853: Getting to the Root of How Microbes Help Plants Thrive Under Stress - Dr. Donald Smith

Dr. Donald L. Smith is the Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Plant Science at McGill University. He is also CEO of BioFuelNet Canada, Head of Biomass Canada, and Head of the McGill Network for Innovation on Biofuels and Bioproduct. Don's research examines relationships between plants and the microbes that live in association with them, particularly in the roots. He and his collaborators have discovered evidence of signaling between plants and microbes, including microbial signaling that causes plants to grow better. They also uncovered that plants respond much more strongly to signals in the presence of drought or cold stress. Now they are expanding their investigations to examine a wide range of plant-associated microbes to better understand the signals they send and how they may impact plant health and resilience. Outside of the lab, Don loves to unwind and recharge by going on walks and reading great novels. He is also an avid traveler who enjoys blending work with trips to new places whenever possible, turning conferences and collaborations into opportunities to explore the world. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Acadia University and his PhD from the University of Guelph. Afterwards, he worked as an Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellow at Agriculture Canada before joining the faculty at McGill University in 1985. Over the course of his career, Don has received many awards and honors, including, the Clean50 award for contributions to sustainable development and clean capitalism in Canada and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, in this case for significant contributions to intelligent agriculture . He is also a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Agronomy, and he served as a Member of the Canada-US think tank on climate change and agriculture in North Eastern North America. In our interview, Don shares more about his life and science.

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853: Getting to the Root of How Microbes Help Plants Thrive Under Stress - Dr. Donald Smith is an episode from People Behind the Science Podcast - Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers by Dr. Marie McNeely.

This episode is 42:23 long.

This episode was published on Feb 23, 2026.

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