PHYTOBIOMES 2020 IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR DECEMBER 1-4, 2020 IN DENVER, COLORADO, AND WILL COVER A BROAD RANGE OF DISCIPLINES INVOLVED IN THE COMPLEX SYSTEMS OF PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE. PARTICIPATION WILL BE OPEN TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN PHYTOBIOMES RESEARCH. WE EXPECT APPROXIMATELY 200 PARTICIPANTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. THROUGH ADVERTISING AND OUTREACH, EARLY CAREER AWARDS, SPEAKER SELECTION AND TRAVEL SUPPORT, WE WILL SEEK TO ENSURE A HIGHLY DIVERSE AUDIENCE. AMONG OTHERS, WE WILL EXTEND SPECIFIC INVITATIONS TO REPRESENTATIVES OF RELEVANT STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES (E.G., USDA-ARS, USDA-APHIS, US-EPA, US-FDA, US-NIFA, US-NSF, US-DOE, FFAR, BBSRC, INRAE, THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, CSIRO, GENOMECANADA, AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA), NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES, AND INDUSTRY.THE 2020 CONFERENCE WILL BE A 3-DAY EVENT CONSISTING OF A STRATEGIC MIX OF PRESENTATIONS THAT ADDRESS BROAD RANGE OF DISCIPLINES AND SPECIFIC THEMES, POSTER SESSIONS TO FURTHER EXPLORE CURRENT RESEARCH ON THOSE THEMES, AND FOCUSED DISCUSSIONS TO IDENTIFY KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND PATHS FORWARD. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO INCLUDE RESEARCH POSTER FLASH TALKS IN ADDITION TO TIME ALLOWED FOR POSTER PRESENTATION AND VIEWING SESSIONS. THE EVENT WILL ALSO FEATURE A PRE- AND POST- CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS. CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BOTH 1/2 -DAY WORKSHOPS AT A DISCOUNTED RATE.ABSTRACTS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR CONSIDERATION AS ORAL PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS. THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE COC WILL REVIEW SUBMITTED ABSTRACTS FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS. IN ADDITION, TO ENCOURAGE THE PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS AND EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS, AWARDS WILL BE GRANTED TO PHD STUDENTS, POST-DOCTORAL STUDENTS, AND EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS (I.E., THOSE WHO RECEIVED THEIR MASTERS OR PH.D. BETWEEN 2015 AND 2020. SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS AND SHORT-CVS WILL BE THE REQUIRED APPLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THESE AWARDS. THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THECOC WILL REVIEW AND SELECT UP TO 10 FINALISTS TO RECEIVE THE AWARDS. FINALISTS WILL DISPLAY AND PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH DURING POSTER SESSIONS DURING THE CONFERENCE.