On April 24, the Clark Center Auditorium opened its doors to conversations that start on our plates and stretch to the planet. Hosted by Stanford Bio-X, “Re-Thinking Food: From Plate to Planet” gathered scientists, students and innovators to explore the future of food.
The symposium began with opening remarks from Ellen Kuhl, director of Bio-X, and Lily Sarafan, incoming chair of the University’s Board of Trustees. Jonathan Foley, executive director of climate nonprofit Project Drawdown, examined the climate crisis through the lens of our diets. Vipula Shukla, the Gates Foundation’s senior program officer of Crops R&D, explored how plant biology can leap from lab to farm, while UC Davis plant pathologist Pamela Ronald brought stories of climate-resilient crops designed to withstand the storm ahead. Arun Majumdar, Dean of the Doerr School of Sustainability, offered remarks on Stanford’s place in these transformations.
One of the most spirited segments of the morning was “Fast Food: Speed Science Updates,” where Stanford students and postdocs shared their research — from earth systems and engineering to gastroenterology — in rapid succession. Gianna Dugan ’25 presented on EARTHSYS 109: Rethinking Meat: An Introduction to Alternative Proteins, a course providing a look into alternative protein.
“It’s time to rethink food because meat and dairy tech is so redundant,” Dugan told The Daily. “You put in 100 calories in an animal and get 10 calories — a waste at a time of global food insecurity. The meat and dairy industry is really holding us back from social justice. We need to talk about Concentrated Animal Farming Operations in the 21st century.”
Sean Spencer, a Stanford instructor in gastroenterology and hepatology, also emphasized sustainable diets. “A vegan diet is very viable and is the best for human health when accompanied with beans, lentils and fermented vegetables,” Spencer said.
Curated to align with the symposium’s values, the program’s lunch was both environmentally friendly and delicious, a sensory reminder that sustainability can be satisfying.
“It was great, like a Superbowl,” Dugan said. “There is a lot of integrity in having a fully vegan catered event to lower environmental footprint.”
The afternoon shifted focus to human health. Christopher Gardner, a medical professor at Stanford, brought humor and hope with his thought-provoking and conscientious talk: “If I Were Food Czar.”
“I’d answer the ‘What would you do if [you had] a trillion dollars?’ question with solving food: health, sustainability, deliciousness and social justice aspects of food. We might have to change the demand before we change the supply, and prepare for the rancher, the fisher and the farmer to raise less but in better working conditions,” Gardner said.
A short break offered one last bite of plant-forward refreshment before the final phase of discussion: food and technology. Karim Pichara, co-founder and CTO of NotCo, a food-tech company that combines AI and human knowledge to develop and scale plant-based foods to the mass market, discussed the AI-driven reinvention of what we eat.
The day ended on a luscious note of curiosity and culture with a plenary lecture by Harold McGee, food scientist and acclaimed author. His talk was introduced by Andrew Mayne, Stanford’s culinary strategist for plant-forward dining, who has helped reimagine what Stanford students eat.
Finally, Vice Provost and Dean of Research David Studdert offered closing reflections, reminding us that this day is not the end of a conversation but just the beginning of it.
In a world reeling from climate change, chronic illness and unsustainable growth, food is no longer just food. It’s a problem, a possibility and a beacon of hope. Re-Thinking Food invited attendees to slow down, listen and taste what that future could be.
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