< BIG IDEAS
BIG IDEAS: Reflections of a Plant Intelligence Maverick
BIG IDEAS, a scientific lecture series from the Stowers Institute, returns March 2025! Enjoy an evening of discovery where we explore how science informs and inspires the world around us.
Mar 052025
Stowers Institute
Featured speaker Paco Calvo, Ph.D., will discuss his research on plant intelligence and the impressive communicative abilities found in nature. Could plants help solve some of the world's most pressing problems? What can they teach us?
Special guest, Kate the Chemist, host of Seeking a Scientist, a podcast produced by the Stowers Institute and KCUR Studios, will join Calvo and Stowers Institute President and Chief Scientific Officer, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., for a Q and A session.
Reception to follow.
Check in: 5:00-5:30 pm
Event: 5:30-6:45 pm
Reception: 6:45-8:00 pm
Speakers
Paco Calvo, Ph.D.
Minimal Intelligence Laboratory, University of Murcia - Spain
Paco Calvo, Ph.D., is a renowned cognitive scientist and philosopher of biology, known for his groundbreaking research in the field of plant cognition and intelligence. He is a professor at the University of Murcia in Spain, where he leads the Minimal Intelligence Lab (MINT Lab), focusing on the fascinating world of plant behavior, decision-making, and problem-solving. He is also the author of Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Plant Intelligence.
Kate Biberdorf, Ph.D., aka "Kate the Chemist"
University of Notre Dame
Kate Biberdorf, Ph.D., (aka Kate The Chemist) is a chemist, science entertainer, and professor at The University of Notre Dame. She is also the host of Seeking a Scientist, a podcast produced by the Stowers Institute and KCUR Studios. Through her theatrical and hands-on approach to teaching, Biberdorf is breaking down the image of the stereotypical scientist, while reaching students who might otherwise be intimidated by science.
BIG IDEAS is a scientific lecture series from the Stowers Institute that explores how science informs and inspires our communities. It aims to bring cutting-edge and provocative scientific ideas in an engaging and accessible way to the greater Kansas City community. The series is designed to inspire a thirst for scientific knowledge and illustrate the roles that scientific discoveries play in our lives and communities.
In a recent episode of Seeking a Scientist, Kate the Chemist talked with Calvo about the under appreciation of plants, known as plant blindness. Plants can move, attack, communicate, and adapt — even though they don’t have what's normally defined as a brain. The two will expand on this topic during the event.
About the book: In Planta Sapiens, Calvo offers an entirely new perspective on plants’ worlds, showing for the first time how we can use tools developed to study animal cognition in a quest to understand plant intelligence. Plants learn from experience: wild strawberries can be taught to link light intensity with nutrient levels in the soil, and flowers can time pollen production to pollinator visits. Plants have social intelligence, releasing chemicals from their roots and leaves to speak to and identify one another. They make decisions about where to invest their growth, judging risk based on the resources available. Their individual preferences vary, too―plants have personalities. Calvo also illuminates how plants inspire technological advancements, from robotics to AI.
Event Venue
Stowers Institute
Our 10-acre campus is situated in the heart of Kansas City. Located next to the University of Missouri-Kansas City and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, our members are part of an academic neighborhood. You can immerse yourself in the arts, visit landmarks such as the Linda Hall Scientific Research Library, and find inspiration to fuel creative thinking.
At the Stowers Institute you are also within walking distance to Loose Park, the Trolley Trail, the Brookside Neighborhood, and the Country Club Plaza. You have convenient access to some of the best coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping the city has to offer.
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Why foundational research? Exploring the fundamental processes of biology is essential in our quest to understand the secrets of life. Research at the Stowers Institute is rooted in the audacious vision of our founders, Jim and Virginia Stowers, and their unwavering commitment to helping people live healthier lives. Today, their vision has become a remarkable reality.