In a state that legalized medical cannabis 12 years ago—and tried to legalize it for recreational purposes in 2010—this should come as no surprise: an academic institute devoted to the plant. Again, not surprisingly, the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research is located at ground zero: California’s primo cultivating region. The institute—located at Humboldt State University—“seeks to improve the economic, social, physical and environmental health of individuals and communities through the interdisciplinary scientific study of marijuana,” according to its website. The First Annual Speaker series kicks off this month with Dr. Monica Stephen (of Humboldt’s Department of Geography) and her “Data Shadows of the Underground Economy” talk slated for Jan. 29.