Rochester High School
Thurston County Schools, WA
Mentors: Dr. Nicholas Wheeler, University of Washington; Dr. David Neale, University of California, Davis
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Applying Genomics and Biotechnology to Tree Improvement
Plants and animals used in agriculture today are often very different from their ancestors. Early humans selected plants that possessed desirable traits for sowing; they were tasty and produced a lot of seeds. Innovations in cross breeding over time have allowed for still more bountiful crops and livestock. With the advance of genetic knowledge, we are not only able to select plants and animals by their genetic fingerprints, but can manipulate them through genetic modification. Fellow Harold Mackin, from the state of Washington, will help students explore the development of agriculture, from early domestication of plants and animals to current technology in plant and animal selection.