ABOUT US OUR WORK GET INVOLVED News Releases In The Media Blogs DONATE VIEW ALL Thoughts from the President During a Pandemic November 20, 2021 - Three Reasons to be Thankful Dear Danforth Center Community With the Thanksgiving Holiday approaching, we are presented the opportunity to reflect on those things for which we are thankful. ‘Opportunity’ may be the wrong word; ‘gift’ might be more appropriate. Spending time to ponder who enables our success, what good comes from our efforts, or what brings happiness to our lives ought to make us a little more empathetic, appreciative and balanced, wouldn’t you think? Here are three reasons I am thankful today. Our impact in the real world. Many of us contributed recently to a video (thank you, Elizabeth McNulty!) showcasing some of the Danforth Center’s successes and achievements in 2021. It was so satisfying to consider that we helped deliver more resilient crops to smallholder farmers abroad. We made discoveries and developed technologies intended to slow down or lessen the impact of climate change. We contributed significantly to economic growth in the region, to greater opportunity in overlooked and neglected communities, and much more. I am so thankful for your relentless dedication to deliver on our mission and realize our vision in the world. COVID-19 vaccine boosters have arrived. The science is in, and COVID-19 vaccine booster shots work really well! In a large-scale, peer-reviewed study on the effect of third-dose boosters of mRNA vaccines administered at least six months beyond the initial two doses, people who received a booster shot were over 11-times less likely to experience severe COVID-19 compared to those who received no booster. As breakthrough cases of COVID-19 in vaccinated individuals are known to increase over time, I am thankful that effective booster shots are now available to all adults. This is an important development that will help us find post-pandemic stability. Friends and family. Being with friends and family has taken on new significance for most of us over the past 20 months. While I will not be able to see all of our family in person, I am thankful that we’ll at least see a few who can fly in or be visited over Thanksgiving. I am also thankful that so many of you will welcome into your homes community members who cannot be with their own families over the holidays. These acts of kindness and friendship will not be forgotten. I trust you will find time to ponder your reasons to be thankful. I hope you will share a few with your colleagues! Jim Carrington, President and Chief Executive Officer Previous Weekly Messages from Jim Carrington November 13, 2021 - John McDonnell and a Culture of Learning Expand November 6, 2021 - Foundations of Our Success Expand October 30, 2021 - Partnership to Reach an Underserved Community Expand October 23, 2021 - A Leader to Admire Expand October 16, 2021 - Partners in the Private Sector Expand October 9, 2021 - Planning for a Hybrid Normal Expand October 2, 2021 - Danforth Center Research and Climate Change – Part 2 Expand September 25, 2021 - Danforth Center Research and Climate Change Expand September 11, 2021 - Grant Specialists at the Danforth Center Expand September 3, 2021 - Gratitude for Your Great Work Expand August 28, 2021 - The Data on Vaccine Effectiveness Expand August 23, 2021 - Communicating with Accessibility and Authenticity Expand August 14, 2021 - Towards Inclusive Economic Growth Expand July 31, 2021 - Welcoming New Teams to the Danforth Center Expand July 24, 2021 - Dealing with Uncertainty Expand July 17, 2021 - Team of Teams with a Goal Expand July 10, 2021 - A Few Questions from the Community Expand July 3, 2021 - Enjoy the Long Weekend Expand June 26, 2021 - Persevering with a Purpose Expand June 19, 2021 - Celebrating Juneteenth Expand June 12, 2021 - Funding Our Strategic Priorities Expand June 5, 2021 - Regaining the Little Things Expand May 28, 2021 - Transition to Phase 2 Expand May 22, 2021 - Stressful Career Moves Expand May 15, 2021 - Three Highlights from the Week Expand May 8, 2021 - Connecting Our Community to Center Science Expand May 1, 2021 - The Danforth Center's Online Communication Efforts Expand April 24, 2021 - Supporting New Start-Up Company Formation at the Danforth Center Expand April 17, 2021 - Collaboration at the Danforth Center Expand April 10, 2021 - Initial Plans for Phase 2 Operations Expand April 3, 2021 - New Ideas at the Danforth Center Expand March 27, 2021 - Vaccination and Long-Term Immunity Expand March 20, 2021 - Standing Up Against Asian Violence and Discrimination Expand March 8, 2021 - Changing Course on Vaccinations in Missouri Expand February 27, 2021 - Black History and the Bray School for Children Expand February 20, 2021 - Committee for Scientific Training and Mentoring (CSTM) Expand February 13, 2021 - Celebrating and Supporting Our Community Expand February 6, 2021 - Science Behind a New COVID-19 Vaccine Expand January 30, 2021 - Viruses, Variants and Vaccines Expand January 23, 2021 - Misinformation, Myths and Concerns About COVID-19 Vaccines Expand January 16, 2021 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Expand January 9, 2021 - Building Our Culture Expand December 19, 2020 - Weekly Messages Expand December 12, 2020 - The Danforth Center's New Strategic Plan Expand December 5, 2020 - COVID-19 Vaccines and RNA Technology Expand November 21, 2020 - The Thanksgiving Holiday Expand November 14, 2020 - COVID-19 Update Expand November 7, 2020 - The 2020 Presidential Election Expand October 31, 2020 - 2020 Annual Scientific Retreat Expand October 24, 2020 - The Danforth Center Expansion Plan Expand October 17, 2020 - The Benefits of Pets Expand October 10, 2020 - 2020 Nobel Prize Winners Expand October 3, 2020 - The Danforth Center Scientific Advisory Board Expand September 26, 2020 - The Danforth Center Board of Directors Expand September 19, 2020 - Remembering Bill Danforth Expand September 12, 2020 - The Science Behind Flu Viruses and Vaccines Expand September 5, 2020 - Labor Day Weekend Expand August 29, 2020 - What We Do Well and Where We Can Grow Expand August 22, 2020 - Observations on Leadership Expand August 15, 2020 - Questions From Our Community Expand August 8, 2020 - The Future of the Danforth Center Expand August 1, 2020 - Stress Management Expand July 25, 2020 - Why We Believe Things Expand July 18, 2020 - Making Our Voices Heard Expand July 11, 2020 - A Few Questions Expand July 2, 2020 - COVID-19 Cases Rise Again Expand June 27, 2020 - The Benson Hill Story Expand June 20, 2020 - Progress Toward a Racially Equitable Danforth Center Expand June 13, 2020 - Danforth Center Cares Employee Emergency Fund Expand May 30, 2020 - A Special Group of People Expand May 23, 2020 - An Anecdote for These Turbulent Times Expand May 16, 2020 - Planning and Progress Toward Ramp-Up Expand May 9, 2020 - Coronavirus Basics Expand May 2, 2020 - Upcoming Phases at the Center Expand April 25, 2020 - Planning for an Eventual Return Expand April 18, 2020 - A Resilient Danforth Center Community Expand April 11, 2020 - Coronavirus, Science, and the Public Expand April 4, 2020 - Masks Donation Expand March 28, 2020 - Doing Our Part Expand March 21, 2020 - Maintaining the Danforth Center Community Expand Danforth Center Response Plan The Danforth Plant Science Center recognizes the potential of exposure to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in our building and the impact it could have on our people and the Center. Accordingly, we have a plan in place in the event of a positive test for COVID-19 of an individual who was present in our Building(s). READ THE RESPONSE PLAN Danforth Center Updates During this unique moment in history, the first priority of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is the health and safety of our Center community, our families, and those who work with us. March 24, 2020 Update Expand March 16, 2020 Update Expand March 10, 2020 Update Expand February 27, 2020 Update Expand February 4, 2020 Update Expand January 26, 2020 Update Expand Careers Media Resources Contact Sign Up and Connect Subscribe The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a tax-exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Sitemap Legal Notice & Disclosure © 2020 Danforth Plant Science Center. All Rights reserved.