iSEE Congress Fall 2021 - Circular Food Systems

In the eighth iSEE Congress, we are readdressing the topic of feeding the world. A major challenge for agriculture in the coming decades: providing a secure and safe supply of food, feed, and fuel to an ever-increasing human population using agricultural practices that are ecologically sustainable and adaptable to climate change.

Over a group of one-hour sessions in October and November, “Circular Food Systems” will bring together speakers and panelists from different disciplines to dive deeper into the topic. Our modified “teach-in” event will introduce the Illinois campus and community to cutting-edge thinking from highly influential scholars on advancing sustainability of our agriculture and food systems. Achieving this sustainability while continuing to increase agricultural productivity is a critical national priority. Through this conference, we aim to raise awareness of the national dialogue on sustainable agriculture and pathways for scientists, economists, and policymakers to collaborate in transitioning our agricultural system to one that reduces, reuses, and recycles waste.

In early September, with COVID-19 uncertainties still prevailing, iSEE chose to transform the Congress from in-person to online. Once the sessions have been rescheduled, please click the links within their toggles to register for each of the Zoom webinars!

The iSEE Congress is an assembly of leading national and international scientists, researchers, educators, journalists, and activists who will present the latest scientific research and community action on grand world challenges of sustainability, energy generation and conservation, and the environment.

The Fall 2021 Congress organizing committee includes iSEE Associate Director for Education & Outreach Luis Rodriguez, former iSEE Associate Director for Education & Outreach Gillen D’Arcy Wood, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty members Carl Bernacchi, Adjunct Professor of Plant Biology and USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Physiologist; Emily Heaton, Professor of Regenerative Agriculture in the Department of Crop Sciences; Don Fullerton, Professor of Finance; Andrew Margenot, Assistant Professor of Crop Sciences; and Vijay Singh, Distinguished Professor of Bioprocessing in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Director of the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory. The Oct. 27 “Transforming Food Systems for a Circular Economy” session is co-sponsored and co-hosted by the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE) and endorsed by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA).