Richard Buggs

Plant Geneticist

Professor Richard Buggs leads the Plant Health and Adaptation research group at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, one of the UK's largest plant science research institutes. His research uses evolutionary genomics methods to understand the basis of pest and pathogen susceptibility of plants. His largest project is on the genomics of ash tree species, seeking genes for low susceptibility to ash dieback and the emerald ash borer. He has recently started a project on disease and stress tolerance in hazelnut. He is also a Professor of Evolutionary Genomics at Queen Mary University of London where he has a research group and teaches an MSc module.

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How Faith Can Improve Rigor and Creativity in Scientific Research

Richard Buggs
June 5, 2023
On this episode of ID The Future, plant scientist Richard Buggs speaks to the hosts of the Table Talk podcast about the long-standing claim that science and religion are at odds. Buggs is a professor and Senior Research Leader at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, one of the UK's largest plant science research institutes. He is also Professor of Evolutionary Genomics at Queen Mary, University of London. Contrary to the prevailing view, Buggs says his Christian faith motivates his research, giving him the ability not only to think with different perspectives but also better understand the people groups stewarding natural resources around the world as well as more adequately explain certain processes he studies in nature. Buggs also explains why the term "evolution" can vary between scientists and the public, and he reminds listeners of the current debate among evolutionary biologists themselves about the sufficiency of the current Darwinian mechanism to account for the origin and diversity of life. Along the way, Buggs points out the unconscious bias within his field that favors atheistic assumptions, nothing that more cognitive diversity would improve the scientific landscape and bring more rigor and creativity to the scientific process. For their kind permission to post this informative exchange, we thank Table Talk hosts Jack Timpany and Graeme Johnstone.