2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Graduate Training in Translational Convergent Research - Harnessing AI and Data Science for Sustainable Agriculture (GRAD-AID for Ag) NSF-National Research Traineeship

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session I

Social and economic pressures on food and agricultural systems impact the ability to sustainably grow crops to feed our population. While advances in both fundamental and applied research have driven innovation in agriculture, there is a disconnect between fundamental and applied plant biology research. A new generation of scientists with the skills, knowledge, and experience to bridge gaps in experimentation, analysis, and field applications is needed to bring AI advances into agricultural fields by spanning boundaries between disciplines and sectors. GRAD-AID for Ag is a NSF-National Research Traineeship designed to train students in convergent research bridging AI and agricultural research. Project components include a 3-week summer bridge program, an exploratory course in plant science data, coursework leading to an Ag Data Science certificate, and a 2-year capstone project where teams of three use machine learning and basic and applied agriculture research to solve grower needs. This paper reports on the first year experiences of the first cohort of students where they engaged in the summer bridge program, the exploratory course, and began to work on their capstone projects. Formative assessment demonstrates that the summer bridge program was quite successful at introducing students to multiple types of businesses engaged in agricultural research and to growers to help understand their needs. The exploratory course was challenging for students as it introduced them to convergent research and the proposal writing process, which they had not experienced. The most difficult aspect was developing a suitable research idea for their proposal and getting adequate feedback from subject matter experts.

Authors

Dr. Catherine E. Brawner http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8172-7599 Research Triangle Educational Consultants [biography]

Catherine E. Brawner is President of Research Triangle Educational Consultants. She received her Ph.D.in Educational Research and Policy Analysis from NC State University in 1996. She also has an MBA from Indiana University (Bloomington) and a bachelors degree from Duke University. She specializes in evaluation and research in higher ed STEM disciplines.
Dr. Kimberly Bourne North Carolina State University at Raleigh [biography]

Kimberly Bourne PhD is a project coordinator with the GRAD-AID for Ag (Graduate Training in Translational Convergent Research – Harnessing AI and Data Science for Sustainable Agriculture) program at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. She focuses on developing tools, methods, and workshops to increase convergence capacity in cross-disciplinary teams. She is also interested in using team science, novel modelling, and stakeholder engagement methods to improve environmental decision-making.
Dr. Terri Long NC State University [biography]

Dr. Terri Long is a Professor and University Faculty Scholar in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and obtained her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Georgia in 2005. Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Long conducted postdoctoral research at Duke University in Dr. Philip Benfey's lab. She then served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago before joining the faculty at NC State in 2011.
Dr. Long's research group employs molecular and systems biology approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant nutrient stress responses. Her teaching primarily focuses on the fundamentals of plant physiology. She served as the Platform Director for Education and Workforce Development for the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, where she spearheaded the development and implementation of strategic programs to cultivate the next generation of leaders in plant science, 2022-2025.
Dr. Long received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) from US White House in January, 2025. Additionally, Dr. Long serves as Lead Principal Investigator for the NSF Research Traineeship program Graduate Training in Translational Convergent Research - Harnessing AI and Data Science for Sustainable Agriculture (GRAD AID for Ag), an initiative to equip doctoral students with interdisciplinary expertise at the nexus of plant science and artificial intelligence, fostering innovation in sustainable agriculture. She currently, serves as Head of the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at N. C. State University.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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