The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri is the world’s largest independent nonprofit research institute dedicated to plant science. Danforth Center scientists are in daily pursuit of sustainable solutions to the most critical challenges of our time. Using cutting-edge science and technology, this research aims to create more abundant supplies of food, fiber, medicine and energy without adversely affecting the environment. Scientific knowledge generated here will contribute to the economic vitality of the region as well as global economic growth and security for future generations.
The mission of the Missouri Botanical Garden is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment, in order to preserve and enrich life.” Considered among the leading plant research institutions in the world, the Garden maintains active research programs in taxonomy and plant diversity, economic botany and ethnobotany, and conservation and sustainable development, among others. In addition to the excellent Library and well-curated Herbarium, the Garden is establishing a new laboratory in Conservation Genetics. The Garden’s Shaw Nature Reserve, a 2400-acre site located near St. Louis, provides exceptional opportunities for research by staff, students, and visiting scholars, including a newly established Seed Bank and collaborative programs with the Tyson Research Center of Washington University. Students from various universities in St. Louis work closely with Garden researchers, and may carry out their research using Garden facilities and opportunities for fieldwork through the Garden’s extensive international collaborations.
Founded in 2002, The National Great Rivers Research & Education Center (NGRREC) is dedicated to the study of great river systems and the communities that use them. NGRREC scientists, staff, associates, and students study the ecology of great rivers, the workings of the watersheds that feed them, and their ties to the human communities that use them. We seek to address information gaps across multiple scientific disciplines related to great rivers, with the goal of creating new knowledge that informs policy and management. NGRREC aspires to be a global leader in scholarly research, education, and outreach related to the interconnectedness of large rivers, their floodplains, watersheds, and their associated human communities.
The Saint Louis Zoo is a world leader in saving endangered wildlife species and their habitats. Research at the Zoo falls into four primary areas: field conservation research, reproduction research, conservation medicine and conservation education research. The WildCare Institute supports field conservation research initiatives in wildlife management and recovery, conservation science and sustainability of human populations. The Institute of Conservation Medicine researches diseases that affect the conservation of threatened and endangered wildlife species and the movement of diseases between wildlife, domestic animals and humans. The primary focus of the Research Department is animal reproduction through studies of behavior, physiology, endocrinology, gamete biology and contraceptive methods important to captive breeding programs and wild populations. Conservation Education Research initiatives include deepening the connection between people and animals to transform interest and knowledge about animals into a lifelong commitment to conservation.
The mission of the Tyson Research Center is to provide a living landscape for environmental research and education as a component of Washington University's International Center for Advanced Renewal Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES). Tyson provides: (1) a landscape-scale experimental venue for studies on ecosystem sustainability; (2) A 2,000 acre outdoor laboratory for important research and teaching opportunities from Washington University and other nearby institutions; (3) Research and educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students related to the environment and sustainability
The Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center at the University of Missouri- St. Louis is an internationally recognized center which promotes research and education in tropical biology and conservation. It attracts students from all over the world. The Harris Center "strives to promote and support research and education in biology and biodiversity conservation throughout the world, and to increase public awareness and interest in issues relating to global natural resource conservation and sustainable development."