David Hong

Meet David Hong, RIPE’s Science Communication Intern, Fall 2024

This fall, RIPE’s communications team will be joined by David Hong, a senior at the University of Illinois. David is majoring in operations management and information systems at the Gies College of Business and also getting a minor in law studies. He will be working closely with Allie to share RIPE research news and also take part in job shadows and career preparation experiences.

An overhead shot of two people working in a field with rows of green plants.

RockFACE at SoyFACE: Increasing CO2 uptake

Researchers are sprinkling finely ground silicate-basalt over field trials at the Illinois Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment Facility (SoyFACE) hoping to increase the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere in a process known as rock weathering.

The words Celebrating Earth Day with RIPE are in the middle, each side has a soybean stem with leaves

Preparing crops for our changing Earth

It is no secret the Earth is changing. Higher temperatures, higher CO2 levels, and less water availability are all concerns. This Earth Day, we are looking at ways our team is working to improve the future of food for our changing planet.

Violet Moore

Meet Violet Moore, RIPE's Science Communications Intern, Spring 2024

Learn more about Violet Moore, RIPE's summer communications internship for the Spring 2024 semester.

RIPE 2023 Social Media Countdown 5. RIPE featured by BBC Business 4. Rubisco Regulation Review 3. Niyogi Lab CRISPR Work 2. RIPE Shortlisted for THE Award 1. Steve Long TED Talk

RIPE 2023 Top Social Media Post Countdown

To reflect on the last year, we compiled a list of the Top 5 Social Media posts of 2023 and counted them down during the final week of the year. If you missed one, don’t worry, you’ll find them all here.

Nguyen Ha, RIPE's Fall 2023 Science Communications Intern

My RIPE Communications Internship Experience – Nguyen Ha

RIPE's Fall 2023 science communication intern Nguyen Ha reflects on her time with the project.

A teal backdrop, textured in the middle. Top bar FAO, World Food Day, Water is Life Water is Food, separated by rain drops. Left column What does water mean to you? Right column “Water availability is the thing that limits food production more than anything else in the world.” - Andrew Leakey, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. A picture of Andrew Leakey sitting at a desk is in the center of the image.

What does water mean to you, Andrew Leakey?

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) created a day to bring awareness to world hunger and food called World Food Day, and this year's theme is water.  We asked two of our researchers working on water-use efficiency what water means to them, this is Andrew Leakey's answer.

A teal backdrop, textured in the middle. Top bar FAO, World Food Day, Water is Life Water is Food, separated by rain drops. Left column What does water mean to you? Right column “Water is liquid gold.” - Tracy Lawson, University of Essex. A picture of Tracy Lawson surrounded by plants is in the middle of the image.

What does water mean to you, Tracy Lawson?

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) created a day to bring awareness to world hunger and food called World Food Day, and this year's theme is water.  We asked two of our researchers working on water-use efficiency what water means to them, this is Tracy Lawson's answer.

There are two side profiles of people facing the center of the image, a white person facing right and a black person facing left. The bottom of their faces are water, the top of their heads are crop fields. Their eyes and noses are normal. The words from the top, 16 October 2023, World Food Day. Water is Life. Water is Food. Bottom center Leave no on behind.

World Food Day 2023

RIPE is recognizing World Food Day, and this year’s theme, by featuring some of our research that could help make crops use water more efficiently, which would improve yields in areas where fresh water is a scarce resource.

A picture of Nguyen Ha with a green border. Words "Nguyen Ha, RIPE Science Communication Intern Fall 2023" on the bottom. "RIPE Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency" at the top.

Meet Nguyen Ha, RIPE Science Communications Intern, Fall 2023

This fall, RIPE will be joined by Nguyen Ha as our newest science communications intern! Read here to learn more about her and the projects she will be working on this semester!

Emily Campos profesional headshot with a green background.

My RIPE Communications Internship Experience – Emily Campos

RIPE's Spring/Summer science communication intern Emily Campos reflects on her time with the project.

Five RIPE researchers in a line in their lab coats.

RIPE Women's History Month Recap

Throughout March, RIPE celebrated Women’s History Month by getting to know the history of some of our women researchers. Their journeys, accomplishments, and advice to other women in STEM were captured in a series of features promoted on our website and social media platforms. If you missed a profile, or want to read one again, all the features can be found below!

Larissa Larocca de Souza in front of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology

Larissa Larocca de Souza: RIPE Women's History Month Feature

Larissa Larocca de Souza believes that to be successful in a STEM career you must be endlessly curious and work with people who inspire and challenge you. She encourages girls and women wanting to get involved in STEM to seek out mentors who can share their experiences and show what women can achieve in the sciences.

Read more about Larissa's inspirations and advice for others in our final Women's History Month feature.

Elizabete Carmo-Silva in her lab.

Elizabete Carmo-Silva: RIPE Women's History Month Feature

She dreamt that I could study as much as I wanted and have a different future,” Elizabete Carmo-Silva said, speaking of her mother, who was needed at the family farm growing up and had to stop her education after 4th grade. Carmo-Silva's journey to becoming a professor at Lancaster University was influenced by her mother's sacrifice, and she feels incredibly lucky to have her family to inspire and support her.

Read more about Elizabete's journey and her advice for others to help breakdown societal stereotypes in the latest RIPE Women's History Month Feature.

Yu Wang front left, with a colleague and research equipment in the background.

Yu Wang: RIPE Women's History Month Feature Story

“Follow your heart and share your knowledge," has been Yu Wang's motto throughout her career. She wants to share this message with other women and girls interested in STEM and offers her advice in our latest Women's History Month feature.

Christine Raines seated between two research tables in a lab.

Christine Raines: RIPE Women's History Month Feature Story

Christine Raines always knew she would be involved in STEM, but didn't have many women scientist role models to look up to. She knew she could develop her own path in STEM and inspire other women to do the same.

Shellie Wall in her graduation regalia

Shellie Wall: RIPE Women's History Month Feature Story

During this Women’s History Month, RIPE will be celebrating a number of our women researchers, their accomplishments, and their advice to other women in STEM. Our next feature is on Essex Senior Research Officer, Shellie Wall.

Amanda Cavanagh in a white lab coat in a lab setting.

Amanda Cavanagh: RIPE Women's History Month Feature Story

During this Women’s History Month, RIPE will be celebrating a number of our women researchers, their accomplishments, and their advice to other women in STEM. Our first feature is on Essex Lecturer, Amanda Cavanagh.

Chloe Gilder

My RIPE Communications Internship Experience - Chloe Gilder

Our Fall 2022 science communication intern, Chloe Gilder, reflected on her experience as a member of the RIPE team, her favorite moments of her internship, and offered advice for future interns.

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Top RIPE Social Media Posts of 2022!

A wrap-up of RIPE's top five social media posts from 2022!

Martin Parry image surrounded by green

RIPE's Parry receives ISPR Innovation Award

In recognition of his outstanding achievements in the transfer of photosynthesis research to the benefit of society at large, RIPE’s Martin Parry has received the Innovation Award from the International Society on Photosynthesis Research.

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RIPE Spotlight: Doug Orr

Meet Doug Orr. This postdoctoral feature series focuses on sharing the new endeavors of our researchers as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. 

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RIPE Spotlight: Anbarasu Karthikaichamy

Meet Anbarasu Karthikaichamy. This postdoctoral feature series focuses on sharing the new endeavors of our researchers as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. 

A Day in the Life: Matt Siebers

A Day in the Life of RIPE Ambassador Matthew Siebers

This Day in the Life series focuses on showing a more personal light into what researchers do during their workday–in the lab or field–highlighting what they do to make our project possible. 

Peng Fu and RIPE team

RIPE Spotlight: Peng Fu

Meet Peng Fu. This postdoctoral feature series focuses on sharing the new endeavors of our researchers as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. 

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RIPE Spotlight: Patty Lopez-Calcagno

Meet Patricia Lopez-Calcagno. This postdoctoral feature series focuses on sharing the new endeavors of our researchers as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. 

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RIPE Spotlight: Ursula Ruiz-Vera

Meet Ursula Ruiz-Vera. This postdoctoral feature series focuses on sharing the new endeavors of our researchers as they move on to the next chapter in their lives.

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10 Years of RIPE

In honor of RIPE’s anniversary, we’re looking back at some of the accomplishments over the past 10 years that our researchers have contributed towards our mission to feed the world.

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International Women's Day 2022: #BreakTheBias

In celebration of this important day, the RIPE project is highlighting our women in leadership, who dedicate their hard work and efforts to our mission in feeding the world in the face of climate change and a growing population.

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Dhruv Patel is daring plants to take a risk

Dhruv Patel, a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, was recently featured in the Alliance for Science's collection of feature stories on FFAR Fellows. 

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RIPE 2021 Social Media Countdown

To celebrate our researchers' hard work, we put together a #RIPEWrapped2021 to showcase our top social media posts that have come across your screens. We appreciate all of the hard work that our team has put into our project, despite a year characterized by the pandemic.


 

International Women's Day 2021

International Women's Day 2021: #ChooseToChallenge

In celebration of International Women's Day, the RIPE project is shining a light on some of our woman scientists who are making significant contributions to increasing global food security.

Dhruv Patel

Dhruv Patel: Building bridges, communicating science

Dhruv Patel dedicates his research to understanding photoprotection and how to overcome it.

RIPE scientist Ursula Vera Ruiz

Mental Health Awareness Day

RIPE scientist Ursula Ruiz Vera shares her story to create more awareness and rid the stigma associated with mental health. 

Plant Genomes in a Changing Environment

Virtual Conference: Plant Genomes in a Changing Environment

This year's Plant Genomes in a Changing Environment conference will be held virtually and will showcase the application of genomic techniques to understand genomes and how they vary across changing environments. 

Wil Hee

Nurturing the next generation of scientists through educational videos

Various organisations are working towards igniting a passion for STEM early on in childhood development. 

CoViD-19

Developing a rapid screening test for CoViD-19

RIPE scientists at The Australian National University are developing a CoVid-19 screening test that is more convenient.

Elizabete Carmo-Silva stands at a lab bench with a LICOR machine measuring the photosynthetic efficiency of plants

Elizabete Carmo-Silva: Research, Rubisco, and Reigniting Optimism

Collaboration is at the heart of Elizabete’s career, whether she is working with cowpea breeders or those in her lab. 

Illustration of the C3 and C4 pathway.

The difference between C3 and C4 plants

Learn more about the two types of photosynthesis that plants use to produce our food. 

An illustration of Liana Acevedo-Siaca

Meet some of RIPE's wonder women

In celebration of International Women's Day, the RIPE project is shining a spotlight on some of our female scientists.

Ben Long wearing mask

Tragedies affect the RIPE team at ANU

The end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 have been an extreme few months for the RIPE project team members at The Australian National University.

TerraSentia robot sits in front a corn field.

One robot is helping feed the future

Two research projects at the University of Illinois are coming together to benefit agriculture and help ensure global food security.

Oxford Fellows pictured with their advisers.

Illinois Summer Fellowship program’s second year yields successful research

The University of Illinois and RIPE hosted 14 Illinois Summer Fellows to gain plant science research experience alongside our expert team.

A group of students gather around the researcher, reaching into a bucket.

RIPE project partners with Paper2Tree to reach local students

This fall, RIPE Postdoctoral Researcher Amanda Cavanagh taught two fifth grade classes about the project's breakthrough work to improve crops. 

Picture Oxford interns.

Oxford students make their way to Illinois’ research fields

This summer, a new exchange program brought nine Fellows from the University of Oxford to the University of Illinois to conduct research with mentors from the RIPE project. 

Aerial picture of field trial.

Tapestry of hope

Sweat sneaks beneath Kasia’s sunglasses as she tiptoes around the carefully organized research plots, orchestrated using GPS technology. The tiny plants reach up to grasp the sun, creating a mosaic of greens and yellows as they grow and mature, a tapestry of hope for the researchers who have cared for and cultivated them.

David Drag poses in a cherry picker overlooking the field trials.

David Drag: Cultivating food security

David Drag is no stranger to hard work. Whether it is a day in the greenhouse or field, each environment poses new and enticing challenges.

Steve Long headshot

Steve Long: Making nature more efficient

For 40 years Steve Long has been doing ground-breaking work — at the molecular, biochemical and physiological level — in the lab and the field, and on the computer.

Liana Acevedo-Siaca

Liana Acevedo-Siaca: Utilizing rice to achieve food security

Acevedo-Siaca was named a U.S. Borlaug Fellow in Global Food Security at the International Rice Research Institute.

Doug Orr in the greenhouse

Doug Orr: Enzyme hunter

Doug Orr has always been interested in doing science, but one summer experience led him where he is today: working as a postdoctoral biochemist for Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University.

Amanda De Souza headshot

Amanda De Souza: Engineering hope for millions

Amanda de Souza cradles a plastic petri dish in her hands. Tiny plants press against the lid; their roots form a delicate web. It’s hard to imagine that hope for millions of people may lie inside something so small, so seemingly fragile.

Researchers work in the greenhouse

RIPE researchers bring new life to campus greenhouse

Situated next to the University of Illinois’s Plant Core Facility on Dorner Drive, a once state-of-the-art controlled environment greenhouse and laboratory sat unused until now.

A researcher works in the rice paddy.

lllinois study may improve rice productivity

University of Illinois researchers established the first rice paddy to test rice performance at Illinois and Kyoto University in Japan.