The First PhD of Pot
Dr. Robert Flannery has a Ph.D. in Plant Biology with an emphasis in Environmental Horticulture and a specific expertise in hydroponic crop optimization for cut-flower production from UC Davis. Dr. Flannery has managed commercial horticultural cultivation since 1999.
While working on his doctorate, Dr. Flannery began advising Cannabis cultivators throughout Northern California on modern horticulture practices. As Production Director at SPARC in San Francisco, Dr. Flannery managed the largest department in the company and supervised every segment of Cannabis cultivation, packaging, & delivery of final product to retail.
• Dr. Flannery is very active in both the research and legislative aspects of commercial Cannabis production in California. Dr. Flannery holds the following leadership positions:
• Mentor at Gateway (a startup incubator located in Oakland that is focused on launching companies in the Cannabis industry).
• Chair of the Agriculture Committee for the California Cannabis Industry Association.
• Board Member for the Cannabis Tech System – End User Advisory Committee, which is where he advised the administration of California’s Track and Trace program.
• Advisor to the Dean of Agricultural Sciences at UC Davis and her advisory council to discuss the research opportunities in California Cannabis production.
• Spearheaded the effort to make SPARC the first ASA (Americans for Safe Access) certified dispensary in the United States.
• Board of Advisors for a Venture Capital group (Salveo Capital), which invests in the ancillary space for the industry.
• Consultant for SCI Consulting where he speaks with local municipalities to give them an
understanding of what to expect from a regulatory standpoint for cultivation.
