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   from the issue of April 5, 2007

     
 
Nebraska Lecture examines challenges of feeding world

 BY VICKI MILLER, RESEARCH

The world's population is expected to reach 9 billion people in less than 40 years. Brian Larkins, a leading plant scientist, will discuss the challenge of feeding this growing population (6.5 billion today) at the spring Nebraska Lecture April 10.


Larkins
 
Larkins

 
The free public lecture, "Feeding 9 Billion People and Other Challenges to Agriculture," will be at 3:30 p.m. at the Nebraska Union auditorium, with a reception afterward. Larkins' presentation is part of the Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture Series and the fifth annual UNL Research Fair April 10-12 on campus.

Larkins joined UNL in March as associate vice chancellor for research and the John F. Davidson, Ph.D, and Marian J. Fuller, Ph.D., chair in life sciences. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, he is internationally known for pioneering research on the nutritional quality of corn and other cereal grains. His research has implications for improving human nutrition, especially in developing countries where corn is a dietary staple. He has been a leader in the development of plant molecular biology and plant agricultural biotechnology.

"In the face of unknown consequences of climate change, a decreasing amount of arable land and rapidly dwindling supplies of fresh water for irrigation, we have an immense challenge to provide food and fiber to meet these needs," Larkins said. "The only way we are going to be able to feed them is to produce more food on less land with less damage to the environment."

A York High School graduate, Larkins earned his bachelor's and doctoral degrees from UNL. He returns to Nebraska from the University of Arizona where he held an endowed chair in plant sciences and earlier chaired the plant sciences department. At UNL he holds faculty positions in the School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. As associate vice chancellor for research, his responsibilities include helping to enhance UNL life sciences research.

The Nebraska Lectures feature distinguished UNL faculty, are designed for general audiences and provide insights about some of the university's leading research and scholarly activity. Lectures are sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor, the UNL Research Council and the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.


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