Lectures are free and open to the public and will take place in the Native American Forum, Room 162 of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building from 7-9 p.m.
On Sept. 19, HSU Biology Professor Mark Wilson presents, “A Humboldt Biologist’s Perspective on GMO’s.” Wilson is a molecular geneticist whose research focuses on genome evolution and natural horizontal gene transfer in microbial communities. He has been active in local discussions regarding the regulation of GMO’s.
Alan McHughen delivers, “Food and Environmental Safety of GMO’s” Sept. 26. A botany professor at the University of California, Riverside, McHughen is a molecular geneticist with an interest in crop improvement and environmental sustainability.
He helped develop U.S. and Canadian regulations governing the safety of genetically engineered crops and foods and served on U.S. National Academy of Sciences panels investigating the environmental effects of transgenic plants and the safety of genetically engineered foods. McHughen is also the author of “Pandora’s Picnic Basket; The Potential and Hazards of Genetically Modified Foods.”
On Oct. 3, Alison Van Eenennaam presents “Understanding GMO Myths and Misconceptions.” Van Eenennaam is an Animal Genomics and Biotechnology specialist with Cooperative Extension at University of California, Davis. Her research interests include the modification of dietary milk lipids for human health and whole genome-enabled selection approaches for livestock improvement.
She has also served on advisory committees on animal biotechnology both in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She has been the recipient of numerous distinguished honors, including the 2014 Borlaug Award for Communication from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology.
For more information, contact Mark Wilson at msw13@humboldt.edu or (707) 845-9806.