Farming in the Future: Progress in the U.S., Israel and Japan (Dallas, TX)
AJC Dallas, The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, the U.S.-Japan Council and the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth invite you to join us for a discussion on trilateral cooperation between the United States, Israel and Japan on the future of Ag-Tech and Eco-Tech.
Incredible progress is being made in the development Ag-Tech and Eco-Tech that will shape the future of the agriculture industry, global food security, development programs, and the ways in which we consume. As artificial intelligence continues to unlock new possibilities for yields and efficiency, what societal impacts can we expect? What problems may arise and what solutions should we begin to develop?
SPEAKERS
Dr. Amir Degani is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Dr. Degani is also an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Robotics (IEEE T-RO), and of IEEE IROS and IEEE ICRA conferences. His lab’s work focuses on dynamic locomotion, minimalism, and autonomous systems in unstructured environments with applications such as search and rescue and agriculture. Before coming to the Technion Dr. Degani did his MSc, PhD, and Postdoc at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA. At the Robotics Institute he worked in the Manipulation Lab and the Bio-Robotics lab, supervised by Howie Choset and Matt Mason.
His main interests are Locomotion and Manipulation (mainly control and planning of dynamic moving mechanisms), Kinematics (singularity analysis of parallel mechanisms), Mechanical design (medical mechanisms), other medical applications (knee pathology classifications), and more.
Dr. Sakae Shibusawa is a specially-appointed Professor in the doctoral program of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; the program aims to create new industries that revolutionize agriculture and distribution through the application of engineering. His research areas include development and implementation of community-based precision agriculture utilizing information and communication technology. He also develops real-time soil management sensors, does fieldwork in sustainable agriculture, and provides support for farmers who incorporate technology into their work. Dr. Shibusawa is a member of the Science Council of Japan, the representative organization of the Japanese scientist community across all fields of science. He also serves on the Expert Committee for the Promotion of New Strategies of Information Technology under the Information Technology Strategic Headquarters within the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Japan. He is also the Japan chair of the expert committee of GLOBALG.A.P (Good Agricultural Practice), a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the world.
Prior to his current appointment, he was a Professor at the Graduate School of Agriculture at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology from 2001-2019, and prior to that, he was an Associate Professor at Shimane University, an Assistant Professor at Hokkaido University and Ishikawa Agricultural College. Dr. Shibusawa received his Ph.D. in Agriculture in 1984 and M.Sc. in 1979, both from Kyoto University.
Dr. Patrick J. Stover is Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences and also the Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. In these roles, he oversees the organization’s teaching, research, extension, and service missions. These vital pursuits are carried out by more than 5,000 employees of the Texas A&M System’s statewide agricultural agencies—Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas A&M Forest Service, and the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory—as well as the Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. As dean of the College, Dr. Stover leads more than 7,800 students and 400 faculty members in 14 academic departments.
Dr. Stover sees the greatest opportunities for transformational advances at the borders among disciplines, such as human and animal health, environmental sustainability, economic development, and social welfare. These opportunities provide incentives to strengthen collaboration across the agency’s research faculty; among its research, extension, service, and education programs; and with external partners all over the world. Strong collaborations and the new ideas and technologies they generate maximize the impact of AgriLife’s work. Dr. Stover’s dedication to land-grant universities stems from his upbringing in rural Pennsylvania. A first-generation college student, Dr. Stover graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, went on to earn a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from the Medical College of Virginia, and then completed his postdoctoral studies in nutritional sciences at the University of California, Berkeley.
MODERATOR
Julie Goodman has worked in the offset and countertrade industry for four years and primarily focuses on the indirect offset niche sourcing projects for needs in education, environment, and healthcare for major defense contractors. She developed an innovative business structure that has earned attention from Fortune 500 companies, foreign governments and the United Nations.
Ms. Goodman has worked in 6 countries across 3 continents. She earned a BA in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management. She currently serves on the board of directors at World Affairs Council and Thunderbird and serves as the President of the Thunderbird DFW Alumni Chapter. She initiated the Get on Board pilot program with the Dallas Regional Chamber to match highly motivated young professionals with local nonprofits that have open board seats. Ms. Goodman cares deeply about adults with intellectual disabilities and gives monthly manicures to ladies with intellectual disabilities through Community Homes for Adults, Inc. Ms. Goodman is a proud recipient of the Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award (2018), Tomodachi-Mitsui Leadership Program (2018) and AJC Game Changer of the Year (2016). Ms. Goodman oversees all projects and business development at Goodman Global Consulting.