AI weeding robot and nation's very first British-grown beans showcased at innovation event

The University of Warwick continued to celebrate its 60th Anniversary, hosting its Resonate Roadshow Day Out: Seeds, Soil and Sustainability event at the Innovation Campus in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The sell-out event drew alumni, staff, students and local residents, all of whom were eager to explore the true transformational spirit of the University.

The Resonate event showcased a variety of cutting-edge innovation projects, including the nation’s very first British-grown beans, an AI based weeding robot, a smart tree sorting system and the UK’s first project which harnesses British UV rays to allow for boosted tomato growth. All of which spotlights the University of Warwick’s continued commitment to changing the world for the better.

Professor Helen Wheatley, Academic Director of the Warwick Institute of Engagement, The University of Warwick says: “It was rewarding to see so many local residents engage with the University’s latest Resonate event this weekend, especially during our 60th anniversary year. This programme is so important in bringing engaging events like Seeds, Soil and Sustainability to the community, and is a fantastic opportunity to bring to life the innovative, transformational spirit of our University and its dedication to building connections beyond our campus.”

Rooted in a commitment to public engagement since 2020, the Warwick Institute of Engagement is the vibrant home for the Resonate programme. Through a collaborative network of professional support staff, events experts, academics, and learning circles, the Institute equips staff and students with the skills to share new knowledge and research in innovative, creative, and collaborative ways.

The year-round Resonate programme delivers a rich array of inspiring events, aiming to spark ideas, curiosity, and creativity throughout local communities in Coventry and Warwickshire. From engaging talks and public conversations to interactive exhibitions and film festivals, these activities underscore the Resonate programme's ongoing dedication to public engagement, an initiative that originated as part of the University's celebrations for Coventry's year as UK City of Culture.

The Resonate Roadshow Day Out: Seeds, Soil and Sustainability event is part of the ongoing celebrations for The University of Warwick’s 60th anniversary. These have included the Retreat to Create project: a new partnership with top UK artist David Speed, an upcoming Poetry Trail: a Science Art Collision, and the return to Coventry of In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats, an immersive, VR journey into the Coventry and West Midlands rave scene. For more information, please visit The University of Warwick 60th Anniversary page.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

For more information, please contact: press@warwick.ac.uk

More on the University of Warwick:

The University of Warwick is one of the UK’s leading universities, marking its 60th anniversary in 2025. With over twenty-eight thousand students from 147 countries, it's currently ranked 8th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide. It has an acknowledged reputation for excellence in research and teaching, for innovation, and for links with business and industry. The recent Research Excellence Framework classed 92% of its research as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The University of Warwick was awarded Midlands University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times.

More on the Resonate programme:

The wider Resonate programme is a year-round schedule of inspiring and interactive events for all ages to spark ideas, curiosity and creativity. Taking place across Coventry and Warwickshire, the Warwick Institute of Engagement has organised talks, public conversations, exhibitions, film festivals, walking tours, live experiments as part of the ongoing public engagement work of the Resonate programme, having originally launched as part of the University’s celebrations for Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture.