Date: Wednesday 24 – Thursday 25 June 2026
Venue: Issac Newton Building, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
Conference Dinner: Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House and Cloisters
Organised by: EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Agri-Food Robotics (AgriFoRwArdS)
About the Event
The AgriFoRwArdS Robotics Futures conference brings together researchers, industry innovators, policymakers, and the next generation of agri-robotics talent for two days of showcasing, discussion, and collaboration.
This annual conference of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Agri-Food Robotics (AgriFoRwArdS) highlights cutting-edge research and innovation at the intersection of robotics, autonomous systems, and agri-food — one of the UK’s most vital and rapidly evolving sectors.
AgriFoRwArdS is a collaboration between the University of Lincoln, the University of Cambridge, and the University of East Anglia, funded by UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The CDT trains the next generation of experts in robotics and autonomous systems for agri-food applications — addressing real-world challenges around food security, sustainability, and agricultural productivity.
This year’s theme — Showcasing the Next Generation of Agri-Robotics Innovation — reflects the CDT’s mission to translate doctoral research into real-world impact, connecting academia, industry, and government around shared opportunities.
Programme
Day 1 — Wednesday 24 June 2026 (in Isaac Newton Building)
| Time | Session | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Registration (with refreshments and pastries) | — |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Welcome & Opening Remarks | Marc Hanheide, AgriFoRwArdS CDT Director |
| 10:45 – 11:30 | Keynote: Government & Policy Perspective | Lindsay Roome, Head of Agri-Tech and Innovation, DEFRA |
| 11:30 – 13:00 | Live Demonstrations: “Agri-Robotics in Action” (in rotation) | UK industry and academic partners in agri-robotics |
| 13:00 – 13:45 | Networking Lunch (buffet) | — |
| 13:45 – 14:45 | Future Talent Exchange: Building Careers in Agri-Robotics (skills gaps, career pathways, and actionable opportunities to strengthen the talent pipeline) | Becky Dodds, Director of Communities, Agri-TechE |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | Afternoon Break | — |
| 15:00 – 15:45 | Panel Discussion: “Shaping the Future of Agri-Robotics in the UK” | Grzegorz Cielniak (University of Lincoln) and panellists from academia, industry and government |
| 15:45 – 15:50 | Closing Remarks | Grzegorz Cielniak |
Evening — Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House and Cloisters
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 18:45 | Drinks Reception |
| 19:30 | Conference Dinner |
Day 2 — Thursday 25 June 2026 (in Lincoln Medical School)
| Time | Session | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:45 – 09:15 | Registration (with refreshments and pastries) | — |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Welcome Back | Grzegorz Cielniak, University of Lincoln |
| 09:30 – 10:30 | Parallel Roundtable Discussions (see topics below) | See below |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Morning Break | — |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Industry Reverse Pitch: “Real Problems, Real Opportunities” | Paula Eves (University of Lincoln) & UK agri-robotics industries |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Closing Remarks & Next Steps | Marc Hanheide, CDT Director |
| 12:30 – 13:00 | Networking Lunch (buffet) & Departures | — |
Roundtable Topics
Four parallel roundtable discussions, each led by two facilitators, will explore the most pressing challenges and opportunities in agri-robotics:
- Next-Gen Agri-Robotics Workforce: Skills, Gaps and Retention
- Accelerating Commercialisation: From Prototype to Product
- Collaborative Policy Design: Strengthening UK Agri-Tech Ecosystems
- Innovations and Impact Stories: Translating Research into Real-World Value
Featured Speakers
Lindsay Roome — Head of Agri-Tech and Innovation, DEFRA
Lindsay leads Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme (delivered through Innovate UK), funding commercial research to improve farming productivity, sustainability, and resilience. She also leads wider policies supporting the growth of the agri-tech sector and the adoption of new technologies in farming.
Becky Dodds — Director of Communities, Agri-TechE
Becky leads the communities programme at Agri-TechE, the networking organisation that brings together farmers, technologists, and researchers to accelerate agri-technology adoption across the UK.
Marc Hanheide — CDT Director, Professor of Intelligent Robotics and Interactive Systems, University of Lincoln
Marc is Director of the AgriFoRwArdS CDT and leads the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems (L-CAS). His research spans human-robot interaction, autonomous navigation, and intelligent systems for real-world deployment.
Grzegorz Cielniak — Professor of Agricultural Robotics, University of Lincoln
Greg is a co-investigator of the AgriFoRwArdS CDT with expertise in field robotics, agricultural automation, and robot perception.
About AgriFoRwArdS
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Agri-Food Robotics (AgriFoRwArdS) is funded by UKRI (Grant EP/S023917/1) and established by the University of Lincoln in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia.
Agri-food is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector — twice the scale of automotive and aerospace industries combined — yet faces significant pressures: population growth, climate change, labour shortages, and environmental harm. AgriFoRwArdS trains PhD researchers to develop advanced robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) that address these challenges head-on.
Across five cohorts since 2019, AgriFoRwArdS students have published at leading international venues including ICML, ICCV, IROS, and HRI, and have collaborated with a wide range of industry partners from farming, food technology, and robotics.
Venue
Day 1 & 2: Isaac Newton Building, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
Conference Dinner: Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House and Cloisters, Minster Yard, Lincoln (a short walk from the Lincoln Hotel)
Related Links
- Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems (L-CAS)
- AgriFoRwArdS CDT
- University of Lincoln
- Agri-TechE
- DEFRA Farming Innovation Programme
For enquiries about the event, please contact the AgriFoRwArdS team at agriforwards.cdt@lincoln.ac.uk