Blog: From Genes to Governance: Reflections on the ISBR Symposium in Ghent
Nick Loschin | At ISBR 2025, scientists and regulators grappled with gene editing, governance, and the path toward responsible innovation....Continue reading "Blog: From Genes to Governance: Reflections on the ISBR Symposium in Ghent"
Blog: Governing Emerging Technologies: A Lesson from Burkina Faso
Nourou Barry and Katie Barnhill | When Burkina Faso suspended Target Malaria in 2025, it was more than a scientific decision. This case reveals how sovereignty, legitimacy, and social science shape the governance of emerging technologies....Continue reading "Blog: Governing Emerging Technologies: A Lesson from Burkina Faso"
Blog: Crossing Boundaries: Risk, Resilience, and Emerging Technologies in a Global Context
GES Scholar Nick Loschin and Executive Committee member Dr. Khara Grieger traveled to Norway and Denmark this summer to share research on emerging technologies, highlighting how global collaboration, cross-boundary dialogue, and responsible innovation are essential for navigating risk and resilience in an increasingly complex world....
Study Develops Optimal Cover Crop Adoption Thresholds
Researchers have developed a new model that can suggest the optimal conditions for farmers to plant cover crops, or crops grown in between cash-crop seasons, to help ensure long-term cash-crop success. ...Continue reading "Study Develops Optimal Cover Crop Adoption Thresholds"
Blog: Beyond Innovation: Putting Humanity at the Heart of Biotechnology
Modesta Abugu | Attending the 2025 Spirit of Asilomar Conference shifted my scientific perspective profoundly—highlighting the urgent need to center ethics, equity, and human values in biotechnology....Continue reading "Blog: Beyond Innovation: Putting Humanity at the Heart of Biotechnology"
Blog: The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology
Surabhi Metpally | A reflection on Dr. Katie Barnhill’s GES Colloquium talk about the 2025 Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology summit, and how it revisits the legacy of scientific self-regulation sparked by the original 1975 conference....Continue reading "Blog: The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology"
Fred Gould: Lessons in Science and Humanity
April 2, 2025 | Colleagues and former students credit renowned NC State University scientist Fred Gould for teaching them about life as well as science....Continue reading "Fred Gould: Lessons in Science and Humanity"
Podcast: Should We Unleash GMO Mosquitoes?
December 16, 2024 | On the Entanglements podcast, hosts Brooke Borel and Anna Rothschild talk to Omar Akbari, a molecular biologist, and Jennifer Kuzma, a social scientist, about altering insect genes....Continue reading "Podcast: Should We Unleash GMO Mosquitoes?"
Advancing Agriculture
With a background in journalism and a passion for agricultural development, NC State doctoral student Joseph Gakpo hopes to leverage his education to make a difference in his native Ghana....
Blog: “To the USDA, and Beyond!”: The Intersection of Governance and Biotechnology Innovation
Christopher J. Gillespie | Recently, on National Agriculture Day, Dr. Jennifer Rowland, the Biotechnology Coordinator at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), gave a talk at the GES Colloquium that left a “big footprint”....
Blog: Grappling with complexities of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe
Eric Butoto | Embarking on a three-month journey with CIMMYT in Zimbabwe, I delved into the heart of smallholder agriculture, witnessing firsthand the challenges, innovations, and unwavering resilience of farmers, offering a glimpse into their lives and the quest for food security in a changing climate....Continue reading "Blog: Grappling with complexities of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe"
Blog: Science Ideology and Policy: Eugenics in the South
Ruthie Stokes | In the annals of history, the American South has been marked by a complex tapestry of culture, tradition, and struggle. Yet, amidst the backdrop of rural landscapes and Jim Crow laws, there lurked a shadowy chapter: the era of eugenics....Continue reading "Blog: Science Ideology and Policy: Eugenics in the South"
Blog: Saving Our Seeds, Changing Our Perspective
Asa Budnick | The act of saving a seed holds varied meanings, from my perspective as a molecular biologist, refrigerating seeds for experiments, to the broader perspectives of farmers, breeders, and nations, reflecting the diverse value and conservation methods of seeds, as explored in Dr. Helen Anne Curry’s discussion on seed conservation history and its intersections with scientific, imperialistic, and agricultural narratives....Continue reading "Blog: Saving Our Seeds, Changing Our Perspective"
Blog: Bringing in Indigenous Perspectives on Synthetic Biology for Conservation
Jill Furgurson | Dr. Kirsty Wissing's colloquium presentation highlighted the essential role of Indigenous participation in shaping conservation agendas, advocating for approaches that honor traditional ecological knowledge....Continue reading "Blog: Bringing in Indigenous Perspectives on Synthetic Biology for Conservation"
