Modern agriculture is highly technical. In order to feed a growing population with finite resources, farmers, researchers, and agricultural technology providers (ATPs) have turned to technological solutions. From precision agriculture (PA), vertical farming, genetically modified organisms, to farm management, there is no aspect of the agricultural industry that has not been touched by technology. However, it is difficult to build relevant technologies, or even understand if technological interventions are necessary, without an understanding of the full context of how agricultural work is conducted.
The agricultural domain is an underserved research area for human-computer interaction (HCI). In my work, I’m interested in bringing together my training in agricultural engineering and human-centered computing to better understand the ways that farmers, farmworkers, and other stakeholders interact with the new technologies that are becoming necessary in their fields. My research focuses on developing human-technology interfaces using user-centered design practices for the agricultural domain. This talk will discuss some of my projects in this area including agricultural big data, using citizen science for precision agriculture, and adopting agricultural technologies for farmers with disabilities.
Dr. Brianna B. Posadas is an assistant professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech. She was previously a CRA Computing Innovation Fellow in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education also at Virginia Tech. Her research is focused on the intersection of agriculture, technology, and user-centered design. When she completed her PhD at the University of Florida, she was the first Latina to earn a doctorate from the department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering. Dr. Posadas also received her master of science in agricultural and biological engineering at UF and her bachelor of science in engineering from Harvey Mudd College.