Speaker Seminar: Seth Bordenstein

On April 26th and 27th, Seth Bordenstein visited from the University of Pennsylvania for a fun time filled with scientific discussion, mentorship, and meaningful conversations across our departments' students and faculty.
Upon arriving in Chicago, the BGSA welcomed Seth with a dinner, during which we enjoyed discussions about mentorship, leadership, academic growth, and interests. One particularly memorable piece of advice he shared was that strong leadership begins with having a good heart. Technical skills, mentorship styles, and leadership abilities can all be developed over time, but genuine compassion and care for others are what form the foundation of meaningful leadership.
During his seminar, Seth shared fascinating insights into holobiont research, microbiomes, and the role microbes may play in shaping evolution and speciation.
Early in his talk, he emphasized the importance of being willing to hold and respecifically communicate scientific opinions that may differ from others in academia. In a field where many people can feel pressure to stay quiet or agree with dominant perspectives, this message resonated strongly with students navigating their own scientific identities and ideas.
The visit was a wonderful reminder that being a scientist is not only about conducting impactful research but also about developing confidence in your ideas, supporting others, and building a thoughtful scientific community along the way.