Thanks to funding from seed grants, two researchers in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering are pursuing projects to advance the agricultural workforce through sociotechnical games and 3D printed bioplastics.  

Seed grants are distributed through the Susan Duncan Seed Grant program, which is jointly funded by Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC), Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), and the Center for Advanced Innovation In Agriculture (CAIA) with the support of Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station (VAES). The program aims to support user-centered and user-driven research and development activities directed at building capacity, security, and resilience in the U.S agriculture and food sectors. 

Natasha Bell, assistant professor, received funding to help strengthen sustainable food production by preparing future professionals in aquaponics, a growing industry within the agricultural sector, via a virtual socioeconomic learning game. Aquaponics is a food production system that joins aquaculture with hydroponics – growing plants in water.

“Even though it sounds simple, it’s pretty complex to run well,” Bell said. “That’s where our program comes in – it will help people learn how to manage these systems before they invest time and money into building one. Users will be able to experiment with designing and running their own aquaponics system in a risk-free environment.  This helps future farmers, entrepreneurs, and students build real-world skills and confidence.”

According to Bell, aquaponics likely has a large role in the future of agriculture. 

“The long-term benefits of this program include helping communities, training people to think critically and creatively about farming, and opening doors for more people to get involved in sustainable agriculture,” she said. “We’re helping build a future where food is grown in smarter, more resilient ways, benefiting not only communities but economies and ecosystems as well.”

Another recipient of the program is Professor Drew Wang. Wang is leading a team that aims to transform agricultural food waste into biodegradable plastics suitable for 3D printing.  

With over 2 billion tons of food waste every year, Wang and his team will conduct a process using microorganisms to ferment food waste into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs are biodegradable bioplastics naturally produced by microorganisms, making them a sustainable alternative to the petroleum-based plastics most people are familiar with. The bioplastics can then be used in 3D printing to create various products, from packaging to storage containers and even biomedical devices. 

“By creating cost-effective bioplastics that naturally decompose, we can reduce plastic pollution on land and in oceans and address significant issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and economic losses associated with food waste,” Wang said. “By creating environmentally sustainable plastics, we hope to benefit people, companies, waste management systems, and communities worldwide.”