Harnessing Data Science and AI for Collaborative Advances in Production Agriculture
A FORUM HOSTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Join leading faculty and experts from diverse fields to uncover how data science and artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping the future of agriculture and natural resource management in Alabama.
This forum aims to:
- advance research in AI-driven agriculture and sustainability
- provide a platform for identifying key challenges and opportunities in AI applications for production agriculture and natural resource management, and
- develop a roadmap with actionable recommendations for Auburn University faculty and administration.
It will feature keynote sessions, panel discussions, lightning talks, a poster session and dedicated networking opportunities to foster meaningful collaborations. Organized by an interdisciplinary team from Auburn University and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, the event brings together experts from the Colleges of Agriculture, Sciences & Mathematics, and Engineering, as well as Alabama Extension.
MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2025
7:45-5:30
THE HOTEL AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY AND DIXON CONFERENCE CENTER GRAND BALLROOM II
REGISTER FOR FREE BY APRIL 11
Who is invited to the Forum: Faculty, Students, and University Administration interested in learning about the potential of Data Science and AI for advancing Production Agriculture. Faculty who are also interested in exploring collaboration with CSAM, Engineering, and Agriculture. We are also inviting representatives from Industry and representatives of organizations in food and agriculture.
FORUM SCHEDULE
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | Registration and Poster Setup
Located in the Dixon Conference Center Foyer
8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks (AUHCC Grand Ballroom II)
8:40 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. | Forum’s Purpose, Goals, and Program Overview
8:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. | Keynote Presentations
- AI Across the Curriculum: A University of Florida Experience, Dr. Kati Migliaccio, Dean, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida
- Multidisciplinary Efforts to Advance Sweet Potato Production in North Carolina, Dr. Cranos Williams, Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Analytics, North Carolina State University
10:10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. | Break
10:20 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. | Current AI and Data Science Efforts at Auburn University
- AI@AU Initiative, Dr. Gerry Dozier, Director, Auburn University Center for AI & Cybersecurity Engineering (AU-CAICE), SGCOE
- Center for Data Science Innovation (CDSI), Dr. Nedret Billor, Co-Director of CDSI, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, COSAM
10:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Auburn Faculty Lightning Talks on AI and Data Science Applications in Agriculture and Beyond
- Advancing Crop Resilience and Production Efficiency Through AI, Dr. Tanzeel Rehman, Smart Systems, Department of Horticulture and Biosystems Engineering, COA
- Exploring Climate-Driven Risk Factors in Disease Epidemics Using an Integrated Interdisciplinary Approach, Amanpreet Kaur, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, COA
- Development of a Modeling Framework Through Active Learning in Resource-Constrained Environments, Dr. JooChul Lee, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, COSAM
- Surveillance of Pathogenic Bacteria in a Food Matrix Using Machine-Learning-Enabled Paper Chromogenic Arrays, Dr. Zhen Jia, Department of Poultry Science, COA
- Use of Data Science and AI in Urban Weather and Climate, Dr. Chandana Mitra, Earth System Science Ph.D. Program Director, Department of Geosciences, COSAM
- Harnessing Climate Modeling and AI/ML Technology to Enhance Soil Moisture Forecasting for Food and Water Security, Dr. Sanjiv Kumar, Earth System Modeling and Observation, CFWE
- Scalable and Trustworthy AI with Federated Machine Learning, Dr. Yang Zhou, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, SGCOE
12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | Networking Lunch and Poster Session (Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development)
Located in Grand Ballroom II and the Foyer
1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Facilitated Working Sessions
Participants will be invited to engage in a group discussion to exchange ideas on strategies to strengthen AU work in areas related to Data Science (DS) and AI. The discussion will be focused on the topics of:
- Needs and opportunities in teaching/workforce development, and Extension
- Needs and opportunities to use DS and AI to advance agriculture and natural resources research
- Partnerships and funding opportunities
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. | Break
3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Auburn Faculty Lightning Talks on AI and Data Science Applications in Agriculture and Beyond
- A Natural Language Interface for Databases, Dr. Jeff Ku, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, SGCOE
- From Software Applications to Agriculture: How Can We Use Generative AI?, Dr. Akond Rahman, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, SGCOE
- Uncertainty Quantification of Generative Digital Twins, Dr. Huan He, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, COSAM
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. | Closing Panel Discussion – Opportunities to Advance Production
- Agriculture Using AI and Data Science AI Applied to Agricultural Extension, Dr. Dave Warren, Director of Integrated Digital Strategies, Oklahoma State University
- AI and Data Science Applied to Industry-Led Integrated Solutions for Agriculture, Dr. Rafael Bidese, Data Science, Corteva AgroScience
- Autonomous AI Solutions in Agriculture, Craig Ganssle, CEO, Farmwave, Inc.
4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Reports from Facilitated Working Sessions and Discussion on Next Steps
5:30 p.m. | Adjourn
SPEAKERS
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
DR. KATI MIGLIACCIO
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Dean
Dr. Migliaccio has experience in different types of systems, including agricultural, natural, and urban. As a faculty member, she was instrumental in developing some of the first Smartphone Apps for irrigation management that incorporated crop specific models and linked to real-time data.
DR. CRANOS WILLIAMS
Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Analytics at NC State University
He serves as the Platform Director of the Data-Driven Plant Sciences research platform of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative and is the head of the EnBiSys Research Laboratory.
CLOSING PANEL SPEAKERS
CRAIG GANSSLE
Founder and CEO of Farmwave, Inc.
Craig Ganssle is the Founder and CEO of Farmwave, Inc, an artificial intelligence technology company that architects purpose-built autonomous AI solutions in agriculture to deliver value.
Today, Craig leads a seasoned team of visionaries, technical engineers, designers, and strategists working together to introduce Farmwave. Powered by a proprietary and extensive dataset, which includes 3 approved patents, Farmwave adds value with a unified intelligent platform across multiple channels in agriculture. With integrated smart tools, Farmwave can increase agriculture profits in the billions on an annual basis.
In addition to agriculture, Craig also founded Cadre, a consultant agency focused on streamlining business operations and processes using modern-day platforms and applications, some of which included artificial intelligence. Through Cadre, Craig has consulted on multiple projects including Industrial Manufacturing & IoT, Smart Cities, Retail, and Hybrid Work Environments.
DR. RAFAEL BIDESE
Data Scientist, Corteva Agriscience
Rafael Bidese is an Imaging Data Scientist at Corteva Agriscience, specializing in vision models for agricultural research. With over 7 years of experience in automation, robotics, and AI he has worked across academia and industry to develop innovative solutions for precision agriculture and industrial automation. Rafael obtained a PhD in Biosystems Engineering (2023) and a master’s degree in data science and engineering (2022) from Auburn University. His expertise includes leading cross-functional teams, deep learning, and data science applications in agriculture.
DAVID WARREN
Senior Director Integrated Digital Strategies, Oklahoma State University
David Warren is an expert in artificial intelligence and digital transformation, with over two decades of global experience leading digital initiatives in both the private and public sectors. David has played a key leadership role in developing ExtensionBot, a chatbot tailored for the Extension Service. His expertise spans across strategic planning, information technology, and marketing. David holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University and is an Adjunct Professor there teaching Web and Digital Marketing Analytics. He is Senior Director Digital Strategies at OSU and AI Program Leader at the Extension Foundation, and speaks frequently to national groups on the topic of AI and Extension.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
