A New Era: Danforth Center President Dr. Giles Oldroyd Makes his Debut at Seeds of Change

There was excitement in the air on the evening of March 31. For many guests arriving at the Danforth Center, the event they were attending would mark their first time hearing from the Yorkshire-born, internationally recognized plant geneticist, Dr. Giles Oldroyd, who assumed his new role as Danforth Center president last October.

In the last several months Giles has been featured on The 314 Podcast and on KSDK, but on this night, he was appearing at his first public event as president: Seeds of Change. And in turn, the community turned out in force, eager to get to know him and hear his message about how plant science can create a better world for all.

Agriculture Shock

Following an introduction from the night’s emcee, Danforth Center Board Chair Penny Pennington, Giles took to the stage in the AT&T Auditorium and discussed the many daunting challenges facing humanity. He explained that many of the current ways we grow our food are harming our planet and ultimately unsustainable—and that increasingly extreme weather and unpredictable climate patterns are making farming harder than ever. Yet while the obstacles in front of us might seem difficult to overcome, Giles made clear that he is confident we can do it. “Despite all I’ve just said, I’m an optimist,” he told the crowd. “I believe this is the place that will drive that solution.”

Giles speaking with the event’s emcee, Penny Pennington, board chair of the Danforth Center and managing partner of Edward Jones. “I see the wealth of opportunities to drive real-world changes for the poorest people on the planet,” he told her.

Stop, Regenerate, and Listen

After teeing up the problems, Giles explained how better farming and innovative plant science can help us feed a growing world and simultaneously preserve our environment. One example he gave was the practice of regenerative agriculture, which builds soil fertility, instead of mining it. He also spotlighted the work being done at the Center to develop better varieties of crops that are staples in some of the world’s most food-insecure regions. These include shorter, sturdier teff (currently in field trials), virus-resistant cassava (coming soon to Kenya), and pest-resistant cowpea (now available in Nigeria and Ghana).

But as Giles explained, a pillar of the Center’s work to improve the human condition through plant science is enhancing the St. Louis community. And his goal as president is to continue investing in our region, spinning out new innovative agtech companies, and ensuring more people have access to quality STEM education.

And that is why I’m here in St. Louis. I believe this is the place to drive impact in sustainability and food security, here at the largest independent nonprofit plant science research institution in the world.”

Dr. Giles Oldroyd

Make Change Possible

Toward the end of the program, Giles told the crowd that “if you believe in what we're talking about today, the time to lean in is now. And there is an opportunity for everybody to get involved in this.” By donating to the Danforth Center’s Future Forward campaign, you can help find solutions to our most urgent challenges and help ensure more people get the food and nutrients they need. Support the Danforth Center today.

Watch the Event

Event recording by HEC:

Seeds of Change

59:34

Photo Gallery

Media Sponsor

Broadcast on HEC (Charter Cable 989 / AT&T U-Verse 99) Sunday, April 12 at 5 PM and continues to air on Sundays at 5 PM and Saturdays at 7 AM for the following month.

For information on sponsoring future Seeds of Change, contact Lee’at Bachar, Corporate and Foundation Relations Officer, at 314.587.1210 or email: lbachar@danforthcenter.org.