Beginnings: Driving Real-world Integration of AI into Digital Forestry and Natural Resources

About This Grant

This project will address critical workforce development challenges at the intersection of emerging technology and natural resource management. As digital tools transform the forestry and natural resources industries, there is growing demand for professionals trained in data-driven technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), and environmental sensor networks. However, existing training programs have not kept pace with these advancements, leaving a widening skills gap that threatens economic resilience, ecological sustainability, and workforce preparedness across these sectors. This project, Driving Real-World Integration of AI into Digital Forestry and Natural Resources (DRIAD), will build an inclusive, scalable, and collaborative ecosystem for experiential learning. Through immersive, real-world training and cross-sector partnerships, DRIAD will prepare a new generation of professionals to lead in technology-enabled natural resource management. The program serves the national interest by strengthening the STEM workforce, expanding participation in high-growth fields, and supporting sustainable resource use across forestry and allied disciplines. The DRIAD program will support at least 60 participants through a year-long, cohort-based model designed to provide hands-on, industry-informed training. Core activities include a three-week residential summer short course, monthly virtual professional development sessions, and ongoing mentorship by faculty and cross-sector professionals. Participants will complete applied projects grounded in real-world data collection and analysis using AI, UAS, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. The curriculum will be developed in collaboration with partners from government agencies, NGOs, and industry to ensure relevance, scalability, and alignment with emerging workforce needs. In addition to developing technical fluency, the program emphasizes career-ready competencies such as data interpretation, systems thinking, and professional communication. Outcomes will include transferable models for experiential learning, new insights into effective technology adoption in workforce training, and contributions to the use of high-resolution digital tools in ecosystem monitoring and management. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and presentations at professional society conferences, supporting innovation across natural resource professions. The ExLENT Program, supported by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. 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.