Smart Soil Moisture Sensing System for Deployment with Bee Shelters

TNT Pollination seeks to enhance agricultural productivity by developing a scalable, low-cost soil moisture sensing system. The project aims to equip each bee shelter, typically numbering 100 to 200 per field, with a durable sensor unit. These sensors will collect real-time geospatial moisture data, which will be visualized through a live dashboard. This data will aid agronomists and farmers in making informed irrigation decisions, ultimately improving field productivity. The system must integrate with farm management platforms like PollinLink via an open API, ensuring interoperability. Emphasis will be placed on ruggedness, power efficiency, and affordability to facilitate widespread deployment. The project offers learners the opportunity to apply knowledge in IoT, data visualization, and agricultural technology.

Innovative Leafcutter Bee Shelter Design

TNT Pollination is seeking a fresh design for a leafcutter bee shelter to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of their pollination services. The current shelters, while functional, lack certain features that could optimize bee health and productivity. The goal of this project is to create a new shelter design that allows for more automation of shelter placement and storage, facilitates data collection and improves bee overall health and performance. This project provides an opportunity for learners to apply their knowledge of environmental science, biology, and design principles. The team will design a new shelter based on criteria provided by TNT Pollination. The project aims to balance functionality with cost-effectiveness, ensuring the design can be easily implemented by TNT Pollination.

Leafcutter Bee Cocoon Preservation System

TNT Pollination seeks to develop a cost-effective and scalable solution for storing leafcutter bee cocoons under specific conditions to enhance their longevity. Based on a 2025 peer-reviewed study, (https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.250500), maintaining cocoons in 10% oxygen and at 6°C significantly extends the bees' lifespan. The project aims to design a system capable of preserving up to 5,000 gallons of cocoons, equivalent to approximately 50 million bees, for agricultural use in the following year. This initiative will help reduce bee loss and waste, lower costs, and provide greater flexibility for pollinators. The project will involve researching existing storage technologies, designing a prototype storage system, and evaluating its feasibility for commercial implementation.

Compensation and Communication Framework Development

Grand Forks Concrete is seeking to enhance its internal operations by developing a comprehensive structure for employee compensation and internal communication. The goal of this project is to create a framework that ensures fair and competitive compensation while fostering effective communication across all levels of the organization. This initiative aims to align employee incentives with company goals, improve job satisfaction, and streamline communication processes. The project will involve researching industry best practices, analyzing current company policies, and proposing a tailored solution that fits the unique needs of Grand Forks Concrete. By addressing these areas, the company hopes to enhance employee engagement and operational efficiency. Key tasks include: Creating a library of templates for hiring contracts, performance reviews, disciplinary records, termination letters, etc... Creating a library of job descriptions for each position for hiring and internal training Creating training documents and videos for safety, best practices and company culture Creating an organizational structure chart to help facilitate leadership responsibilities and communication lines.