From a seedling to a flower, a space has fully bloomed on the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory located west of Kenny Road. The Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Complex (CEARC) is now open.
The $34.8 million project provides a platform for interdisciplinary research at the nexus of horticulture and crop science, engineering, entomology, plant pathology, food science, computer science, and human nutrition/health. The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) imagined the project more than five years ago, and Facilities Operations and Development began construction in September 2020.
The building offers dynamic platforms for hands-on teaching, outreach and engagement activities. It also allows researchers to control certain environmental factors like temperature and light, which will help them explore new methods for improving nutrient density and flavor in vegetables and fruits.
View the slideshow above to see the finished facility which opened in September 2022.