Jacob has been leveraging the parallel processing capacities and GPUs of NAU’s Monsoon HPC for his work on the impacts of changes in precipitation mean and variance on desert ecosystems. This work has involved training image segmentation models using the GRIME-AI platform and identifying dynamic changes in plant cover from tens of thousands of PhenoCam images from the Sevilleta LTER in New Mexico. In mid-September he made a Zoom presentation to the GRIME-AI Advisory Committee in which he gave a short update on how he is using GRIME AI in his work. As GRIME-AI was originally developed for hydrological applications, Jacob’s application of the tool to terrestrial ecosystem ecology was of particular interest to the Committee. Jacob deftly handled some tough questions, leaving the Committee genuinely impressed. Nicely done, Jacob!
