- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Gabriel Zilnik, a researcher at USDA's Agricultural Research Service, in Wapato, Wash. will be the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's next speaker.
Zilnik says the topic is of growing interest for biological researchers around the globe. "In this seminar I will attempt to demystify Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, assuage fears of a robot takeover, and demonstrate its utility in complex but semi-structured systems like North Carolina tobacco."
"While machine learning is based on the idea that machines should be able to learn and adapt through experience, AI refers to a broader idea where machines can execute tasks 'smartly.' Artificial Intelligence applies machine learning, deep learning and other techniques to solve actual problems.--SAS.
Zilnik holds a doctorate in entomology from North Carolina State University (2020), where he also received his master's degree in 2016. He received his bachelor's degree in anthropology from Arizona State University in 2012.
While at NCSU, he founded and hosted, Pints of Science, for two years, ending in April 2015. "I partnered with a colleague in the Department of Communication to develop an outreach program where we could provide a space for graduate students and academics to get out of their comfort zone and interact with the public," he writes on his Linked In site. "We helped our speakers develop their presentations and engage with the public in venues outside of the University."
Nematologist and plant pathologist Shahid Siddique, assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, coordinates the department's seminars. For further information on the seminars, contact Siddique at ssiddique@ucdavis.edu.