Joan W. Bennett is a Distinguished Plant Biology and Pathology Professor at Rutgers University. She is a pioneer in fungal genetics, recognized internationally for her groundbreaking research on fungal toxins, volatile organic compounds, and the genomics of Aspergillus and Penicillium species.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Bennett has significantly contributed to understanding how fungi interact with their environments, how mycotoxins impact food safety and public health, and how fungal VOCs may influence indoor air quality. Her work investigating mold contamination in flood-damaged homes after Hurricane Katrina shifted national conversations about "sick building syndrome" and indoor mold exposure.
Beyond her research, Dr. Bennett has been a transformative leader in the scientific community. She served as President of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). She held significant leadership roles with the National Research Council, the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, and the American Academy of Microbiology. A fierce advocate for gender equity in STEM, she has worked tirelessly to promote the advancement of women in science, including serving as Associate Vice President for the Promotion of Women in Science at Rutgers.
Dr. Bennett is a National Academy of Sciences member and has received numerous accolades, including the Alice C. Evans Award for the Advancement of Women from ASM, the Distinguished Mycologist Award from the Mycological Society of America in 2024, and the Theobald Smith Society’s 2008 Honorary Waksman Lecturer.
Join us as Dr. Bennett shares her remarkable journey from her early studies at Upsala College and the University of Chicago to becoming one of the foremost experts in fungal biology. We discuss her scientific discoveries, thoughts on biotechnology's future, and her lifelong commitment to mentoring the next generation of microbiologists.
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