By Christopher Samuel (Assistant Editor ‘26)
Every year, students have the opportunity to attend weekly meetings of our school’s Science Core Team. During these meetings, John Gruber and Claire Roberts give entry-level seminars on topics surrounding the work of a distinguished scientist. This year’s Core Team centered on the work of mycologist Dr. Anne Pringle and was a deep dive into all things fungi. Apart from learning important general information about fungi, the Team also studied several specific fungal organisms and explored Dr. Pringle’s research.
From mycorrhizae to ghost pipes, the club built biological and fungal knowledge to culminate in Dr. Pringle’s visit on April, 10th. The next day, Dr. Pringle spent two hours with the Core Team during the Thursday club block and Block 1 to answer questions and discuss her work, life, and career path more deeply.
The meeting room was a sea of attentive faces — students, teachers, family members, and friends all gathered to listen to Dr. Pringle’s captivating lecture about her research in mycology, her sabbatical in South Africa, how science and activism connect, and the disparities in the modern science industry. There was also time for questions to delve deeper into topics that had been discussed or new topics of interest inspired by the talk. Having received an award for science education as a professor, Dr. Pringle delivered an engaging, entertaining, and educating talk. Not only did she tackle mycological research, but she also offered a window into the process of scientific discovery.
The next day, Thursday, from 10 am to noon, Dr. Pringle came to FCC 201 to meet the members of the Core Team. During these two hours, students got the chance to pose a myriad of questions on a variety of subjects, including some that were not covered in her Wednesday lecture, such as her early interest in nature and challenges on her path to becoming a scientist. Additionally, it was an opportunity to get to know Dr. Pringle better in terms of her personality, her path to becoming a mycologist, and some of her life experiences.
FCS is very grateful to have had such an outstanding visiting scientist, and the year of work in the Science Core Team reached a very satisfying climax with Dr. Pringle’s visit. Nestled in an avalanche of intriguing mycological teachings were also some takeaways for anyone — regardless of interest levels in mushrooms. Awareness of fungal threats to our environment and understanding of consumerism’s impacts on the biosphere are an important piece of being an informed member of society. Dr. Pringle masterfully weaved this message of scientific activism and Earth stewardship and awareness into a talk already brimming with the truths of science, mycology, and the greater world. It was an incredible pleasure to have her!