The symposium brings together some of the world's leading experts in commercial indoor cultivation for an exchange of ideas and information about the latest innovations, technologies and research in the field. The primary focus will be on technology to grow greens and fruit, though topics may also touch upon growing grains and plants for herbal medicines.
"There have been many recent advances in indoor farming, and this symposium will serve as a forum to discuss how they can be deployed commercially to benefit our communities," said Robert Chen, president and CEO of AEssenseGrows. "By joining with the SAAS, we are delivering an event that will be of value to all agriculture professionals who recognize the potential indoor farming presents for businesses and--more importantly--society."
Keynote presentations include:
- "The present and future of the plant factory with artificial lighting," by Professor Toyoki Kozai, president of the Japan Plant Factory Association, Japan
- "Tomorrow's city will be self-sustaining," by Dr. Dickson Despommier, emeritus professor, Columbia University, United States
- "The transforming power of vertical farming—global trends and local impacts," by Christine Zimmermann-Loessl, chairwoman of the Association for Vertical Farming, Germany
- "A total solution and innovation for smart plant factory with artificial lighting," by Dr. Huafang Zhou, vice president of AEssenseGrows, United States
- "Grow light recipes and study of artificial lighting for plants," by Professor Shaohua Li, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China