This is a workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation in conjunction with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The workshop, "Smart Cities and Connected Communities: A workshop bridging rural, peri-urban, and urban sustainability" brings together leaders in science, technology, and community and economic development to identify research challenges addressing challenges in sustainability in food production and distribution in the context of smart and connected communities. Some of these challenges include increased food and nutritional security through high output and resilient local agriculture technologies and systems.
The workshop agenda includes a mixture of plenary and targeted short talks, and breakout sessions. Key questions to be addressed include:
a) What are the commonalties/differences that rural, peri-urban, and urban communities face in building
smart, connected, and sustainable communities?
b) What examples of connected communities focused on food systems security and nutritional security
exist, and what have we learned from them?
c) What strategies will meaningfully increase the resilience and reliability of connected agricultural
communities?
d) What measures can be consulted to assess progress toward smart, connected and sustainable
communities?
Discussion on these specific questions will help inform new research strategies as we look towards building future smart and connected communities bridging rural and urban settings.
Abstract
Matthew Richardson
Dr. Richardson coordinates the research and engagement within CURES. He is a product of land-grant universities, having earned degrees from the University of Delaware (BA, BS) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MS, Ph.D.). Prior to joining UDC, Dr. Richardson worked for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USDA-ARS, and Smithsonian Institution. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and is a prolific author of science and science education publications. Some of his broad research interests include finding practical solutions to conserve or restore species, natural communities, and ecosystem services while improving human health, promoting inclusion and social equity, and mitigating or adapting to climate change.