Committee on Public Affairs Chair Tom Sharkey participated in a forum on genetically modified foods sponsored by the COSI museum in Columbus, Ohio December 4. The museum presented the forum as part of its “Controversies in Science” series.

About 80 people attended the event including about a dozen high school students in a special enrichment program. Those in attendance included other interested members of the public. Tom was joined by two other speakers including Joe Kovach, an entomologist at Ohio State University, Wooster, who explained what genetic engineering means and how it is applied to crops. The other speaker was Martha Herbert, a pediatric neurologist and researcher from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard University and member of the Council for Responsible Genetics. She discussed reasons why people are wary of the new technology, including a wish for more respect and thoughtfulness for food. She also repeated the claim that genetic engineering is imprecise.

Tom made the point that genetic engineering is in fact much more precise than current methods for modifying crops. Tom presented data on reduced pesticide usage, reduced levels of toxins in the food supply, and of increased profits for farmers. The audience appeared very supportive of genetic modifications of crops and happy to have experts to talk to about concerns that have been in the news, Tom reported.

The ASPB Public Affairs office received the request for a speaker from COSI just a few days before the forum. Tom adjusted his schedule to fly to Columbus on short notice for the program. Tom’s participation in the forum is one of a number of public outreach efforts conducted by ASPB members concerning genetic modification of plants. Partial funding for COSI and Ohio State University for the Controversies in Science Issues Forum was provided by the Battelle Endowment for Technology and Human Affairs.