Close up of seedlings in the greenhouse

About

UC Santa Cruz has a rich history of leadership in sustainable agriculture. The foundation of the UCSC AgTech Alliance traces back to a 2020 convening of faculty from across campus, who came together to envision the future of agricultural technology on campus and beyond.

Tow people fly a drone over a field

Research

The AgTech Alliance leads research in key areas, including:

  • Agro-robotics
  • Aquaculture
  • Greenhouse technologies
  • Sensing and imaging
Person holds a net over standing water

Outreach

  • Talks and seminars showcasing AgTech innovations
  • Poster sessions highlighting student and faculty research
  • Social hours for networking and idea sharing
  • Events to engage the broader campus community
  • Public events and workshops
  • Collaboration with local organizations
Student holds a box of greens inside a greenhouse

Educational opportunities

  • Integrating AgTech into existing UCSC courses
  • Engaging student clubs
  • Investigating seed funding for student AgTech projects
  • Offering hands-on research opportunities for students
  • Expanding workforce development through industry and community partnerships
Robot hovers over starters in a greenhouse

Our approach

UC Santa Cruz’s history in agriculture dates back to 1967. Since then, we have continued to expand and build on the success of our strong educational focus on organic soil management, alternative pest control measures, water conservation, biodiversity, and more recently, innovative agriculture technology.

We lead with cross-divisional collaboration that pairs technical expertise with a deep commitment to addressing social and environmental challenges.

Agricultural Experiment Station

In November 2022, UCSC joined a nationwide, federally funded network of Agricultural Experiment Stations that study potential improvements to food systems and deliver useful innovations to farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture and food production. New state and federal funding through this designation will support more groundbreaking research on our campus, including in AgTech.

The UC Santa Cruz campus is strategically located near leading agricultural production regions and Silicon Valley’s technical hub. Our access to cutting-edge research centers, including the Center for Agroecology, positions us to experiment collaboratively on innovative research with positive impact.

Aerial view of UCSC agriculture fields
Person holds a tray of plant starts

Integrated expertise

Last modified: Jan 27, 2025