OHCEAC Research Focus Areas

Our OHCEAC members work on various microorganisms screened or designed for enhancing plant growth, for managing stress responses and for mitigating diseases and pathogens. 

Microbiome is a wholistic understanding of microbial community in and around the plants. Our PIs are focusing on unique microbiome and their roles in CEA.

This specialization includes research areas such as automation, crop modeling, climate-sensing for advanced environmental control, energy/resource use analysis, and designing new production systems for sustainable crop production.

Our team works to promote food safety among consumers, food handlers and populations at risk. Their research includes investigatations of novel interventions to control and eliminate foodborne pathogens to improve consumer health and wellness.

Keeping crop plants healthy is critical in CEA. Our interdisciplinary team works on various crops and cropping systems to find ways to mitigate diseases and pests through sustainable integrated management procedures.

Our OHCEAC members work on introducing new crops and new systems for controlled environment agriculture, production methodology and technology development, and problem-solving research for stakeholders, using a wide range of crop species.

Our OHCEAC members work on various sociological aspects such as marketing new products, CEA value chains, and cost/profitability analyses of CEA.

The social impact of CEA is often overlooked but there is gaining interest in this specialization regarding equity, justice, resilience, food security, workforce and training, educational and rehab opportunities and economic empowerment in the industry. 

CEA needs sustainable pipeline for talented workers and professionals. Workforce education focuses on programs from local schools and to students in associate degree offering program (such as ATI in our college).

Our extension faculty work closely with our stakeholders to respond to their needs as taking a critical role of interfacing scientific research and industry applications.