K.C. Ting's Talk

Dec 21, 2015 - 12:30

Dec 21, 2015 - 13:30

Room 240 Chemical Engineering

Seminars

K.C. Ting Ph.D. P.E. Professor & Head Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Abstract: A modern food system needs to be an intelligence-empowered system that includes capability for information collection/processing and decision making mechatronics devices for sensing controls and actions and synergistic integration of components into functional systems. FEWS activities incorporate actions taken by many players in physical spaces. Ideally these actions should be supported and guided by the intelligence obtained from analyses of information in cyber spaces. A cyber system consisting of effective content and efficient delivery methods will be very valuable in empowering farmers manufacturers consumers and policy makers in their decision making. Intelligence-enabling information technologies that can potentially empower FEWS analysis planning design management and operation include: (1) Perception; (2) Reasoning and Learning; (3) Communication; (4) Task Planning and Execution; and (5) Systems Integration. Currently systems integration is arguably the weakest aspect when addressing the food system. A Concurrent Science Engineering and Technology (ConSEnT) cyber platform may be created based on the above-stated concept and framework using current and emerging informatics analytics and computational technologies. This cyber platform will facilitate the necessary systems integration tasks for sharing information among interested participants conducting efficient analyses of local and global level issues and creating value-added information to support decisions and actions. Human users are the center of this networking platform. As alluded to in the above there are three key dimensions in the platform that are coupled to provide the users desirable utilities: Systems informatics Information analysis methods and tools and Systems analytics and decision support. It is obvious that ConSEnT will require many participants from a wide range of disciplines to make it function to its fullest extent. However it is possible to start showing its usefulness when a critical amount of information analytical tools and actionable information become available and continue to evolve. The key is to systematically take necessary steps to involve key participants and configure a concurrent analysis platform structure that has the potential to be scaled-up and scaled-out.Speaker bio: K.C. Ting Ph.D. P.E. Professor & Head Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (email: kcting [at] illinois.edu) Ph.D. (Agricultural Engineering) 1980 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research involves agricultural automation systems informatics and analytics engineering solutions for biomass production and provision and controlled environment plant production systems. He served as the leader of the Systems Studies & Modeling Team within the New Jersey NASA Specialized Center Of Research and Training (NJ-NSCORT) during 1996-2000. He led a BP Energy Biosciences Institute program on "Engineering Solutions for Biomass Feedstock Production" during 2008-2014. He is a Co-PI for the USAID Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab program on Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium (October 2015-September 2019). He was an Editor-in-Chief for Computers and Electronics in Agriculture during 2007-2010. He has published over 290 articles papers monographs presentations and reports and delivered over 120 invited presentations in 17 countries. His research funding includes PI and Co-PI for over $12 million. His awards and recognitions include: ASABE James R. and Karen A. Gilley Academic Leadership Award August 2011; ASABE Kishida International Award July 2008; Guest Chair Professor College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science Zhejiang University Hangzhou China April 2006; Fellow of ASME elected in July 2002; Fellow of ASABE inducted in July 2001; and Cook College/Alpha Zeta Professor of the Year Rutgers University 1997.