Friday & Saturday, Nov 21 & 22
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9 am - 5:30 pm
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4 West 43rd St. in NYC
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Friday & Saturday, Nov 21 & 22 〰️ 9 am - 5:30 pm 〰️ 4 West 43rd St. in NYC 〰️
Celebrating the 10th Annual Urban Soils Symposium - Join us for
wastED opportunities
Recycling, Remediation, Reclamation
Looking into the broken part of our infrastructure’s metabolism; the waste stream, we seek out the unrealized, lost, and discovered values and opportunities for metabolism repair.
We invite you to showcase, challenge, reimagine, and co-create solutions that Recycle, Remediate, and Reclaim the waste stream to repair urban, suburban, and industrial metabolisms, regain equal access to common resources, and restore our healthy soils that build healthy and resilient communities.
Across 10 years of bringing soils to the people and people to the soils in the pursuit of healthy, thriving cities, the symposium has served as a hub for the exchange of knowledge, resources, technology, stories, and experiences.
With soils as our common denominator, this is where people come together from all sectors, disciplines, and backgrounds for collaboration, innovation, and growing our capacities within a holistic understanding of soils to better our livelihoods, development, wellness and health of us and our planet.
Join us and be part of a vibrant ecosystem driving innovation, knowledge sharing, and creating change.
Who should join? Everyone interested in or working with soils. This is a platform for diverse voices and participants.
Friday, November 21 & Saturday, November 22
9 am - 5:30 pm
4W43 Building
4 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
Contributors
As of Oct. 31 - more added as we evaluate proposals
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Olivia Acuña
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Brian Fath, PhD
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University
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Grayson Bo Guthrie
Educator, Landscape Designer, Floral Farmer; Founder, Alchemist Flowers
Dead Hedge, Living Ledge
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Elizabeth Hénaff, PhD
Computational Biologist; Assistant Professor, Technology, Culture and Society Dept., NYU Tandon School of Engineering
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Hayly Hoch
Community Agriculture and Soils Program Manager; Allegheny County Conservation District
Laying the Groundwork: Supporting Urban Ag Growth through ACCD's Urban Soils Program
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Sara Hodaie
Artist, Writer, Gallery Assistant; BioBat Art Space
correspondances / corrosions (working title)
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Kate Kitchener
Director; Resource Recovery, Solid Waste Management, NYC Department of Sanitation
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Maria Korneykova, PhD
Soil Scientist, Researcher; SUNLAB, People’s Friendship University (RUDN)
Microbial activity and CO2 emission from young Arctics Technosols: effect of material type
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Lia Lucero
Community Engagement Manager; Lower East Side Ecology Center
Decentralized Composting in NYC
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Camila A. Morales
Artist, Designer, Educator; Co-Founder & Director, Valé
Tides of Green: Reclaiming Medians as Living Infrastructure
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Domingo Morales
Compost Consultant, Founder & CEO; Compost Power
Decentralized Composting in NYC
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Sarah Olson
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Elizabeth Phillips
Environmental Science Undergraduate Student; Brooklyn College
The life-force of dirt
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Devin Reitsma
Director; NYC Community Compost Network, Big Reuse
Decentralized Composting in NYC
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Nando Rodriguez
Senior Manager for Environmental Programming; The Brotherhood Sister Sol
Decentralized Composting in NYC
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Richard Shaw, PhD
State Soil Scientist (ret.), USDA-NRCS
Waste Materials in New York City Soils: Pedogenesis in a Concrete Jungle
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Karolina Sulich
Researcher, Adjunct Professor; NYU Tandon School of Engineering
LAMP PCR based Bio Sensor for Heavy Metal detection
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Elena Tinschert
Volunteer Program Manager, NYC Compost Network at Big Reuse
compost collage (working title)
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Marina 'heron' Tsaplina
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Viacheslav (Slava) Vasenev, PhD
Assistant Professor of Soil Geography; Wageningen University
University Campuses as Living Labs to study Carbon Stocks and Fluxes in Urban Green Infrastructure
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Daniel Wendlek
Product Development and Organics Recovery; Big Reuse
Decentralized Composing in NYC
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Marion Yuen
Green Infrastructure Professional; President, The MYA Group
From Your Tables – Through Our Hands – Back to Your Tables
Theme Sessions
Format & Features
Recycling
Upcycling
Returning to Nature’s cycles
Metabolism of Waste (specific to sector or system)
Nutrients Cycling
Life cycles (Animate/Inanimate)
Compost
Waste Regulations
Remediation
Industrial Approach to Remediation
Earth-Human Connection
Ecosystem Restoration
Policy & Regulations
Economics of Remediation
Energy Sector
Connections to Metabolism
Reclamation
Reclaiming-
-soil
-water
-sovereignty
-health
-voices
-rights
-food
-access
-traditions
Our multi-modal format encourages participation, full engagement, and inquiry. As with previous years, participants representing a diverse group of local, national and international environmental practitioners of all levels and disciplines, are encouraged to co-develop ideas through: tabling, exhibits, installations, workshops, interactive presentations, roundtables, performances, demonstrations, posters, thematic sessions, networking sessions, raffles and more.
Lunch and Happy Hour will be provided in our centrally located venue in New York City.
Partnership Opportunities
Event
Tiers
Bronze: $2,000
Be our pollinator. Support collaborations and engagement through the Bronze partnership.
Corporate Logo on Sponsors Thank You slide during (1) conference day
Logo in pre-conference communications (newsletter and email blasts)
Logo on Website Event Page
Exhibit table
WIFI: $3,000
Be our ionic bond. Help attendees “stay connected” by sponsoring the event’s WiFi network.
Logo on event website and LinkedIn banner
Acknowledgement with logo on event social media
Logo on any onsite communications related to WIFI code (i.e. tabletop tent card at registration desk, etc.)
Become a Sponsor!
Get recognized, Be visible, Reach a diverse audience, Build meaningful relationships,Gain insights, Grow your reputation.
Your sponsorship supports more than the event. By partnering, you invest in USI’s mission to create access to soils education, resources, tools, and technology that connects efforts across disciplines, sectors, and backgrounds in building thriving livelihoods with healthy soils. Joining us, you are part of a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and knowledge exchange.
Silver: $4,000
Be our metabolic catalyst. Drive the energy of the symposium through our Silver Sponsorship package.
All benefits of Bronze tier, plus:
2 complimentary 2-day conference admission
Special recognition in opening & closing addresses (both days)
Acknowledgement on social media posts related to the event
Exhibit Table (8’x4’)
Sponsor logo centerpiece at roundtables
Branded swag distribution
Breakfast/Lunch: $3,000/Day
Bring the good mood and energy to the symposium with a nutritious breakfast or satiating lunch. Enhance the output by sponsoring lunch for 1 or 2 days.
Special Recognition by MC before breakfast & lunch
Logo on Slide before breakfast/lunch
Recognition in digital program as Meal Sponsor
Logo on event website and social media
Option to display visual branding during sponsored mealtime
Opportunity to provide branded swag to attendees
Gold: $6,000
Be our star supporter and elevate your organization's visibility and influence as a premier supporter.
All benefits of Silver tier, plus:
Complimentary cocktail reception
Larger logos and Gold Sponsor recognition for all Silver-tier categories
Logo banners (provided by sponsor) in each room
Logo included in digital program
Street-facing logo banner in Midtown Manhattan
Acknowledged in all current and future USI events (3 months)
Networking Reception: $3,000
Be our indigenous microbe inoculant! Foster new and valuable connections among attendees by sponsoring our networking reception.
Special Recognition at end of Day 1 closing remarks
Exclusive branding throughout cocktail reception
Logo in pre-conference social media/comms
Logo on event website
Opportunity to provide sponsored branded cocktail napkins/coasters
Opportunity to provide branded swag to attendees
For more information and a la carte partnership options, check out the full partnership guide, below.
Please contact Tatiana Morin at Tatiana@urbansoils.org, 613-717-2201 for questions or to express partnership interest.
Platinum: $15,000
Be all the “hyphae!”. Be the connector, making it all happen.
All benefits of the gold sponsorship, plus
5-minute keynote presentation during prime symposium slot
Logo on LinkedIn event banner
Logo on USI website front page for 6 months
Logo on all USI social media and public communications for 6 months
Exhibition table in Welcome Foyer (both days)
Logo included in USI’s YouTube video promo and recap of symposium
Exhibitor Table: $900
Exhibitor booths are located in the Vendor lobby shared with registration and other interactive exhibits. It is located in a high traffic zone between all room accesses. Dedicated sessions will provide extra visibility and audience interaction.
Showcase or demonstrate your organization’s products or services
Connect with event attendees from across the country
Each booth rental includes one 8’ x 3’ table with a tablecloth and two chairs.
Call For Proposals
The Call for Proposals is now closed!
Thank you to all who have submitted! We will announce successful proposals and a full list of presenters on October 20th!
This is a platform for diverse voices to share and exchange across disciplines and sectors, cultures, and backgrounds, with soils as a common denominator, our common language. We invite you to participate through this open call for: presentations, leading a workshop or a discussion, to table, host a demonstration, or offer an exhibit. We encourage participants to be creative in their format and style and especially encourage interactive formats.
Process: Proposals will be reviewed by our organizing committee. Acceptance of proposal is limited to several criteria, and we cannot guarantee that your proposal will be accepted for the live format during the symposium , however, if the content is accepted, there will be an opportunity to present your work on our website and or on our YouTube channel.
Format: One of the biggest limiting factors is time. We have a two-day symposium. Please consider being flexible with the date and the time element of your work. For presentation style formats, we prefer durations of maximum 12 min. We encourage discussions and interactive formats whose duration can be longer depending on the proposals and final schedule.
All work should be relevant to soils and the topics listed under wastED opportunities.
Collaborators
Privacy & Data Statement: When you submit or present your work at an in-person event or virtual event, you agree to allow NYC Urban Soils Institute (USI), and NYC Soil & Water Conservation District to feature your video/presentation/submitted work on the USI website and/or USI YouTube channel and livestream your video/presentation/submitted work if presenting live, unless explicitly requested otherwise. Full authorship credits will be attributed to the presenter and any other entities associated with the creation of the video/presentation/submitted work at the presenter’s behest. Any copyrighted content, including images, audio content and quotes, featured in the video presentation/submitted work is not claimed as property of the NYC Urban Soils Institute, NYC Soil & Water Conservation District, or event collaborators. It is the author’s responsibility to properly source, provide credit, obtain permission for all necessary content featured in their work.
If you are presenting and/or participating in the discussions or workshops held or sponsored by the NYC Urban Soils Institute, NYC Soil & Water Conservation District, or collaborators, you consent to group photos. If you choose not to be included, please inform a staff member that you do not wish to be photographed, and in the case of virtual meetings, turn off your video and use a pseudonym for your Zoom profile.
Copyright © 2025 NYC Urban Soils Institute, All rights reserved.