The auditorium at the University of Minnesota St. Paul Student Center was packed with women, mostly moms and their daughters. The event? ‘Sci Spark 2016 Women in Science.’

Sci Spark 2016 at the U-M St. Paul campus

For the next hour, we got a glimpse of what it would be like to be a scientist and working on various research projects. Hosted by the College of Biological Science, the Institute on the Environment and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, 12 U-M women researchers and professors had five minutes each to plug their career choices. They all did a commendable job. While production ag could have had a stronger presence, there was a nice cross-section of research and areas of study presented. They included:

-A conservation veterinarian who talked about attempts to control an invasive species (rodents) on the Galápagos Islands, only to end up impacting other wildlife there.

-An ecology professor who discussed how we, as a people, will have to make modifications in our lives as we adapt to climate change.

-The curator of the College of Biological Sciences conservatory who shared her ‘short’ list of “four phenomenal plants that changed her life”—the sensitive plant she encountered while working in Costa Rica; the common, grow-anywhere impatiens, which has numerous species and can grow to six feet tall; living stones, which mimics limestone and looks like rocks; and the corpse flower, known for its putrid aroma similar to rotting flesh.

-The dean of the College of Biological Sciences who talked about her favorite ‘critters’—worms and snails—both which help clean up the environment.

-A horticultural scientist who is studying organic agriculture, cover crops and how crops get nitrogen.

-The director of the Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories who is studying lake browning which is caused by dissolving organic matter (leaves).

-An ag engineer who discussed precision ag and drone research.

-A plant biologist who is studying fungi, specifically fungi that are parasitic (they eat things, such as soybean cyst nematode) and fungi that have medicinal properties (to treat rheumatoid arthritis). This presenter was my favorite. She was engaging and when she was done, I wanted to do what she was: Learn more about ‘fascinating fungi.’

-A soil, water and climate professor who is working on a project in northern Minnesota on warming peat bogs and the impact on microbes in peat.

All in all, it was a great night to have your curiosity churned and to learn of the possibilities of women active in science. Good job, ladies!