CEA X201 - ADVANCEA Academy: “Using Artificial Intelligence to Empower Greenhouse Operations”

“Using Artificial Intelligence to Empower Greenhouse Operations” is a 3-week course designed and offered by ADVANCEA as part of the ADVANCEA Academy series.

This online course introduces controlled environment agriculture (CEA) professionals to potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically about how to evaluate and adopt AI tools as an applied decision-support tool in CEA. The course emphasizes practical understanding—what AI can do in CEA and where it adds value in CEA operations.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain core AI concepts using non-technical language relevant to CEA
• Identify major categories of AI applications used in greenhouses
• Understand data requirements and limitations of AI systems
• Interpret AI outputs and integrate them with grower expertise
• Become familiar with AI vendors and products for greenhouse use

What You’ll Earn

• A certificate of completion from Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Additional Information

Can’t attend live? No problem!

Participants are encouraged to join the live sessions in real time; however, live attendance is not required. All lectures, including the live sessions, are recorded and will be made available in Canvas, allowing flexible, self-paced learning while still providing opportunities to ask questions and interact directly with instructors during the live sessions.

Refund Policy: Refund requests will be honored up to 3 days after registration and prior to the start of the course, subject to a 20% processing fee. All refund requests are subject to review.

Course Schedule at a Glance

Thursday, October 15th (6PM – 8PM ET): Lectures 1 & 2 (Live & Recordings)

Lecture 1: “What is AI (and what it is not) for Greenhouse Growers Instructor”
Instructor: Dr. Fengqi You, Cornell University

Lecture 2: “Data: The Foundation of AI in CEA”
Instructor: Dr. A.J. Both, Rutgers University

Thursday, October 22nd (6PM – 8PM ET): Lectures 3 & CEA Vendor Forum (Live & Recordings)

Lecture 3: “Major Types of AI Applications in CEA Today”
Instructors: Dr. Murat Kacira (University of Arizona) & Dr. Peter Ling (The Ohio State University)

CEA AI Vendor Forum – Evaluating AI Products and Vendors in CEA
Moderators: Dr. Murat Kacira (University of Arizona) & Dr. Chieri Kubota (The Ohio State University)
Invited vendor reps for AI solutions: Tomas Geurts (Source.ag) & Dr. Ken Tran (Koidra, Inc.) [Additional vendors to be announced!]

Thursday, October 29th (6PM – 8PM ET): Lecture 4 & Open Discussion (Live & Recordings)

Lecture 4: “Case Studies: Successful and Unsuccessful AI Use in CEA”
Instructors: Dr. Changhyeon Kim (University of Connecticut) & Dr. Jason Hollick (The Ohio State University)

Open Discussion: The Future of AI in CEA and Workforce Implications with all ADVANCEA Academy Instructors

Contact Us

For questions about enrollment, payment options, technology support, or course records, please contact our Enrollment Support team. Inquiries are typically answered within 24 business hours.

Submit an enrollment inquiry

For questions about course content or learning objectives, please contact Chieri Kubota.