Pre-Conference Workshops/Tour

Monday, March 31st
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

NOTE: Workshops and the tour will run concurrently.  You can only register for the workshops OR the tour, not both. The tour is limited to the first 30 participants to sign up.
(must pre-register below)

• Pre-conference Workshop 1 (9:00-9:50 am) in The Mill Ballroom
    Intro to Cloud-Based Tools for Labeling and
     Training Object Detection Models (bring laptop)
       Dr. Ivan Grijalva and Dr. Thanos Gentimis; Louisiana State University 

  Machine learning models are valuable for detecting, classifying, and segmenting objects using imagery. As this technology advances, it helps automate labor-intensive agricultural tasks. YOLO models, for example, are effective in detecting both small and large objects, enabling automatic identification and counting, an essential task in agriculture and research. This beginner workshop will guide you in downloading imagery from open-source databases and provide hands-on experience in labeling images with tools like Roboflow or Labelbox. You will also learn to train and fine-tune object detection models for practical challenges in precision agriculture, such as detecting insects, weeds, and diseases using software. Additionally, we will examine current use cases, including the detection and identification of insects and other related agricultural problems. 

• Pre-conference Workshop 2 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) in The Mill Ballroom
    SAS Workshop – Building an Ag-knowledgeable Chatbot (bring laptop)
       Ms. Shelly Hunt and Dr. John Gottula 

  Researchers and teachers are often dismayed by outrageous answers received from large language models (LLMs).  In this workshop, you will learn how to arm an LLM with specific knowledge, such as from an agriculture or food research program.  Participants' expected learning outcomes are to
       1) become familiar with natural language processing
       2) learn best practices for LLM augmentation
       3) understand how building a knowledgeable chatbot could apply to your research, teaching or extension program

  Participants are expected to bring a laptop for this hands-on workshop taught by SAS Institute agriculture data scientists.

• 9:00-12:00 pm Tour (AAI, CAVS, Raspet)
    
     The Agricultural Autonomy Institute (AAI) is Mississippi State University’s (MSU) newest University-level Institute focusing on integrating two of MSU’s most prominent areas of research and educational excellence – agriculture and engineering-based autonomous vehicle systems.  AAI is the nation’s first and only academic institute dedicated exclusively to advancing Agricultural Autonomy. 
    
     The Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) is one of the premier university automotive research centers in the world in developing solutions to enhance transportation safety, improve vehicle efficiency, increase the productivity of our workforce, and develop terrestrial autonomous systems for non-agricultural uses. CAVS strives to be a world-class center of excellence for research, technology, and education equipped to address engineering challenges facing U.S. mobility industries.
    
     The Raspet Flight Research Laboratory (RFRL) is a historic, nationally recognized leader in the field of experimental aviation research. Today, Raspet continually advances modern concepts in experimental aviation through the research, development, testing, and evaluation of large Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and associated technologies.