Chris Smith (biologist)

Chris Smith is an associate professor of biology at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. In 2013 he received a grant for his work studying the relationship between yucca moths and yucca trees.

Chris Smith
Born
Christopher Irwin Smith
Occupation(s)Associate Professor of Biology; Department Chair
Known forStudy of yucca moths and yucca trees
Notable workCoevolution of Joshua trees and their Pollinators

Background

In 2013, Smith received a National Science Foundation CAREER award of $850,000[1] for his work studying the co-evolution of yucca trees and their pollinators, yucca moths.[2] He had the distinction of being the university's first faculty member to receive a CAREER award.[3]

With Emily Drew, Smith also teaches the interdisciplinary course "Race, Racism, and Human Genetics",[4][5] which examines how scientific endeavors had been affected by racial outlooks. The course originated from a discussion Smith and Drew had on the topic in 2012.[6]

Study of yucca and joshua trees

Smith has studied the northward migration of yucca and joshua trees, and the possible hybridization of the Eastern and Western varieties, either of which may be related to climate change.[7][8]

Challenging views on race

Smith is an advocate for the dismantling of racist pseudoscientific beliefs.[9] On October 8, 2012, he and fellow Willamette associate professor Emily Drew, an anti-racism workshop facilitator, led a discussion on the misrepresentation of race and racial differences, presented at the Bagdad Theater and Pub in Portland, Oregon.[10][11]

References
  1. Willamette University June 09, 2014 Biology professor Emma Coddington awarded NSF CAREER grant by University Communications Archived 2016-01-03 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Oregon Live June 15, 2014 Willamette University biologists pull in some big bucks for science: science roundup By Susannah L. Bodman
  3. Willamette University September 04, 2013 Biology professor Chris Smith awarded NSF CAREER grant by University Communications Archived 2016-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Willamette Collegian Nov 18th, 2014 Non-white faculty at 17%, Faculty diversity remains a priority By Andres Oswill Archived April 30, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Mixed Race Studies Breast cancer and racialized medicine
  6. Portland Mercury Modern Science and the Legacy of Scientific Racism When: Mon., Oct. 8, 7 p.m. 2012
  7. Nothing In Biology Makes Sense Apr 17 Notes from the field: What’s Chris doing to that Joshua tree? by Jeremy Yoder
  8. High Country News April 28, 2014 Joshua trees may be migrating north in response to climate change
  9. Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Scientists at work among the Joshua trees by Jeremy Yoder
  10. Meetup.com Center for Enquiry, Scientific Racism - Bagdad Theater, Oct 8
  11. Portland Mercury Modern Science and the Legacy of Scientific Racism When: Mon., Oct. 8, 7 p.m. 2012
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