Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be the subject of the 2015 Paul D. Scholz Symposium on Technology and its Role in Society to be held from 5:00 to 5:50 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at C20 Pomerantz Center.

College of Engineering alumna Kirsten Riley (BSE 2000 chemical engineering) will be the guest speaker.  Riley is strategy and operations lead for

Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO.  She began her career as a project engineer at Monsanto Company's Muscatine, IA, agricultural chemical manufacturing facility.  After holding production and process engineering roles, Kirsten moved into manufacturing leadership roles, leading both production and service manufacturing groups, including a Roundup manufacturing business unit at Monsanto's Luling, LA, manufacturing plant.  She also holds a Masters in Business Administration from St. Ambrose University.

The free, public symposium was named in 1993 to honor the late Paul Scholz, 20-year Tau Beta Pi advisor and associate dean of the UI College of Engineering (1979-1992). Scholz was inducted as a member of the Legacy of Iowa Engineering (http://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/alumni-friends/honor-wall/legacy-iowa-engineering-members/paul-d-scholz) in 2006.

Co-sponsors are the UI Tau Beta Pi chapter, Tau Beta Pi alumni and the College of Engineering.