UCD launched a new four-year Agricultural Systems Technology undergraduate degree programme at today’s Harvesting Knowledge: Big Data in Agriculture and Food symposium at the UCD O’Brien Centre for Science.
The new four year honours degree programme is aimed at students who wish to build their knowledge and skills-base to address the complexities of developing, deploying and managing technology for the agriculture and food sector.
With a focus on design, numeracy and technology, students will be committed and engaged with food production and processing, and specifically with technology to enhance efficiency, sustainability and reliability.
Technologies of interest range from computer systems, networks, data management and sensors through machinery systems to precision agriculture.
Commenting on the Agricultural Systems Technology programme, Professor Alexander Evans, UCD Dean of Agriculture said that agriculture and food industries need more innovation and Big Data.
New technologies offer enormous potential to improve efficiency and to create new opportunities.
“UCD is delighted to introduce this innovative new programme which will develop graduates with the necessary skills and competencies to inform complex decision making, planning and strategy formulation.”
More than 250 delegates interested in finding out how predictive data analytics are impacting agriculture and food industries in Ireland and beyond attended the Harvesting Knowledge: Big Data in Agriculture and Food symposium.
It featured high profile speakers including Professor Mark Keane, Principal Investigator, Insight Centre for Data Analytics, University College Dublin, Mr Charles G Sheridan, Director, Internet of Things, Systems Research Lab at Intel Corp and Professor Maarten Nieuwenhuis, Professor of Forestry, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science.
The mission of the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science is to develop and apply the science and scholarship of agriculture, food, environmental sciences and rural development for the benefit of society through excellence in education, research, innovation and continuing professional development.
There are more than 1,800 students registered to programmes offered by the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science including 12 undergraduate and eight taught postgraduate programmes.
UCD also offers continuous professional development and postgraduate research opportunities which address key national and international issues including environment, energy, agriculture, food, health, and the development of evidence based policy.