Other Awards and Honors
2011 Impact on Scientific Community
Heida Diefenderfer, Richard Anderson and Joshua Adkins invited to National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Conference
Three researchers from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will convene with about 140 of the nation's top scientists and engineers to discuss how the world can develop a sustainable food supply while preserving the environment.
Restoration ecologist Heida Diefenderfer, risk and decision scientist Richard Anderson and systems biologist Joshua Adkins have been invited to participate in the ninth annual National Academies Keck Futures Initiative conference, to be held Nov. 10-13 in Irvine, Calif.
The conference brings together the country's leading researchers in diverse scientific fields to jointly tackle a complex, pressing problem with a multidisciplinary approach. This year's conference will focus on how to best balance the benefits that humans receive from ecosystems with the planet's environmental needs. Attendees can also compete for grant funding to pursue new ideas generated during the conference.
Diefenderfer has conducted research out of PNNL's Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim since 2000. She holds a doctorate in forest resources from the University of Washington, a master's degree in English from Western Washington University and two bachelor's degrees, one in Native American studies and professional writing from The Evergreen State College, and the other in biology from Reed College in Portland, Ore.
Anderson has conducted research from PNNL's main campus in Richland since 2010. He holds a bachelor's degree in engineering mechanics, a master's degree in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in environmental systems analysis, all from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.
Also based in Richland, Adkins has conducted research at PNNL since 2001. He holds a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., and a bachelor's degree in chemistry and biology from Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colo.
The conference is supported by the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine and the W.M. Keck Foundation. More information is online at http://www.keckfutures.org (announced 6/1/2011)