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Science Pub: “Human Milk and Breastfeeding: Scientific Challenges, Paradigm Shifts, and Unanswered Questions”
September 13th, 2022 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about science in an informal atmosphere; no scientific background necessary! Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn.

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

1. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 100% capacity and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area.
2. On Zoom – Register for the Zoom Talk HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Mention Science Pub and you’ll be sent a link by text or email to join the event. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Science Pub time.

See the Facebook event here

This month’s speakers:

Join Courtney Meehan and Shelley McGuire on September 13th for their pub talk, “Human Milk and Breastfeeding: Scientific Challenges, Paradigm Shifts, and Unanswered Questions”.

Breastfeeding is universally considered the gold standard in infant nutrition and has sustained human existence since time immemorial. Yet surprisingly little is known about why breastfeeding imparts such important health benefits to infants. Indeed, substantially more is known about milk composition and lactation in dairy cows than in women due to the economic importance of the dairy industry to agriculture and farming. However, research conducted collaboratively by several interdisciplinary research groups at Washington State University and the University of Idaho has succeeded in tackling a host of critical questions that have long required attention. This challenging science has frequently confronted dogma, often needing to return to the most basic of questions to help researchers and women understand the complexities and power of human milk and breastfeeding. The research has spanned a divergence of topics and questions such as:  Does milk composition vary around the world?; Do childcare practices alter milk composition?; Does human milk transmit SARS-CoV-2 and/or provide antibodies to this virus?;  and Does cannabis use during lactation alter human milk composition? Join us while we explore the messy but lifesaving science of human milk, the unanswered questions, and how WSU and UI researchers are working to translate their findings to purpose and practice.

Courtney Meehan is the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and a Professor of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University.  Meehan’s research focuses on the social and environmental determinants of human milk composition, maternal-infant microbiomes, childcare and maternal-infant health. Most recently, she has focused on breastfeeding and COVID-19 and cannabis use during lactation. She conducts field research in the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, and the United States. She has collaborated with Drs. Shelley McGuire, Mark McGuire, and Janet Williams at the University of Idaho for over a decade on a variety of human milk and microbiome research. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Leakey Foundation.

Shelley McGuire earned PhD in human nutrition from Cornell University and was faculty at Washington State University from 1997 until 2018 when she became Director of the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Idaho. Over her career, she has worked closely with Drs. Mark McGuire and Janet Williams (both animal scientists at the University of Idaho) and Dr. Courtney Meehan (WSU) studying a broad range of topics, including the impact of maternal nutrition on milk composition, reproductive function during the postpartum period, implications of COVID-19 during breastfeeding, and mastitis. The McGuire/Williams team’s finding in 2011 that milk contains its own unique microbiome represented an important paradigm shift in the field, and their collaborative global INSPIRE Study is considered a gold standard in terms of understanding human milk composition. Shelley’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Science Pub: “Debate on the Ethics of Genome Editing in Livestock”
May 10th, 2022 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about science in an informal atmosphere; no scientific background necessary! Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn.

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

1. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 100% capacity and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area.
2. On Zoom – Register for the Zoom Talk HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Mention Science Pub and you’ll be sent a link by text or email to join the event. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Science Pub time.

See the Facebook event here

This month’s speakers:

Join Alison Van Eenennaam, Brenda Murdoch, Jason Winfree, Patricia Glazebrook, W.Jay Gordon, Amber Adams-Progar, and Jill McCluskey on May 10th for their pub talk, “Debate on the Ethics of Genome Editing in Livestock”.

Opposition to foods made from new technology, especially genetic engineering, has been increasing over time. Recent advances in genome-editing are widely acknowledged to have tremendous potential for beneficial results, but research is needed to understand the accompanying potential scientific, ethical, regulatory, and social consequences. Since genome editing is a relatively new phenomenon, there is an opportunity to study how social interactions affect consumer acceptance. Consumers obtain information about new technology in many ways, including personal interactions, social media, and traditional media. The presenters project examines how the delivery of this information through various forms of media affects consumer acceptance of genome editing. In their talk/debate, they will address genome-edited hornless livestock and animal welfare. They will explain how they use text-mining algorithms on major social and traditional news media websites to understand these websites impact on public sentiment about genome editing and animal welfare. This public-engagement event aims to facilitate communication between scientists, producers, ethicists, and the public about the use of genome editing for hornless cattle.

Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam is a Professor of Cooperative Extension in the field of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California, Davis.  She received a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and both an MS in Animal Science, and a PhD in Genetics from UC Davis. Her publicly-funded research and outreach program focuses on the use of animal genomics and biotechnology in livestock production systems. Her current research projects include the development of genome editing approaches for cattle. She has given over 700 invited presentations to audiences globally, and uses a variety of media to inform general public audiences about science and technology. A passionate advocate of science, Dr. Van Eenennaam was the recipient of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology 2014 Borlaug Communication Award and the American Society of Animal Science 2019 Rockefeller Prentice Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics. Twitter: @BioBeef.

Dr. Brenda Murdoch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science at the University of Idaho. Murdoch’s research focuses on characterizing the relationship between genetic variation in mammals and traits which are valued and important to society. She exploits a number of molecular and genetic tools to further improve our understanding of how these variations affect biological processes of both undesirable and desirable phenotypic traits. She holds a Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Alberta.

Dr. Patricia Glazebrook is Professor of Philosophy in the School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs at Washington State University. She publishes on gender, agriculture, food security, and climate change in Africa, philosophy of science and technology, and military ethics. Her current research addresses climate impacts and adaptations by women subsistence farmers in Ghana. She has incorporated Ghana Fair in the United States in partnership with the Single Mothers’ Association of the Upper East Region in Ghana to provide livelihood diversification and alternative income, and to support microcredit financing for women in the Region.

Dr. Jason Winfree is Associate Professor in the Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology department at the University of Idaho. His research interests include the economics of market structures, industrial organization, collective reputation, food quality standards, and sports economics.

Dr. Jill J. McCluskey is Regents Professor and Director of the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University. McCluskey’s research focuses on product quality and reputation, sustainable labeling, consumer preferences for new technology, and representation of women in STEM. An award-winning researcher, she is widely published and cited. Her research has been funded by private foundations, NSF, and USDA. An award-winning mentor, she has served as major professor to 46 Ph.D. graduates, many of whom are Professors at major research universities. She is a member of the Board on Agricultural and Natural Resources of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She is an Editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, past President and Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Fellow of the Western Agricultural Economics Association, and a member of the WA State Academies of Sciences. Her research has been highlighted by various media outlets including the New York Times, National Public Radio, and Newsday. She received her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

W. Jay Gordon has represented and supported dairy farmers as a lobbyist for the Washington State Dairy Federation (WSDF) since 2001. He served as the Executive Director for 14 years and is currently the Policy Director of the Federation. The WSDF has represented dairy families in Washington on policy and regulatory issues since 1892, making it the oldest active dairy producer trade association in the United States. Washington is home to 410 dairy farmers who employ about 400 people and produce more than $1 billion in dairy products. Jay routinely works with state agencies, national dairy organizations, local livestock and shellfish growers to promote the dairy industry while working to provide solutions for environmental and health issues such as nutrient management regulation, air and water regulation and animal identification. He is a member of the board of the Washington Agriculture Legal Foundation, which protects the legal rights of those involved in agriculture and aquaculture, and is on the advisory board for the William D. Ruckelshaus Center, which serves as a neutral resource to solve complex policy challenges for parties in Washington and the Pacific Northwest.

Jay is a steward of the land and understands that in some cases, farmland and ecosystem protection go hand-in-hand. With funding from the American Farmland Trust, the Trumpeter Swan Society, Capitol Land Trust, and the National Parks Foundation for an easement protecting farmland along the Elwha River on the Olympic Peninsula, Jay demonstrated that grazing cows on this land improved the habitat for swans. Jay and his wife Susan own a seventh generation, 900-acre dairy and crop farm in the Chehalis valley near Elma. Over the years, they have produced a wide variety of vegetables, grains, and forages, as well as milk. They have four daughters.

Amber Adams Progar is an Associate Professor and Dairy Management Extension Specialist in Animal Sciences at Washington State University. She grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, a Master’s in Zoology at Oklahoma State University, and a PhD in Animal Science at Texas A&M University. She spent the past 15 years researching animal behavior and well-being, and is an enthusiastic collaborator with dairy industry partners. Her applied research program uses animal behavior and non-invasive measurements of stress in cattle to promote management practices that support animal well-being. She also combines her teaching skills and passion for farming to translate research results into meaningful information for farmers.

Science Pub: “Cultivating Belonging in Pullman and Beyond”
March 1st, 2022 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about science in an informal atmosphere; no scientific background necessary! Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn.

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

1. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 100% capacity under the Washington State COVID-19 Mask Mandate and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area.
2. On Zoom – Register for the Zoom Talk HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Mention Science Pub and you’ll be sent a link by text or email to join the event. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Science Pub time.

Please also visit the Facebook event for this talk.

This month’s speakers:

Join Trymaine Gaither and Sophia Gaither on March 1st for their pub talk, “Cultivating Belonging in Pullman and Beyond”.

To belong is also to understand that there is room for us all to strive and flourish across our differences. Trymaine’s talk will cover some of his work throughout the WSU system around mindfulness and anti-racism. Trymaine will end with a discussion about the learning communities happening across the institution. Sophia will talk about Pullman Young Professionals Association and how community members can get involved.

Trymaine Gaither is currently the Special Assistant to the Provost for Inclusive Excellence at Washington State University. He trains faculty and staff in mindfulness-based anti-racism, self-awareness, contemplative pedagogy, and self-compassion practices.

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Trymaine Gaither has been in the education sector for 10+ years. His anti-racist work has garnered him awards, the most recent being the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award from Washington State University. Through his work with the university, Trymaine has facilitated mindfulness retreats, implicit bias training, and mindfulness-based anti-racism training. Trymaine is also a Certified MBSR (Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction) Teacher and completed his training through the Center for Mindfulness at Brown University. Trymaine currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Mindfulness at Brown University as well.

As a community organizer, Trymaine served as an appointed Board Member of the Mecklenburg County Community Relations Committee from 2012-2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition, Trymaine led a city-wide “Know Your Rights Initiative,” informing marginalized groups of their rights within policing practices. Alongside his implicit bias trainings of the CMPD police force and continued, he is currently the Co-Chair for the Police Advisory Board for Washington State University. Trymaine attended North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University with a major in Business Management. He spends his spare time exploring the Pacific Northwest with his wife Sophia, six-year-old son Noah, and nineteen-month-old Brycen.

Sophia Gaither serves as the President of the Pullman Young Professionals program under the Chamber of Commerce and Board Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Association of Colleges and Employers for the Mountain-Pacific region, also known as MPACE.

Formerly the Associate Director and Instructor in the Carson College of Business at Washington State University, Sophia has over 12+ years in higher education teaching, directing, and executing programming and curriculum focused on career competency development, professional development, and navigating the process of becoming. She has served Washington State University within equity and inclusion, advocating for all women faculty, staff, and students as the former Chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and former executive member of the Association of Faculty Women.

Her life work focuses on understanding how one’s intrinsic values, ethics, and skills align with ones’ external goals to assist in achieving their personal and professional life plans. She enjoys spending time with her two sons, Noah and Brycen, and life-partner, Trymaine Gaither traveling and experiencing the diverse lands of the Pacific Northwest.

Science Pub: “The Economics & Sensory Science of Wine”
October 12th, 2021 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about science in an informal atmosphere; no scientific background necessary! Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn.

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

1. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 100% capacity under the Washington State COVID-19 Mask Mandate and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area.
2. On Zoom – Register for the Zoom Talk HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Mention Science Pub and you’ll be sent a link by text or email to join the event. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Science Pub time.

Please also visit the Facebook event for this talk.

This month’s speakers:

Join Jill McCluskey and Carolyn Ross on October 12th for their pub talk, “The Economics & Sensory Science of Wine”.

Jill’s talk will cover some of her studies on the economics of wine, especially the factors that influence prices. She will close with a discussion of a jointly authored paper with Carolyn Ross on how consumers respond to different oak treatments. Carolyn will then give a talk about sensory studies conducted with wine.

Dr. Jill J. McCluskey is Regents Professor and Director of the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University. McCluskey’s research focuses on product quality and reputation, sustainable labeling, consumer preferences for new technology, and representation of women in STEM. An award-winning researcher, she is widely published and cited. Her research has been funded by private foundations, NSF, and USDA. An award-winning mentor, she has served as major professor to 46 Ph.D. graduates, many of whom are Professors at major research universities. She is a member of the Board on Agricultural and Natural Resources of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She is an Editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, past President and Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Fellow of the Western Agricultural Economics Association, and a member of the WA State Academies of Sciences. Her research has been highlighted by various media outlets including the New York Times, National Public Radio, and Newsday. She received her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Carolyn Ross is a Professor in the School of Food Science at Washington State University (WSU), Affiliate Professor in the WSU School of Medicine, and Director of the WSU Sensory Science Center. The overall objectives of Dr. Ross’ research and graduate education program are to understand the theoretical basis underpinning the sensory perception of foods and wines and correlate these attributes with quantifiable characteristics. Dr. Ross has also expanded her research into the area of food texture perception in children.  Dr. Ross has established her lab and the WSU Sensory Science Center as a center for graduate student training in the areas of sensory science and analytical chemistry.  In 2019 and 2020, she was the recipient of the Institute of Food Technologists Tanner Award for most‐cited article in the Journal of Food Science (sensory and food quality section).  Dr. Ross was also recently awarded the WSU Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction.

Topics and presenters are arranged by the Palouse Discovery Science Center (PDSC) and WSU’s Entrepreneurial Faculty Ambassador (EFA) Program. All Donations support PDSC. Click here for more information.

Science Pub: “Infancy and Early Childhood: Foundations for a Healthy Life”
September 14th, 2021 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about science in an informal atmosphere; no scientific background necessary! Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn.

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

1. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 100% capacity under the Washington State COVID-19 Mask Mandate and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area.
2. On Zoom – Register for the Zoom Talk HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Mention Science Pub and you’ll be sent a link by text or email to join the event. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Science Pub time.

Please also visit the Facebook event for this talk.

This month’s speakers:

Join Maria (Masha) Gartstein and Sammy Perone on September 14th for their pub talk, “Infancy and Early Childhood: Foundations for a Healthy Life”.

Infancy is an important developmental period because it provides the foundation for our more complex abilities as we get older. Early development of emotional reactivity is particularly critical as these shape later personality, and steer us toward either adjustment and wellbeing or a pathway that involves challenges with symptoms and disorders compromising mental health later in life. The value of understanding emerging self-regulation is underscored by the fact that its deficits contribute to most identifiable psychiatric symptoms and disorders, and reactivity sets the stage for this critical milestone, as it “comes online” first.

Two important components of emotional reactivity are approach/positive affectivity and avoidance/fearfulness, which are defined and measured on the behavioral, information processing, and brain activity levels. Avoidance/fearfulness develops rapidly at the end of the first year of life which may be an important window of time for early intervention. This development is open to input of contextual factors, including gender, maternal depression, and cultural influences. For example, fear growth is accelerated for girls and infants of mothers reporting more severe symptoms of depression. In addition, culture shapes the extent to which approach/avoidance contribute to development of more advanced attention-based self-regulation.

Emotional reactivity is one piece of self-regulation which refers to our capacity to control our behavior to meet the demands of the context within which we are situated. Self-regulation has an essential role in mental health, physical health, and social well-being across the lifespan. Self-regulation takes root in the brain during infancy. For example, specific types of brain activity in infants’ brains relate to what they attend to and for how long, what they remember, and how they respond to situations that may be joyful or stressful. Infants’ environment influences how their brains develop, too. For example, how parents and infants interact with each other influences growth in brain activity as do environments that are socially and cognitively impoverished.

The same patterns of brain activity in infants that relate to their first abilities to self-regulate persist into early childhood and adulthood. As infants develop into children, they begin to develop the capacity to control themselves in a more intentional way. This ability is called “executive function.” Amazingly, preschool-age children who have “good” executive function abilities grow up to be adults who are healthy, responsible citizens, and, by mid-life, are prepared to age physically and financially well. But this doesn’t mean a child with “poor” executive function abilities is destined to grow into an unhealthy adult. Instead, it means we must identify factors that put infants and children at risk and also those factors that nurture these abilities early in development when they are most malleable.

Current projects in Dr. Gartstein’s and Dr. Perone’s labs at WSU are working toward this goal by focusing on brain activity underlying approach/avoidance and considering how parent-child interactions can positively contribute to self-regulation and brain development. Families with infants or young children interested in participating in our research can email developing.mind@wsu.edu.

Dr. Maria (Masha) Gartstein is a professor in the Washington State University (WSU) Department of Psychology and the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program Director, as well as the Director of ADVANCE at WSU. Current research interests focus on temperament development. Chief among these is the study of the role that parenting plays in how temperament “comes online” in early childhood – featured in the “Nature and Nurture” episode of the Netflix documentary “Babies”. Cross-cultural difference in temperament development represents another area of study, with the help from a global network of collaborators, who recently collaborated on a book, entitled: “Temperament, Parents and Culture: Findings from the Joint Effort Toddler Temperament Consortium (JETTC).” Importantly, Masha Gartstein has focused of brain activity underpinning temperament development. Collaborating with Sammy Perone she is conducting research funded by the National Science foundation, aimed at increasing our understanding of how approach/avoidance emotions and motivation shape the emergence of self-regulation, and how parenting contributes to these processes.

https://labs.wsu.edu/infant-temperament/
https://advance.wsu.edu
@mashagartstein

Dr. Sammy Perone moved to Pullman, WA with his wife and two daughters from Minnesota in 2016. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development at WSU. He leads the Lab for the Developing Mind which conducts research on self-regulation from infancy to adulthood. The lab is especially interested in expanding knowledge of how self-regulation develops and working toward innovative ways to foster self-regulation during childhood. The lab provides undergraduate students hands-on experience conducting research on child development and provides mentorship to graduate students in advanced study of development. The lab regularly disseminates information about child development in the local community.

Topics and presenters are arranged by the Palouse Discovery Science Center (PDSC) and WSU’s Entrepreneurial Faculty Ambassador (EFA) Program. All Donations support PDSC. Click here for more information.

Science Pub To-Go via Zoom: “Size, Shape & Location –  Investigating adaptive phenotypes from the cell to big data with drones & satellite imaging”
May 11th, 2021 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about science in an informal atmosphere; no scientific background necessary! Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn.

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

1. On Zoom – Register for the Zoom Talk HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Mention Science Pub and you’ll be sent a link by text or email to join the event. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Science Pub time.
2. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 25% capacity under the Washington State COVID-19 Phase 2 Guidelines and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area. Please arrive early if you plan to join in person.

Paradise Creek Brewery is donating 10% of all food & drink proceeds from the evening to Palouse Discovery Science Center. Science Pub Talk is FREE, with a suggested $5 donation benefiting PDSC.

Please also visit the Facebook event for this talk.

This month’s speakers:

Join Laura Lavine and Sindhuja Sankaran on May 11th for their pub talk via Zoom, “Size, Shape & Location –  Investigating adaptive phenotypes from the cell to big data with drones & satellite imaging”.

The size and shape of an organism is due to both genes and the environment. How an organism adapts to its environment can predict its ability to respond to change. Their talk will focus on both basic and applied research to tell the story of how two women in STEM have built careers investigating an organism’s ability to adapt to its environment.

Lavine and Sankaran will focus the talk on the cellular and genetic responses to the environment in the weapons of sexual selection in beetles. From there they will discuss how the ability of an insect pest to respond to its environment allows the pest to be successful at the expense of a crop. They will then transition to big data. In recent years, the availability of advanced sensor technologies in terms of hardware (e.g. IoT devices) and software capabilities with better spatial and spectral resolution is becoming more common. These systems allow us to evaluate several biologically relevant crop traits at multiple (macro to micro) scales, with assistance from data mining approaches that offers sensible and functional data analysis. The talk will discuss applications of satellite imagery to plant level sensors, involving both optical and volatile sensing allowing us to grasp better understanding of crop adaptation to the environment. Lavine and Sankaran will summarize by pointing out that the complexity of size, shape and location that an organisms finds itself in are all parts of its ability to adapt to change.

Dr. Laura Lavine is Professor and Chair of the Washington State University Department of Entomology.  Dr. Lavine received her Ph.D. in Entomology at the University of Kentucky and was a USDA NIFA Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with National Academy of Science member Michael R. Strand before coming to WSU in 2001. Her research program on the evolution of adaptation has focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying an organism’s ability to rapidly adjust to its environment. Her research has been funded by the NSF and the USDA as well as commodity commissions and she has published her work in diverse journals such as Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Dr. Lavine has held many formal and informal leadership roles while at WSU both nationally, regionally, and at WSU. A few highlights include: Associate Director of the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Agricultural Research Center, Interim Director of ADVANCE at WSU, President of the WSU Association for Faculty Women, Chair of the WSU Conflict of Interest Committee, Chair of the Experiment Station Committee on Policy, Science and Technology committee, and member of the WSU Teaching Academy.

Dr. Sindhuja Sankaran is an Associate Professor at Washington State University in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. A researcher in agricultural automation engineering, Dr. Sankaran engages in sensing data-driven research that transform how we study the interaction between crops, genetics and environment to produce sustainable food, fiber and fuels. Based at WSU Pullman, Sankaran’s work focuses on advanced sensor technologies that detect and measure phenotypes—the physical expression of genes—in crops, supporting plant breeding, crop plant research, and precision agriculture. She utilizes opto-electronic, biological, and chemical sensors for non-invasive, rapid and continuous monitoring of plant responses to environmental stress, helping create a faster and better understanding of how our food crops react to a changing environment. Over the past seven years, she has been working closely with multiple crop breeding programs ranging from cereal, grain legume, and specialty crops to evaluate traits including crop vigor, stress tolerance, and seed size and quality.

Topics and presenters are arranged by the Palouse Discovery Science Center (PDSC) and WSU’s Entrepreneurial Faculty Ambassador (EFA) Program. All Donations support PDSC. Click here for more information.