The dogmas of the quiet past: Penn State and global food security - David Hughes
295 views · Published 15 May 2017 · 10:42 · Indexed 6 November 2026
Channel: wpsu · 2017 · Science & Technology
The dogmas of the quiet past: Penn State and global food security - David Hughes The Land Grant system of Universities have been the driving force for American growth and dominance over the last 155 years. No modern nation has achieved industrial prominence without a robust agricultural basis. In the USA ,the Land Grants served that role and represent a unique experiment in higher education that has never been repeated, despite multiple attempts. As the world lurches toward 9 Billion people and the need to feed them in the face of global climate change, what is the role of the American Land Grant System? In this talk I will argue that Penn State has already demonstrated leadership in global food security and is uniquely placed to do much more in this space. Our distinct capabilities across the agricultural, geological, engineering and social sciences, together with our reduced friction for collaborative work means we are exactly the type of institute that can meaningfully drive the science needed to tackle issues of food security. Lincoln's famous words on the dogmas of the quiet past being inadequate to the stormy present past are as true today as when they written in 1862 when the Land Grants formed.
