This project aims to develop a testbed of integrated sensors, controls, artificial intelligence, and ecotoxicology tools to engineer sustainable food production systems based on aquaculture, using brackish water. The testbed includes an automated recirculating aquaculture system based on desalination concentrate to demonstrate that brackish groundwater desalination costs can be offset by using its byproducts for profitable food production. Although aquaponics is becoming prevalent as a means of food production, efforts to develop these systems in brackish groundwater are very scarce. This project contributes to fill this need by understanding organism response to varying salinity and brackish groundwater chemistry, as well as impacting desalination technology as it proposes a profitable option for concentrate management. In addition to being the most efficient animal protein production system, aquaponics contributes to reduction of harmful effects on the environment. Brackish water aquaponics is of great interest for inland areas far from the coast since it includes products associated with marine resources. An important societal benefit of this project is demonstrating that it is possible to repurpose desalination byproducts to produce food, offsetting the costs of treatment, while reducing environmental impacts from those byproducts. Finding options for concentrate management, other than disposal, remains a major challenge to implement desalination in inland areas. Therefore, results of this project would have societal impacts in many areas with semi-arid and arid climate, scarcity of surface water, and brackish groundwater. Furthermore, the project would impact saline aquaculture producers worldwide, leading to protection of coastal ecosystems. We will conduct activities that directly contribute to broader impacts engaging with students of the local communities in three major ways: developing an exhibit and activity emphasizing interdisciplinary research conducted during the academic year, offering summer research experiences to students from underrepresented groups, and participating in science and technology outreach events targeting underrepresented groups.