Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) REU Summer Program 2026
University of Pennsylvania·Philadelphia, PA·2026 cycle
Closed for cycleComputational/Data ScienceEcology/Conservation/Evolutionary Biology✓ verified
The U.S. National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) seeks applicants for its Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. Summer undergraduates work with graduate students and faculty researchers from Purdue University, University of California Merced, University of Florida, and the University of Pennsylvania on research to address the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security by advancing technologies that increase crop production, while minimizing the use of energy and water resources and the impact of agricultural practices on the environment. Projects focus on the creation of internet of things (IoT) technologies from multi-mode distributable sensors, autonomous robotics, and energy and communication devices for field-scale operations to AI-driven digital twins of row and tree crops and human-centered decision-Ag interfaces for field management. These technologies will be integrated into systems that capture the microclimate and spatially, temporally, and compositionally map heterogeneous stresses for early detection and intervention to better outcomes in agricultural crop production. Students will be matched to projects based on their academic backgrounds and interests and specific summer project requirements. Students will get the opportunity to learn next-generation approaches and to develop experience working in research facilities using state-of-the-art equipment. Students will gain experience with experimental design, data collection, and communication of results. Students will participate in activities that complement the research towards the development of broader scientific and career skills. The program provides a stipend, housing accommodations or offset, and travel allowances that depend on each university’s policies. Dates may also vary slightly by hosting university.
agriculture, digital agriculture, precision agriculture, farming, crops, plants, microclimate, sensors, environmental sensors, soil sensors, heterogeneous stress mapping, early detection, robotics, robot, drone, autonomous, aerial robots, ground robots, IoT, communication, ag-specific communications, networks, energy, energy storage, batteries, energy delivery, big data, AI, machine learning, data-driven models, biophysical models, LLM, digital twins, field analytics, decision support systems, technology adoption, AgTech, Ag systems, food, water, plant physiology, soil analytics, weather data, management practices, socio-economics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Materials, nanofabrication, STEM, materials science, integrated systems, smart farming, convergence
Applicants should be interested in contributing to research that creates and applies the internet of things technologies to agricultural problems, and the broader area of AgTech. Applicants must be a current undergraduate who will not have graduated before August 2026 Applicants must NOT be matriculated at an IoT4Ag Institution. If you are a student at University of Pennsylvania, University of Florida, Purdue University or University of California Merced, there may be other IoT4Ag opportunities. Contact your local IoT4Ag faculty. Applicants must be US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Applicants must be 18 years old at the start of the program. Past participants have come from a variety of STEM, Engineering, & Social Science fields NOTE: Applications will be reviewed and offered on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. Early application is encouraged. Once all positions are filled, we will state this on our REU webpage (https://iot4ag.us/reu-program
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