Plant Center Spring Symposium 2026

Symposium Registration (register here)

Registration closes April 13, 2026.

For information contact Tanner Hamerling  or Alyssa Guarino

Circular logo for the Spring Symposium 2026 by the Plant Center, featuring a stylized green plant with roots and the text “Roots of Resilience: Plants and the Power of Adaptation.”.

Roots of Resilience: Plants and the Power of Adaptation

2026 UGA Plant Center Student Symposium

The 2026 Plant Center Student Symposium, titled Roots of Resilience: Plants and the Power of Adaptation, will take place on May 14, 2026, at the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center in Athens, Georgia. The symposium brings together scientists, students, and industry partners for a full day of presentations and discussion highlighting how plants adapt to environmental, ecological, and evolutionary challenges.

Organized by graduate students within the University of Georgia Plant Center, the event celebrates the breadth of plant science research while fostering collaboration across disciplines. The theme “Roots of Resilience” emphasizes the remarkable ways plants respond to changing environments, from genetic and physiological adaptations to ecological interactions and crop improvement strategies. By highlighting resilience across scales, from molecular biology to ecosystems, the symposium explores how plant research can address global challenges such as climate change, food security, and biodiversity conservation.

The program will feature invited talks from leading plant scientists representing diverse research areas. Confirmed speakers include Michael Gore (Cornell University), Stacey Smith (University of Colorado Boulder), Diane Bassham (Iowa State University), Robin Hopkins (Harvard University), Andrea Eveland (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center) and Lubana Shahin (University of Georgia), along with an invited speaker from Corteva Agriscience. These speakers bring expertise spanning plant genomics, evolutionary biology, plant physiology, and crop improvement, providing a broad perspective on plant resilience and adaptation.

In addition to keynote presentations, the symposium will showcase graduate student research through lightning talks and networking opportunities, providing a platform for early-career scientists to share their work and connect with leaders in the field. The event also serves as a professional development opportunity, allowing students to engage directly with visiting scientists and industry partners.

The symposium is part of the Corteva Plant Sciences Symposia Series, an international initiative supporting student-organized plant science symposia. Corporate sponsorship from Corteva Agriscience, along with support from several academic units at the University of Georgia, helps make the event possible.

By bringing together researchers across plant biology, agriculture, and environmental sciences, Roots of Resilience highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing plant science and preparing the next generation of scientists.

Confirmed Speakers

A woman with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a purple top and a beaded necklace, smiles at the camera against a plain background, representing the Plant Center at the upcoming Spring Symposium 2026.

Dr. Diane Bassham

Professor, Iowa State University

Title of Talk:

Website: Diane Bassham

A woman with short blonde hair and a light gray cowl-neck top poses for a studio portrait against a dark background, ready to present at the 2026 Spring Symposium for the Plant Center.

Dr. Stacey Smith

Professor, University of Colorado Boulder

Title of Talk:

Website: Smith Lab

A woman with long dark hair wearing a yellow and orange coat stands outdoors at night with illuminated trees and buildings in the background, reminiscent of the vibrant atmosphere at a Plant Center Spring Symposium 2026.

Lubana Shahin (Graduate Student Speaker)

PhD Student (accepted)

Title of Talk:

Website:

A person with short gray hair is smiling, wearing a light gray jacket, a pink top, and a beaded necklace, posed against a plain light background at the Spring Symposium 2026 hosted by the Plant Center.

Dr. Robin Hopkins

Professor, Harvard University

Title of Talk:

Website: Hopkins Lab

Man with short dark hair, glasses, and a beard wearing a blue shirt, standing outdoors in front of tall green plants at the Plant Center during the Spring Symposium 2026.

Dr. Mike Gore (Cornell University)

Section Head and Professor at Cornell University

Title of Talk:

Website: Gore Lab

A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a black collared shirt and silver earrings, stands indoors with a blurred office background at the Plant Center’s 2026 Spring Symposium.

Dr. Andrea Eveland (Danforth Center)

Title of Talk:

Website: Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

In addition to keynote presentations, the symposium will showcase graduate student research through lightning talks and networking opportunities, providing a platform for early-career scientists to share their work and connect with leaders in the field. The event also serves as a professional development opportunity, allowing students to engage directly with visiting scientists and industry partners.

The symposium is part of the Corteva Plant Sciences Symposia Series, an international initiative supporting student-organized plant science symposia. Corporate sponsorship from Corteva Agriscience, along with support from several academic units at the University of Georgia, helps make the event possible.

By bringing together researchers across plant biology, agriculture, and environmental sciences, Roots of Resilience highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing plant science and preparing the next generation of scientists.