In a resounding success, the 2023 Borlaug CAST Communication Award (BCCA) event celebrated the exceptional achievements of Alison Bentley. The award ceremony, held at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines on October 25, was attended by a distinguished audience, including state and local officials, outstanding scientists and researchers, previous award winners, university faculty and administrators, executives and leaders from major agriculture and food companies, and current and former CAST board members, officers, and administrators.

Bentley’s presentation connected food security, gender equality, and agricultural science. She highlighted the significance of global food security, gender equality in agricultural communities, and the intersection of science and gender issues throughout history. Dr. Bentley showcased the progress and opportunities ahead in pursuing gender equality within agriculture and science.

Bentley expressed her deep gratitude, saying, “It’s a great honor to be receiving this award this year. The Borlaug CAST Communication Award brings together a great cohort of previous winners who are all very inspiring scientists and science communicators. It’s a real honor to join that group of people and to have the chance to present here today.”

Sarah Evanega, the 2021 BCCA recipient, praised the event’s theme and its role in science communication efforts, saying, “The Borlaug CAST Communication Award creates that enabling environment for all of us to stand up and bring forward voices and science so that we can all advocate for agricultural science.”

Chris Boomsma, CAST CEO, underscored the award’s significance in the agricultural community, stating, “The Borlaug CAST Communication Award is hugely important not only to the CAST organization but also to the agricultural community in general. Science communication is as important now as ever, and anything we can do to elevate the work of the great individuals working in this space will have a major impact on the agricultural community now and in the future.”

Watch our video showcasing the event highlights: