Our Team

Scott Lowman, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center Vice President, Applied Research, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Scott Lowman, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center Vice President, Applied Research, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Dr. Scott Lowman is the Vice President of Applied Research at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, Virginia. Prior to joining IALR, Dr. Lowman co-founded Lynchburg Grows, a 7-acre urban farm and job training facility in Lynchburg, Virginia. In his current position, he leads a research program focused on integrating biological solutions and technology into agriculture while also supporting industry and producers by providing testing services for new and existing industries.

Phone:434-766-6628
Email:Scott.Lowman@ialr.org

Michael Evans, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center Professor, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Michael Evans, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center Professor, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Dr. Michael Evans is a Professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech and the Co-Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center. He specializes in the production of greens, herbs, strawberries and micro-tomatoes in controlled environments such as greenhouses and indoor vertical farms. Dr. Evans’ research is focused on techniques to maximize economic returns by reducing cropping time and maximizing yields as well as on pest management.

Phone:540-231-8653
Email:mrevans1@vt.edu

Michael Schwarz, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center Director, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech

Michael Schwarz, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center Director, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech

Dr. Michael Schwarz is Director of the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Associate Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Coastal Studies, and Associate Director for the Controlled Environmental Agriculture Innovation Center, among other leadership roles. Dr. Schwarz has gubernatorial appointments in both the Virginia Marine Products Board, as well as the Virginia Aquaculture Advisory Board. His aquaculture activities work towards sustainable socioeconomic and environmental aquaculture development within geopolitical contexts.

Phone:757-727-4861
Email:mschwarz@vt.edu

Kaylee South, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Kaylee South, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Dr. Kaylee South is an Assistant Professor from Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences based in Danville at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). Her research is on the improvement of edible and medicinal crop performance in indoor vertical farms and greenhouses and specializes in the use of biostimulants and biocontrol agents to improve overall crop health and quality. Dr. South also holds an extension appointment where she will collaborate with the Virginia-controlled environment agriculture industry to identify and solve problems, as well as share research-based information through various avenues.

Phone:434-766-6618
Email:kasouth@vt.edu

Amy Turner

Laboratory Research Associate, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Amy Turner

Laboratory Research Associate, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Amy Turner has over 25 years of experience in the field of agriculture research. Prior to joining IALR, Turner worked with N.C. State University in Crop Stress Physiology and Clemson University in Turfgrass Pathology. In 2011, she served as Plant Propagation Laboratory Manager of the Dan River Plant Propagation Center. After joining the IALR Applied Research team in 2014, she was cross trained to assist in the IALR Advanced Materials Program by attending courses at the Charlotte, N.C., Polymers Center of Excellence. Since 2018, Turner has focused full time on assisting with expanding and building IALR’s endophyte library, as well as testing those microbes identified as beneficial to plant growth. Her areas of work have included acquisition of plant material for isolation of plant endophytic bacteria, assisting with IALR’s endophytic bacteria screening process and evaluation of microbes selected for testing in the greenhouse, growth chamber and controlled environment agriculture systems. Turner is an instrumental part of IALR’s efforts to aid industry in the field of biological product development research, conducting contract research projects to test biological product efficacy in various crops. As part of the CEA Innovation Center team, she incorporates hydroponics into the services offered to outside parties seeking to test biocontrol products.

Phone:434-766-6788
Email:Amy.Turner@ialr.org

Mitchell Doss

Graduate Student – M.S. Supervisor: Dr. Michael Evans

Mitchell Doss

Graduate Student – M.S. Supervisor: Dr. Michael Evans

Mitchell Doss is based at IALR and M.S. student from Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Doss joined as a member of the Controlled Environmental Agriculture Innovation Center (CEAIC) in the Summer of 2021. His responsibilities include assisting in active research in the CEAIC as well as conducting plant imaging research on the Spatially and Mechanically Accurate Robotic Tables (SMART Tables) through computer programing. Doss is no stranger to IALR, as he attended the Academy for Engineering and Technology from 2015 to 2017 and held two Summer Research Intern positions at IALR in 2015 and 2019. Doss completed a B.S. in Environmental Science with a double minor in Engineering and Data science at Randolph College and is currently on the path to obtain an M.S. in Horticulture at Virginia Tech.

Email:Mitchell.Doss@ialr.org

Praveen Gajula Ph.D.

Student Virginia Tech Location: Blacksburg Supervisor: Dr. Kaylee South

Praveen Gajula Ph.D.

Student Virginia Tech Location: Blacksburg Supervisor: Dr. Kaylee South

Praveen is a PhD student currently working in Dr. South’s lab. My research is focused on exploring beneficial microbes and their benefits in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Additionally, I also work on pathogen management in CEA. Currently, I am working on management of gray mold in strawberry by applying biologically developed fungicides (RNAi).

Phone:434-766-6618
Email:pg94@vt.edu

Brandan A. Shur

PhD Student Virginia Tech Location: Blacksburg Supervisor: Dr. Michael Evans

Brandan A. Shur

PhD Student Virginia Tech Location: Blacksburg Supervisor: Dr. Michael Evans

Brandan is a PhD student in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech working with Dr. Mike Evans. His research focuses on using manipulation techniques to enhance fruit quality and flavor while maintaining yield in hydroponically grown micro-dwarf tomatoes. Brandan received his BS and MS at North Carolina State University working in the Horticultural Substrates Lab researching the characterization and optimization of soilless substrates for strawberry and blueberry production.

Email:bashur@vt.edu

Colin P. Fite

MS Student Virginia Tech Location: Blacksburg Supervisor: Dr. Kaylee South

Colin P. Fite

MS Student Virginia Tech Location: Blacksburg Supervisor: Dr. Kaylee South

Colin is a Master’s student at the School of Plant and Environmental Science at Virginia Tech. He’ll be conducting his research at the CEA Innovation Center at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research under Dr. Kaylee South. His current interest is CEA facilitated growth and improvement of edible crops and hemp. Colin completed a dual degree BS program in chemistry and biochemistry at East Carolina University.

Email:Colinfite@vt.edu