The Institute for Food, a 2015 Provost Interdisciplinary Innovation Initiative, is hosting a special public symposium, "Imagining a Better Food Future," on Friday, May 6 at 1-5 pm in Armstrong Center Pavilion A.

Miami faculty, students, staff, and community members are all invited to attend.

Guest speakers for the end-of-year conference include:

• Bill Capsalis, President of the Board of Naturally Boulder and Co-Founder of the Boulder Farm Team
• Sandy Gross (Miami BFA '91 and MFA '04), co-creator of the Sleepy Bee Restaurant, founder of Brazee Street Studios, and co-owner of the Blue Manatee Bookstore in Cincinnati
• Jason Vieth (Miami BA '95), Senior Vice President and General Manager of WhiteWave Foods

Students Boris Schwartzebach and Catherine Mazanek at work on Miami's historic Austin-Magie Farm

In addition, students involved in imagining, designing, and building the Institute for Food's sustainable farm project on Miami's Historic Austin-Magie Farm will present and discuss their work.

See the university event calendar for the full schedule.

The goals of the Institute for Food are to:

• build an Organic University Farm & Experiential Education Center to promote healthy food, healthy eating, healthy communities, and a healthy planet
• offer an interdisciplinary food systems & food studies co-major exploring the significance of food in global and local contexts
• support community partnerships & workshops focused on sustainable agriculture, equitable access to nutritious, affordable food, and creative and resilient economies
• foster new research opportunities focused on sustainable food systems and engaged food studies

For more information about the Institute for Food and the symposium, contact Peggy Shaffer (shaffems@MiamiOH.edu).