Tucson Festival of Books

Beronda Montgomery



Nicolas T. Kaguri

Beronda L. Montgomery is an award-winning plant biologist and the author of the acclaimed "Lessons from Plants." She has been named one of Cell’s, 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America and was awarded the 2021 Cynthia Westcott Science Writing Award and 2022 Adolph E. Gude, Jr. Award for outstanding service to the science of plant biology. She was named a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her latest book, "When Trees Testify," is out in 2026.

Awards: Radcliffe Fellow

Communities: African American


Scheduled events:
Roots, Relics and Revelations
Join Beronda Montgomery, Riley Black and Sam Kean on a journey through time and nature as they share insights on fossils, forests and forgotten histories that uncover the stories that shape our understanding of life on Earth.

Science City - Main Stage (Seats 195)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sat, Mar 14, 10:00 am - 10:55 am
Science / Medicine / Technology
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - Science City (following presentation)  View this venue on the Festival map

Panelists: Riley Black, Sam Kean, Beronda Montgomery
Moderator: Gary Ferguson
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of JoBob Hungate, Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Tim and Jan Henry
Trailblazing Women of the Wild
Discover the courage, resilience, and trailblazing spirit of women reshaping the outdoors. From wildland firefighting and navigating dangerous rivers to uncovering Black botanical legacies, Kelly Ramsey, Bridget Crocker, and Beronda Montgomery share their powerful stories of survival, leadership, and breaking barriers in the natural world.

National Park Experience Stage (Seats 146, Wheelchair accessible)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sun, Mar 15, 10:00 am - 10:55 am
Nature / Environment
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - National Parks (following presentation)

Panelists: Bridget Crocker, Beronda Montgomery, Kelly Ramsey
Moderator: Marie Buck
Sponsor: Session made possible courtesy of Western National Parks

Books:
When Trees Testify
Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy
Science / Medicine / Technology
Henry Holt and Company
January 2026
ISBN 9781250335166
320 pages
Buy now

Lessons from Plants
Science / Medicine / Technology
Harvard University Press
April 2021
ISBN 9780674241282
192 pages
Buy now