Emerging Research Showcase: AI and Precision Livestock Farming

NC State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences invites you to attend the next fully in-person Emerging Research Showcase: AI and Precision Livestock Farming.

Join us on Wednesday November 19, 2025 at The Conference Center at NCBiotech starting at 3:00pm EST as we dive into AI and Precision Livestock Farming, two pillars of NC State’s Food Animal Initiative. Partnering with industry leaders, we’re bringing interdisciplinary sciences together to solve grand challenges and bring new ideas to market faster.

AGENDA

3:00 p.m. Welcome

• Welcome and CALS Overview: Megan Jacob, Senior Associate Dean, Administration, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• How to Get Involved: Dinah Schuster, Senior Director of Development (NC Plant Sciences Initiative) & Executive Director, NCALS Research Foundation

3:15 p.m. The View from Industry

• Advancing Sustainability in Livestock Production through AI and PLF: Lucas Assis, Manager, Precision Livestock Farming, Adisseo
• Using Emerging Technologies for Better Outcomes: Rodrigo Souza, Associate Director, Merck Animal Health Ventures

4:00 p.m. Faculty Research Briefs

• AI-Driven Monitoring Network for Digital Poultry Farm Management: Frank Bai, Assistant Professor in Precision and Digital Agriculture, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
• Proactive Pig Production (p3): Animal-Centric AI For Indoor Environmental Control to Optimize Productivity, Welfare, and Sustainability: Xipeng (Gracen) Shen, Professor, Department of Computer Science
• AI Eyes for the Barn: Smarter Behavior Detection for Health, Welfare, and Profit: Ramesh Bahadur Bist, Assistant Professor of AI for Integrated Food & Animal Systems, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
• Precision Dairy Farming, Robotic Milking, and Profitability in the United States: Zachary Raff, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
• Leveraging Science Communication and Engagement around the Use of AI for Animal Health: Katie Sanders, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Food Systems Communication, Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences

4:50 p.m. Student/Postdoc Two Minute Pitches

Students TBD

5:00 p.m. Formal Program Concludes / Networking Reception