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How can we best care for the beautiful planet God has given us for our home? And why do our relationships with other humans matter so much in the work of stewardship and conservation? Today on the podcast I talk to Ben Abbott, a professor of Plant & Wildlife Sciences at BYU. As a scientist, Ben specializes in ecosystem ecology — the complex ways that living and non-living components interact in a given place. But he’s found that his work as a teacher and mentor has shaped his research as much — or more! — than his rugged fieldwork.
In the April 2000 General Conference, President Nelson said “As beneficiaries of the divine Creation, what shall we do? We should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations.” Ben has spent his career figuring out how to do just that — from the permafrost in delicate arctic landscapes, to the lakes that preserve precious water in the Western United States.
Ben and I talked about when he first became passionate about conservation as a child, how he brings “repentance” into the laboratory and the field, and why his shift to real-world problems and student-driven research has been so fruitful. Ben has an optimistic and humble approach to science and to the gospel that I think you’ll love.
Thanks for joining us today, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with Ben Abbott.
Link to Clean Electrification of the U.S. Economy: A crash course on the renewable revolution here.
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