Blue Nucleus Blog
GVSU Blue Nucleus Awarded $43K Grant to Develop AI-Driven Forest Health Monitoring System
May 12, 2025
Dr. Rahat Ibn Rafiq, Assistant Professor in the College of Computing at Grand Valley State University, has received a $43,284 grant from Michigan State University’s MTRAC AgBio Program for his project, “Precision Environmental Monitoring with Edge Computing.” With $4,828 in matching funds from the College of Computing, the nine-month project will extend his successful work in detecting oak wilt to a second invasive threat—Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA)—using drones and AI-powered edge devices.
The project leverages unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Raspberry Pi units, and computer vision to detect invasive species in real time, without internet connectivity. This low-cost, scalable platform processes imagery on-site and enables users to contribute feedback through a mobile app, creating a human-in-the-loop feedback loop that enhances detection accuracy over time. This approach offers a proactive, field-ready alternative to slow, expensive ground surveys and lab tests.
In collaboration with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the City of Grand Haven, and local stakeholders, the project will collect new HWA imagery, train an edge-optimized AI model, and validate results through field testing. With plans for future commercialization, this research supports GVSU’s broader mission to create impactful, applied AI technologies that serve both environmental and public good.
“Written by Dr. Rahat Rafiq”