I am Milon Chowdhury, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Horticultural Technologies at the Agricultural Technical Institute, Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio, US. My past and ongoing research focus on smart farming technologies, hydroponics, nutrient dynamics, liquid organic fertilizer, substrate, vertical farming, and automation of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities. During my Ph.D. program, I conducted research into ion-specific nutrient management processes for hydroponic crop cultivation, with a specific emphasis on improving nutrient use efficiency and environmental conservation by reducing high-concentration nutrient solution discharge. Additionally, I explored the effects of ambient environmental variables (i.e., temperature, humidity, CO2 level, and light parameters), AI-based plant phenotyping, stress detection, and growth prediction on various leafy greens grown in indoor vertical farming facilities. These investigations continued when I joined UC Davis as a postdoctoral scholar. Furthermore, I have researched the safety of CEA workers about UV light exposure, heat stress, and CO2 concentration. Since joining Ohio State University, my current research has studied the interaction between organic substrates and the water-nutrient uptake of leafy greens and high-wire crops. I am also evaluating application strategies for liquid organic fertilizer as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizer in hydroponic crop production.