Episode 88: Don Ort - Improving Crop Yields by Increasing Photosynthetic Efficiency

FOCUS on Agriculture

Dr. Donald Ort is is the Robert Emerson Professor in Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and Deputy Director of the RIPE (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency) project. His research seeks to understand and improve plant growth and photosynthetic performance in changing environmental conditions, such as increasing CO2 temperature and drought. Don earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Wake Forest University and his doctorate in plant biochemistry from Michigan State University. He has served as the president of the American Society of Plant Biologists, the International Society of Photosynthesis Research, and the International Association of Plant Physiology. He also served as editor-in-chief of Plant Physiology and is an associate editor of Annual Review of Plant Biology. Don has received numerous awards and recognitions, including election to the National Academy of Sciences and being named one of Thomson Reuters’ Most Influential Scientific Minds. He has published over 250 peer-reviewed papers in journals that include Science.

In this episode we discuss Dr. Ort's research and how it impacts crop production. You can learn more about RIPE at https://ripe.illinois.edu/. Dr. Ort is also involved with the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI): https://cabbi.bio/ and Renewable Oil Generated with Ultra-productive Energycane (ROGUE): https://rogue.illinois.edu/.