SEATTLE — Is it a tool with unprecedented potential for humanitarian and environmental benefit, or an unproven technology with the potential for unforeseen catastrophe?
Leading scientists and policy experts from around the world will discuss and debate these and other questions about agricultural biotechnology at NABC 15, the 15th annual conference of the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council.
The conference, titled “Biotechnology: Science and Society at a Crossroad,” will be held June 1- 3 at the Westin Hotel in Seattle. This year’s conference is cosponsored by Washington State University and Oregon State University.
The conference is organized as a series of half-day modules, each featuring a moderator and a panel of experts. Each module includes time for audience interaction and for breakout sessions to allow all attendees to participate in discussions.
“Not all scientists agree that the benefits of genetically modified organisms outweigh the risks,” says conference co-chair Sandra Ristow, associate director of WSU’s Agricultural Research Center. “Our speakers and attendees will include leading scientists representing a diversity of viewpoints on the subject and we anticipate some lively discussions.”
The National Agricultural Biotechnology Council is a consortium of not-for-profit agricultural research and educational institutions. It was founded in 1988 to provide an open forum for issues related to biotechnology, providing opportunities for people with varying interests and concerns to participate in meaningful dialogue.
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