This $299,997 project grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Capacity Building for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (CFDA 10.326) program. The grant funds an integrated research, education, and outreach/extension project led by California State University-Bakersfield (CSUB) in partnership with the University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and University of California Cooperative Extension Kern County. The key objectives are to:
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Recruit and train undergraduate and graduate students, especially underrepresented minorities and women, to fabricate, characterize, and optimize biodegradable soil moisture and nitrate sensors for precision agriculture applications.
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Develop student researchers' leadership skills through outreach and extension activities.
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Create a new course on biodegradable electronics for sustainable agriculture.
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Deliver workshops on the soil sensors to the regional agricultural community, form collaborations with community partners, and provide internship opportunities to CSUB students.
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Engage community college and K-12 students through lectures, lab tours, farm tours, and hands-on experiences related to biodegradable electronics and precision agriculture.
This project aims to address challenges facing California's agriculture industry, such as drought and groundwater contamination, by advancing sustainable precision agriculture technologies and building capacity through student training and community engagement.
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