Robert L. Adams helps researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs develop new ventures in sustainable agricultural practices; water and energy efficiency in production and food processing; advances in nutrition, food quality and safety; and new food products.

Adams serves as director of business partnerships at Sustainable Conservation (San Francisco), and has consulted and lectured internationally on sustainability, innovation and transformation. From 2003 to 2009 he led the Design for Sustainability initiative at consultancy IDEO. Adams is the author of the 2001 formative white paper “Designing Towards Sustainability.”

Adams has taught at Stanford University, London’s Royal College of Art and UC Davis, developing and teaching courses in product design, technology and aesthetics, human-computer interaction, music and viticulture.

He holds advanced degrees in viticulture from UC Davis and in product design from Stanford University. Adams also owns and operates a farm in California’s Sacramento Valley, producing heritage fruits, vegetables, grains and olive oil.