, Australia. She holds a Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Adelaide. Although the term “molecular gastronomy” was coined only in the late 1980s, investigations of the application of science to culinary practices have a long history. So what distinguishes recent efforts, and more generally, what is molecular gastronomy as opposed to food science? Rachel’s talk explores the concepts underlying molecular gastronomy and particularly its connections to the content and rhetoric of molecularization in the late twentieth century. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 8 Nov 2007

Dan Koeppel has written for the New York Times Magazine, Outside, Audubon, Popular Science, and National Geographic Adventure, where he is a contributing editor. He has also appeared on CNN and Good Morning America, and is a former commentator for Public Radio International's Marketplace. In his Food for Thought lecture, Dan talks about the questionable fate of one of the most important fruits in the world, explaining how bananas became so important, why the business of bananas has been so checkered (and sometimes even deadly), and most importantly, what makes banana trees weak — and what might make them strong again. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 3 Nov 2009

A decade ago, Mark Manary, a professor of pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine, developed a highly effective therapy for severe malnutrition that evolved into the non-profit organization Project Peanut Butter, which serves hundreds of thousands of children annually. Now, as part of the Global Harvest Alliance, he is working to prevent malnutrition, using biotechnology to make cassava — the third largest source of carbohydrates for meals around the world — more nutritious. In his Food for Thought lecture Mark discusses the urgent needs in Africa and how biofortification may help. The goal: stopping malnutrition before it begins. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB Recorded 20 Oct 2010 A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought

Steven Shapin is the Franklin L Ford Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University. His current research interests include historical and contemporary studies of dietetics, the nature of entrepreneurial science, and modern relations between academia and industry. In late 2007 the Oxford University Press anointed “locavore” Word of the Year. (Some San Franciscans who thought it a good idea to eat only foods produced within a 100-mile radius made up the word in 2005.) Locavores assume they are doing good for the palate and the planet. They also tend to believe that we should reject modern globalization and return to the smaller communities of the past. But have they gotten their history right? Steven’s talk explores how medical and moral traditions from antiquity to recent times have thought about local and exotic diets and reflects on changing conceptions of the self and the place of food in our lives. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 15 May 2008

Ronald Herring is a professor of government and the director of the Program on Nature and Development at Cornell University, New York. He specializes in agrarian reform, political ecology and development, and social conflicts around science and genetic engineering. He has served as a John S Knight Professor of International Relations and as the Director of the Einaudi Center for International Studies. He has also worked as a consultant to the US State Department, World Bank, UNDP, and other international organizations. He won the 2008 Dudley Seers Prize for his book “Transgenics and the Poor.” In his Food for Thought lecture, Ron discusses how the genetic engineering of crops has become a proxy for much larger ideological and political debates. He explores the consequences of limiting this technology for poverty alleviation, global trade, and the environment. Outreach in Biotechnology’s Food for Thought Lecture Series brings together internationally recognized experts to talk about the best (and worst) ways to use biotechnology for food and fuel. For more information, go to http://OregonState.edu/OrB A study guide to this lecture is available at http://oregonstate.edu/orb/food-for-thought Recorded 5 May 2009