2025 INNOVATIVE SPEAKERS
Extraordinary agronomic, crop, and soil science professionals that will energize and motivate you.
Additional innovative speakers will be posted here as they are confirmed; check back regularly for those announcements!
2025 Opening Keynote Panel
Keynote Panel Moderator
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe is a Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry and Falasco Chair in Earth Sciences and Geology at the University of California, Merced. She previously served as the Director of the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science (Senate confirmed, Presidential Nomination). Her research interest lies at the intersection of soil science, geochemistry, global change science, and political ecology. Professor Berhe’s work seeks to improve our understanding of how the soil system regulates the earth’s climate and the dynamic two-way relationship between soil and human communities. Numerous awards and honors have recognized her scholarly contributions and efforts to improve equity and inclusion in STEM. She is an Elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America, and a member of the inaugural class of the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's New Voices in Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
Agricultural Economist/Climate Futurist
Jayson Lusk currently serves as Vice President and Dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (OSU Agriculture) and Regents Professor at Oklahoma State University. He has served on the editorial councils of eight academic journals including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and Food Policy and consulted for various nonprofits, government agencies, and agribusinesses. Jayson has further been honored by being elected to and serving on the executive committees of the three largest U.S. agricultural economics associations, including most recently the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, of which he is a past-president and fellow. In the wake of COVID-19, he has been interviewed by dozens of television, radio, and print journalist seeking information about food system impacts, including mentions in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN.com, FoxNews.com, Financial Times, LA Times, Reuters, Bloomberg, NPR, Freakonomics and more.
Agricultural Technology Futurist
Scott Shearer received his Ph.D. in agricultural engineering from The Ohio State University (OSU) in 1986. Currently, he serves as Professor and Chair of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at OSU. Highlights of his research career include development of methodologies and controls for metering and spatial applying crop production inputs, modeling of agricultural field machinery systems, autonomous multi-vehicle field production systems and strategies for deployment of UAVs in agriculture. He has lead research supported by over $15M in grants, authored more than 200 technical publications, and has made numerous invited presentations at international conferences, professional meetings and farmer forums. Dr. Shearer is a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
Philanthropist/Humanitarian
Coming Soon!
