COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohioans interested in learning more about how the developing bioeconomy can be a part of agriculturally based solutions to global climate change and energy supply have the opportunity to participate in a virtual conference on Dec. 1, hosted simultaneously by 12 Midwest universities.
Ohio State University will offer viewing locations in Columbus, Wooster, Piketon, Wauseon, and Logan free of charge. The conference will run from 10 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Other registration options are available at http://www.bioeconomyconference.org/registration.
"Growing the Bioeconomy: Solutions for Sustainability" is hosted by Iowa State University, and co-hosted by University of Nebraska, Michigan State University, North Dakota State University, and Purdue University. Other conference partners include Ohio State University, Kansas State University, South Dakota State University, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin, University of Wyoming, North Center Bioeconomy Consoritium and the North Central Sun Grant Initiative.
"The virtual conference is allowing folks in Ohio to link up with other states and learn what resources, research and tools are available from industries and universities in the way of bioenergy, biorenewables, and biomass related to agricultural production," said Maurus Brown, an Ohio State University Extension bioenergy specialist with OSU South Centers at Piketon.
The virtual conference will begin with keynote speaker James Lovelock, one of the world's most renowned thinkers on global environmental sciences.
The morning plenary session will also include presentations by Johannes Lehmann, associate professor of soil fertility management and soil biogeochemistry at Cornell University and Matt Liebman, Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. Lehmann will discuss the combined benefit of biochar for carbon sequestration and improved soil fertility. Liebman will present research findings on integrating conservation with biofuel feedstock production.
Conference co-hosts University of Nebraska (UN), Michigan State University (MSU), North Dakota State University (NDSU) and Purdue University are organizing and e-hosting the afternoon concurrent sessions. The session begins at 1 p.m. and offers two tracks – net greenhouse gas emission from biofuel systems, hosted by UN; and non-traditional feedstocks, hosted by MSU. The second concurrent session begins at 3:30 and covers topics related to advances and breakthroughs in biofuels, hosted by NDSU; and bioenergy economic and policy issues, hosted by Purdue. All tracks have four speakers. Speaker and topic details are available at http://www.bioeconomyconference.org/speakers/session.htm.
The following Ohio locations are available for viewing the conference:
• Ohio State University Columbus campus; Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Engineering; 590 Woody Hayes Drive, Room 219; Columbus; RSVP Teresa Funk at 614-292-4077 or funk.67@osu.edu. For program questions, contact Don Breece at 614-292-4077 or breece.2@osu.edu.
• Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center campus, Wooster; 1680 Madison Avenue, Research Services Building, Rooms 209C and 130, Wooster; RSVP Loren Harper at 330-263-3703 or harper.202@osu.edu. For program questions, contact Dave Benfield at 330-263-3703 or benfield.2@osu.edu.
• Piketon Endeavor Center, OSU South Centers, 1862 Shyville Road, Room 160, Piketon. RSVP Mary Gulas at 740-289-2071 or gulas.3@osu.edu. For program questions, contact Maurus Brown at 740-289-2071, ext. 123, or brown.989@cfaes.osu.edu.
• OSU Extension Office, Fulton County, 8770 State Rte 108, Ste. A, Wauseon. Contact 419-337-9210 for details.
• OSU Extension Office, Hocking County, 150 N. Homer Ave., Logan. Contact 740-385-3222 for details.
For more information on the conference, log on to http://www.bioeconomyconference.org.