OCTOBER, 20, 2020 — The University of Texas at San Antonio has received a four-year, $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to advance research, technology development, student training and the diversity of students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
The Bioenergy and Water for Agriculture Research and Education (BE AWARE 2) Network is a consortium led by Krystel Castillo, director of the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute, GreenStar Endowed Associate Professor in Energy and VP in Energy Efficiency for the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute. It involves several partners including The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, The University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, San Antonio College, South Texas College and multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies.
Nowadays, concerns are growing over the ability of the modern smart agriculture systems to simultaneously achieve security and environmental sustainability. The increased penetration of Internet of Things (IoT) based smart security and monitoring devices allows farmers to collect data with a high granularity and in enormous quantities; however, security issues are a latent concern. Additionally, the use of machine learning as well as artificial intelligence techniques is revolutionizing the decision-making support systems in smart agriculture. Yet, the dominant tendency is to conceptualize diverse smart agriculture systems (e.g., biofuels, food, water, etc.) as separate, disconnected issues, which is a key barrier to educational transformation.
BE AWARE 2 will continue and expand efforts to provide research opportunities and transdisciplinary training in IoT security, data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence for the optimization and design of integrated bioenergy and water systems.
“The BE AWARE 2 team will work towards addressing the shortage of trained workforce in data analytics to optimize smart agriculture with a holistic systems perspective,” said Castillo.
BE AWARE 2 trains a future workforce with a strong baseline understanding of data-driven agriculture systems by engaging students in research projects showing the integrative nature of biofuel production and water remediation. BE AWARE 2 aims to identify frontiers in agriculture and devise the future of data-driven agriculture systems.
“The holistic approach and training in data-driven integrated systems will allow fellows to address challenges from a science, experimental, analytical and computational integrated approach,” said Castillo.
The long-term impact, Castillo added, will be to create a competitive workforce, able to design and manage smart agriculture systems to increase the economic competitiveness of the United States.
“This type of research, which directly impacts our communities while engaging a broad network of academic and government partners, is a perfect example of how UTSA and the College of Engineering seeks to serve our society,” said, JoAnn Browning, dean, UTSA College of Engineering. “The work that Dr. Castillo and her colleagues will complete helps us to shape the future economic prosperity, health, and food security of our region for generations to come.”UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
This academically rigorous mathematics-based summer enrichment program prepares middle and high school students for advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Participants learn about problem-solving systems, develop greater awareness of STEM careers and strengthen their research skills.
UTSA Main CampusArchaeology 101 will introduce campers to archaeology and build on learned skills through experimental activities (like cave painting, weaving, and garbology).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusThe camp exposes rising high school juniors, rising seniors and incoming college freshman to the many facets of the criminal justice system. Students will have opportunities to learn the functions of police in society and apply scientific theories to criminal investigations by examining a mock crime scene.
UTSA Main CampusThe Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center invites you to join us for the Summer Bridging Institute. This institute will focus on being lifelong growers and continually seeking to increase our skills as educators.
UTSA Downtown CampusArchaeology 201 will briefly go over the foundations of archaeology and related skills, followed by a different topic over the course of this week (like skeletal analysis, global cultures, and more).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusCraft a comic to create your own narrative and find your voice through storytelling. Participants will learn to create characters that are self-reflective and through a community lens.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusCome enjoy a discussion on art as a self expression in the age of moving technology and telling your story with a community.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.