Michigan State University doctoral student Christian Luedtke has been awarded the 2026 NEOGEN Land Grant Prize, which recognizes graduate student research with the potential to advance scientific discovery while creating economic impact through practical applications. The annual award provides $30,000 in funding to support translational research and commercialization-focused activities.
Luedtke, a researcher in Xiaobo Tan's Smart Microsystems Lab, is developing a worm-inspired robotic system designed to inspect and map underground agricultural drainage networks. This technology aims to help identify blockages and other infrastructure issues in buried drainage systems without the need for costly and disruptive excavation.
More than 53 million acres of U.S. cropland rely on subsurface drainage systems to manage water and support agricultural productivity. Inspecting and mapping those networks remains challenging, particularly when drainage infrastructure is aging or records are incomplete. Luedtke's research seeks to provide a faster and more efficient way to assess underground drainage systems while minimizing disturbance to farmland.
Funding from the NEOGEN Land Grant Prize will support the next phase of development, including improvements to the robot's speed, adaptability, and performance in real-world conditions.
In addition to supporting infrastructure inspections, this technology has the potential to improve drainage network mapping, providing valuable information for farm management, land improvement projects, and environmental planning.
The NEOGEN Land Grant Prize is funded through a gift from former MSU Provost and Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies John E. Cantlon and Carolyne Irene Cantlon. The endowed award supports graduate student research with strong potential to contribute to economic and scientific improvements in society and benefit U.S. economic interests.