Opening a dialogue with plants through interactive learning
Plants are essential to all life on Earth, but botanical education has been increasingly neglected in K–12 curricula, contributing to limited plant awareness and declining enrollment in plant science courses at the high school and college levels. Led by the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), an NSF-funded, multidisciplinary research center, CROPPS-in-a-Box (CIAB) reimagines how students learn about and connect with plants. CIAB is an innovative tool that allows students to interact playfully with living plants through text messaging — sending electrical inputs, receiving real-time responses and turning abstract biological processes into accessible, visual and emotional learning moments.
In spring 2026, CROPPS trainees will present CIAB to undergraduates studying plant sciences alongside a seminar on the underlying research. After using feedback to improve the design over the summer, the team will train up to 5 Cornell undergraduates to demonstrate the tool in multiple settings: to middle & high school students in community outreach days; in classrooms at 2 different high schools, including the horticulture program at McKinley High School in Buffalo — a career and technical curriculum with a focus on plant sciences. Students at each of these levels will gain hands-on experience linking biology, engineering and computer science, while undergraduates build leadership and teaching skills. The project aims to inspire the next generation of innovators in sustainable agriculture and plant science, with insights shared through local partnerships, conferences and publications.
Darius Melvin, Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), Provost/Vice Provost’s Office
Anya Gruber, Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), Provost/Vice Provost’s Office
Elizabeth Jones, Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), Provost/Vice Provost’s Office
Abraham Stroock, R.F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), Provost/Vice Provost’s Office
Margaret Frank, Integrative Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Community Partner: McKinley High School Horticulture Program