“A non-partisan, nonprofit debate organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to restore civility, reasoned analysis, and constructive public discourse to today’s often biased media landscape. Recorded in front of a live, voting audience, IQ2US pursues this mission through an annual series of Oxford-style debates, featuring two teams of experts arguing for and against a provocatively worded resolution. The award-winning series has reached millions through multi-platform distribution, including live streaming (via FORA.tv), radio (225+ NPR stations nationwide), television (formerly on Bloomberg and PBS), podcasts, and interactive digital content. With close to 100 debates, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to “think twice” on a wide range of provocative topics. The debates have attracted some of the world’s top thinkers, including economist Paul Krugman, Dr. Neal Barnard, writer Malcolm Gladwell, former governor Howard Dean, philosopher Peter Singer, best-selling author Andrew Solomon, former surgeon general David Satcher, entrepreneur Peter Thiel, activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, law professor Zephyr Teachout, and former CIA director Michael Hayden. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008. Dana Wolfe is the executive producer. In December 2014, IQ2US debated the motion “Genetically Modify Food,” bringing Monsanto to our stage, breaking the company’s long reputation of evading public debate and critical conversation. Across the country and around the world, communities are fighting the cultivation of genetically engineered crops for health, environmental, and safety concerns. But are we better off with GM foods than without them? Arguing in favor of GM food: Monsanto’s VP and Chief Technology Officer Robert Fraley, and Alison Van Eenennaam, a genomics and biotechnology researcher from UC Davis. Arguing against the cultivation of GM crops: Charles Benbrook, from the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Margaret Mellon, formerly of the Union of Concerned Scientists.”
