Interdisciplinary Research Team Launched to Advance Agricultural and Food Technologies

An interdisciplinary research team has been established at Özyeğin University to develop innovative solutions in sustainable agriculture and food technologies. Bringing together laser technologies, photonics, artificial intelligence, plant sciences, and food research, the team is working on next-generation solutions for precision agriculture and sustainable food production.

The team continues its research under two TÜBİTAK-supported projects: “Smart Pulsed-Fiber-Laser-Assisted Weed Controller for Greenhouse” and “AI-Assisted Image Analysis of Laser-Induced Effects on Seed Germination and Plant Development.”

The research group includes Prof. Çiğdem Erdem from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, Dr. Suzan Tireki from the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, Dr. Steven Footitt from the Molecular Biology and Genetics Department at Boğaziçi University, and Dr. Parviz Elahi from the Natural Sciences Program. With contributions from doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students, the team integrates engineering, biological sciences, and food science to pioneer intelligent and sustainable agricultural technologies.