Conference: 2024 Multiscale Plant Vascular Biology Gordon Research Conference and Seminar

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the attendance of approximately 75 research scientists, mostly those at early stages of their career, at the Gordon Research Conference and Seminar (GRC/GRS) on Multiscale Plant Vascular Biology, two linked meetings held in Portland, Maine, USA from June 8-14, 2024. The goals of these meeting are to (a) share the most current and impactful research in plant vascular biology at a range of scales, which includes everything from gene networks and proteins to global climate change models; and (b) build a representative, inclusive and equitable scientific community to ensure that research in this field continues to advance for the benefit of society as a whole. Because plants serve as a critical link between the earth's soils and our atmosphere, an understanding of plant vascular biology underpins some of the most urgent societal and environmental challenges of the 21st century. These include improved global food security, reduced agricultural water consumption, increased bioenergy production, enhanced carbon storage in natural ecosystems, and bioremediation (i.e., decontamination) of contaminated soils. The two-day GRS that precedes the full GRC is restricted to very early career scientists (i.e., doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers) and includes a career mentoring panel. Thus, one of the primary expected outcomes of this conference is to develop a more diverse (i.e., demographically-representative), inclusive and equitable workforce in plant biology who are prepared professionally to tackle these challenges. The open sharing of current scientific results at these meetings is expected to lead to new directions and productive collaborations. Themes for the 2024 GRC and GRS Multiscale Plant Vascular Biology are Plant Vasculature and the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum and Plant Resilience to Stress, respectively. The 2024 GRC program includes 31 speakers and discussion leaders organized in sessions on plant vascular development; stomatal control and regulation; the role of the root microbiome and mutualisms on the ability of plants to tolerate abiotic stress; computational and imaging techniques for improved plant phenotyping; the role of vascular biology in sustainable cropping systems; hydraulics from the rhizosphere to landscape; phloem transport and within-plant carbon dynamics; and plant vascular function in a changing climate. Special emphases this year include the transfer of carbon compounds as well as water, including bidirectional transfer (e.g., into the soil vs. soil-to-atmosphere); the importance of the soil-root biotic interface; and greater representation of work in agricultural and intensively-managed systems. GRC/GRS structure includes ample time for discussion, all of which occurs under an “off-the-record” policy in order to foster the most up-to-date and forward-looking exchange of ideas. It is expected that multiple collaborations will develop from these meetings that will meaningfully advance the field. Collectively, attendees will identify the most pressing gaps in our understanding of plant vascular biology and thus the highest priorities for research, as well as the most effective and promising techniques to address them. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.