Dr. Stephania Imbachi Ordonez was invited to participate as a plenary speaker at the Agricultural and Industrial Sugarcane Seminar, held on August 19-20, 2026, at Hotel Soleil Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala.

The seminar brought together professionals from the sugar industry to discuss innovation, artificial intelligence, agricultural technologies, sustainability, and industrial quality improvement.

As part of the technical program, Dr. Imbachi Ordonez delivered two presentations:

1. Rapid Sugarcane Quality Characterization Using NIR Spectroscopy and Machine Learning (Plenary Talk)
2. Strategies to Improve Starch Control in Sugar Factories: Selection of Amylases and Analytical Methodologies

The plenary presentation highlighted the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and machine learning for rapid sugarcane quality assessment, demonstrating how these technologies can improve process monitoring and decision-making in the sugar industry.

The second presentation focused on practical approaches for starch management in sugar factories, including the selection of appropriate amylase enzymes and analytical methods for monitoring and controlling starch-related processing challenges.

Dr. Imbachi Ordonez's participation reflects the continued international recognition of the LSU AgCenter's Audubon Sugar Institute and its contributions to applied research and technology transfer for the global sugar industry.