CEA Summit East 2024 is accepting abstracts for the Graduate Student Research Poster Competition to be held as part of the Oct. 1-2, 2024, edition at the Institute For Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia.

CEA Summit East is focused on bringing together the CEA industry and academia. Cohosted by Indoor Ag-Con 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 Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, the summit aims to foster collaboration and innovation in the field of CEA.

“Returning for its second year as part of the CEA Summit East, the poster competition is designed to provide graduate students with an opportunity to showcase their high-quality CEA-related research. It also aims to facilitate networking between students and industry professionals,” said Kaylee South, Ph.D., assistant professor of CEA at Virginia Tech. “The CEA Summit East Partners are excited to invite graduate students to submit their abstracts for consideration.”

Competition Eligibility and Guidelines:

• The competition is open to currently enrolled or recently graduated (spring 2024 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 Aug. 16, 2024, for consideration.
• All posters will be judged and scored at the conference, with winners announced during the breakfast gathering/keynote session on day 2, Oct. 2, 2024.

For more information on abstract submission and competition guidelines, please visit indoor.ag/cea-summit-poster/ or contact Kaylee South at kasouth@vt.edu or +1.434.766.6628.

CEA Summit East calls for speakers

The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East is looking for speakers to bring their expertise to the October event. Apply here by May 22, 2024. 

The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East brings academia and CEA business sectors together to encourage collaboration and innovation in the industry.

CEA Summit East returns to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia from Oct. 1-2, 2024. Cohosted by Indoor Ag-Con, a tradeshow and conference for the vertical farming, greenhouse, CEA sector; and the Virginia Tech-IALR CEA Innovation Center, a joint project of the IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center. The summit continues to serve as a premier platform for industry collaboration and innovation.

Building on the success of its 2023 edition, which attracted attendees from 33 U.S. states, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden, the 3rd Annual CEA Summit East is set to unite professionals once again from academia, business and technology within the CEA industry. Attendees include greenhouse growers, urban agriculture operations, vertical farms, outdoor growers seeking hybrid growing opportunities, educators, scientists, Virginia Cooperative Extension personnel, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architects/ developers, government officials\ and other industry members.

“Our partnership with the Virginia Tech-IALR CEA Innovation Center underscores our commitment to fostering an environment where industry leaders and academia come together to drive innovation and explore new opportunities within the CEA sector,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con.

With a focus on facilitating meaningful connections and knowledge exchange, the summit will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, networking/breakout sessions and tabletop exhibits highlighting the latest advancements in CEA technology and practices. Attendees can also look forward to research facility tours, providing firsthand insights into cutting-edge research and development initiatives.

“The CEA Summit serves as a platform for showcasing the collaborative efforts between industry and academia in advancing CEA research and education,” added Scott Lowman, co-director of the Virginia Tech-IALR CEA Innovation Center and vice president of Applied Research at IALR. “We are eager to continue driving the momentum of the CEA industry and providing attendees with valuable opportunities for learning, networking and growth.”

For more information on the 3rd Annual CEA Summit East, including registration, speaking and exhibit opportunities, visit the event website at ceasummit.com.