- AI tools for democratizing food networks: scaling national, regional and local
with Dr. Song Gao, Michelle Miller and Dr. Alfonso Morales,University of Wisconsin Madison, May 21, 2026 The University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted a collaborative web presentation detailingthe development of artificial intelligence (AI) and cyberinfrastructure tools designed todemocratize food networks. Led by Alfonso Morales, a Vilas Distinguished AchievementProfessor in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, the… Read more: AI tools for democratizing food networks: scaling national, regional and local - Who Shops at Farmers Markets in the US?
Who shops at farmers markets? In a new article in The Conversation U.S., CIAS Faculty Associate and Professor Bret Shaw (Life Sciences Communication and Division of Extension), summarizes who shops at farmers markets based on a larger national survey of U.S. residents in a USDA-funded study with implications for marketing and outreach. Read the article here:… Read more: Who Shops at Farmers Markets in the US? - Food Flows and Digital Twins: Making Food Network Information Actionable (Summary)
Food flows and digital twins: making food network information actionable with Dr. Kushank Bajaj, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Dr. Bajaj presented a comprehensive overview of his research on mapping global and domestic food supply chains to identify systemic vulnerabilities and climate-related risks. The webinar, the third in the “Food Systems and AI” series,… Read more: Food Flows and Digital Twins: Making Food Network Information Actionable (Summary) - Earth Fest: Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present and Future of the Self-Provisioning CityMonday, April 20th, 5pm @ Conrad A. Elvehjem Building, Room L140, 800 University Ave, Madison, WI Register for a chance to receive a free copy of Tiny Gardens Everywhere! Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present and Future of the Self-Provisioning City From the eighteenth century to the twenty–first, the surprising history and inspiring contemporary panorama of… Read more: Earth Fest: Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present and Future of the Self-Provisioning City
- INVITE: Introducing the Super Transport Coop
Thursday, April 30, 5-9pm, 2026 @the Eight10, 810 Churchill Street, Waupaca WI This event formally introduces the STC vision, its intended impact and opportunities for collaboration as WFHC works toward a more resilient and equitable food system in Wisconsin. The evening will feature thoughtfully prepared cuisine catered by J’s BBQ, highlighting locally sourced ingredients, along… Read more: INVITE: Introducing the Super Transport Coop - “Open knowledge on U.S. food systems to support decision-making”
Dr. Karakoç presented a data-driven effort to better understand how food moves through the United States—and why that matters for resilience, efficiency, and food security. Thirty-three participants attended the webinar, hosted by CIAS, campus partners, and the NSF AI Institute ICICLE. At its core, her work addresses a simple but consequential gap: while the U.S.… Read more: “Open knowledge on U.S. food systems to support decision-making” - Webinar Summary: Dr. Marco Formentini, University of Trento
Dr. Formentini presented his work on how digitalization can transform agri-food supply chains to improve sustainability, reduce food loss and waste, and enable fairer redistribution of value among supply chain actors. More than seventy participants attended the webinar, hosted by CIAS, campus partners, and the National Science Foundation’s AI Institute ICICLE. He began by situating… Read more: Webinar Summary: Dr. Marco Formentini, University of Trento - Food Supply Networks and AI: A Four-Webinar Series
This webinar series is made possible by the ICICLE – Intelligent CI with Computational Learning in the Environment -U.S. National Science Foundation AI Center under OAC-2112606 and organized by the UW-CALS Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, with support from several UW partners: the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management, the Kaufman Lab, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), Organic… Read more: Food Supply Networks and AI: A Four-Webinar Series - Webinar Summary: Dr. Deniz Berfin Karakoç, Arizona State University
Watch the webinar and read the summary. “Digitalization of Agrifood Supply Chains, and the Impact on Social Sustainability and Fair Value Redistribution” - Panel Discussion: The Materiality of Data
The University of Wisconsin Digital Scholarship Hub is featuring CIAS Food Systems Work on transportation and logistics at an upcoming discussion. The Materiality of Data Panel April 29 | 12:00-1:30 p.m. | Memorial Library 224 It’s easy to think of data as something that lives in spreadsheets, but it rarely starts — or ends —… Read more: Panel Discussion: The Materiality of Data - The CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Program Call for Proposals is now open for 2026!
The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) invites UW-Madison graduate student applications for our summer research mini-grant program, which is made possible through a generous donation from the Single Step Foundation. These awards will provide up to $3,000 for graduate student research aligned with the work of CIAS. We are particularly interested in proposals regarding… Read more: The CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Program Call for Proposals is now open for 2026! - Another Successful Year for the CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Program
Advancing Leadership and Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture Since 2013, generous support from the Single Step Foundation has made it possible for the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison to invest in graduate student research through its Summer Research Mini-Grant Program. These awards empower emerging scholars to pursue cutting-edge research aligned… Read more: Another Successful Year for the CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Program