UTIA Wins Grant to Advance AI Education

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Future farmers and leaders in agriculture need to understand and implement technologies that use artificial intelligence. A team of University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) faculty are working toward creating new curriculum to train the next generation of agriculture students.

Led by Hao Gan, assistant professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, the team won a four-year grant for $741,102 from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The project, “Development of a Smart Agricultural Experiential Learning Program for Youth,” will create hands-on curriculum about using drones, ground robots, computer vision systems, and other AI-related technologies. The team will recruit 10-12 youth participants, ages 15-20, each year for four years to participate in a four-week hands-on learning experience, starting in 2025.