Theodore Caplow

Caplow conceived and, together with Nathalie Manzano, developed Inventors-in-Residence, a science prize competition and residency program which debuted in 2017 at the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami FL. The winning technologies focused on coral reef restoration and airborne carcinogen detection, respectively.[9] The winning scientific teams worked in public-facing labs and interacted with museum guests, discussing why their work matters, what kind of progress they’ve made, and what hurdles lie ahead.[10] The laser project later transitioned to Ransom Everglades School.[11]

Theodore Caplow is best known for conceiving and developing the Science Barge urban farm in 2006.[12] The Science Barge functions as both an experimental platform for closed-loop high-efficiency food production using renewable energy and an educational tool to improve opportunities for hands-on “experiential” STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) learning for inner city students. In 2009, the Science Barge was named "Best Class Trip" by New York Magazine.[13] Caplow conceived of the project, raised and contributed funding, determined which systems to include on the barge, and drew the initial plans. Execution of the design and various details of the greenhouse, water recovery, and solar/wind power systems were completed by the entire team at NY Sun Works. After being stationed in Hudson River Park from 2006 to 2008, the Science Barge moved to Yonkers, NY where it continues to host educational tours for school children during the week and is open for public visitation on the weekends.[14] Over the years, the Science Barge has received a significant amount of national and international press including articles from National Geographic[15] and the New York Times.[16][17]

In March 2015, a team led by Nathalie Manzano and including Caplow won the inaugural Knight Cities Challenge from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation with a proposal to build a Miami Science Barge in downtown Miami, FL. It launched in April 2016. Similar to the Science Barge in NY, it was off grid and focused on sustainability. The Miami Science Barge though, also concentrated on marine ecology and conservation in Biscayne Bay, and emphasized clean aquaculture for the domestic production of seafood. The Miami Science Barge was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Caplow invented the Vertically Integrated Greenhouse (VIG) with Zakery Ward Adams. The invention is listed as Patent US20090307973 and was published in December 2009.[18] The VIG consists of vertically stacked plant trays that can be moved to maximize plant light capture and shade as necessary. In addition to the trays and suspension system, the VIG system includes a closed-loop water distribution system which consists of a reservoir, a pump, and a water supply tube for growing plants hydroponically. According to the patent abstract, “the design is particularly well-suited for installation in a double-skin façade of a building, or in an interior atrium, lobby, or similar structure.” Caplow and Adams built and installed prototypes of the VIG on the Science Barge (2008), at PS 333 in Manhattan (2010),[19] and at PS 89 in Brooklyn (2011),[20] and Caplow built an improved VIG at the Miami Museum of Science (2012)[21] and on the Miami Science Barge (2016) but the design has yet to see commercial use.

Caplow founded New York Sun Works in 2004[22] and chairs the not-for-profit's board of directors.[23] Caplow was closely involved in the development of the Sun Works Center at PS 333, the first full-scale rooftop greenhouse completed in 2010 as part of a NY Sun Works campaign to build 100 school greenhouses in NYC between 2010 and 2020.[24] The campaign succeeded after the greenhouse educational system was expanded to include conversion of existing classrooms into hydroponic laboratories. As of 2022, NY Sun Works has built and operated over 200 greenhouse labs, mostly in New York City public schools, trained 700 teachers, and created over 800 curriculum lessons for use in these greenhouse labs.[25]

From 2008 to 2011, through design consultancy BrightFarm Systems, Caplow contributed to the design of a 10,000 sq ft. greenhouse built on top of the Forest Houses apartment complex in South Bronx, NY,[26] an in-store hydroponic greenhouse constructed at Whole Foods Market in Millburn, NJ,[27] and a rooftop greenhouse at P.S. 89 in Brooklyn, NY. Many other design studies in Building-integrated Agriculture (a term Caplow coined in 2007) were executed for clients around the world. Prominent architectural and engineering firms who collaborated on design studies with BrightFarms while Caplow led the firm include Kiss + Cathcart, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Grimshaw, Foster & Co, and Arup, among others.

In the wake of the economic downturn of 2007-2009, Caplow partnered with Paul Lightfoot (in 2011) to reformulate BrightFarms Systems as a full service commercial farming company named BrightFarms. As of 2022, the company operates six large greenhouse farms across the country supplying salad greens to hundreds of grocery stores nationwide.[28][29] Caplow was initially President of the Board but sold his remaining stake in Brightfarms in 2021 when the company was acquired by Cox Enterprises.[30][31]

Caplow created the Children's Prize in 2013.[32] Structured as a private foundation, the Children’s Prize aims to save the lives of children under age 5 anywhere in the world.[33][34] In the initial year, over 550 applications from 70 countries were received using a novel, openly accessible online application. Dr. Anita Zaidi was announced the winner of the 2013 Children’s Prize on December 10, 2013 for her program in Rehri Goth, Pakistan.[35] The Children’s Prize launched its eighth iteration in 2022 and has funded children's health initiatives in 10 countries around the world.[36]