Workshops
Pre-Conference Workshops
There are three workshops scheduled for Sunday June 21.
Scheduled Workshops:
From Flight to Insights: Drone Data Collection, Processing, and Intro Machine Learning for Crop & Soil Science Applications (half day)
Field to File: Practical Techniques for Greenhouse Gas, Soil, and Ecosystem Measurement (full day)
Soil Spectroscopy: The nuts and bolts of soil spectroscopy science and applications (full day)
Full descriptions are below.
Advanced registration is required:
Half day: $35 ($25 Students), until May 5 then go up by $10 on May 6.
Full day: $60 ($50 Students), until May 5then go up by $10 on May 6. Lunch is included in full-day workshops.
If you have already registered for the conference and would like to add a workshop, please be in touch with the Local Organizing Committee at CSSSCSA2026@uoguelph.ca.
Half Day Workshop in Rozanski Hall
From Flight to Insights: Drone Data Collection, Processing, and Intro Machine Learning for Crop & Soil Science Applications (Rozanski 105, 1:00 - 5:00)
This half-day workshop provides an end-to-end introduction to using drones (UAVs) for research-ready data collection, analysis, and application in agronomy and soil science. The overall objective is to provide an overview of digital agriculture and the overall workflow from drone imaging to data extraction for crop and soil science research. This workshop will consist of four sections:
1. Introduction to digital agriculture, remote sensing, sensors, and drone imaging,
2. drone data processing and data extraction,
3. Introduction to Machine learning (ML) applications in image processing and data analysis.
4. Introduction to precision agriculture applications.
Participants will learn practical considerations for selecting UAV platforms and sensors (RGB vs. multispectral), designing field missions, and collecting calibration/ground data to ensure data quality and reproducibility. The workshop then walks through a complete processing workflow: data organization, quality control, photogrammetry/SfM products (orthomosaics, DSM/DTM, canopy height models), and plot extraction/zonal statistics. Then, participants will be given an overview of machine learning concepts relevant to UAV datasets, including building simple predictive models (e.g., yield/biomass prediction) derived from imagery (vegetation indices, texture, canopy height). Finally, the participants will be given an overview of precision agriculture applications. Attendees will leave with a clear, reproducible pipeline and a checklist they can apply to their own trials. A sample dataset and step-by-step notes will be provided.
Organizer Dr. Dilshan Benaragama, Assistant Professor and Crop Protection Chair, Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Contact (dilshan.benaragama@umanitoba.ca- 3069148075)
Co-host- Dr. Kenneth Anku (Post-Doctoral Fellow at Digital Agronomy and Weeds Lab at the University of Manitoba)
Co-host- Dr. Nasem Badreldin (Assistant Professor in Digital Agriculture at the University of Manitoba)
Full Day Workshops in Alexander Hall
Field to File: Practical Techniques for Greenhouse Gas, Soil, and Ecosystem Measurement (ALEX 218)
This full-day workshop will provide students and early-career researchers with a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to the full process of environmental data collection in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Participants will learn cutting-edge methods for measuring greenhouse gas fluxes, soil physical properties, and crop parameters—starting from sensor selection and field installation techniques to data acquisition, retrieval, and processing. Experts and scientific equipment vendors will demonstrate a variety of state-of-the-art sensors, data logging tools, and software platforms used in greenhouse gas and soil monitoring. Through guided instruction and practical sessions, attendees will gain the technical skills and confidence needed to collect high-quality environmental data for research and greenhouse gas accounting.
Soil Spectroscopy: The nuts and bolts of soil spectroscopy science and applications (ALEX 265)
Curious about what soil spectroscopy is and how electromagnetic radiation can be used to rapidly measure soil properties? Already working with Vis-NIR or MIR spectrometers and interested in advancing your data analysis and interpretation skills? Or simply looking to broaden your expertise with the latest global advances in soil spectral science? If so, this workshop is designed for you.
This full‑day pre‑conference workshop provides an end‑to‑end exploration of soil spectroscopy, covering instrumentation, data acquisition, modelling approaches, interpretation, and best practices for data management. Participants will gain hands‑on experience with spectrometers, work with example Vis-NIR and MIR datasets and apply practical R/Python workflows.
Sessions will include a guest lecture, instrument calibration and SOPs, advanced machine‑learning methods, spectral transferability, and QA/QC guidance.
This is a full day workshop.
