The Academic Cannabis Conference (ACC) is set to attract more than 600 attendees from across the Illinois cannabis industry, including professionals, longtime enthusiasts, and newcomers, to the Garden Grove Event Center in Carbondale for two conjoining networking experiences, the Education Center & Job Fair and the Entertainment & Cannabis Community. Though the two event spaces are separated within the event grounds, ticket holders will have free rein to travel back-and-forth between the two conjoining events that run from 12-5 p.m. May 4.

The Education Center & Job Fair portion of the event, with the SIUC Cannabis Science Center as academic contributor, will combine academic research and education with job fair opportunities and resources and include academic presentations, a panel, horticulture programs, certificate programs, job trainers, job seekers, employers, and potential and current students in cannabis. The ACC, located at 1215 East Walnut St. in Carbondale, is pleased to announce two of its Featured Presenters, Dr. Jose Leme and Dr. Suzanne Mulvehill.

Dr. Leme is an Assistant Professor of Cannabis Biology and Controlled Environment Agriculture and Executive Committee member of the Southern Illinois University Cannabis Science Center. Dr. Jose Leme’s main research interests focus on controlled environment plant physiology, biochemistry, and production, particularly plant production in greenhouses and controlled environment agriculture settings. The overall goal is to determine how to leverage environmental controls (light intensity, duration, quality, temperature, and CO2), plant nutrition, and plant growth regulators and hormones (biostimulants) to improve plant production efficiencies, yield, and crop quality.

Dr. Mulvehill is a Clinical Sexologist, Orgasmologist, and the Executive Director of the Female Orgasm Research Institute, which is dedicated to conducting research and identifying scientifically based treatments to reduce the persistently high percentage of women suffering from orgasm difficulty and its co-morbid conditions. Dr. Mulvehill’s recent research evaluated cannabis for the management of female orgasm disorder (FOD), and in September 2023, she launch the Women’s Cannabis Project, an initiative advocating for FOD to become a condition of treatment for medical cannabis, which she successfully did at the Illinois Medical Cannabis Advisory Board meeting March 11, 2024.

The Education Center booth and Presentation Stage are the focal points for this portion of the event. The Education Center booth will be the communal marketing materials location for job opportunities and academic resources. From the Presentation Stage, professors and professionals in the cannabis field will deliver research presentations and discussion panels. The presentation schedule will be announced soon.

The Entertainment & Cannabis Community portion features a variety of new and established Illinois cannabis brands, legal consumption, a full cannabis bar service (sponsored by The Botanist), a dab bar service (sponsored by Legacy), and an infused-cocktail bar service (sponsored by Tonic), joint rolling stations (sponsored by Cresco), music, food, games, giveaways, and more. Anchored in the middle of the Entertainment & Cannabis Community is the Community Center booth. The Community Center booth is the focal point for all prescheduled activities, games, and giveaways. Throughout the event, our Activities Host will facilitate games and 420 activities to ensure continuous entertainment at the Community Center and the surrounding vendors.

Limited tickets for the event are free, but tickets have to be reserved here. No attendee will be able to enter the private grounds without a ticket reservation and ID. Academic Cannabis Conference is still accepting vendors and sponsorships for game prizes, other promotionals, as well as a VIP After Party sponsorships. Interested vendors, presenters, and sponsors can contact Jason Brown at editor@illinoisnewsjoint.com.

Attendees must be 21 years of age or older. Vendors include, SIUC Cannabis Science Center, Oakton College, College of DuPage, Illinois University Student Registered Organizations, Illinois Women in Cannabis, Cannabis Equity Illinois, Sour Diesel Group, nuEra Cannabis, Enliven, River Bluff, Terrace Cannabis, Grow Republic, Anti Apparel, Jane & Mary’s Ice Cream, Superflux, Secret Squirrel Seeds, Curaleaf, Aerīz, PTS, Banger Buddy, High Focus Media, Illinois Cannabis Consumption Association, and many more. To find more cannabis-friendly events in Illinois, visit here.

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