CSU’s Ag Innovation Summit returns to campus Dec. 5-6

FORT COLLINS -- The fourth annual Ag Innovation Summit returns to Colorado State University Dec. 5-6 at Lory Student Center. 

Since its inaugural debut in 2015, the summit has brought together a diverse range of perspectives from higher education, industry and government to catalyze momentum and spark conversations about the future of agriculture.

This year, the summit will focus on the theme, “Building the Innovation Mindset.”

For registration and ticket information, click here.

“This year, we wanted to broaden the conversation around innovation beyond strictly technology to include the science of organizations -- how we can be innovative in building processes, teams and cultures for transformative results,” said Paula Mills, who organizes the annual summit.

“One way innovation shows up this year is in diversity and inclusion, one of the core values of the college’s strategic plan. Incorporating a variety of perspectives in our decision-making is not only the right thing to do, but it makes good business sense.”

This year, the event features two keynote speakers: Saswati Bora, head of food systems innovation for the World Economic Forum; and Robb Fraley, former executive VP and chief technology officer for Monsanto.

As head of food systems innovation at the World Economic Forum, Bora leads a global initiative to leverage technology and innovations to address food systems challenges. In that capacity, she is also responsible for content development, partnership facilitation and program development on food systems transformation.

Speaking at the summit on Thursday, Bora will address global forces -- including macroeconomic, environmental, political, social, technological and financial -- that are demanding a relentless focus on innovation in agriculture.

Fraley, who speaks on Friday, led a team of agricultural scientists at Monsanto that were dedicated to developing seeds and solutions that help farmers around the world yield a more abundant, affordable, and sustainable food supply. 

His keynote will focus on the importance of disruptive thinking and technologies as it relates to a successful future for global agriculture.

Additionally, panels featuring a diverse range of people, perspectives and experiences fill out this year’s summit.

Highlights include:

• Polly Ruhland of the United Soybean Board, a CSU alumna, who will discuss the opportunity of using agriculture as a teaching tool to expose more kids to STEM;
• Quentin Tyler, associate dean and director for diversity, equity and inclusion at Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, will join a panel on leveraging diversity as a catalyst for innovation;
• Florian Schattenmann, VP for research and development at Cargill, will join a leadership roundtable on the defining principles of perennial innovators;
• Candace Laing, VP of sustainability and stakeholder relations at Nutrien, will be featured on the final industry panel and will explore innovation for resilient food systems.

Select female leaders from the summit program will reprise their roles as panelists at a networking event on Friday evening, where they’ll share wisdom from their leadership journey with students.