Dear Friends of the National Institute —
Climate change and shrinking arable land will make feeding the growing human population an increasing challenge in the years and decades to come. Broad challenges will face humanity ranging from the production of food, social equity in its distribution and use, and even what we define as “food” and how that may change.
Please join us for a fascinating and informative virtual discussion forum featuring expert panelists who bring diverse perspectives on how to address this pressing problem.
We expect this to be a lively and enlightening discussion of a timely and important topic in global society, and we invite you to join us as we search for answers.
Thursday, April 29, 2021
5:30 to 7:00 pm ET (US and Canada)
This forum is sponsored by the National Institute of Social Sciences and is free and open to the general public. In order to attend, you must click the link above to register in advance for the event. The event will be recorded for those who cannot attend it live.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Fred Larsen
President, Board of Trustees
Panelists:
Dr. Eleanor Sterling is Jaffe Chief Conservation Scientist at the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation. Building on her interdisciplinary training and over 30 years of field experience in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, her work focuses on the intersection between biodiversity, culture, and languages; the factors influencing ecological and social resilience; and the development of indicators of wellbeing in biocultural landscapes. She is currently working on collaborative research to better understand and manage foodscapes in Solomon Islands. She co-curated the Museum’s traveling exhibition: Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture, a wide-ranging exhibition that explores a suite of issues related to our global food systems.
Dr. Sterling also serves as Core Affiliated Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, where she teaches courses on conservation biology; biocultural diversity; and Food, Ecology and Globalization. Dr. Sterling received her B.A. from Yale College and a dual Ph.D. in Anthropology and Forestry and Environmental Studies from Yale University.
Kyra Busch is the Program Officer at the Christensen Fund. She works with the Global Program and partners in all learning sites. Prior to joining the Christensen Fund, Kyra fostered local food sovereignty for over a decade. Alongside the Alternative Agriculture Network of Thailand and Educational Network for Global and Grassroots Exchange, she worked on successful initiatives to certify and import Fair Trade Thai jasmine rice to the U.S. and to prevent an inequitable U.S.-Thai free trade agreement. With the White Earth Land Recovery Project in northern Minnesota, Kyra spearheaded the nation’s first Indigenous farm-to-school program and managed a culturally appropriate food delivery program for diabetic elders on the White Earth Reservation. She has represented the Republic of Maldives in international climate change negotiations and has worked with the US Environmental Protection Agency promoting tribal water quality standards.
Kyra holds a Master’s degree in Social Ecology of Conservation and Development from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, where she wrote her thesis on the Kuna’s groundbreaking biocultural curriculum in Kuna Yala, Panama. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Environmental and Social Justice from Indiana University.
William Rosenzweig an internationally recognized entrepreneur and educator. Will is a Fellow at the Institute for Business and Social Impact at UC Berkeley where he leads its Sustainable Food Initiative. Will teaches popular courses including Edible Education 101 with Alice Waters, Food Innovation Studio and Plant Futures.
Earlier in his career, Will served as founding CEO of The Republic of Tea and has had a prolific journey as an entrepreneur, executive and venture investor cultivating early-stage companies focused on health and sustainability. He is the recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award and was named one of seven people shaping the future of food by Bon Appetit magazine.
Will is also a constant gardener: He tends to a flourishing sanctuary of foods, fruits and flowers, The Ideagarden, in Healdsburg, California. (www.ideagarden.com)
Don Taylor is the founder and CEO of AmplifiedAg, Inc. which employs engineering innovation to develop technology solutions for sustainable farming practices. AmplifiedAg’s mission is to provide global access to safe food while not harming the planet in the process. The company manufactures indoor container farms and technologies to grow nutritious food directly at the point of consumption. AmplifiedAg’s Vertical Roots brand of leafy greens is available in over 1,200 retailers across the Southeast.
Prior to 2015, Don was a software industry veteran for more than 30 years, developing and providing advanced software solutions to the healthcare, banking and logistics industries. An influential industry leader, Don is a regular keynote speaker at indoor farming and agtech summits and conferences across the globe. Don currently serves on the Industrial Advisory Board for the College of Charleston’s Engineering program.