** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INSECTS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING AGRICULTURAL CROPS, YET TRADITIONAL FARMING METHODS HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE ALARMING DECLINE OF INSECT POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE. REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE (RA) OFFERS A PROMISING ALTERNATIVE, AIMING TO MEET GLOBAL FOOD DEMANDS WHILE PRESERVING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND BIODIVERSITY. HOWEVER, RA IS STILL NOT WELL-DEFINED AND LACKS THOROUGH STUDY AT THE COMMERCIAL FARM LEVEL, PARTLY DUE TO THE TIME, LABOR, AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MONITORING BIODIVERSITY.OUR PROJECT SEEKS TO ADDRESS THIS BY DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE, NEXT-GEN METHOD FOR MEASURING AND ANALYZING INSECT BIODIVERSITY USING PASSIVE ACOUSTIC MONITORING (PAM) AND ADVANCED MACHINE LEARNING. THIS APPROACH WILL MAKE MONITORING FASTER, NON-LETHAL, LESS LABOR-INTENSIVE, AND MORE COST-EFFECTIVE. ONCE ESTABLISHED, WE WILL USE THESE METHODS TO EVALUATE SPECIFIC REGENERATIVE PRACTICES IN REAL-WORLD FARM SETTINGS TO IDENTIFY THOSE THAT BEST ENHANCE INSECT BIODIVERSITY.THROUGHOUT THIS RESEARCH, I WILL SHARE MY FINDINGS THROUGH PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS, EXTENSION MATERIALS, AND PRESENTATIONS TO INFORM AND EDUCATE FARMERS, LAND MANAGERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF REGENERATIVE PRACTICES AND NEW MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES. THIS WORK IS VITAL FOR ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, PROVIDING FARMERS AND LAND MANAGERS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO MONITOR BIODIVERSITY EFFICIENTLY AND MEET THEIR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. ADDITIONALLY, IT OFFERS A QUICK AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO ASSESS CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND THEIR SUCCESS, BROADLY BENEFITING POLICY-MAKERS AND RESEARCHERS.