Christine Zimmermann-Lössl, chairwoman of the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF), will be among the luminaries delivering keynotes at the 2018 International Indoor Plant Factory Symposium mid-June in Shanghai.

Zimmerman-Loessl will deliver remarks on, "The Transforming Power of Vertical Farming - Global Trends & Local Impacts.

The symposium is co-sponsored by AEssenseGrows and the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS). It runs June 12-15 at the Blue Palace Hotel in Jiading, Shanghai.

The event brings together some of the world’s leading experts in commercial indoor cultivation for an exchange of ideas and information about the latest innovations, technologies and research in the field. For more information about the symposium or to register, visit www.plantfactorysymposium.com.

Zimmerman-Loessl was inspired by her son’s interest in vertical farming. She and a group of like-minded people founded the AVF in  2013, with Zimmerman-Loessl serving as chairwoman. “Through AVF, we are raising awareness and building a network of like-minded people for the implementation of vertical farming around the world,” she says.

Other symposium presenters include:

• "The Present & Future of the Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting," by  Toyoki Kozai, president of the Agricultural Academy of Japan, Japan
• “Tomorrow’s city will be self-sustaining,” by Dr. Dickson Despommier, emeritus professor, Columbia University, United States
• “A total solution and innovation for smart plant factory with artificial lighting,” by Dr. Huafang Zhou, vice president of AEssenseGrows, United States
• “Grow light recipes and study of artificial lighting for plants,” by Professor Shaohua Li, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China