Decades of research in Nunavik have generated substantial knowledge, but much of it remains scattered across academic literature and difficult for communities to access and use.
RIO Moonshot Seed Grants
The CALS Research and Innovation Office (RIO) and the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) are pleased to fund the CALS Moonshot Seed Grant Program. Recipients of the seed grants are advancing the frontiers of science, technology and community wellbeing, and leverage innovative theories and cutting-edge technologies to tackle critical challenges and create transformative impacts in three strategic areas:
- AI in Agriculture, Food Security, Sustainability, Health, and Life Sciences
- Food is Medicine
- Regenerative Agriculture and Science
Vibrio natriegens: A New Synthetic Biology Workhorse for Efficient Electromicrobial Production
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and its one-carbon (C-1) derivatives are promising feedstocks for the sustainable production of valuable commodities, including biofuels, polymer precursors, biolixiviants for biomining, and sugars.
Advancing Dairy- and Egg-Based Protein from Competition Prototypes to Scale-Up through Cornell EntrA
Consumers increasingly seek convenient, high-protein foods, yet many protein products remain concentrated in shakes, bars, and other functional formats.
Apple pomace as a functional ingredient addition to meat
Apple pomace is a major byproduct of apple juice and cider production and is commonly diverted to animal feed or disposed of in landfills
Developing the green algae Penium margaritaceum for new engineered living materials
We are studying the potential of a Zygnematophyte species, Penium margaritaceum, as new engineered living materials (ELMs) for more sustainable products.
Digital Phenotyping and AI-based Diagnostics for Fruit Quality
Fruit quality defects reduce marketable yield and consumer acceptance in apple. Many of the most important defects occur on the fruit surface or in internal cortex tissues that are difficult to quantify with conventional visual grading.
Brewing biodiversity: AI-powered acoustic monitoring of birds in coffee landscapes
Using AI-powered research, we aim to uncover novel insights into how regenerative agricultural practices affect bird communities.
Glow away: Optimizing plant microbiomes for sustainable pest control
Advances in sustainable agriculture are critical to ensure future food security in the face of a changing climate and environment. Manipulating crop microbiomes is an area of active research with great promise for regenerative agriculture.
Building an Ecosystem to Valorize Dairy AI: A Public- Private Pathway to Sustain Ag-Tech Innovation
The U.S. dairy industry generates vast amounts of operational data, yet much of this information remains fragmented across incompatible systems and underutilized for decision-making.
HyperFusion: Full-Spectrum Multi-Modal Hyperspectral Imaging System for Food and Agricultural Intelligence
Advancing sustainable food and agricultural systems increasingly depends on data-driven, non-destructive sensing technologies capable of rapidly assessing the quality and physiological properties of biological materials.