Crowdsourcing the ESA2014 opening plenary

Sea Otter Swims in Monterey Bay, California. Credit, Tania Larson , U.S. Geological Survey

Sea Otter Swims in Monterey Bay, California. Credit, Tania Larson , U.S. Geological Survey.

san joaquin peaches usda

An infrared thermometer measures peach tree canopy temperature under regulated deficit irrigation in the San Joaquin Valley, CA, May 2008. Photo by Dong Wang, USDA.

ESA’s 2013 annual meeting in Minneapolis is drawing near, but we are already planning for Sacramento in 2014! The public affairs committee wants to know what you would like to hear at the Sunday evening opening plenary next year. What topic would fire you up? Who would you get on a plane early to see?

Because Sacramento is in the middle of California’s Central Valley, one of the most productive and intensely farmed agricultural areas in the world, the committee floated several themes related to intensive agriculture. Don’t like any of these topics? Leave us a comment or email llester@nullesa.org with your suggestion.

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ESA members often suggest speakers like Micheal Pollan and Jared Diamond. We would love to see those guys too — but keep in mind that speakers of Pollan-level popularity cost big $$. It’s okay to dream, but we challenge you: who is the next Michael Pollen? Consider people in your own subfield who can beautifully communicate concepts across disciplines. Which of your peers are amazing speakers?

The Sacramento - San Joaquin drainage in California's Central Valley

The Sacramento – San Joaquin drainage in California’s Central Valley. Credit, CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife.