** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WITH AN EVER-INCREASING WORLD POPULATION, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO PRODUCE MORE FOOD WITH FEWER INPUTS FROM THE AGRICULTURAL LAND THAT IS CURRENTLY IN CULTIVATION. TO CONTINUE IMPROVING CROP PLANT PRODUCTIVITY IN THE UNITED STATES, MEET GOALS OF THE USDA REEU PROGRAM, AND ADDRESS THE AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREAS AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY AND PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO TRAIN FUTURE SCIENTISTS WHO CAN DEVELOP AND APPLY INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES USING A COMBINATION OF PLANT BIOLOGY AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH APPROACHES. A FIVE-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE BOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE AND CORNELL UNIVERSITY. EACH SUMMER, TWELVE UNDERGRADUATES FROM THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES WILL CONDUCT INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH FOR TEN WEEKS IN THE LABORATORIES OF TWELVE PLANT BIOLOGY AND ENGINEERING FACULTY MENTORS. EARLY-CAREER UNDERGRADUATE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE CHOSEN BASED ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, AS WELL AS CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS WILL RECEIVE TRAINING IN THE APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO BOTH BASIC AND APPLIED AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. STUDENT PROJECTS WILL INCLUDE HIGH-THROUGHPUT AUTOMATED PHENOTYPING, ROBOTIC SCOUTING IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS, DEVELOPMENT OF NETWORKED MICROSENSORS THAT REPORT PLANT WATER STATUS, IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PLANT TRANSFORMATION METHODS, AND CONSTRUCTION OF SYNTHETIC BIOSENSORS. IN ADDITION TO CONDUCTING HANDS-ON AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH, STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE TRAINING IN BIOINFORMATICS, PROJECT PLANNING, SCIENTIFIC ETHICS, RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS, AND WRITING GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATIONS.