Basso is one of BANR’s seven new board members appointed to a three-year term; BANR also reappointed six current board members to a second term. There are a total of 19 board members, plus a chair and director. As a board member, Basso will engage with federal, state and private sector sponsors seeking the National Academies’ independent, authoritative advice to develop, promote the board’s own initiatives and provide guidance to BANR staff.
“Dr. Basso’s appointment to this board is yet another affirmation of his individual research expertise, as well as the collective strength of agricultural related sciences at Michigan State,” said Doug Gage, vice president for Research and Innovation. “Serving on the BANR will provide a platform for the sharing of knowledge at the highest level benefiting both MSU and the agricultural community.”
The BANR addresses issues related to the production of food, fiber and fuel as well as the stewardship of the natural resources that support those activities. A variety of problems and causes drive BANR’s work on the issues in these fields. Often conflicts arise between growing demands for food and resources and the impacts on the natural ecosystem of developing and producing these resources. The need to sustain, restore and improve the productivity of agriculture for the economic well-being of the nation can also generate serious questions.
“Serving on this board offers a unique opportunity,” said Basso, MSU foundation professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the College of Natural Science and a W. K. Kellogg Biological Station faculty member. “Interacting with upstanding scientists from different disciplines leads to stimulating discussions and new ideas. The board brings completely different suites of knowledge and tools and visions, and these different perspectives help expand thinking about what's possible.”
To learn more about Basso's appointment, visit natsci.msu.edu