NRT-HDR: Interdisciplinary Studies in Entomology, Computer Science and Technology NETwork (INSECT NET)

NRT-HDR: Interdisciplinary Studies in Entomology, Computer Science and Technology NETwork (INSECT NET) Insects constitute three-quarters of the eight million animal and plant species on Earth. Insects play a critical role in human and ecological health, including supporting fruit set by plants through pollination, serving as food for wild animals such as birds, and facilitating nutrient cycling. Insects are also key pests of plants and vectors of human and animal diseases. Many insect species are showing dramatic and alarming changes in their abundance and distributions around the world, due to a complex suite of interacting factors. Traditional approaches for monitoring insects are labor intensive and cannot be deployed at large scales. Cyber-physical systems (CPS) to autonomously monitor, map and predict changes in insect abundance and distributions across landscapes and over time will dramatically improve our understanding of the drivers influencing biodiversity, while supporting communities and policymakers to make decisions that conserve beneficial species and mitigate impacts of pests. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship award to Penn State University establishes the INterdisciplinary Studies in Entomology, Computer Science and Technology NETwork (INSECT NET), empowering students to work across disciplines and collaborate with stakeholder groups to develop solutions to the insect biodiversity crisis. A faculty team from 8 departments, spanning 3 colleges, will co-train and co-mentor 35 stipend-paid PhD trainees (25 NSF funded, 10 associates) and hundreds of additional students through curricular and program offerings. INSECT NET is a transdisciplinary program integrating the life sciences, computer science, engineering, and data science, while leveraging advances in artificial intelligence. INSECT NET’s unique solutions-driven approach - where collaborative student teams develop CPS to address stakeholder needs through coursework, internships and research projects - encourages creative and dynamic problem-solving, empowering students to readily adapt to new challenges, concepts, and teams. Trainees will develop a growth mindset, a convergence mindset, and skills in team science. Trainees will gain competencies in (1) insect systematics (2) ecology (3) sensor design (4) energy efficient optimizations (5) continual learning and adaptation of AI systems (6) robotic systems (7) data integration (8) and data management, including designing visualization tools accessible to stakeholders. Trainees will receive formal instruction in communicating science to diverse audiences (including the public and K-12 schools), project management, and best practices for convergence research. Trainees will expand their professional skills and networks through internships, entrepreneurship programs, and engagement with our Stakeholder Advisory Board. INSECT NET’s training opportunities will be formalized in a new Graduate Certificate in Technology and AI for Agricultural and Ecological Science at Penn State. INSECT NET’s unique recruitment pipeline will connect prospective students with current students and alumni, leveraging new and existing partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions. The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.