http://nature.berkeley.edu/pulseofscience
Biology, arguably the central science for the 21st Century, is being transformed by the influence of an ailing but politically powerful biotech industry. An important part of this transformation is the suppression of precautionary science and dissent, and the mounting influence of the industry on regulatory and research institutions.
Come hear the story of this suppression for yourself, from the scientists themselves.
The pulse of Scientific Freedom
In the Age of the Biotech Industry
A public conversation
Arpad Pusztai, Norwegian Food Sciences Institute, formerly Principal
Scientific Officer, Rowett Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland.
John Losey, Associate Professor, Cornell University.
Tyrone Hayes, Associate Professor, UC Berkeley.
Ignacio Chapela, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley.
December 10, 2003
7-9 pm
155 Dwinelle Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Introduced by Michael Pollan
Moderated by Mark Dowie
http://nature.berkeley.edu/pulseofscience
The four participants in this conversation have performed simple, yet dramatic discoveries that question the wisdom of a quarter century of commitment to an agenda of agricultural development based on intensive technological dependence.
The publication of their research brought these researchers world-wide attention, but made them into urgent targets for suppression from an ailing but still powerful Biotech industry. As a consequence, each of the participants has encountered not only controversy, but also threats to their research, reputations, and livelihoods. Behind their research lies a commitment to make their best knowledge available for the public. Behind the hurdles they have faced lies one of the greatest challenges to public, democratic discourse in our century: the growing influence of private interests in the scientific enterprise.
The commonalities of their stories and the peculiarities of their personal histories provide a unique window into the mechanisms through which this threat operates. This will be the first time that a meeting between these scientists will take place, providing a unique opportunity for the public to gain insight into the bizantine workings of the academic-industrial complex. Beyond the discussion of technicalities of their discoveries, this evening of conversation should provide the opportunity to reflect upon the challenges to scientific freedom and dissent at a time when these basic principles are under attack.
Participant Details:
Arpad Pusztai - Consultant, Norwegian Food Sciences Institute, formerly Principal Scientific Officer, Rowett Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland. Discovery. Cytological and histological damage to rodents fed with transgenically-modified potatoes. Suppression. Dr Pusztai was fired from his position of 30 years as a scientist at the Rowett Institute in Scotland. His research files were seized, including in a break-in at his home. Major campaign of discreditation.
Further references. http://plab.ku.dk/tcbh/Pusztaitcbh.htm,
http://www.psrast.org/pusztai.htm
John Losey - Associate Professor, Cornell University. Discovery. Damage and death in Monarch butterfly caterpillars fed with pollen from transgenically-modified corn. Suppression: Promotion of research targetted towards discreditation of his discoveries. Media campaign.
Further references. http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc99/5_22_99/fob1.htm,
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May99/Butterflies.bpf.html,
Tyrone Hayes - Associate Professor, UC Berkeley Discovery. Damage to tissues, organs and ecology of amphibian reproduction due to low levels of Atrazine, the most widely-used chemical in US agriculture. Suppression. Attempts at suppressing, delaying and derailing research. Targetted research to discredit his findings. Discreditation campaign. Further references. Blumestyk, G. The Price of Research. The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 31, 2003: A26.
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/2003/Syngenta-Tyrone-Hayes31oct03.htm
Ignacio Chapela - Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley Discovery. Genetic contamination of maize by transgenic (GMO) DNA in its center of origin in Oaxaca, México. Suppression. Attempts at suppressing, delaying and derailing research. Direct threats. Coordinated, industry-funded international discreditation campaign.
Further references. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2000/03/press.htm,
http://www.mindfully.org/GE/2003/Ignacio-Chapela30jun03.htm,
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20021028&s=schapiro,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/1871216.stm
Moderator
Mark Dowie is an investigative reporter and award-winning writer on technology and the environment. His work has received, among others an unprecedented four National Magazine Awards. He was editor and publisher of Mother Jones. Two relevant books by Mark Dowie are "American Foundations: an investigative history" (MIT Press, 2002), and "Losing Ground: American environmentalism at the end of the Twentieth Century". (MIT Press, 1996).
Michael Pollan is Knight Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism at the Graduate School of Journalism, UC Berkeley. He is a contributing writer for The New York Times Sunday Magazine and a celebrated writer on food and the environment. Some of his relevant writings include: "The Botany of Desire", "Power Steer", "Playing God in the Garden" and "The (Agri)Culture of Obesity".
- Main Menu
- Home
- News
- Articles
- Videos
- Must see videos
- Agriculture videos
- Labeling videos
- Animals videos
- Corporations videos
- Corporate takeover videos
- Contamination videos
- Latin America videos
- India videos
- Asia videos
- Food safety videos
- Songs videos
- Protests videos
- Biofuel myths videos
- Index of GM crops and foods
- Index of speakers
- Health Effects
- Gene Editing videos
- Contact
- About
- Donations
- News
- Articles
- Donations
-
Videos
- Index of speakers
- Glyphosate videos
- Gene Editing
- Must See videos
- Health Effects
- Agriculture videos
- Labeling videos
- Animals videos
- Corporations videos
- Corporate takeover videos
- Contamination videos
- Latin America videos
- India videos
- Asia videos
- Songs videos
- Protests videos
- Biofuel myths videos
- Index of GM crops and foods
- Contact
- About
News Menu
News Archive
- 2023 articles
- 2022 articles
- 2021 articles
- 2020 articles
- 2019 articles
- 2018 articles
- 2017 articles
- 2016 articles
- 2015 articles
- 2014 articles
- 2013 articles
- 2012 articles
- 2011 articles
- 2010 articles
- 2009 articles
- 2008 articles
- 2007 articles
- 2006 articles
- 2005 articles
- 2004 articles
- 2003 articles
- 2002 articles
- 2001 articles
- 2000 articles
PLEASE SUPPORT GMWATCH
If you like what we do, please help us do more. You can donate via Paypal or credit/debit card. Some of you have opted to give a regular donation. We greatly appreciate that as it helps place us on a more stable financial basis. Thank you for your support!
Web Development By SCS Web Design