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MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Natural Science

MSU to host inaugural Great Lakes Plant Science Conference

Register for GLPSC 2025, a collaborative initiative by 10 leading universities from the U.S. and Canada to explore the future of plant science.

By Morgan Magilligan | Apr 16, 2025 |  

The Great Lakes region is poised to become an epicenter for plant science collaboration as Michigan State University prepares to host the inaugural Great Lakes Plant Science Conference (GLPSC 2025). This groundbreaking event will take place from September 12-14, 2025, at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing, Michigan. Applications for travel grants and abstracts for presentations are due by April 30, 2025, so register now to ensure your spot in the conversation on the future of plant science.

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GLPSC 2025, themed "Expanding Horizons in Plant Science," will bring together researchers, educators, students, and industry experts from across the globe to explore the future of plant science. This is more than just another academic gathering—it is a pioneering and collaborative initiative powered by 10 leading universities from the U.S. and Canada. The organizing institutions are MSU, Indiana University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Chicago, University of Guelph, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, University of Toronto, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A graphic promoting GLPSC 2025 with a background image of blurred leaves and an outline of the Great Lakes, featuring a QR code and the logos of the 10 organizing universities. The text says, "1st Great Lakes Plant Science Conference, September 12-14, 2025, the Lansing Center, Lansing, MI. Registration Open! Research.msu.edu/glpsc2025, Abstract submissions and travel grant applications are due by April 30, 2025! Organized by 10 universities around the Great Lakes to push the boundaries of plant science, promote collaborations, and empower the next-generation plant science leaders. Hosted by Michigan State University and the Plant Resilience Institute."
The 1st Great Lakes Plant Science Conference will expand horizins in plant science, promote collaborations, and empower next-generation leaders. This conference is organized by 10 universities around the Great Lakes and open to anyone in the world.

The conference offers a unique blend of high-impact science, professional development, and community-building, paying particular attention to cultivating next-generation scientists. With keynote and thematic talks from top-tier researchers, GLPSC 2025 will highlight cutting-edge topics including stress-resilient agriculture, biotic interactions, and synthetic biology.

Featured speakers include:

  • Plenary Keynote: Dr. Sarah Lebeis, Michigan State University
  • Plant Science in a Changing Climate Session: Dr. Alizée Malnoë, Indiana University Bloomington
  • Biotic Interactions in Plant Science Session: Dr. Adam Mott, University of Toronto – Scarborough
  • Integrative Omics, Systems, and Synthetic Biology Approaches in Plant Science Session: Dr. Ronan O’Malley, University of Chicago

Beyond scientific sessions, GLPSC 2025 emphasizes mentorship, training, and visibility for early-career scientists. The program includes:

  • Oral presentations by trainees (undergraduate and graduate students, post-baccalaureates, and postdoctoral researchers)
  • Competitive poster and flash talk sessions
  • Cross-disciplinary networking opportunities
  • Hands-on workshops in career development

“GLPSC 2025 represents an innovative model for scientific community-building—regional in geography, but global in vision,” said Dr. Seung Yon “Sue” Rhee, director of the Plant Resilience Institute at MSU and lead faculty advisor for the conference. “This conference is about uniting plant scientists across disciplines and career stages to spark new ideas, accelerate discovery, and prepare the next generation of leaders to tackle the grand challenges facing agriculture, germplasm conservation, and stress resilience.”

With a registration fee of just $50 for those in academia, government, and nonprofits, the event is designed to be broadly accessible. Additionally, travel awards of $300 are also available to eligible participants. Travel grant applications, as well as abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations, are due by April 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The Lansing Center venue places attendees steps away from the state capitol, with discounted lodging available at the nearby DoubleTree by Hilton Lansing or the Comfort Inn of Okemos. MSU encourages plant scientists worldwide to attend, present, and connect at this transformative new event.

GLPSC 2025 is organized by MSU’s Plant Resilience Institute and supported by a broad coalition of industry and scholastic sponsors, including several colleges, research institutes, and academic departments within the university. Additional opportunities are still available for sponsorship and exhibit space.

For more information, including registration, abstract submission, travel grant, and sponsorship details, visit the official conference website: research.msu.edu/glpsc2025.