The Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS) unites plant scientists, engineers, computer scientists, and social scientists to develop technologies that will enable seamless, bidirectional communication between humans and plants. The relevant technologies fuse synthetic biology, nanotechnology, optics, and computing to gain access to the internal biological processes of plants and their associated organisms such as, for example, soil microbes. The Center aims for these technologies to give new access to the biological processes that connect genes to traits, to guide the process of plant selection, engineering, and editing for improved crops, and to enable sophisticated management of crops in the field for improved sustainability and productivity. Summer undergraduates in this program will be hosted and mentored by interdisciplinary teams that include expertise in both plant science and technology development. Undergraduate applicants with backgrounds in biology, engineering, or computing are encouraged to apply and should select projects from the “CROPPS” section within in the BTI application form.

• All applicants will be required to submit an essay, unofficial transcripts, resume, and 2 letters of recommendation.
• In order to be eligible for our undergraduate programs, students must be US citizens or permanent residents
• Have not graduated from college by the start of our program June 2, 2024, and over the age of 18