Danforth Center’s “Conversations” Series Continues

St. Louis, MO, October 31, 2013 --(PR.com)-- The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s “Conversations” series, sponsored by Boeing, will continue on Thursday, November 14, 2013 with a reception at 5:15 p.m. and program at 6:00 p.m. at the Danforth Center, 975 N. Warson Road. Featured panelists Chris Correa, Director, Baseball Development, St. Louis Cardinals and Ivan Baxter, Ph.D., USDA-ARS Research Scientist, and Principal Investigator, Danforth Plant Science Center and moderator Vijay Chauhan, Senior Entrepreneur in Residence, BioGenerator, will explore how advanced imaging and robotics are being used to improve both player and crop performance.

New technologies are revolutionizing our ability to digitize and understand the world around us. These tools have been tapped by baseball teams to improve player’s batting and pitching and by scientists to accelerate the pace of discovery. For example, cutting-edge technologies can tell us how much spin is on the ball as it leaves a pitcher’s hand or how a plant adapts to drought conditions.

Correa and Baxter will share insights about how turning quantifiable information into actionable knowledge is transforming the world of sports and science. Join them for an enlightening discussion about the impact these new technologies will have across diverse industries. Reservations are required but complimentary; seating is limited. To reserve your seat call (314) 587-1070 or email: conversations@danforthcenter.org or register on-line at danforthcenter.org

To view previous Conversations programs visit HEC-TV.org

About the Speakers
Chris Correa, Director, Baseball Development for the St. Louis Cardinals
Chris Correa joined the Cardinals in 2009 and was promoted to Director of Baseball Development in 2013. In this position, Correa leads a group that provides statistical analysis and decision support tools to all areas of Baseball Operations. He previously served as a quantitative analyst and was responsible for developing proprietary analytical models and applications to assist with player personnel decisions at the amateur and professional levels. Corea earned a bachelor of science in Cognitive Science from Hampshire College, a master of science in Psychology from University of Illinois, and was a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan prior to joining the Cardinals.

Ivan Baxter, Ph.D., USDA-ARS Research Scientist, Assistant Member and Principal Investigator at the Danforth Plant Science Center
Ivan Baxter is a USDA-ARS Research Scientist as well as Assistant Member and Principal Investigator at the Danforth Center. Prior to joining the Danforth Center, Baxter worked at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Ivan is a graduate of the Goucher College in Towson, Maryland and received his Ph.D. in molecular and cellular structure and chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute.

About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research aims to feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment and position the St. Louis region as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates and Howard G. Buffett Foundations.

The Danforth Center invites you to visit its website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center scientists, news, and “Roots & Shoots” blog that help keep visitors up to date with Center’s current operations and areas of research. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.