Education

Training the Agritech Leaders of Tomorrow

An integral part of CAST’s mission is to educate the next generation of agritech researchers and innovators, and technology adopters. We believe the benefits offered by new technologies will be sustained by engaged, enthusiastic and well-prepared students.

Our cluster of working farms offer students purposeful experiences ranging from handling actual soils, plants and animals to coding, device development and testing, and implementation of data-driven management practices. Students create, experiment and experience the development, delivery and evaluation of technologies for the climate-smart, sustainable Farm of the Future.

Educational experiences include:

Cornell’s digital agriculture minor
Special workshops and classes highlighting the work at CAST and offering hands-on experiential learning
Summer on-site internships at CAST

a group of students stand together — 2025 CAST interns. Photo by Jackie Swift.

CAST Student Internships

We offer a variety of internships where students get hands-on experience working with agricultural technology. Depending on students’ interests, they may work with CAST researchers in the areas of crops, dairy cows, agritech engineering, or data integration and analytics.

CAST internships encourage students to explore the many avenues that lead to the Farm of the Future. They learn about the challenges that farms face today and the opportunities technology offers to help farms become more productive and sustainable. By contributing to agritech research, students have the chance to be part of the digital agriculture revolution and to discover if agritech is a good fit with their interests and career plans.

2025 Summer Internship Poster Session

After a summer spent learning about the Farm of the Future, CAST interns participated in the Animal Science Undergraduate Poster Session that closes the internship experience. They created posters about their summer research, then answered questions and discussed their research with session attendees. This year's interns showcased the following research:

Addyson Booker: The Variations in the Efficiency of Open Photosystem II Reaction Centers (qL) Among Hybrids
Charles Boyd: Soil Sensor Production
De'Jenea Jackson A Novel Computer Vision System for Monitoring Cow Locomotion and Body Condition Score
Andres Jacome: Associations Between Behavioral and Physiological Parameters with Health and Reproductive Outcomes in Lactating Dairy Cows
Natalia Lopes: Effect of a Novel Targeted Reproductive Program That Combines Synchronization and Automated Detection of Estrus on the Fertility of Dairy Cows
Nia Sims: Characterization of Ovarian Function and Pregnancy Status in Dairy Cows Using a Combination of Corpus Luteum Blood Flow and Behavior Monitoring
Diata Walton: Hands-on research in precision agriculture: GNSS technology

a man stands in a corn field holding technology — Photo by Jackie Swift.

a man and a woman look at tech in a cow barn — Photo by Jackie Swift.

Digital Agriculture Minor

Digital agriculture (DA) embraces a range of technology and applications, from sensors that monitor crop drought tolerance to wearable monitoring devices for cattle. Cornell’s DA undergraduate minor offers students a chance to explore the future of farming by learning about the latest technology and innovations.

Launched in fall 2022, the DA minor was designed by members of the Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture (CIDA) and leverages the infrastructure and network of CAST stakeholders. Students enrolled in this minor work with CAST members and participate in hands-on experiences at CAST’s cluster of working farms.

three men sit behind a table and one gestures with his hands as he talks — Students take part in the final debate in AnSci 4120: Whole-Farm Nutrient Management, one of the courses that helps fulfill the digital agriculture minor. Photo by Madeline Hanscom.

students carry a drone into a field — Students carry a drone at Musgrave Research Farm. Photo by Allison Usavage.

In-Person & Remote Learning

We offer a mix of classes, workshops and hands-on, in-person and virtual learning experiences for both Cornell students and students from other educational institutions. They take place throughout the year on Cornell’s campus in Ithaca, New York, and on CAST's cluster of farms.

CAST for the Farm of the Future research is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant no. 2023-77038-38865 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.