Derek is course coordinator for two courses in the Bachelor of Agricultural Technology and Management:
AGR2202: Instrumentation and Automation in Agriculture
In this course we learn about the current state-of-the-art in agricultural smart sensing from satellites to drones to tractors to IoT sensors and get hands-on with several of them.
The course also aims to give a foundation in electronics and software.
AGR3105: Smart Data Farming
This is a continuation of our sensing work but with a focus on software. Here students will be pushed to reach further and take on tasks in machine learning, advanced data management, and front-end/back-end web design.
Some of these concepts are really intimidating for those without a background in software, which is where generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) is really useful as a tool for making advanced concepts more accessible. Using AI to work for us is a skill in and of itself, and one that I am passionate about instilling in AgTech students.
Derek is also involved in Engineering courses, particularly in the Mechatronic and Agricultural majors.
