CEA Summit East Graduate Student Poster Competition Now Open for Abstract Submissions
CEA Summit East is now accepting abstracts for its Annual Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, to be held as part of the Sept. 15–16, 2026, edition at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia.
Now in its fifth year, CEA Summit East brings greenhouse growers, vertical farm operators, and others working in protected cropping together with academia/researchers, suppliers, technologists, and other industry professionals. The summit is co-produced by Indoor Ag-Con, the leading trade show and conference for the greenhouse, CEA, and vertical farming sector, and the CEA Innovation Center, a joint project between IALR and the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“Graduate student research has always had a place at CEA Summit East, and the Poster Competition is where that shows most clearly — giving emerging researchers a direct opportunity to connect with growers, suppliers, and industry professionals face to face,” said Kaylee South, PhD, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Virginia Tech. “We encourage graduate students working across any aspect of controlled environment agriculture to submit their abstracts for consideration.”
Competition Eligibility and Guidelines
• The competition is open to currently enrolled or recently graduated (Spring 2026 or later) graduate students, including M.S., Ph.D., and professional students.
• Entrants must present posters on original CEA-related research they have conducted.
• Abstract submissions must be received by July 22, 2026.
• Each presenter will receive a full conference scholarship pass, including all sessions, keynotes, networking events, meals, and a tour of the CEA Innovation Center.
• All posters will be judged and scored at the conference. Winners will be announced during the breakfast and keynote session on Day 2, Sept. 16, 2026.
To apply, visit https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2026/poster/. 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
