1st Global Agriculture Multidisciplinary International Conference (GAMIC 2024)

Hilo Hawaiian Hotel GAMIC has secured a block of rooms with Hilo Hawaiian Hotel . To reserve a room in the block, download the reservation form (PDF ) and call (808)-935-9361 to provide the requested information. Use Group Code: H24248 when registering.

Alternative hotels include:

• Grand Naniloa Hotel
• Hilo Reeds Bay Hotel
• SCP Hilo Hotel

Dr. Casey Hoy

Dr. Casey Hoy

Dr. Casey Hoy, Professor Emeritus and former Associate Chair of the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University, held the Kellogg Endowed Chair in Agricultural Ecosystems Management from 2006-2021 and provided leadership to the Agroecosystems Management Program of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Hoy’s past research has included systems analysis and its application to integrated pest management and applied agricultural ecology. He also provided interdisciplinary leadership toward advancements in agroecosystem health and sustainable communities. He was the Faculty Director of the Ohio State University Discovery Themes Initiative for Food and AgriCultural Transformation, InFACT, which included 18 faculty new faculty hires, collaborators in 10 colleges and over 125 external partner organizations, and a research agenda focused on resilient and sustainable food security. He has published more than 90 peer-reviewed journal papers, 15 book chapters and over 70 technical reports.

Dr. Brent Sipes

Dr. Brent Sipes

Dr. Brent Sipes is a Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi. He has worked at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaiʻi since receiving the Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in 1991. His research and extension activities focus on plant-parasitic nematode control in tropical crops such as pineapple, anthurium, coffee, and taro. He is also engaged in the use of entomopathogenic nematodes for insect pest control in Hawaiʻi. He serves as the Graduate Chair of the Tropical Plant Pathology Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Dr. Sipes has wide ranging interests from soil health to international agriculture. He has authored or co-authored 79 scientific articles and contributed chapters to ten books. Dr. Sipes is an active member of the American Phytopathological Society, the Society of Nematologists, the Organization of Tropical Nematologists of America, and Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture. As a member of the Society of Nematologists, he has served on the Executive Committee and as President of the Society. Dr. Sipes served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Nematropica. He currently serves as President of the Hawaiʻi Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta.

Dr. Marisa Wall

Dr. Marisa Wall

Marisa Wall is the Center Director of the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, Hawaii. She holds a M.S. and Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from the University of Maryland. She has been a scientist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service for 23 years, specializing in postharvest physiology, quarantine treatment and export, and value-added processes for tropical crops. As Director of U.S. PBARC, she coordinates multi-disciplinary research programs in plant genetic resource management, crop improvement, pest and disease management, biological control, and postharvest technologies for tropical fruit, nut, vegetable, and ornamental crops.

Cherrie Atilano

Cherrie Atilano

Cherrie Atilano is the Founding Farmer, CEO and President of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, Inc. a globally multi-awarded social entrepreneur. She is an influencer for the Filipino farmers and is being recognized by the UN and the World Economic Forum for her views and her work towards achieving the SDG’s. As a multi-awarded entrepreneur Ms. Atilano has her boots on the ground while being tuned to global issues such as climate, environment, poverty eradication and gender. She graduated from Visayas State University with a Bachelor Degree in Agriculture (Magna Cumlaude). She studied Food Systems in Waginegen University in the Netherlands. She also finished her Executive Education on Sustainable Business and Public Policy in Global Leadership in Stanford University and Harvard Kennedy School, respectively. She sits on several local and global boards and was also featured on different media platforms. She believes that Filipino farmers are world class and is known of her statement that “Farming is Sexy”!

Jose Apollo Pacamalan

Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan

Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan is the newly-appointed Regional Executive Director (RED) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Region X, Philippines. RED Pacamalan is a fervent agriculture value chain development consultant, primarily operating in Mindanao, the Philippines. He began as a volunteer in 1991, engaging in community development in the Zamboanga Peninsula. Since 1993, he has been advocating and practicing organic agriculture and rural development, sharing his expertise with various organizations and communities in Mindanao, including farmer leaders and indigenous groups. In 1997, Apollo introduced the Integrated Rice-Duck Farming System (IRDFS) in the Philippines, a pioneering climate-smart agriculture system that eliminates the need for pesticides and chemical fertilizers, enhancing safety for farmers and improving rice grain quality. His work on IRDFS earned him a Silver Award in 2012 from the Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development-Institute for Global Environmental Strategies-Japan. He passionately disseminates this technology to combat poverty, create jobs, and address malnutrition, both locally and internationally. Apollo, a graduate of Xavier University and Flinders University, has a background in organic agriculture and women's health programs. He founded the Rice-Duck Movement Inc. to advance the IRDFS industry value chain. Recognized for his contributions, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019 and was nominated for the Advance Alumni Award for Global Australians in 2021. Currently, Apollo leads a team establishing the First Innovation Center for Coconut in Misamis Oriental, mobilizing significant investment to boost the coconut industry's economic impact. Additionally, as Provincial Agriculturist, he develops digital information systems to improve agricultural marketing and decision-making processes.