James Beard-nominated chef Dr. Rob Connoley will discuss his exploration of the foods of the Ozarks at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, in St. Pat’s C Room in the Havener Center, located on the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus at 1346 N. Bishop Ave. in Rolla.

Connoley’s talk, “Conservation of Endemic Ozark Foods,” is the first Ozark Conservation Heritage Lecture, which Missouri S&T’s Ozark Research Field Station plans to host each fall with its partners. Sigma Tau Delta assisted with planning and organizing the event, which is free and open to the public.

During his lecture, Connoley will discuss his experiences, from his work at Bulrush STL, a high-end dining experience that showcases local and historical Ozark foods, to his research into the intersection of the foods of settlers, enslaved people and Native Americans. He will also share the process by which he researches and creates recipes, details about the programs he has established with local farmers and urban gardeners in order to reintroduce lost seed sources and an overview of the unique cultural resources he uses to uncover the region’s food history.

“As a recognized expert on the Ozark dinner table, Rob is the perfect speaker to deliver our first Ozark Conservation Heritage Lecture,” says Dr. Robin M. Verble, associate professor of biological sciences at Missouri S&T and director of the Ozark Research Field Station. “By hosting speakers whose work explores the intersection of people and their environment in our part of the world, we are hoping to elevate the region’s profile and inspire people to consider the Ozarks as an important historical and ecological place.”

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,200 students and is part of the four-campus University of Missouri System. Located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 different degree programs in 40 areas of study and is ranked by CollegeFactual as the best public university to study engineering. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu