Gregory Whiting

For years, understanding what’s happening beneath in the soil has been one of agriculture’s biggest challenges. Researchers in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at CU Boulder have developed low-cost sensors that offer a window into the hidden world below our feet.

Soil is comprised of an intricate network of bacteria and other microbes that humans depend on, but this complex environmental system is constantly shifting, making it difficult for scientists to measure. Associate Professor Gregory Whiting and his team of researchers are developing reliable, inexpensive and easy-to-deploy sensors that monitor soil in real time to help farmers optimize their use of fertilizers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money in the process.

From July 2023 to June 2024, CU Boulder helped to launch 35 new companies based on research at the university—a big tick up from the previous record of 20 companies in fiscal year 2021. Three of these startups were spun by ME professors Chunmei Ban, Gregory Whiting and Svenja Knappe. Take a look at how our faculty are using discoveries from the lab to make a difference in peoples’ lives.

The 2022 Research & Innovation Seed Grants are funding 25 new projects in all for up to $50,000 each. The seed grant program is designed to stimulate new and exciting areas of research and creative work on campus.