Growing in Space: Testing Light Spectrums for NASA
May 28, 2019
Watch the Replay: Testing light spectrums for nasa
We are excited to announce a “Virtual Classroom Interview Series: AgTech Around the World” via the San Andreas High School, Highland, CA Virtual Classroom where we will be streaming our online interviews via Zoom with professionals and companies doing exciting things in the world of Controlled Environment Agriculture around the globe.
TODAY’S GUEST:
Matthew Mickens, Ph.D., a light expert, operations manager for indoor vertical farming, Intravision Greens USA, Inc. Bio: Mickens obtained his Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Systems from NC A&T State University. His doctoral studies were funded by the NASA Harriett G. Jenkins Predoctoral Fellowship which allowed him to fabricate photoluminescent compounds known as phosphors, which are a major component in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). By studying ways to tune and manipulate light spectrum for general lighting, he was placed on a path to discover ways to manipulate light spectrum for plants. After an internship at NASA Kennedy Space Center where he was introduced to plant growth research, he was awarded a position in the NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship Program to investigate lighting strategies that astronauts could use for food production in space. He is now applying the skills obtained at NASA to manage the installation of an automated indoor vertical farm just outside the greater New York City area to ensure safe, reliable, and controlled crop production here on Earth.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Intravision Greens USA was established in 2017 to commercialize the production of leafy greens and herbs for the US marketplace, using a multilayer and semi-automated controlled environment plant production technology called the GravityFlow system. The New Jersey site is the first of several US farms being launched, while the pilot facility in Toronto, Canada, “We the Roots,” has been fully operational since March of 2018
GROWING HOPE PROJECT
The Growing Hope Project is a collaboration between San Bernardino City Unified School District, San Andreas High School, Technical Employment Training, Inc. and Night Owl Bay.
