AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS)

Congratulations to the RoboBees ?? team for being selected as a finalist in the 2025 NASA Gateways to Blue Skies Competition! Plants need #pollination to propagate, but the declining #beepopulation is putting crop pollination at risk. The team proposed a novel pollination system using a swarm of lightweight, autonomous #drones – or RoboBees. The robotic “bees” would mimic natural pollination using two methods:? ? a spray-on system for broad pollen distribution and? ? a probe-based system for precise pollen delivery. The drones would be supported by a central hub called the BeeHive to coordinate their activities, handle recharging, and ensure efficient operation of the swarm. While the technology might not be available today, teams were encouraged to think 10 years ahead to what could be possible within that time. The RoboBees team is mentored by AIFS faculty, Zhaodan Kong and postdoc Peng Wei, and led by undergraduate, Oliver Austin. Team members include Orfeas Magoulas, Achuth Jayasankar Kondoor, Het Satasiya, and Horacio Contreras. The #gatewaystoblueskies competition is sponsored by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Teams were asked to research new or improved #aviation solutions to support #agriculture under the theme AgAir: Aviation Solutions for Agriculture. Each of the 8 final teams will receive a stipend to support their participation in the Gateways to Blue Skies Forum to be held near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in May. Best of luck to our University of California, Davis team in the final round of competition! ??

We're happy to be represented at World Agri-Tech with AIFS Director, Ilias Tagkopoulos, moderating the panel, "AI-Enabled Agriculture: Embracing AI and GenAI in Everyday Practices." This power-packed session tackled big questions including GenAI, AI infrastructure in the agriculture industry, the race for talent, data demands of AI, financial risks, data privacy, and security considerations. #AI #agriculture #aiworkforce #data

Analytical sciences allow us to measure and better understand our food and agricultural systems, leading to improvements in production and food safety. AI is the latest technology in our suite of analytical tools — and Health Canada | Santé Canada recognizes the promise it offers. AIFS Board Member Dr. Harold Schmitz and Associate Director, Steve Brown, were invited to speak at a recent Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) Science Seminar to discuss how #AI innovations are being integrated into #foodsystem analysis, and how they may be applied in the future. Key themes included: ? “AI” (in all its various forms) is more than simply a tool in your toolbox ? Every aspect of the innovation pipeline needs to be faster/better/cheaper ? The act of embracing AI “at the center” forces better enterprise performance ? “How AI Revolutionized Protein Science, but Didn’t End It” (Quanta Magazine, June 26, 2024) ? How to collaborate with AIFS — embrace the complexity, the dynamism and the urgency We thank Sophie Sommeregger, Joyce Irene Boye and Jason Rancourt for the invitation and look forward to future collaborations!

Imagine a drone darting through tight spaces or changing batteries mid-air. These are examples of innovative solutions Mark Mueller is developing to solve two common challenges in #UAV flight – operating at high speeds in cramped spaces and flying for an extended time over long distances. Join us tomorrow on the University of California, Davis campus for the AIFS AI Speaker Series where Dr. Mueller will demonstrate how developments in hardware and controls co-design are helping to break through persistent challenges in #aerialrobotics. WHAT: Free one-hour event with talk by Dr. Mark Mueller followed by Q&A ? WHEN: Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 12:30–1:30 PM ? This event is a hybrid event open to all, whether you are a part of the university community or the public. Dr. Mueller will be visiting from UC Berkeley College of Engineering. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gWZqQCnh #droneflight #dronedesign #ai #engineering

We often take safe drinking water for granted, but not everyone can count on their tap water. Many communities across the U.S. face unsafe water conditions, and in California's rural farming communities, this is often due to longtime use of common fertilizers. Farmers need to use the right amount of #nitrogen to help crops grow strong and healthy. But too much nitrogen can be harmful — it can lower crop yields, pollute water supplies, and damage the environment. This is a challenge for California’s almond orchards. In 2020, the State Water Resources Control Board implemented the Safe Drinking Water Plan for California, but it's difficult for growers to apply just the right amount of fertilizer when they can't easily measure nitrogen levels in their trees. In a new study, AIFS researchers explored different ways to measure nitrogen levels in almond leaves using remote sensing — techniques that capture data from a distance, often using cameras on airplanes or drones. Solving this problem will be good for human health, farmers, and our food. Learn more about this cutting-edge research in our latest post. This new #research was co-authored by Damian Oswald, Alireza Pourreza, Momtanu Chakraborty, Sat Darshan Khalsa, and Patrick Brown. https://lnkd.in/gF_i3UYy

We're live in Washington, DC, at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum. This has been a high-energy day full of great conversations with USDA staff, industry peers, and even podcasters! We're grateful for the opportunity to share our cutting-edge research in AI-driven innovation that will transform food systems and make agriculture smarter, more sustainable, and ready for the future. ?? ?? Our space features the 5 National #AI Institutes for #Agriculture: ?? AgAID Institute ?? AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) ?? AI-CLIMATE Institute ?? AIFARMS - Center for Digital Agriculture ?? AIIRA - AI Institute For Resilient Agriculture #innovation #agtech #farming #foodsystems

We're looking forward to being a part of USDA's 2025 Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, DC, this week. Together with our family of National AI Institutes for Agriculture, we'll be showcasing innovations in #AI applications for farming, food systems, and forestry, and demonstrating how they strengthen rural communities and enhance national competitiveness. Attendees will get the chance to connect with industry peers, gain insights, and engage in transformative discussions. If you're planning to attend, stop by our table on Thursday! #agriculture #innovation AgAID Institute, Center for Digital Agriculture, AIIRA - AI Institute For Resilient Agriculture, AI-CLIMATE Institute, AI Institutes Virtual Organization (AIVO) Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gdgjFd8R

Research and innovation can achieve more meaningful impact on society when they're combined with entrepreneurial talent and forward-thinking investors – leading to groundbreaking startups that improve human and planetary health. We were happy to co-sponsor the event, "Investing in the Future of Human and Planetary Health," with the Innovation Institute for Food & Health, UC Davis and Summit Trail Advisors. Stakeholders, startup executives, investors, academic researchers, and global food companies came together to engage in meaningful dialogue around how to support transformative change in this space – from investing in research with commercial potential to translating innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace. The event wrapped up by tasting Vine to Bar chocolates and WindRacer Wines as participants discussed ways to collaborate and complement each others' efforts, as chocolate pairs with wine. #innovation #humanhealth #foodscience #sustainability #startups #techtranslation

We're happy to see AIFS faculty Christine Diepenbrock speaking at the Plant Breeding Symposium today. Dr. Diepenbrock is using #AI to accelerate the development of more nutritious and resilient crops through her seed breeding program. #nutrition #agtech #cropimprovement

Are you trained in Instructional Design, passionate about education, and excited about the opportunities presented by AI? (Or do you know someone who is?) Our office, through the AI Institutes Virtual Organization (AIVO), is hiring an Instructional Designer to develop educational materials that incorporate AI tools and training. This role will support up to 27 member AI institutes with their education-related initiatives. Preference given to candidates local to the Sacramento, Davis, or Bay Areas who can work hybrid in our UC Davis office 3 days/wk but remote applicants will be considered. This position is funded by a charitable grant from Google.org and will be hired as a University of California, Davis contract employee. To learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/gA4n_yQb Please share with your network and reach out with any questions! #hiring #education #ai #instructionaldesign #hybrid #remote