Presented By: University of Michigan Biological Station
Bennett Lecture in Mycology and Plant Biology: “Unravelling the Relationships of the Natural World with Biodiversity Genomics”
Dr. Jay Goldberg, Arizona State University
As part of the 2026 Summer Lecture Series at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS), Dr. Jay Goldberg will give the Bennett Lecture in Mycology and Plant Biology. The free, public talk is titled, “Unravelling the Relationships of the Natural World with Biodiversity Genomics.”
Goldberg is an Indigenous (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) evolutionary biologist who uses cutting-edge genetic tools to study interactions between chemically defended plants and their specialist herbivores in the Sonoran Desert.
He is now starting an independent lab as a presidential scholar at Arizona State University to uncover the (co)evolutionary processes that shape plant-insect interactions in the Sonoran Desert, focusing primarily on the sacred Datura plant (Datura wrightii) and its community of highly specialized insect herbivores that can tolerate the myriad chemical defenses produced by this iconic native plant.
Coevolution, when interacting species exert selection upon one another, has fascinated biologists for decades. Research on coevolution is historically limited to theoretical studies or controlled experimentation with tractable model systems; now, however, modern genomics techniques have ushered in a new era of research that explores coevolutionary processes in naturally interacting populations of organisms.
Goldberg’s fascination with plant-insect interactions began during a post-baccalaureate internship at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology.
He went on to complete his Ph.D. at Indiana University before doing two postdocs: one in Judie Bronstein’s lab at the University of Arizona and another in Saskia Hogenhout’s lab at the John Innes Centre.
When he’s not working, Goldberg enjoys playing drums, cooking fancy food for his friends, and hiking with his dog.
The University of Michigan Biological Station serves as a gathering place to learn from the natural world, advance research and education, and inspire action. We leverage over a century of research and transformative experiences to drive discoveries and solutions to benefit Michigan and beyond.
Founded in 1909, UMBS supports long-term research and education through immersive, field-based courses and features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for data collection and analysis to help any field researcher be productive. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
The Summer Lecture Series is a tradition at UMBS, where we explore scientific topics with distinguished guest speakers from across the country so the community can learn about our natural world.
The free, public talks are on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the spring and summer in Gates Lecture Hall at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston, Michigan — about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
Goldberg is an Indigenous (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) evolutionary biologist who uses cutting-edge genetic tools to study interactions between chemically defended plants and their specialist herbivores in the Sonoran Desert.
He is now starting an independent lab as a presidential scholar at Arizona State University to uncover the (co)evolutionary processes that shape plant-insect interactions in the Sonoran Desert, focusing primarily on the sacred Datura plant (Datura wrightii) and its community of highly specialized insect herbivores that can tolerate the myriad chemical defenses produced by this iconic native plant.
Coevolution, when interacting species exert selection upon one another, has fascinated biologists for decades. Research on coevolution is historically limited to theoretical studies or controlled experimentation with tractable model systems; now, however, modern genomics techniques have ushered in a new era of research that explores coevolutionary processes in naturally interacting populations of organisms.
Goldberg’s fascination with plant-insect interactions began during a post-baccalaureate internship at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology.
He went on to complete his Ph.D. at Indiana University before doing two postdocs: one in Judie Bronstein’s lab at the University of Arizona and another in Saskia Hogenhout’s lab at the John Innes Centre.
When he’s not working, Goldberg enjoys playing drums, cooking fancy food for his friends, and hiking with his dog.
The University of Michigan Biological Station serves as a gathering place to learn from the natural world, advance research and education, and inspire action. We leverage over a century of research and transformative experiences to drive discoveries and solutions to benefit Michigan and beyond.
Founded in 1909, UMBS supports long-term research and education through immersive, field-based courses and features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for data collection and analysis to help any field researcher be productive. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
The Summer Lecture Series is a tradition at UMBS, where we explore scientific topics with distinguished guest speakers from across the country so the community can learn about our natural world.
The free, public talks are on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the spring and summer in Gates Lecture Hall at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston, Michigan — about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
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