How do the microbial communities in our sourdough starters reflect a sense of place? For decades, sourdough enthusiasts have wondered how geography and conditions in the home affect sourdough. How does where we live make our starters and our breads unique? In this talk, Dr. Erin McKenney will draw from years of citizen science research and data produced in partnership with Josh Bellamy at Boulted Bread to explore how geography and our homes and lifestyles affect the microbial diversity, fermentation, and flavor of sourdough.

WHERE/WHEN: Saturday, APril 26th, 10:30-NOON// White Lab Auditorium, Asheville

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Erin McKenney is the Director of Undergraduate Programs in Applied Ecology, where she develops programs to support faculty and students. She uses inclusive teaching approaches to maximize accessibility  and empower students (including the public) with scientific understanding, toward science literacy and belonging. In addition to education, she studies how microbial communities form over time and how they adapt to their environments. She has analyzed fecal samples from hundreds of animals in zoos and the wild, to learn how gut microbes affect health – and how humans can leverage or upset that balance. More recently, she expanded her research to sourdough and other fermented foods that can be studied without laboratory equipment, using citizen science research to empower students of all ages and all over the world.