About us

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New Mexico State University received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to implement a National Research Traineeship Program (NRT).

An NRT program explores ways graduate students in research-based doctoral degree program explore and develop skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers.

Mission

The mission of the AIALA program is to expand the skillset of graduate students in fields of Computer Science, Animal and Range Sciences, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Water Science and Management, and others can work to implement and develop new technologies utilizing Artificial Intelligence to their area of study to solve issues in arid land agriculture. Students will be exposed to professional development opportunities to prepare them to enter the workforce and be successful in their careers.

About AIALA

The purpose of the AIALA program is to (engage) introduce students studying one of the accepted degree programs to either, Artificial Intelligence (AI), or to Arid Land Agriculture.

Students will participate in courses that will prepare them to learn about the other degree program. For example, students in Animal and Range Sciences (ARS), will learn about the other program such as Computer Science (CS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), its terminology, as well as basics of coding or understanding coding concepts. The same logic will be used for Computer Science students in understanding the basics of PES and/or ARS. Students are not expected to become experts in secondary area. Students, however, are expected to comprehend and have a working knowledge of the alternate discipline. Students will also actively participate in a research project(s) where they will combine their primary discipline with a secondary field of study.

In addition to the introductory courses, students will participate in professional development topics including:
  • Ethics- ethical training on working with human or animals as research subjects and the ethical standards according to IRB.
  • Grant Writing- preparing students for finding grants and the writing process to develop a strong proposal for submission.
  • Professional development opportunity to prepare students for the work-environment and how to collaborate as a team.
  • Other topics will also be addressed.