2025 CASFER Connect Symposium
ABOUT THE EVENT
The 2025 CASFER Connect Symposium brought together a dynamic community of researchers, industry leaders, students, and partners committed to shaping the future of agricultural. As global food demands intensify, this symposium served as a vital platform for discussing how innovative technologies and collaborative research can transform fertilizer production, nutrient recovery, and nitrogen management.
Samberg Conference Center
50 Memorial Drive, 6th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
Koch Institute
500 Main St.
Building 76
Cambridge, MA 02139
TIME (ET)
Thursday, Nov. 6
6:30pm-8:30pm
Welcome Reception, Sponsored by Inside Out, LLC
Samberg Conference Center, 6th Floor
50 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA
8:00am-12:00pm
Synagro Tour
Travel will be arranged from the hotel
2:00pm-5:30pm
CASFER Leadership & Boards Meeting (Closed Meeting)
Landau Building Room 66-360
MIT campus
TIME (ET)
Friday, Nov. 7
All events will be hosted at the Koch Institute
500 Main St, Building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139
8:00am-9:00am
Networking Breakfast & Poster Set-Up
Buffet breakfast and designated time for scholar poster set-up
9:00am-9:30am
Welcome & Opening Remarks
CASFER Vision & Highlights
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Gerri Botte, PhD, CASFER Center Director
Welcome Remarks
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Professor Maria Yang, Interim Dean of Engineering, MIT
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Kirk Taylor, President, Land Betterment & IPAB Vice Chair
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Carl MacInnes, EVP Innovation, Inside Out & IPAB Co-Chair
9:30am-10:30am
The Innovation Revolution: How CASFER is Pioneering Breakthough Solutions to Redefine Waste, Reinvent Fertilizer, and Reshape Our Sustainable Future + Q&A
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Gerri Botte, PhD, CASFER Center Director
10:30am-10:45am
Morning Break
Refreshments and Networking
10:45am-11:45am
Models for Economic Fertilizer Resilience + Q&A
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Joseph Scott, PhD, Georgia Tech
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Haydee Laza, PhD, TTU
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Ozhan Gecgel, PhD, TTU
11:45am-12:30pm
CASFER in Action: E-Grow® and Bio-Grow + Q&A
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Ariel Furst, PhD, MIT
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Tim Mui, PhD, Seia Bio
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Lindsey Slaughter, PhD, TTU
12:30pm-1:00pm
Lunch Served
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1:00pm-2:00pm
Meet CASFER CFEAL: Cultivating the Next Generation of Engineering Leaders
CASFER CFEAL Scholar Presentations & Panel Discussion
2:00pm-3:15pm
Scholar Poster Session​
Display of Scholar Posters
Refreshments and Networking
3:15pm-4:15pm
Industry Panel
Moderated Panel Discussion of Current Industry Challenges and Wins
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Scott Toppell, President, AVATAR Partners
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Carl MacInnes, EVP Innovation, Inside Out
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Kirk Taylor, President, Land Betterment
4:15pm-5:15pm
Scholar and Industry Round Table Discussion
Scholar-led Discussion with Industry Members
5:15pm-5:30pm
Closing Remarks
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Gerri Botte, PhD, CASFER Center Director
5:30pm-7:30pm
Closing Reception
Hosted by MIT
