Data and Artificial Intelligence for Food

Speaker:  Rozita Dara | University of Guelph

Date: February, 14
Time: 4 pm
Room: LH3058 (Lazaridis Hall (Math Boardroom), Room 3058) & Hybrid

Abstract:  With the rapid growth of the population and the increasing
demand for food worldwide, there is a growing interest in using
digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial
intelligence, and robotics to improve agriculture and food
production and sustainability. This requires the collection of large
amounts of data from diverse data sources in the food supply
chain and effectively integrating, processing, and using them to
improve practices and decision-making. However, a number of
challenges exist which prohibit the effective use of data and digital
technologies in the food supply chain. This talk provides a review
of these challenges and potential solutions. With an emphasis on
the design thinking approach and data-first mindset, this talk
presents case studies on how data and digital technologies can be
used responsibly and effectively to build a more resilient food
supply chain.

Bio: Dr. Dara is the associate professor and the
Director of AI4Food research initiative at the
University of Guelph. Her research interest
includes applied artificial intelligence and data
governance with a particular focus on digital
agriculture and food. Since joining the
University of Guelph, she has been
spearheading several initiatives related to
digital agri-food including agri-food data
platforms, data trust frameworks (privacy,
policy, and confidentiality), and automation