Machine Ecology: Autonomous Robots for Environmental Restoration
FYSEMR 58E
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
Have you ever wondered how technology and innovation can tackle some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges? This first-year seminar introduces students to the emerging field of machine ecology—the design of purpose-built robotic systems that work in partnership with natural processes (often drawing inspiration from indigenous practices) to repair degraded ecosystems.
In collaboration with the Machine Ecology research group, students will focus on arid-land restoration using a newly developed low-cost robotic end-effector designed to construct semi-circular bunds (demi-lunes). These traditional water-harvesting structures are highly effective at capturing scarce rainfall and enabling vegetation recovery, yet they remain extremely labor-intensive to build at scale. Students will work directly with the existing robots and end-effectors already built by the research team.
The semester begins with a local field demonstration and hands-on operation of the robotic system. For the remainder of the fall term (while the New England weather keeps us indoors), students will hear from relevant experts, conduct a literature review on dryland restoration, and consider large-scale deployment challenges. Working in teams, participants will design and simulate next-generation field deployments using real topographic data from the Santa Rita Experimental Range in Arizona. Topics include multi-robot coordination, solar-powered base stations, autonomous path planning for various landscape interventions, battery charge/discharge cycles, and strategies for operating in remote, low-density drylands.
POST-SEMINAR MODULE - As a fully funded extension of the seminar, participants will travel to the USDA’s Santa Rita Experimental Range in Arizona for a week-long field deployment (January 17–23, 2027). Working alongside the research team and USDA soil scientists, students will translate their fall simulations into real-world robotic operations: deploying the end-effectors on actual arid terrain, constructing test bunds, and collecting data on soil disturbance and water infiltration. This rare opportunity to move directly from simulation to live field trials in a representative semi-arid landscape provides an extraordinary capstone experience. The sites will continue to be monitored for years afterward, so by their senior year students may see photographic evidence of vegetation returning to previously barren areas as a direct result of their interventions. Dates: Sunday, January 17 – Saturday, January 23, 2027 (6 nights / 7 days. There will be no cost to students.
Class Notes
First-Year Seminars are available only to first-year students. You may apply to both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 First-Year Seminars via the FYS lottery between July 6 and August 6, 2026 at 11:59PM-midnight.
You may apply to as many seminars each term as you would like, but we recommend you apply to at least six in fall and three in spring.
As part of your application, you must provide a brief statement on why you are interested in each seminar. You will be notified of lottery results for both fall and spring seminars at 5 pm on August 11. If you are unsuccessful in the lottery, you may still join any seminar with open seats. A list of open seminars and instructions on next steps will be available on the First-Year Seminar Program website August 11 at 12 Noon.
Not Available for Cross Registration
