Published September 27, 2016

McMullen Lecture

Crop science scholar Denison to present Oct. 3 talk
Author and scholar R. Ford Denison
Author and scholar R. Ford Denison
Author and scholar R. Ford Denison will present Monmouth College’s annual Donald B. McMullen Memorial Lecture in Biology at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 in the Kasch Performance Hall of Dahl Chapel and Auditorium.

The author of Darwinian Agriculture: How Understanding Evolution Can Improve Agriculture, Denison is an adjunct professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. He holds a Ph.D. in crop science from Cornell University.

Free and open to the public, his lecture is titled, “Hardin’s Garden: Untapped Potential for Plant-Microbe-Human Cooperation in Agriculture.” A book-signing will follow his talk.

“Hardin’s Garden” refers to a paper titled “The Tragedy of the Commons,” published in 1968 by legendary bioethicist Garrett Hardin. In the paper, Hardin discussed conflicts between individual and group interests in the management of shared grazing land, pollution and human population growth. Similar individual-versus-group conflicts over the course of evolution shaped the wild ancestors of today’s crops and livestock.

Natural selection usually favors individuals over groups, reducing group-level efficiency in using shared resources, such as water. In such cases, plant and animal breeders can increase the efficiency of crops and livestock by reversing past evolution.

For example, Denison says that natural selection kept the wild ancestors of wheat and rice tall, to compete against each other for light. Plant breeders developed shorter plants, which put more resources into grain and less into stems, relative to taller plants.

During the lecture, Denison will discuss some less-familiar examples of progress and opportunities for improving crops, livestock and beneficial microbes, based on individual-versus-group tradeoffs.

“Humans cooperate more than we might expect from Hardin’s analysis, but there is plenty of room for improvement,” he said. “Agricultural examples include coordinated management of pests that move between farms.”

Earlier in the day, Denison will deliver a talk geared to Monmouth’s biology students titled, “What Can Short-Term Experiments Tell Us about Long-Term Agricultural Sustainability?” That talk, which is also open to the public, will be held at 4 p.m. in the Pattee Auditorium of the Center for Science and Business.

The McMullen Lectureship in Biology was endowed in 1973 by Mrs. Donald McMullen of Silver Springs, Md., in memory of her husband, who was Monmouth College biology professor from 1928-38. The fund annual brings an outstanding scholar in the biological sciences to campus.
Back to News & Events

Did you know?

  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> Monmouth College has an educational garden and 6.7 acre farm. Students grow and harvest fruits and vegetables to sell at the local farmer’s market. </p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_urls"><a href="https://monmouthcollege.edu/academics/only-at-monmouth/educational-garden-farm/" target="_blank">Garden & Farm</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> Monmouth College covers the cost for all current students to get a U.S. passport. Unlock access to over 198 different countries! We’ll even help with the paperwork :)</p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/academics/study-abroad/" target="_blank">Study Abroad</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> We’re no stranger to winning. Last year the Fighting Scots won Midwest Conference championships in Football, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Basketball and Men’s Track and Field. </p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_urls"><a href="https://monmouthscots.com/" target="_blank">Fighting Scots</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> Monmouth College offers several international trips each year during 2-week Scots Terms in January and May. Recently students have traveled to Botswana, Greece, Scotland, Japan, and more. </p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_urls"><a href="https://monmouthcollege.edu/offices/global-engagement/" target="_blank">Scots Term</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> 99% of Monmouth students received some type of scholarship or financial assistance.</p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/offices/student-financial-planning/types-of-aid/scholarships/" target="_blank">Scholarships</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> Monmouth College has an active Pipe & Drum Band. Each year on Scholar’s Day in April the bagpipers wake students up at 6:00 a.m. by playing in the residence halls!</p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/academics/music/pipe-band/" target="_blank">Pipe Band</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> Monmouth College is proudly test optional. Applicants may choose whether or to submit SAT or ACT scores for admission and scholarship consideration. </p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/admission/apply/test-optional/" target="_blank">Test Optional</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> We offer a certified Peace Corps Preparation program that gives Peace Corps bound graduates a leg up in the application process.</p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/academics/peace-corps-prep/" target="_blank">Peace Corps Prep</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> Monmouth College offers unique academic minors in Global Public Health and Global Food Security for students who want to use their education to address global challenges. </p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/academics/global-public-health/" target="_blank">Global Public Health</a></li><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/academics/global-food-security/" target="_blank">Global Food Security</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p><strong>Monmouth College is the birthplace of the women’s fraternity movement. Pi Beta Phi, the first such collegiate women’s organization, was founded at Monmouth in 1867. It was followed three years later by Kappa Kappa Gamma. The two pioneering organizations today boast a total of 275 active chapters nationwide.</strong></p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/student-life/sororities-fraternities/" target="_blank">Sororities & Fraternities</a></li></ul></div></aside>
  • <aside class="factoid-item"><div class="factoid-item-text"><p> 98% of Monmouth graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.</p></div><div class="factoid-item-links"><ul><li class="lw_related_page"><a href="/wackerle-center/career-services/" target="_blank">Career Preparation</a></li></ul></div></aside>