CURA was the brainchild of Brandy Garrett Kluthe, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of the environmental studies program. In September 2021, Saint Peter’s was awarded a historic $4.8 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education for a project titled STEM-PODER.

Dr. Garrett Kluthe had established a relationship with Bowery Farms, an indoor agriculture company located in Kearny, New Jersey, in the summer of 2020. When the world was on lockdown during the COVID pandemic, Dr. Garrett Kluthe sent homemade hydroponic systems to students who were a part of the University’s virtual SURGE summer camp.

Dr. Garrett Kluthe met with a number of different hydroponic suppliers and producers to determine what would work best on campus. She also worked with various contractors to get the space built. Her motivation for the project was focused on the importance of urban agriculture in the future. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), by 2050, the world will need to increase food production by 60 percent in order to meet the caloric needs of a global population of more than nine billion people.

Above statements are from cite below: https://www.saintpeters.edu/news/2022/10/11/saint-peters-community-celebrates-opening-of-the-center-for-urban-research-in-agriculture-cura-hydroponics-farm/

The CURA hydroponic farm at Saint Peter’s has provided several meals to students and individuals on campus, including those working specifically on the project, from fresh salads being served in the cafeteria to other events held on campus.

Hydroponic Farm Benefits:

• Grow delicious nutrient dense produce without the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals
• Produce crops grow 30-50% faster than traditional organic gardening while using 90% less water, and 90% less land
• Soil-free system means there is no weeding, tilling, kneeling, or getting dirty