Harvesting Light and Chasing Genes: A Winding Path through the Landscape of Modern Biology

The first molecular biologist to be appointed in the UBC Botany Department, Beverley Green seized the chance to pursue her interest in photosynthesis, the process by which light energy is converted into chemical energy and sustains all living organisms. Discovering the major role played in that process by families of related proteins led her to her second major theme: understanding how genes and metabolic pathways evolve and acquire novel functions. In this talk she will retrace some of her scientific journey, touching on the role of chance and the importance of not sticking to a single narrow path if one wants to have an interesting and productive career.