Events
PRI Networking Hour
The Plant Resilience Institute (PRI) hosts a bimonthly event series, PRI Networking Hour, on the second and fourth Thursday of the month during the fall and spring semesters. These hybrid workshops are open to all at MSU and focus on fostering engaging discussions on essential topics, such as responsible conduct of research, career development, writing skills, and more.
Spring 2026 Seminars
Date: January 29, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET, PBL 168 and Zoom
Title: "PRI Seed Grant Program Informational Session"
Speaker: Dr. David Lowry, PRI Associate Director and Seed Grant Committee Chair
Date: March 12, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET, PBL 168 and Zoom
Title: "Wellness Reset"
Speaker: Dr. Olivia Scott, Licensed Psychologist and Assistant Director of Outreach and Community
Engagement, MSU Counseling & Psychiatric Services
Date: March 26, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET, PBL 168 and Zoom
Title: "Message Development for Promoting Yourself and Your Research" (Science Communication
Session 1)
Speaker: Morgan Koetje, Communications Manager, MSU Plant Resilience Institute
Date: April 9, 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET, PBL 168 and Zoom
Title: "How to Amplify Your Work Through Media and PR" (Science Communication Session 2)
Speakers: Sydney Hawkins, Director of Public Relations, University Communications and Marketing
and Ryan Kilcoyne, Chief Marketing Officer, MSU College of Natural Science
Date: April 23, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET, PBL 168 and Zoom
Title: "'But Are You Using Your Degree?' — One Scientist’s Experience Transitioning From
Plant Biology to Insurance Analytics"
Speaker: Dr. Serena Lotreck, Claims Analyst, Auto-Owners Insurance
Demystifying the Academic Job Application Process
2026 Workshop Series
PRI Associate Director Dr. David Lowry is leading a four-week virtual workshop series to help MSU plant science trainees gain a better understanding of how to approach writing each component of an academic job package. Workshops will take place on Thursdays from 10:00–11:00 a.m. ET and are open to anyone at MSU. The dates and topics are as follows:
April 9: Cover letters
April 16: Research statements
April 23: Teaching statements
April 30: CVs and other statements
PRI All-Hands Retreat
Members of PRI gather together annually for an all-hands retreat designed to bring our community closer, foster collaboration, and ensure that all voices contribute to shaping the future of our institute. PRI retreats include presentations by faculty, poster and flash talk competitions for trainees, career development seminars, and unstructured time to socialize and network.
2026 Retreat and 10th Anniversary Celebration
The 2026 PRI All-Hands Retreat will take place May 6-7, 2026 at the Michigan State University Multicultural Center. This event will provide an opportunity to meet other PRI members, share research, and establish common interests to facilitate collaborations.
PRI will be celebrating its ten-year anniversary in 2026! In honor of this landmark occasion, we are inviting PRI alumni and key stakeholders to join us on the first day of the retreat.
NatSci Events Calendar
View more upcoming public events affiliated with the MSU Plant Resilience Institute on the College of Natural Science events calendar.
Past Events
Learn more about previous PRI events, including the inaugural Great Lakes Plant Science Conference and International Summit on Plant Resilience, by visiting the past events page.
