So this #IDWGS we're championing visibility 🔬

As Charlene says "seeing someone who reflects your own background and has carved a path is powerful - somewhere there is a young girl who is curious, bright, and unsure whether her dreams are realistic"

Charlene's story teaches us to never underestimate the transformative power of community & mentorship in succeeding as a #WomenInScience

"Role models matter" - and for Charlene the @blackinplantsci.bsky.social community and support of mentors like @yoselin.bsky.social has been invaluable 🌱

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Anja Krieger-Liszkay @i2bcparissaclay.bsky.social

🌿Anja's research focuses on photobiology, photochemistry and bioenergetics: specifically the molecular mechanisms of biological and bio-inspired systems that are activated by light

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Lisa Ainsworth @ibioillinois.bsky.social

🌿Lisa’s research into the mechanisms of plant responses to climate change aims to maximize crop production in a future climate of elevated carbon dioxide, ozone, higher temperatures and drought

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Angad Mehta @angadmehta.bsky.social

🌿Angad's fascinating work uses directed endosymbiosis to engineer artificial photosynthetic organisms, offering new tools for studying the evolution of photosynthesis

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Jaideep Mathur @uofguelph.bsky.social

🌿Jaideep's work in live-cell imaging of plant sub-cellular components focuses on the dynamics of organelles and the cytoskeleton and dissection of plant-environment interactions

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Jun Minagawa - National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan

🌿Jun's research focuses on photoacclimation - how light is safely & efficiently harnessed for photosynthesis, using algae as a model to assess molecular mechanisms

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Maria Ermakova @mariaermakova.bsky.social

🌿Maria's work focuses on boosting photosynthetic efficiency: optimising C4 photosynthesis to boost yield & carbon capture in major crops to meet rising demands for food, energy & climate adaptation

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Alexander Ruban @qmulsbbs.bsky.social

🌿Alexanders' research has been instrumental in the discovery of the molecular basis of photoprotection and the fundamental understanding of photosynthetic light harvesting machinery

#ICPR26 #plantscience

🍃 Plenary 🍃 photosynthesis2026.com

Mei Li - State Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, China

🌿Mei's work explores structural and functional analysis of photosystems, focusing on mechanisms of light-harvesting and energy utilization in photosynthesis

#ICPR26 #plantscience