Secure & Sustainable Agriculture
Improving food production while protecting natural systems.
The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) conducts research to improve agricultural productivity and resilience while minimizing environmental impacts. Our work supports a future where food systems are efficient, sustainable, and adaptable to changing climate and resource conditions.
By integrating expertise in agronomy, environmental science, engineering, and data analytics, our teams are helping to secure the global food supply through innovation and systems-level understanding.
Focus Areas
- Land-use Management
Strategically using land for crops, grazing, solar, and other purposes. - Climate-smart Agriculture and Crop Adaptation
Responding to the effects of climate change on agriculture while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring food security. - Soil Health and Nutrient Management
Achieving optimal nutrient use efficiency and economic returns while reducing runoff that may impact the environment. - Agricultural Modeling and Forecasting
Building high-resolution models to inform cropping and policy decisions. - Precision Agriculture and Agtech Innovation
Utilizing automation and other technologies to gather, process, and analyze plant and animal data to support management decisions. - Water Use Efficiency
Conserving water through the use of strategies and technologies like smart irrigation systems. - Mitigation Strategies
Reducing the environmental footprint of livestock and crop systems.
Featured Researchers
Madhu Khanna
ACES Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Consumer EconomicsDirector, iSEEDirector, SCAPESProfessor Khanna leads SCAPES, a multi-state effort to study agrivoltaics — the practice of growing crops beneath solar panels. Her work explores how co-locating food and energy systems can conserve water, improve farm profitability, and optimize land use in diverse climates across Illinois, Arizona, and Colorado.
Impact Highlights
SCAPES researchers are testing agrivoltaics at sites in Illinois, Arizona, and Colorado
This interdisciplinary project informs national strategies for land use that support both food and energy production.
I-Regen has expanded regenerative farming networks across Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa
Supporting community partnerships and diversified cropping systems that promote soil quality and long-term food security, I-Regen is fostering health and wealth in Midwestern communities.
I-FARM’s testbed integrates robotics, AI, and remote sensing across 117 acres
Researchers demonstrate the applications of regenerative practices and digital agriculture technologies that aim to reduce input costs and improve soil health.
At CABBI…
CABBI researchers have developed artificial intelligence tools to accelerate breeding more sustainable crops, improved photosynthesis for greater food and energy security, and informed how agricultural policy can support decarbonization of transportation.
At ASC…
ASC teams pinpointed the causes of the 2023 dust storm along I-55 in Illinois, launched the N₂O Net global emissions monitoring network, and developed the first model to explain variation in agricultural nitrous oxide emissions.