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Tag: academia

UGA Fab 5

Meet the “Fab 5” giving Georgia growers a high-tech edge through controlled environment agriculture

Written by Industry News Release on . Posted in Blog.

From the University of Georgia College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences:

Georgia growers battle unpredictable weather, pests and diseases to keep the state’s top industry thriving. Now a team of scientists is giving them a powerful new tool: cutting-edge research in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), designed to take the guesswork out of growing.

Coming together from the departments of horticulture, plant pathology and entomology at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the “Fab 5” of CEA work together to improve plant growth and development using crop physiology, address plant disease challenges, breed new cultivars, integrate new technologies to tackle critical challenges in CEA crop production, and provide growers with reliable pest management strategies.

The team aims to help producers in Georgia and beyond optimize crop production strategies and maximize profitability and also train the next generation of students to work in CEA — the fastest growing agribusiness sector in Georgia.

Read full Q&A with the “Fab 5” here

CEA Summit East 2026 Banner

CEA Summit East Opens Applications for Cooperative Extension Professional Scholarship

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Press Releases.

Scholarships include a grower pass and discount code for extension professionals to share with producers in their network

 

CEA Summit East is now accepting applications for its 2026 Cooperative Extension Professional Scholarship. Ten scholarships will be awarded to Cooperative Extension professionals for the 5th Annual CEA Summit East, set for Sept. 15–16, 2026, at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research (IALR) in Danville, Virginia — each including a full conference registration, one complimentary pass to share with a grower contact, and a discount code for additional producers in their network. The application deadline is July 8, 2026.

Cooperative Extension professionals are among the most important connectors in the CEA sector — working directly with greenhouse growers, vertical farm operators, and other protected cropping producers to translate research into practice and link growers to the resources they need. The scholarship program is designed to introduce even more of those professionals to CEA Summit East.

“CEA Summit East offers valuable opportunities for extension professionals — from engaging sessions to facility tours and meaningful conversations with growers and researchers. We’re pleased to offer these scholarships to help broaden participation,” says Kaylee South, Ph.D., assistant professor of CEA at Virginia Tech and associate director of research, industry and educational programs at the CEA Innovation Center.

SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

• Each scholarship includes a full conference registration for the recipient, one complimentary

pass to share with a grower contact, and a discount code for additional producers in their

network.

• Preference is given to first-time attendees

• Travel costs are the recipient’s responsibility

• Application deadline: July 8, 2026.

To apply, visit https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2026/extension/ . For more information or to answer questions, contact Dr. Kaylee South at kasouth@vt.edu or (706) 491-9315.

ABOUT CEA SUMMIT EAST
The CEA Summit East is an annual conference bringing greenhouse growers, vertical farm operators, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) professionals together with researchers, suppliers, and industry leaders. Produced by Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center — a joint project of IALR and the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences — the summit focuses on the intersection of protected cropping, production science, and emerging technology. Held at the IALR Conference Center in Danville, Virginia, the event includes keynote presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions, tabletop exhibits, and guided tours of the CEA Innovation Center’s working research facility. For more information, visit www.ceasummit.com.

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con is North America’s largest trade show and conference for greenhouse, controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming. The event covers all crop types and brings together growers, tech providers, researchers, and business leaders to explore trends and innovations shaping the future of food production. For more information, visit www.indoor.ag.

ABOUT THE CEA INNOVATION CENTER
The CEA Innovation Center is primarily housed in Danville, Virginia, on the IALR campus and in Blacksburg, Virginia, on the Virginia Tech main campus. It is a joint project between the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and IALR to serve the growing controlled environment agriculture industry. It addresses the needs of the industry with research, education, and extension programs. For more information, visit www.ceaic.org

CEA Summit East 2023 Poster Competition

Controlled Environment Agriculture Summit East Conference Announces Graduate Student Poster Competition

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Press Releases.

10 Finalists Will Be Invited To Present Posters At September 19-20, 2023, Edition at IALR Conference Center In Danville, Virginia

DANVILLE, VA (June 29, 2023) — The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East Conference will host a graduate student poster competition during its 2nd annual edition, September 19-20, 2023, at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia. Co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con, the largest gathering of the vertical farming | CEA sector, and the Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center, a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, CEA Summit East offers an ideal platform for aspiring graduate students to showcase their research in the field of CEA-related research.

By encouraging students to showcase their work through poster presentations, the competition seeks to foster collaboration opportunities between individuals in academia and private industry, while also connecting commercial companies with qualified candidates.

“We are proud to co-host the graduate student poster competition at the CEA Summit East Conference,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “This competition not only provides a great platform for students to share their research, but also enables commercial companies to discover talented individuals who can contribute to the future growth and innovation of the CEA sector.”

The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is dedicated to advancing research and development in CEA. The center’s Co-Director and IALR Vice President, Scott Lowman, Ph.D., adds, “The graduate student poster competition is one more way we’re bridging the gap between academia and industry, promoting knowledge exchange, and opening doors to new collaboration in the CEA field.”

Graduate students interested in participating in the competition are invited to learn more and submit abstracts detailing their research by August 9, 2023, via www.ceasummit.com/#poster-competition.  A panel of experts will review the abstracts and select ten finalists to present their work through poster presentations at the conference. Selected candidates will receive a complimentary full access graduate student conference pass ($395 value) to attend the conference/competition. Judging will be held during the event and the winner will be announced at the day two keynote breakfast session on September 20, 2023.

Following its successful debut edition in October 2022, which brought together more than 200 attendees from 28 states, CEA Summit East 2023 will continue to foster connections and collaboration among growers, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architect/developers and other industry members. Throughout the two-day event attendees will have the opportunity to explore the latest innovations from tabletop exhibitors, enjoy networking opportunities, and attend a full roster of keynote, panel presentations and research/industry showcases.

For more information about the graduate student poster competition and the September 19-20, 2023, edition of CEA Summit East, visit the conference website at www.ceasummit.com

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Indoor Ag-Con is the premier global event series focused on the future of indoor farming. Since 2013, the trade show and conference, the industry’s largest, has been at the forefront of the rapidly expanding vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture sector, providing a platform for industry leaders, innovators, and researchers to connect, share knowledge, and drive the industry forward. More information – www.indoor.ag

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA TECH-IALR CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE INNOVATION CENTER
The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center.  By developing strategic partnerships with both industry and academia, the goal of the Innovation Center is to conduct research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the CEA sector in the U.S. and internationally.  More information: www.ialr.org/cea

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