Jardetzky Lecture
The Engel-Morgan-Jardetzky Distinguished Lecture on Science, Culture and Ethics
Established to commemorate the spirit of the fund raising initiative by Austin George (Jim) and Mary Roessel Engel, Robert A. Morgan and their fellow Macalester students that in 1949 created Macalester’s Displaced Person Scholarship and brought Oleg Jardetzky to Macalester and the United States.
2026 Jardetzky Lecture
Virginia Weis, Distinguished Professor and Dr. Russ and Dolores Gorman Faculty Scholar at Oregon State University, Dept of Integrative Biology, is this year’s Jardetzky speaker, sponsored by the Biology and Environmental Studies departments.
“Coral symbiosis cell biology in the age of climate crisis: Turning discovery into solutions for saving reefs.”
Dr. Weis is a University Distinguished Professor of Integrative Biology at Oregon State University. Her research group studies the symbiotic relationship between corals and their microbial algal partners. These symbioses are central to the health of coral reef ecosystems and when the partnerships break down due to environmental stress such as global warming, the entire reef ecosystem is threatened. Her group studies the molecular and cellular signaling between the coral host and their algal symbionts. This work helps inform the development of solutions for saving reefs. Weis is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and in 2022, she was awarded the Eminence in Research Award by the International Coral Reef Society. Weis has authored over 100 publications and mentored dozens of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows along with hundreds of undergraduates. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Coral Restoration Consortium and runs a working group on coral cryopreservation, work that she will talk about during her lecture.
This year’s lecture will be held on Thursday, October 1 at 12pm in the John B. Davis Lecture Hall.