GES Center Lectures, NC State University
by Patti Mulligan
Recorded live from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this show explores how biotechnologies move from lab to life: microbiome engineering in buildings, CRISPR in agriculture and forestry, gene drives and integrated pest management, data governance and benefit-sharing, risk analysis and regulation, sci-art collaborations, and practical models of responsible innovation and public engagement. Episodes feature researchers, students, and community partners in candid conversations about decisions, trade-offs, and impacts. Learn more at go.ncsu.edu/ges and sign up for our newsletter at http://eepurl.com/c-PD_T.Produced by Patti Mulligan, Communications Director, GES Center, NC State
Episodes
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S14E7 - Greg Ferraro on the impacts of chronic sea level rise on coastal ag land values
Effects of Current and Future Chronic Sea Level Rise Exposures on U.S. East and Gulf Coast Agricultural Land Values Greg Ferraro, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher at OARS, University of Maryland, Profile Full details at https://ges.research.ncsu.edu/event/colloquium-2026-10-27/ | Watch the video…
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S14E6 - Ed Perry on GE crops and pesticides: the critical nexus
GES Colloquium: GE Crops and Pesticides: The Critical Nexus Edward Perry, PhD Associate Professor of Economics at Iowa State University, Profile Full details at https://ges.research.ncsu.edu/event/colloquium-2026-10-13/ | Watch the video Related links: Genetically Engineered Crops and Pesticides:...
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S14E5 - James Tuck - DNA-based data storage: How to store a library in a raindrop
How to Store a Library in a Raindrop: DNA-based Data Storage James Tuck, PhD | Website Professor and Interim Department Head in Electrical and Computer Engineering, NC State University Full details at https://ges.research.ncsu.edu/event/colloquium-2026-10-06/ | Watch the video Related links: Kyle...
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S14E4 - Joseph Gakpo & Katie Sanders on what research tells us about communicating gene editing effectively
Communicating Gene Editing Effectively: What Does the Research Tell Us? Katie Sanders, PhD, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, NC State University | Profile ******Joseph Opoku Gakpo, PHD, Founder, RM Communications | Profile Related links: Sanders, C. E. , Parrella, J. A., Lu, P.,...
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S14E3 - Ben Trump on what is happening with AI
What is happening with AI, and what are our governments doing about it? Benjamin D. Trump Associate Professor, NC State University About the speaker Dr. Benjamin D. Trump is an Associate Professor at NC State University, joining the Genetic Engineering and Society Cluster in 2026 through the...
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S14E2 - Sam Weiss Evans on Transforming American Biosecurity
Transforming American Biosecurity: How the biosecurity governing landscape is changing and how you can help Sam Weiss Evans, D. Phil., Senior Advisor at the Federation of American Scientists About the speaker Dr. Sam Weiss Evans is a Senior Advisor at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).…
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S14E1 - Christopher Cummings on Risk, Responsibility, and Standardization
Risk, Responsibility, and Standardization: Lessons from multiple NATO-Sponsored Biotechnology Workshops Christopher L. Cummings, Ph.D. Research Social Scientist at the US Army Corp of Engineers and Senior Research Fellow at the GES Center, NC State University About the speaker Christopher L....
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S13E10 - Diana Bowman – Governing Emerging Technologies in the Public Interest
Final public colloquium of the semester! How can governance keep pace with emerging technologies? Dr. Diana Bowman, inaugural Dean of the School of Law at RMIT University, will reflect on adaptive, responsible approaches to law, innovation, and the public interest. -------- Recorded from NC…
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S13E9 - Nadya Mamoozadeh on Genomic Vulnerability and Selective Intervention
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E8 - Khara Grieger – Innovating for Sustainable Agrifood Futures
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E7 - Timothy Stinson – The Ark and the Archive: Genetics, Manuscripts, and Biocodicology
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E6 - Carter Clinton - Soil Secrets Unlock Equitable Futures
Soil Secrets Unlock Equitable Futures Carter Clinton, PhD, Assistant Professor at NC State University GES Colloquium 3/10/2026 | Learn how burial soil genomics paired with descendant community partnership and bioethical data governance, can reconstruct buried histories and inform more equitable,...
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S13E5 - Lina Finda - Insights of African stakeholders on biocontrol technologies for malaria
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E4 - Jake Warner on genome editing in corals
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E3 - Royden Saah - Gene Drive Governance Through a One Health Lens
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E2 - Jean Cadigan on the ethical governance of human genome editing
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S13E1 - Catching Up on the CRISPR Craze with Rodolphe Barrangou
Recorded from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this podcast examines how biotechnologies take shape in the world: microbiome engineering in built environments, gene editing and gene drives, forest and agricultural genomics, data governance and equity, risk and regulation, sci-art, and public engagement...
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S12E8 - Hamidou Maiga – Building Local Capacity for Innovative Mosquito Control
Nov. 18, 2025 GES Colloquium Building Local Capacity for Innovative Mosquito Control: Lessons from SIT and Nanotechnology Research ZOOM ONLY | Dr. Hamidou Maïga will share insights on how innovative mosquito control, including Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and nanotechnology, is being used to...
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S12E7 - Susana Mateos – Navigating a socio-ecological inquiry
Nov. 11, 2025 GES Colloquium Navigating a socio-ecological inquiry Scientific inquiry into the socio-ecological challenges of forced displacement, environmental degradation, and shifting land use requires an interdisciplinary and multi-scalar approach. This research examines the interplay between...
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S12E6 - Justin Whitehill on Growing Better Christmas Trees with A GIFT SEED
A GIFT SEED: Accelerated Genetic Improvement of Fir Through Sequencing, Economics, Extension & Diagnostics NC State's Justin Whitehill explores how cutting-edge research on fir genetics is helping Christmas tree growers tackle pests, pathogens, and climate challenges while strengthening a $2.5B...
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S12E5 - Ilaria Cimadori - The global regulatory challenges around GE & farm animal welfare
Oct. 21, 2025 | GES Colloquium Farm animal welfare in the gene editing era: a challenge for regulations across the globe. A comparative study between the United States, the European Union and Switzerland Bridging law, ethics, and biotechnology, this talk by Yale PhD candidate Ilaria Cimadori will...
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S12E4 - Joshua Brinkman – American Farming Culture and the History of Technology
Oct. 7, 2025 American Farming Culture and the History of Technology: Social and Cultural Considerations Surrounding Biotechnology in Rural Settings Dr. Brinkman presents his recently published book, contending that farmers in the American Midwest embed social and cultural meanings in technology...
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S12E3 - SRA Panel: Is “risk” Risk?
Sept. 30, 2025 GES SRA Panel: Is “risk” Risk? Biltmore 2006 + Zoom | Leadership from the Society for Risk Analysis explores how ‘risk’ is understood and practiced across agencies and communities working with emerging technologies. Although formal and legal definitions of risk are widely invoked…
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S12E2 - Joseph Gakpo & Emma Davies - Responsible Innovation & Gene Editing in African Agriculture
Sept. 2, 2025 - GES Colloquium | FALL SEMINAR SERIES Adapting the Responsible Innovation Framework for Gene Editing in African Agriculture Former GES Fellows join us to discuss whether the Responsible Innovation framework can support genome-edited agriculture in Africa, given governance…
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S12E1 - Kristen Landreville - Engineering Indoor Microbiomes: Perceptions and Implications
Sept. 2, 2025 - GES Colloquium | FALL SEMINAR SERIES Societal and Ethical Implications in Research of Microbiome Engineering in the Built Environment What do people think about using genetically engineered microbes in their homes to prevent mold or reduce pathogens in their kitchen sink? To what...
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S11E11 - Anastasia Bodnar – NSCEB Report: Charting the Future of Biotechnology
NSCEB Report: Charting the Future of Biotechnology Zoom Only | Final Colloquium of the semester! Dr. Anastasia Bodnar will present an overview of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology’s recently published report, outlining key recommendations to accelerate biotechnology in…
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S11E10 - Todd Kuiken – AI in the Biological Sciences: Uses, Safety, Security, and Oversight
Artificial Intelligence in the Biological Sciences: Uses, Safety, Security, and Oversight Withers 331 + Zoom | Former GES Sr. Research Scholar Todd Kuiken returns from Washington, DC to explore the convergence of artificial intelligence with the biological sciences and the public policy issues...
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S11E9 - Michelle L. Johnson – Altering Traits and Fates of Wild Populations with Allele Sails
Altering Traits and Fates of Wild Populations with Mendelian DNA Modifying Allele Sails: Possible Contexts and Modeling Considerations Zoom Only | How can we use genetics to manage wild populations, and how do the bioengineers working on these projects predict their impact? Download seminar flyer...
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S11E8 - Ritwick Ghosh - Questioning the Accounting Impulse in Environmental Policy
Questioning the Accounting Impulse in Environmental Policy Withers 331 + Zoom | Using a practice-centered approach to analyze the rise and implications of environmental accounting. Download seminar flyer Ritwick Ghosh, PhD Assistant Professor of Environmental Governance at NC State University |...
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S11E7 - Katie Barnhill – Is the Spirit of Asilomar Still Haunting Biotechnology?
Is the Spirit of Asilomar Still Haunting Biotechnology? Withers 331 + Zoom | An overview and analysis of my experience at the 2025 The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology Summit Download seminar flyer Katie Barnhill, PhD Associate Director of Programs and Engagement, GES Center, NC...
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S11E6 - Jory Weintraub – Telling Your Science Story
Telling Your Science Story: The Power of Narrative in Research Communication This short, interactive workshop will explore why and how to use storytelling to communicate your research and give you a chance to practice and receive feedback. Download seminar flyer Download presentation slides Jory...
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S11E5 - Lirong Xiang - Integrating AI and Robotics for Precision Agriculture
Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Precision Agriculture Withers 331 + Zoom | Download seminar flyer Lirong Xiang, PhD Assistant Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NC State University | Profile | XR Lab Dr. Xiang is the Principal Investigator of the…
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S11E4 - Mallory Choudoir - Microbiomes at the Roots of Environmental and Social Justice
Microbiomes at the Roots of Environmental and Social Justice Withers 331 + Zoom | Dr. Choudoir explores the role of soil microbiomes in sustainable agriculture and why their conservation is essential for environmental and social justice. Download seminar flyer Mallory Choudoir, PhD Assistant...
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S11E3 - William Kimler – Eugenics before Genetics
Eugenics before Genetics Withers 331 + Zoom | Historical examination of the societal concerns, current ideas and practices, and disciplines that created the context in the early 20th century for the enthusiastic engagement of geneticists in the eugenics movement. Download seminar flyer William...
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S11E2 - Katie Sanders – Consumer Perceptions for Emerging Ag Tech
SPRING SEMINAR SERIES Navigating Consumer Perceptions for Emerging Ag Tech: Considerations for Outreach, Engagement, and Communication How agricultural science communication can move beyond traditional, deficit models to engage diverse audiences through dialogue-based strategies aligned...
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S11E1 - Moussa Savadogo - Regulating genetic-based vector control towards malaria elimination in Africa
Regulating genetic-based vector control towards malaria elimination in Africa: Key considerations, challenges and opportunities Zoom | Genetic-based approaches offer promising solutions for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Clear regulations and public acceptance are essential for their success....
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S10E9 - GES 508 Project – Herding Cats: Responsible Innovation for Sterilizing Cats in New Zealand
Herding Cats: Responsible Innovation for Sterilizing Cats in New Zealand Hybrid | GES 508 students apply the Responsible Research and Innovation framework to a hypothetical gene therapy project for cat sterilization supporting New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal. Final GES Colloquium of the...
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S10E8 - Joeva Rock – GE and the Politics of Development in Ghana
Genetic Engineering and the Politics of Development in Ghana Joeva Sean Rock, PhD Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University | Profile Dr. Joeva Sean Rock is an assistant professor of anthropology at Stony Brook University. Her research utilizes ethnographic methods and...
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S10E7 - Alice Cheng - AI for Crisis Communication
AI for crisis communication: Challenges and opportunities An exploration of AI’s role in managing organization-public relationships during crises, highlighting innovative applications and the challenges of implementation. Yang (Alice) Cheng, PhD Associate Professor and University Faculty Scholar…
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S10E6 - Sara Fitzsimmons - Counting GE Chestnuts Before They Ripen
Fall Seminar Series GE American Chestnut: Counting Chestnuts Before They Ripen Hybrid | Explore the scientific, ethical, and environmental issues which have impacted research, release, and deregulation of a transgenic American chestnut. Sara Fern Fitzsimmons, MS Chief Conservation Officer at The...
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S10E5 - Erika Szymanski - Crossing Kingdoms: An Experiment in (Ir)responsible Research?
Crossing Kingdoms: An Experiment in (Ir)responsible Research? Zoom Only | An artist-led interdisciplinary experiment with risky science led to boundary-challenging conclusions about what responsibility looks like in responsible research. Erika Szymanski, PhD Associate Professor of Rhetoric of...
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S10E4 - Nathan Crook - Engineering bacteria to remediate PET plastics
Engineering Vibrio natriegens for remediation of PET plastics Hybrid | This talk covers our recent efforts to engineer the saltwater microbe Vibrio natriegens to break down PET plastics and eat the breakdown products. Nathan Crook, PhD Assistant Professor at NC State University | Profile Dr.…
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S10E3 - Sarah Hartley - Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control in Uganda
Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control: The Governance Challenges Zoom Only | Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control is a short documentary film beautifully shot in Uganda, exploring Ugandan stakeholders’ hopes for gene drive mosquitoes – a radical new tool potentially offering a way to...
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S10E2 - Nourou Barry - Exploring Experts’ Uncertainties in Gene Drive Technology for Agricultural Pest Control in the U.S.
Fall Seminar Series Exploring Experts’ Uncertainties in Gene Drive Technology for Agricultural Pest Control in the U.S.: A Qualitative Study Zoom Only | This qualitative study investigates the uncertainties and diverse perspectives of experts regarding the potential use of gene drive technology…
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S10E1 - Jason Delborne – Science Policy, Soft Power, and Responsible Development
Science Policy, Soft Power, and Responsible Development: Reflections on the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship at the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office Hybrid | Jason Delborne spent the 2023-24 academic year as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in Washington, DC,...
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S9E10 - Barbara Herr Harthorn – Societal and ethical implications of synthetic cells
Final GES Colloquium podcast of Spring 2024 Investigating the societal and ethical implications of synthetic cells Barbara Herr Harthorn, PhD, Research Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara Profile | DOWNLOAD SEMINAR POSTER This talk introduces 3 ongoing NSF-funded...
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S9E9 - Eric Hallerman – Gene Technology in Aquaculture
Gene technology in aquaculture: Potential, constraints, and first products to commercialization Eric Hallerman, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech University While aquaculture biotechnology has the potential to improve the sustainability of...
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S9E8 - Steve Heine – Essentialism and Distortion in Eugenics and GMO Attitudes
How essences distort our understanding of genes: Implications for eugenics and GMO attitudes Steven Heine, PhD, Professor of Cultural & Social Psychology, University of British Columbia Profile | @StevenHeine4 How psychological biases of essentialism distort the ways people understand...
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S9E7 - Anna Krome-Lukens – Eugenics and the Welfare State in North Carolina
Eugenics and the Welfare State in North Carolina + Anna Krome-Lukens, PhD, Teaching Associate Professor, Public Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill Profile | Download seminar poster In North Carolina, social reformers and welfare officials relied on eugenics ideology as they built the welfare state before...
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S9E6 - Luisa Reis-Castro – Caring for the Enemy, Killing the Ally: Transgenic Mosquitoes in Brazil
Caring for the Enemy, Killing the Ally: The More-than-Human Politics of Transgenic Mosquitoes in Brazil Luisa Reis-Castro, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Southern California Profile | X | Bluesky | Download Seminar Poster This talk, based on ethnographic...
About this show
Recorded live from NC State’s GES Colloquium, this show explores how biotechnologies move from lab to life: microbiome engineering in buildings, CRISPR in agriculture and forestry, gene drives and integrated pest management, data governance and benefit-sharing, risk analysis and regulation, sci-art collaborations, and practical models of responsible innovation and public engagement. Episodes feature researchers, students, and community partners in candid conversations about decisions, trade-offs, and impacts. Learn more at go.ncsu.edu/ges and sign up for our newsletter at http://eepurl.com/c-PD_T.Produced by Patti Mulligan, Communications Director, GES Center, NC State
Hosted by
Patti Mulligan