CLEMSON UNIVERSITY WILL HOLD AN INTERCOLLEGIATE CONFERENCE THAT WOULD BE JOINTLY SUPPORTED BY THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND LIFE SCIENCES AND THE COLLEGE OF BEHAVIORAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES. THIS RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM, FOODFORWARD: COMMUNITY-FOCUSED FOOD AND HEALTH IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT, AIMS TO BRING TOGETHER RESEARCHERS AMONG THE DIFFERENT COLLEGES AND CLEMSON EXTENSION TO SHARE THEIR WORK IN LOCAL AND COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SYSTEMS AND INTEGRATED HEALTH EFFECTS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS WHILE ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES FACED IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. THIS SYMPOSIUM WILL RESULT IN THE FORMATION OF AN INTER-COLLEGIATE WORKING GROUP AIMED TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND ASSETS IN COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH, FORGE CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOP THE FOUNDATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CENTER FOR FOOD SYSTEMS RESEARCH.