A descendant of the Freshwater Gullah Geechee of Coastal Georgia, Matthew Raiford grew up on land that has sustained his family for seven generations. Gilliard Farms, purchased by his great-great-great-grandfather, Jupiter Gilliard, in 1874, is now in the hands of this sixth-generation farmer in Brunswick, GA. He, alongside his wife Tia (nee McDonald, AOS ’98) are also owners of Strong Roots 9, a lifestyle brand which is dedicated to creating products and experiences for Americans to reconnect with the nation’s natural heritage, from the perspective of the people whose ancestors helped build it. Matthew is the author of the celebrated cookbook Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth Generation Farmer.

Barbara Schaal is Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, and a nationally recognized plant evolutionary biologist who uses DNA sequences to understand evolutionary processes such as gene flow, geographical differentiation, and the domestication of crop species.

Barbara was among the first plant scientists to use molecular biology-based approaches to understand evolutionary processes in plants, and she has worked to advance understanding of plant molecular systematics and population genetics. Most recently, her work has focused on the evolutionary genomics of rice.

Barbara has been president of the Botanical Society of America, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, where she served as Vice President for 8 years. She was appointed as a U.S. science envoy by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Schaal has served as chair of the Division on Earth and Life Studies at the National Research Council and was a member of President Obama’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology from 2009–17. In 2019, she received the National Science Board’s Public Service Medal and joined the board of directors of the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation.

Matteo Dell’Acqua is an Associate Professor in Crop Genetics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA) in Pisa, Italy. A plant geneticist by training, his current research is focused on developing data-driven methods to foster the sustainable intensification of farming systems. Matteo leads an international and diverse research group developing transdisciplinary approaches connecting genomics, socioeconomics, and climate sciences with a specific focus on smallholder farming systems. Their research methods include DNA sequencing and bioinformatics, climate modelling, quantitative genetics, and participatory methods for crop improvement. Matteo has an interest in genetic and cultural agrobiodiversity, and his research explores the connection between plants and people using crops including maize, wheat, teff, barley, sorghum, and cowpea. His projects involve several PhD students, researchers, and collaborators from emerging countries, together committed to research for impact. The data-driven approaches that they develop are aimed at supporting pre-breeding practices that are aware of local adaptation and local needs, and foster an enduring impact of research and training. At SSSA, he is also coordinator of the Center or Plant Sciences, a research center connecting plant physiology, genetics, and agroecology to develop more resilient and sustainable primary production systems.