The 10th EMBO/EMBL Science & Society Conference entitled “Food, sustainability and plant science – a global challenge” takes place on 6th and 7th of November 2009 at EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany.
The EMBO (European Molecular Biology Association) and EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory) jointly promote the conference and state on the conference website that ‘This Science & Society Conference will examine the future of sustainable agriculture from the perspectives of plant science, technology and society. How can science contribute to addressing global challenges such as the requirement to feed a growing population, climate change and biological threats to yields? How can individuals make informed decisions whether the new technologies are safe and effective in the battle against hunger?’

The conference is broken down into 4 sessions entitled Plant breeding and the maintenance of diversity, Breeding and the molecular genetics that support it, Enhancing plants by GM and Public perception and risk assessment.

Speakers include Andrew Stirling, a member of the expert group on science and governance who signed the report to the European Commission Taking European Knowledge Society Seriously, and has worked on these issues with Brian Wynne amongst others. See the report of the Italian presentation of Science and Governance, at the Bassetti Foundation, in February 2008.

Registration costs are minimal and include dinner.