Rhee Lab Outreach

In addition to performing scientific research, members of the Rhee Lab are engaged in a number of community outreach projects that we create, plan, and execute. While some of these projects focus on a specific demographic, such as our Virtual Classroom Visits program, others such as Science on the Screen extend to a broader audience and welcome participation from the general public. Information about current outreach activities and events can be found below.

Science on the Screen

Through shared screenings of thought-provoking movies and follow-up Q&A sessions, we created a casual forum for the general public to interact with us to break stereotypes about scientists, clear up misinformation, and gather to learn more about science.

PCA Science Exhibit

We are hosting portable art and science exhibits at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions to raise awareness of the impact that plant research can have on society, the environment, and the economy. 

Science Essays

Throughout the years, Rhee lab members have written popular science essays to share knowledge and engage the public with the world of plant biology. These include the Tree Spotlight Series, a partnership with canopy.org, as well as biopics on important plant scientists.

WALII Seed Longevity Experiments

The Beal experiment is the oldest ongoing science experiment in the world. In 1879, Dr. William Beal buried 20 open jars, each containing 50 seeds from 21 weed species on the MSU campus. WALII's Margaret Fleming is the scientist at MSU continuing Beal’s experiment. Dr. Fleming is also designing a follow-up experiment: she wonders whether seeds buried in different soils take the same amount of time to die.

WALII Tardigrade Hunting

The International Society of Tardigrade Hunters (ISTH) was founded 2015 with the mission to inspire students to learn about tardigrades and participate in community science. We expand the scope of this program by providing access to microscopes for at-home analysis. Currently, we are working with the San Francisco Parks and Recreation to host a special Tardigrade activity during the Wetlands Explorer camp at Heron’s Head. 
STANFORD & MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“Stanford sits on the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. This land was and continues to be of great importance to the Ohlone people. Consistent with our values of community and inclusion, we have a responsibility to acknowledge, honor, and make visible the University’s relationship to Native peoples.”
"We acknowledge that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg – the Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. We affirm Indigenous sovereignty and hold Michigan State University accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples."