Heuermann Lectures - Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

The Honorable Mike Johanns, Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Governor of Nebraska, and U.S. Senator, will join Vice Chancellor Tiffany Heng‑Moss for a fireside chat, focusing on Nebraska's unique position as a national leader in agriculture and its importance as an economic engine for rural communities

and the broader economy. Following the fireside chat, attendees will hear from thought leaders to explore how Nebraska's agricultural strengths, research enterprise, and rural communities can continue to drive economic growth and innovation for the state and nation.

Under Secretary Scott Hutchins, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Under Secretary for Research, Education (REE), and Economics and Chief Scientist, joined IANR Vice Chancellor Tiffany Heng‑Moss for a fireside chat exploring the future of agricultural innovation. Drawing on his leadership overseeing USDA’s science agencies and decades of experience advancing agricultural research and innovation across the public and private sectors, Hutchins will share insights on collaboration, discovery, and the role of land‑grant universities in shaping resilient food and agricultural systems.

Sustainable, healthy diets are essential for improving human health. Irrigation plays an increasingly important role in supporting greater access to varied and nutritious diets, particularly by enabling the production and supply of fruits, vegetables and animal-source foods—key contributors in the affordability of healthy diets.

This presentation explores the key linkages between irrigation and healthy diets and highlights opportunities and challenges to improving irrigation’s role in nourishing a healthier future amid growing competition over water resources and other constraints.

Claudia Ringler, PhD, director of natural resources and resilience at the International Food Policy Research Institute, will deliver a keynote speech. A moderated panel will follow and include Abbie Raikes, MPH, PhD, director of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Center for Global Health and Development; and Brandon Hunnicutt, a fifth-generation Nebraska farmer and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board. Jesse Bell, PhD, director of water, climate and health at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, will moderate the panel discussion.

Steve Evans, Director of Research in Industrial Sustainability at the University of Cambridge, will discuss sustainability efforts by companies like Toyota, Chanel, and Airbus, highlighting their current strategies, potential limitations and future innovations. Gain insights into practical actions, long-term goals and emerging opportunities or challenges in industrial sustainability.

Nebraska agriculture has been part of Keith Heuermann's life since childhood, and he has seen many changes over the years. In these brief videos he talks about some of those changes, as well as the wonder of corn, the droughts of the 1930s, 1950s and 2012, the importance and issues of food for the world, what he'd do if starting out today, and more.

Mark Lynas is the author of three previous books. High Tide: News from a Warming World was published in 2004, Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet in 2007. The God Species was published in 2011. Six Degrees was made into an hour-long documentary by NatGeo and broadcast worldwide in 2008, with voiceover by Alec Baldwin.

As a pro-science campaigner and commentor he is a frequent speaker worldwide, particularly in the US and Canada. He is on the board of the UK campaign group Sense About Science, and (though still resident in Oxford, UK) is currently visiting fellow at the Cornell Alliance for Science, based at Cornell University and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has written extensively in world media on the GMO issue as well as climate change and science in society.

Part of the Heuerman Lecture series at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Recorded October 10, 2016.

Heuermann Lecture focused on a dialogue about the issues surrounding international agriculture trade.

Heuermann Lecture focused on finding solutions to some of the most challenging problems facing today’s society.