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NAKFI Alumni and Leaders
National Academies Communication Awards
Selection Committee Chair
Barbara Schaal (NAS)
Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor
Washington University
In addition to her involvement with the Academies, Barbara is a leading evolutionary biologist. Currently the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor at Washington University, she is recognized for her work on the genetics of plant species, particularly for her studies that use DNA sequences to understand evolutionary processes such as gene flow, geographical differentiation and the domestication of crop species. Her recent work examines the domestication and cultivation of crops, especially rice, as well as issues related to gene flow between natives species and genetically modified crops. She is engaged in conserving natural processes and educating the public on genetically modified foods, global warming, and energy. In April 2009, Schaal was appointed to President Obama’s President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Her youthful fascination with plants began with family camping trips spent picking and studying plants and plant populations. Born in Berlin, Germany, Schaal grew up in Chicago, graduated from University of Illinois, Chicago with a degree in biology, and earned her doctorate from Yale University in 1974. She joined the faculty of Washington University in 1980, after appointments at the University of Houston and Ohio State University. Schaal has been president of the Botanical Society of America and president of the Society for the Study of Evolution. For additional information, please visit: http://www.biology.wustl.edu/faculty/schaal/.
The National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Barbara Schaal as Chair of the National Academies Communication Awards Selection Committee. Barbara is vice president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and chairs its Committee on Scientific Programs. She is also responsible for NAS activities related to communication with the public.
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