| BARC Symposium Speakers 2018 |
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Building a Resilient Model for Urban Agriculture
Dr. Sabine O’Hara, University of the District of Columbia
Dr. Sabine O'Hara is founding Dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) and Landgrant Programs at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). UDC is the only public university in Washington DC, and the only exclusively urban landgrant university in the United States. As Dean of CAUSES, Dr. O’Hara is responsible for academic, research and community outreach programs in the tradition of landgrant universities, and is leading the University’s efforts to build a cutting-edge model for urban agriculture and urban sustainability that improves the quality of life and economic opportunity for urban populations.
Indoor Vertical Farming: Leading the Way for Urban Farming and Broader Agriculture
Dr. Andrew K. Swanson, AeroFarms
Dr. Andrew K. Swanson is a Managing Director for Research and Strategic Partnerships at AeroFarms®, a high-tech vertical farming company that grows produce indoors in the heart of communities around the globe. In this role, he oversees project teams in plant biology, horticultural science, systems engineering, and business development. Formerly a Research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, an Assistant Professor of Biology at Case Western Reserve University, and most recently as the Executive Director of the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment, Dr. Swanson’s work has spanned the fields of crop molecular physiology to eco-system science, and of food sustainable technology solutions to commercial deployment.
Energy and Water Use Efficiency in Urban Agriculture
Dr. Bruce Bugbee, Utah State University
Dr. Bruce Bugbee is a Professor of Crop Physiology at Utah State University. With long-term funding from NASA, his laboratory has measured and modelled the limits of crop productivity in optimal controlled environments. Eight of his former students are now on the faculty at other Universities. His lifetime work led to his selection for the 2011 Governors Medal for Science and Technology from the State of Utah, and the 2016 D. Wynne Thorne research award.
Why Urban Agriculture? Impacts on Human Health and Nutrition
Dr. Naomi Fukagawa, USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Dr. Naomi Fukagawa is Director of the USDA ARS Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center and served as Vice-Chair of the USDA/HHS 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. By integrating research across the spectrum from food production through to the impact on the health of people and the environment, Dr, Fukagawa works to define the “healthy plate” that can mitigate diet-related diseases through adequate production of nutrient dense food in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner.
Farming of Marine Animals in Controlled Environments
Dr. Keiko Saito, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Dr. Keiko Saito is Department of Marine Biotechnology Research Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology. Her work focuses on developing biotechnology to support sustainability and quality control of aquaculture practices and products. Dr. Saito has studied the microbial ecology associated with aquaculture especially microbial-mediated waste treatment in marine recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) aimed at environmentally friendly fish farming.
Recommendations from the USDA June 2018 Workshop on Innovation and Design in Vertical Agriculture and Sustainable Urban Ecosystems
Dr. Sarah Federman
Dr. Sarah Federman is an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist. In this role, she leads the organization of a series of joint USDA and Department of Energy (DOE) workshops on innovations in carbon management and controlled environment agriculture; manages a team to develop a OneUSDA technical solution to geospatial data curation and management; supports USDA’s role in the GEO Global Agricultural Monitoring program (GEOGLAM); and supports the coordination of pollinator research and protection activities at the Department. Dr. Federman received her Ph.D. from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University in May, 2017. Her research in the evolution of tropical biodiversity and the impact of extinctions on ecosystems over time was supported by a Graduate Research Fellowship of the National Science Foundation.
Research Opportunities in Urban Agriculture
Dr. John Hartung, USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Dr. John S. Hartung is a Research Plant Pathologist in the Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory of the Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Dr. Hartung’s research program is centered on invasive and exotic citrus pathogens. Current research projects include the development of novel diagnostic assays for Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus, interactions among exotic pathogens of citrus, and the characterization of a novel virus associated with citrus blight disease.
