The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $230,552 Project Grant under its Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) program to the University of Maine System (UMS) to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for biodiversity research and workforce development. The project aims to:
- Develop machine learning algorithms to extract morphological trait measurements from beetle specimens collected by the NSF-funded National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).
- Test the ability of these algorithms to automate measurements of beetle traits from different types of images.
- Better understand which measured traits are most closely linked to beetle diversity across NEON sites.
The project will also contribute to larger efforts to document insects and enhance automated monitoring, as the data products can be used to identify beetle specimens from images. Additionally, the grant will support curriculum development and the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students at UMS on AI for biodiversity science. The award period is from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026.
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