•2025•
Annual membership dues cover household attendance to MSU events. Details are disclosed via email each month with reminders prior to each event. Want in on the fun? Join us to get event details in your inbox!
ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
JANUARY 22ND
Our annual open business meeting starts the year with the opportunity for members to vote on organizational changes and share ideas for the upcoming year's objectives.
We highly value member opinion and greatly appreciate members coming to share your thoughts. Plus, if you come, you get the first pick of our 2025 member t-shirts AND get to graze on a thoughtful fungi-focused spread prepared by our Culinary Applications Committee. Yum!
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At this meeting, we will also be voting on board positions. Our secretary, Erin Moore, will be stepping down this year to continue her education. We are sad to see her go but wish her the best in grad school! This means that the position of secretary will be open for 2025, as well as that of a vacant general board member position. Terms are also up for Jesse West (VP), Dmitri Smirnov (Treasurer), and Chris Kleine (GM)—all are running for a second term which will also be voted on at this meeting.
WINTER SPEAKER SERIES
NOVEMBER '24–APRIL '25
During the foraging off-season, we host our Winter Speaker Series where we invite guest speakers from within and outside of the state to give lectures on their field of study. These talks are great opportunities to keep up with the quick-moving pace of mycological advancements and learn about niche corners of the fungal world.
NOVEMBER
In Search of the Xiao Ren Ren Lecture with Colin Domnauer - Tuesday, Nov. 12th​​
Colin Domnauer is a PhD candidate in Biology at the University of Utah. His research has taken him from the tropical forests of southern China to the remote mountains of the northern Philippines in search of an elusive ethnomycological mystery: a hallucinogenic bolete mushroom reported to induce visions of little people, the Lanmaoa asiatica. In his lecture, Colin unraveled the story of these enigmatic mushrooms, from their ethnographic history to modern relevance, weaving in scientific insights gained along his journey in uncovering the unknown psychoactive compounds in this mysterious mushroom.
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DECEMBER
​Fungi of the Great Salt Lake with Dr. Bonnie Baxter & Dr. David Parrot​ - Thursday, Dec. 19th
Dr. Bonnie K. Baxter and Dr. David Parrot are Professors of Biology and Directors of the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster University. Baxter’s research focuses on the lake’s extreme biology, leading to projects on the lake ecosystem and the limits of life in salt. Baxter has published dozens of scientific articles, the first academic book on the biology of Great Salt Lake, and the first children’s book about this lake. Parrot received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Humboldt State University in Northern California, and his Ph.D. in plant biology at Utah State University. He studies soil microbes growing around the roots of salt loving plants on the shore of Great Salt Lake to see if the microbes help the plants survive in this extremely salty and dry environment. Their lecture described the process and findings from their recent research to meet the fungi that are a vibrant part of the ecosystem of the GSL.
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FEBRUARY
Anthropogenic Disturbance Relevant to Utah Trees with Dr. Jon Wang - Wednesday, Feb. 26th
​Climate change and human activity are rapidly transforming terrestrial ecosystems through disturbance processes like wildfire, timber harvest, urbanization, and drought. It is crucial to understand these changes as society increasingly relies on functioning landscapes for natural climate solutions. We use drones, satellite remote sensing, and data science to map changes in ecosystem structure and function and understand how plant ecology interacts with the carbon cycle. Specifically, we are interested in vulnerability to and recovery from natural and anthropogenic disturbance, carbon stocks and fluxes, phenology, and urban heat island. Our work focuses on hot-spots of change in vulnerable ecosystems, including boreal and Arctic ecosystems, fire-prone forests and shrublands, and urban landscapes. This collaborative, interdisciplinary work relies heavily on machine learning and high-performance computation to produce large datasets, which enables us to examine time series of ecosystem change at city-to-continent scales.
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MARCH
Substrate to Body Fungal Nutrition with Tyler Hacking - Wednesday, March 12th
In this presentation Tyler will discuss in detail how fungi acquire their nutrients and how consuming fungi impacts human health. We will cover specific fungal nutrition, enzymes, toxins, nutrient mobility, bioavailability, symbiotic and pathogenic interactions, fermentation, and more! Tyler is an Applied Multidisciplinary Natural Scientist, his primary research foci are: Mycology, Botany, Biogeochemistry, Nutrition and Pharmacology. Tyler founded the UVU mycology club & the Mycological Society of Utah, he served on the education committee for the Mycological Society of America, has conducted research for the National Sciene Foundation, and regularly keynote speaks at mycology events across the country. Recently Tyler was selected as chair of the Scientific Contributions Committee for the Mushroom Society of Utah and is leading citizen research projects currently focused on Morel Mushrooms. Tyler is CEO & CTO of Dr. Gaia, a company which focuses on using agriculture biotechnologies to rapidly, sustainably and regeneratively transform soils of any type using advanced integrated compost systems which culture symbiotic native endemic microorganisms.
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APRIL
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Rust Fungi with Chris Kleine - Wednesday, April 23rd
Learn all about the unique form of macrofungi "rusts" from board member Chris Kleine! Details to come.
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SPRING
APRIL–MAY
APRIL
Community Event: Intro to Mushrooms with Chris Edgar & Jo Bangphraxay - Sunday, April 13th
An engaging and informative Introductory class about mushrooms, where owners of Mycel Mushrooms will be covering a variety of topics, including the intricate processes by which mushrooms grow, such as the environmental conditions that are conducive to their development, the life cycle of fungi, and the role they play in our ecosystem. Additionally, the talk will explore the different varieties of mushrooms you can find in nature, highlighting their unique characteristics, flavors, and potential health benefits.
Participants will also learn how to properly prepare these unique mushrooms, including techniques for cooking, preserving, and incorporating them into various dishes. This class promises to be a delightful journey into the culinary and ecological significance of mushrooms, providing you with the knowledge and skills to appreciate these remarkable organisms fully.
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This event is not hosted by the Mushroom Society of Utah. Must RSVP to attend.
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Community Event: A Love Affair with Porcini 20 Years in the Making with Bryn Dentinger - Wednesday, April 16th
Come learn all about the surprising diversity, evolution, and ecology of Utah’s state mushroom, porcini (Boletus edulis) and its relatives. ​Bryn Dentinger, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah and the Curator of Mycology here at the Natural History Museum of Utah. He received his PhD in Plant Biology in 2007 from University of Minnesota and was a Senior Researcher and Head of Mycology at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) from 2010-2016.
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This event is not hosted by the Mushroom Society of Utah. Must purchase museum admission to attend.
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Night Hike Social - Wednesday, April 23rd"
To transition us into the foraging season, we are switching out our usual post-lecture meetup for a night "hike" (uphill walk?). If you plan on joining us, please RSVP (check your emails for the link) and be sure to bring proper clothing, shoes, and a headlamp/flashlight. Thanks to our Mycelial Network Committee for coming up with the great idea to give us an opportunity to socialize! See y'all there!​
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Note: This is not a foray (though many of us will have our eyes peeled anyway), just a way for us to spend time together!
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MAY
Alan Rockefeller Lecture - Monday, May 19th
Details to come.
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Scientific Collections Foray - Tuesday, May 20th
Details to come.
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Intro to Microscopy Workshop - Wednesday, May 21st
Details to come. ​
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Cookout Social - Wednesday, May 21st
Generously hosted by the Cannons! Details to come.
SUMMER
JUNE–AUGUST
Forays - multiple dates
Throughout foraging season, volunteers within MSU lead small group mushroom-hunting trips. Forays are a fantastic way to learn from the community, meet new folk with your shared interest, and gain experience in foraging and identification.
Sign-up links are not publicly shared—members will receive invites via email as volunteers schedule forays each month.
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Flashcard Making Workshop - Friday, July 11th
FOR BEGINNERS - Learn what mushrooms you can find in the varying habitats of Northern Utah while making a deck of identification flashcards to take home and study! This workshop will begin with a brief lecture of macrofungi taxonomy, morphology, and ecology then will overview descriptions of 30 common mushrooms you can find in our local areas as participants are guided flashcard-making. This event is sponsored by the Park City Library and open to the public. Registration tba.
FALL FORAY
LATE AUGUST
At the peak of our fall mushroom season (and season of our state mushroom, the Boletus edulis), we hold a weekend-long event full of fungal-focused lectures, workshops, forays, and fun! The Fall Foray is our biggest and most involved event of the year—you don't want to miss it!
Details tba.
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