If you’ve decided to embrace Veganuary then you might be interested in a Zoom presentation all about the superpowers of peas tomorrow evening. Founder of the Science Café at The Cut in Suffolk, Dr Umi Hashim, talks about what why tomorrow’s talk is a hot topic
So what have peas got to do with our health, wealth and the planet? Professor Claire Domoney, a super peas research team leader at the John Innes Centre (JIC) near Norwich, has some answers, and will be sharing them tomorrow evening when the Science Café at The Cut returns this month with the first Zoom of 2021.
Professor Domoney and her group have discovered ground-breaking seed traits that improve on the nutritional qualities of peas, such as those that increase protein uptake and reduce digestive gas production.
She also leads the UK Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement and an associated LINK project, PeaGen, which works on peas for animal feed, amongst other things.
Professor Domoney’s research has three areas of societal benefit: healthy food – for humans and animals; the economic savings of a local low cost of food production; and the environmental benefits of a soil enhancing crop.
Dr Umi Hashim, who leads the Science Café explains why she set it up in the first place: ‘I started the Science Café in 2014, having worked as a research scientist myself. My aim is to bring cutting edge research scientists to The Cut to share their work with us; so that we can all discuss, debate and discover more about science and ourselves.
‘This is our third Zoom presentation and moving onto a digital platform has enabled me to continue to facilitate the engagement between scientists and the wider community, despite the pandemic, so that we can stay connected to our valued audience. Learn more about this wonderful work taking place on our doorstep.’
She adds: ‘I am delighted and feel privileged to be able to welcome back such an important and erudite Scientist as Professor Claire Domoney to Our Science Café at The Cut. Since Claire celebrated the International Year of Pulses with us in 2016, there have been many developments in Claire’s research as well as a rapid and increasing interest and uptake of vegetarian and vegan diets. Plant protein has a pivotal role to play, which we are excited to learn about from Claire.’
The Science Café’s Peas Please, for Health, Wealth and the Planet! will be live on Zoom at 6pm tomorrow (Thursday January 28) and will last an hour with no interval. It will include a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q & A. Booking essential at at www.newcut.org/events. Tickets are free, but donations are gratefully received for The Cut so that the team are ready to open the doors again. Future Science Cafes include The Molecules of Life with Professor Richard Bowater from the UEA, February, and Hear and Sea Science! with Professor Stuart Rogers, Chief Scientist at CEFAS, March.
Making The Cut
The devastating effects of Covid-19 has led The Cut in Halesworth to pause, take stock and have a look at what they do while the doors have been shut and the world has been in lockdown. They moved some of the activities online, including Figuratively Speaking. This third online exhibition finishes mid-February and features 12 artists who have exhibited at The Cut since 2003 – their work reveals a multiplicity of approaches. This will be followed by a ‘Sense of Place’ from February 27.
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