b"Communicating Science in 2021 EVERYONE KNOWScommunicat- SW: Tell us about your work and ing science is extremely difficult in thewhy it matters. How could work your age of internet when misinformation canmake a difference in the world?run rampant. But for 30 year old RenanRS: I currently work on the genetic Souza, getting the message out aboutimprovement of protein quality and plant breeding is imperative.quantity in soybeans. Soybeans are Souza is a PhD student in plant breed- already one the major sources of ing, with a focus on genetics and genom- protein for humans, but there is a lot of ics at the University of Georgia, and waspotential for improvement. If we are able selected as a National Association ofto produce more protein with higher Plant Breeders (NAPB) Borlaug Scholar.quality per acre, we can increase the Seed World sat down with him to get anavailability of protein for human nutrition, insight to his work.be it in the form of animal protein, beef, dairy, chicken, eggs, pork or the direct Seed World (SW): What's one thingconsumption of soybean protein, such as you want people to know about you? in plant-based foods. In this way we can Renan Souza (RS): I really enjoy meetingmake protein more affordable, and we people and collaborating in new projects.can include more protein options in the So, if you see me around, I am up for atable of more people.cup of coffee and a good conversation. SW: What are you looking forward SW: I hear soybeans is your work.to seeing in the future of soybean Why did you get into soybeanbreeding?breeding? RS: Shifting for a more efficient RS: Since I was an undergraduateproduction. A soybean field is basically a student in agronomy, I always wanted tofactory of protein and oil. Until now all the work on a major crop. I began my workfocus has been on increasing yields. But in soybeans when I got accepted for athere is a lot of potential to developing M.S. in plant breeding at the Universitynew cultivars with high concentrationsmedia plays a big role in our lives. of Sao Paulo in Brazil.But I did not wantof oil and protein and better quality. NotThis is because they offer a powerful to work with soybean as a commodity.only this will allow us to produce moretool to interact with friends, relatives, I was interested in breeding soybeansoil and protein per acre but will provideand colleagues. Today, if you want for human consumption. I developedbetter inputs for the food industry andto communicate the advances in populations and selected genotypeshelp the development emerging markets,genetics and plant breeding to a with potential for Edamame production,such as the plant-based foods.broader audience, you must have a focusing on traits such as seed and podgood presence on Twitter, Instagram, size and late maturity. My reasoning atSW: I've heard you're also the socialFacebook, etc. In addition, platforms such that time was that soybeans have suchmedia representative for NAPB!as Twitter have become a very popular great nutritional properties, and we areWhy do you think social media istool among researchers to communicate not exploring its full potential, therefore Iimportant to get the message abouttheir research in real time, sharing journal wanted to do some work to improve theplant breeding out? articles and photos. It represents an open beans for human consumption. RS: There is no denying that socialspace for interaction.SW38/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2021"