USU's Science Unwrapped Announces 'Food for Thought' Series

Science Unwrapped, the public science outreach program of Utah State University’s College of Science, announces its new Fall 2019-Spring 2020 “Food for Thought” series.  The series kicks off Friday, Sept. 20, with the presentation “Food on Mars,” featuring USU scientists Bruce Bugbee and Lance Seefeldt at 7 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium of the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus. Admission is free and all are welcome.

“We’re excited to introduce a series featuring a topic that affects everyone every day,” says Greg Podgorski, Science Unwrapped chair, associate dean in the College of Science and professor in the Department of Biology. “Everyone thinks about food, but we’ll explore the science of food and nutrition in new and fascinating ways.”

Science Unwrapped welcomes inquiring minds of all ages to its family-friendly events. Every presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium, ESLC 130 on campus. Each talk is followed by hands-on learning activities and refreshments.

At a glance, upcoming “Food for Thought” presentations and their speakers are:

• Friday, Sept. 20, 2019
  • Food on Mars: The Biochemistry and Horticulture of Growing Food on the Red Planet
  • Botanist Bruce Bugbee, professor, USU Department of Plants, Soils and Climate;
  • Biochemist Lance Seefeldt, professor and head, USU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
• Friday, Oct. 11, 2019
  • Breaking It Down: Food’s Epic Journey through Your Digestive System
  • Nutrition Scientist Carrie Durward, assistant professor, USU Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences
• Friday, Nov. 8, 2019
  • ‘Bake’ to the Future: Baking in the 21st Century
  • Baker Bill Oblock, founder, Crumb Brothers Artisan Bakery, Logan, Utah
• Friday, Jan. 17, 2020
  • Nutrition and Human Evolution: What’s Best for Your Health and the Planet?
  • Nutritional Epidemiologist Ron Munger, professor, USU Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences
• Friday, Feb. 21, 2020
  • All the Reasons that Bee: How Diverse Pollinators Enrich our Diet
  • Entomologist Theresa Pitts-Singer, USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory
• Friday, March 20, 2020
  • Chocolate: An Evolving Science Project
  • Food Chemist Silvana Martini, professor, USU Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences; research director, Aggie Chocolate Factory
• Friday, April 17, 2020
  • Cheese: Teaming Art and Science to Immortalize Milk
  • Dairy Microbiologist Jeff Broadbent, senior director, Lactic Solutions R&D, Lallemand Biofuels

Science Unwrapped’s Sept. 20 and Oct. 11 presentations are Aggie Passport Experience events.

Initiated by the College of Science in February 2009, Science Unwrapped introduces science in a relaxed, entertaining manner. Each event draws several hundred guests, with attendees ranging from preschoolers to senior citizens.

For more information, call 435-797-3517, visit the Science Unwrapped website or view the ‘Science Unwrapped at USU’ Facebook page.