The Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS) is thrilled to welcome the 2024 cohort of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. This 10-week CROPPS program offers students a unique opportunity to engage in transdisciplinary research across plant biology, engineering, and computer science. 

For the first time, CROPPS instituted an umbrella application through the NSF Education and Training Application (ETAP) where students could apply to all three CROPPS-sponsored REU locations at one time. This yielded a tremendous pool of 370 applicants from across the nation. Twenty undergraduate students were selected for the 2024 cohort, representing a near 200% increase in size from the 2023 program. These scholars will help create innovative tools to facilitate communication with plants in laboratories at Cornell University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Boyce Thompson Institute.”

CROPPS unites plant scientists, engineers, computer scientists, and social scientists to develop technologies that enable two-way communication between humans and plants. By combining  biology, engineering, nanotechnology, optics, and computing, the center aims to gain unprecedented access to the internal biological processes of plants and their associated organisms. 

The summer REU program provides undergraduates with hands-on experience in digital biology research. Interdisciplinary teams at each host institution will combine expertise in plant science and technology development, providing  a rich and comprehensive learning experience. The REU students will explore research into emerging technologies for enhanced sustainability and productivity.

Mark Beilstein, associate director for education at CROPPS, expressed his enthusiasm for the incoming cohort. "We are incredibly excited to welcome these bright young scholars to our program. The REU initiative is a vital part of our mission to cultivate the next generation of scientists who will drive innovations at the interfaces of plant science, engineering, computer science, and social science for a future of sustainable agriculture."

The 2024 summer REU students, listed by name, home university, and faculty mentor, are:

Boyce Thompson Institute 

• Clare Edminster, Colgate University, studying in the lab of Mike Gore (Cornell, School of Integrative Plant Science)
• Ruth Conlin, Drake University, studying in the lab of April Gu (Cornell Engineering)
• Leland Russell, Reed College, studying in the lab of Kelly Robbins (Cornell, School of Integrative Plant Science)
• Jordan Hunter, Purdue University, studying in the lab of Joyce Van Eck (Boyce Thompson Institute)
• Spencer Ervin, Fort Lewis College, studying in the lab of Christopher Alabi (Cornell Engineering)
• Eleanor McSwain, Boston College, studying in the lab of Taryn Bauerle (Cornell, School of Integrative Plant Science)
• Vivian Molloy, University of Hawaii, studying in the lab of Mike Gore (Cornell, School of Integrative Plant Science)
• Lara Jacobowitz, Brown University, studying in the labs of Margaret Frank (Cornell, School of Integrative Plant Science) and Bruce Lewenstein (Cornell, Department of Communication)

Cornell University (through the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program)

• Rachel Akinla, Harvard University, studying in the lab of Sijin Li (Cornell Engineering)
• Lora Williams, University of Illinois Chicago, studying in the lab of José Martinez (Cornell Engineering)
• Keoni Meregini, Prairie View A&M University, studying in the lab of José Martinez (Cornell Engineering)
• Cindy Nguyen, Rice University, studying in the lab of Rob Shepherd (Cornell Engineering)
• Sylvia Leggette, Tuskegee University, studying in the lab of Rob Shepherd (Cornell Engineering)
• Maya Lee, Phoenix College, studying in the lab of Rob Shepherd (Cornell Engineering)
• Saniya Comas, North Carolina A&T State University, studying in the lab of Abe Stroock (Cornell Engineering)
• Mishala Wilber, RIT, studying in the lab of Abe Stroock (Cornell Engineering)
• Thomas Valdes, Texas A&M University, studying in the lab of Hakim Weatherspoon (Cornell Bowers College of Computer and Information Science)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (through the Center for Digital Agriculture)

• Attia Dean, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, studying in the lab of Sarah Hind (UIUC, Department of Crop Sciences)
• Manolis Huerta-Stylianou, Cornell University, studying in the lab of Naveen Uppalapati (UIUC, National Center for Supercomputing Applications)
• Kennedy Shorter, North Carolina A&T State University, studying in the lab of Cabral Bigman-Galimore (UIUC, Department of Communication)