The BARD TAC (Technical advisory committee) meeting for 2026 was held at University of Maryland College Park. As part of the program, participants took part in a tour showcasing a range of research facilities and applied technologies across engineering and life sciences on the University of Maryland College Park campus. The tour highlighted innovative systems such as robotic mushroom packaging and vision-guided robotic blue crabmeat picking, demonstrating the integration of automation in food processing. Visits to drone and visualization laboratories provided insight into advanced imaging and data analysis tools used in agricultural and environmental monitoring.
At the Maryland aquaculture laboratory, participants observed ongoing work in aquatic production systems, while additional stops introduced the activities of engineering students and the infrastructure that supports applied research. The BIOE laboratories and Bio-workshop illustrated interdisciplinary approaches to biotechnology development.
The visit also included the Animal Resources Imaging Core, where state-of-the-art imaging capabilities, such as CT, PET/SPECT, MRI, and multi-photon systems, support veterinary biomedical research. Further exposure to underwater research and space-related programs highlighted cross-sector innovation. The tour concluded with a presentation on Einkorn wheat research, emphasizing crop diversity and resilience. On behalf of the BARD team and the TAC members we would like to thank the investigators who hosted us and Prof. Yang Tao and Prof. Vijay Tiwari for their hospitality. We wish you continued success with your endeavors.
