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Welcome to the 39 North monthly newsletter!
Your source for news and happenings in our innovation neighborhood. | May 2024
MTC IDEA Fund: July 2024 Award Cycle
Due May 8
Weekly: Danforth Center Scientific Seminar Series

The Danforth Center hosts a complimentary virtual weekly Scientific Seminar Series on a variety of topics. Check out the listing of upcoming seminars and join the conversation! If you would like to participate or be on the email list for these seminars, please contact Terri Burton, tburton@danforthcenter.org.
Agritech Thursdays
Second Thursday of the Month
5:30 - 6:30 PM
Geospatial Innovation Center, T-REX
911 Washington Avenue 4th Floor

AgriTech Thursdays is a monthly, after-work event focused on agricultural technologies research and collaboration in the St Louis region. At each event, one company or researcher gives a short, 15 minute talk on an existing or solved research problem of their choosing and how it fits into the wider agricultural technologies landscape followed by Q&A, drinks and networking. Interested in giving a talk? email: george@deepgrain.com 
Teacher Workshops
May 7, 8, 9
3:30 - 6 PM
Danforth Plant Science Center

Join us for a professional development workshop to train interested teachers in how to implement authentic research experiences (AREs) and education technology to promote STEAM+AG education. For more information click here.
The Brave and the Brilliant
May 11
7 - 9 PM
Missouri History Museum

Danforth Center Principal Investigator Allison Miller, PhD, will present Reimagining Agriculture, at The Brave and the Brilliant - where courage meets intelligence.

The event is a celebration of a future worth having and those leading the way with creativity, ingenuity, courage, wisdom & generosity.
FreightWeekSTL 2024
May 13 - 17
Online with in-person opportunities

This year’s lineup will feature engaging panel discussions, insightful interviews and other offerings that highlight the unique role the St. Louis region plays in advancing major infrastructure projects and addressing global supply chain disruption, while also spotlighting some of the latest innovations and trends impacting freight movement. 
BioGenerator SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Workshop
May 14 - 16
10 - 11:30 AM & 2 - 3:30 PM daily
Online
 
BioGenerator and BBCetc bring this workshop to cover all aspects of writing and submitting an
SBIR/STTR proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Monthly Meeting at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center
May 21
7:45 AM - 2 PM

The Purina Animal Nutrition Center will provide an in-depth tour of their Emerging Technologies in Animal Nutrition. Purina is relentlessly seeking the next innovation in animal nutrition and targets relevant issues facing animal owners to help enhance their animal raising experience. During the site tour, St. Louis Agribusiness members will experience the research being performed in fields across the country and on their 1,200-acre working farm in Gray Summit, MO.
Inaugural TGI Town Hall Event
May 22
1 - 5 PM
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Join us for this unique opportunity to celebrate the consortium and our rich community of geospatial experts’ successes.
Learn about upcoming initiatives, and get access to key stakeholders in geospatial as we celebrate collaboration with TGI’s community. This half day event will include consortium news, working group highlights, active Q&A sessions, and more.
AgriFood-focused SBIR Webinar Series
August 21
1 - 2:30 PM
Online

This webinar aims to empower entrepreneurial businesses who are candidates for SBIR/STTR awards and provide insights on how to get started with SBIR/STTR and provide materials to jumpstart a small business’ application.
International Phytobiomes Conference 2024
October 8 - 10
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

An unparalleled gathering of experts from around the globe will discuss the intricate interplay between plants, microorganisms, soils, climate, environment, and management practices.

Understanding entire systems of Phytobiomes will be critical to ensuring sustainable global food security in the next decades in the context of population growth, climate change, and the necessity to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.
Have you Met?

Rishi Masalia, PhD
Program Director
39 North

Describe your journey to 39 North.
There is a running joke amongst plant scientists that your career will inevitably come through this St. Louis. Despite the outcome, plant science was never on my radar growing up.

I was aiming to be a physician throughout college and only started doing plant science research as a bioinformatician in my final year at University of Arizona. My undergraduate advisor convinced me to pursue a PhD in plant biology at University of Georgia over medical school, much to my parent's horror and confusion. Best decision of my life (so far).

While I got my research PhD, I also started several science communication and science policy organizations and was heavily involved in the local community encouraging science to cross the town and gown line. I used that drive and passion for impact to pursue a career path in the fast-paced world of AgTech / BioTech startups.

When I was recruited by Running Tide Technologies in 2021 to open and lead their global biotech division for ocean based carbon removal, I persuaded the CEO and Board to let me open the division in St. Louis, without ever having been here. The strength of the AgTech innovation community and thus the strength of my argument were strong, and that's how I ended up in St. Louis.

After I left Running Tide, I knew I wanted to stay as part of the community that actively worked to bring me here. And so I am, as the new Program Director for 39 North, hoping to pay it forward for a community that has already done so much for myself and others. 

What are you excited to be working on right now?
Connecting people. St. Louis has a thriving and vibrant plant science and AgTech community. The best part of this job is helping to build an organization, 39 North, that can connect folks and empower others so that we can all continue to build a supportive and world-renowned community. 
 
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I'm a classic nerd. I spend my free time writing a fantasy novel and playing D&D with my friends from grad school. Sometimes I draw and paint when I'm looking to spice it up. 
NEW! Core Facility Database

The Danforth Center has launched a new searchable database of services and equipment!

Innovative science requires cutting-edge technologies. Danforth Center Core Facilities equip scientists with state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise to do ground-breaking research. Resources include trainings, self-service and full-service equipment and experiments.
Have News to Share?
Please contact: Rishi Masalia, rishi@39northstl.org