Jason Matlock, Ph.D.

Jason Matlock is a Horticulture Service Specialist for cannabis at Fluence, where he serves as a subject-matter expert helping commercial cultivators optimize their operations and adopt best practices in applied horticultural lighting. His approach is data-centric: he coordinates product demonstration and research-validation trials at commercial scale with grower partners, then applies statistical analysis and mixed-effects modeling to surface the findings that inform new products and recommended practices.

He also guides fundamental cannabis research conducted within Fluence’s facilities and in partnership with institutional research groups, and provides technical support to customers during site visits and trade shows. His strength is translation — moving fluidly between rigorous quantitative analysis and the practical realities of a working grow.

Matlock’s background spans the full cannabis production chain. He has served as a Director of Cultivation, guiding the design of a 102,000-square-foot facility; as a Director of Processing and Pest Management for one of Michigan’s first vertically integrated cannabis companies; and, since 2017, as an independent consultant advising cannabis businesses on process improvement, pest management, facility design, and regulatory compliance. He has taught cannabis production science as adjunct faculty at Saint Louis University.

He earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Entomology and an M.S. in Horticulture from Michigan State University, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Alma College. His peer-reviewed research ranges from soil-arthropod ecology and pest management in perennial fruit crops to green-roof substrate engineering, and he holds professional certificates in data science and learning-experience design.

Areas of Expertise

• Cannabis cultivation optimization
• Applied horticultural lighting
• Experimental design and statistical analysis
• Integrated pest management
• Controlled-environment agriculture consulting

Credentials

• Ph.D., Agricultural Entomology — Michigan State University, 2018
• M.S., Horticulture — Michigan State University, 2015
• B.S., Chemistry (minor, Mathematics) — Alma College, 2008
• IBM Data Science Professional Certificate (Coursera)
• University of Michigan Learning Experience Design Professional Certificate (Coursera)

Experience

In the cannabis and controlled-environment agriculture sector since 2017, across cultivation, processing, consulting, and applied research; at Fluence since 2021.

Selected roles: Horticulture Service Specialist, Fluence (2021–present); Director of Cultivation, CAMP Cannabis (2020–2021); Owner/Consultant, Grand Cru LLC & Nature’s Knowledge LLC (2017–present); Director of Processing and Pest Management, Redbud Roots (2018–2019).

Notable Work

Selected peer-reviewed publications:

• Vandepol, N., Liber, J., Yocca, A., Matlock, J., Edger, P., & Bonito, G. (2022). Linnemannia elongata (Mortierellaceae) stimulates Arabidopsis thaliana aerial growth and responses to auxin, ethylene, and reactive oxygen species. PLOS One, 17(4), e0261908.
• Matlock, J.M., Isaacs, R., & Grieshop, M. (2017). Tillage reduces survival of grape berry moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), via burial rather than mechanical injury. Environmental Entomology, 46(1), 100–106.
• Matlock, J.M., & Rowe, D.B. (2017). Does compost selection impact green roof substrate performance? Compost Science & Utilization, 25(4), 231–241.
• Matlock, J.M., & Rowe, D.B. (2016). The suitability of crushed porcelain and foamed glass as alternatives to heat-expanded shale in green roof substrates. Ecological Engineering, 94, 244–254.

Projects and teaching:

• Led one of the first and largest applications of metagenomic techniques to field-scale research of agricultural arthropod communities
• Guided the design of a 102,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility
• Developed and taught CSO 1500 Cannabis Production Science within Saint Louis University’s Cannabis Science and Operations Certificate program