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Highlighting the Smart Agriculture Research Team

Smart Ag applied research is focused on evaluating, demonstrating and validating agriculture technologies, tools and practices in order to provide manufacturers and users with information on their functionality, accuracy and value — particularly for broadacre, dryland farming in Alberta soil and climate conditions. 

The research team at Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) collaborates on industry-driven applied research related to smart ag technologies with the goals of saving producers time or money, improving efficiency, and improving environmental sustainability.

  • Herman Simons

    Herman Simons

    Herman Simons is the Manager of Smart Agriculture Applied Research at OCCI, and is at the forefront where new and exciting technologies are tested in a practical setting for the ag industry and producers.

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    Roy Maki

    Roy Maki, Research Project Manager for Smart Agriculture for OCCI, is leading the College’s autonomous agriculture equipment initiative for broad acre crop production.

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    Christina Kaye

    Christina Kaye is a Project Lead with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. Her job is focused on leading, planning, executing and producing final deliverables for applied research projects.

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    Daniel Stefner

    Daniel Stefner is a Project Lead with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. He is involved in a multitude of applied research activities that focus on evaluating, validating and developing agriculture technologies.

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    Sofia Bahmutsky

    Sofia Bahmutsky is a Data Scientist with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. She is focused on data science, machine learning and analytics in the realm of precision agriculture, climate change, environmental health and sustainability research fields.

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    Ashutosh Singh

    Ashutosh Singh is a Data Scientist with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. His role focuses on exploring data to figure out what experiments are saying, utilizing machine learning and making predictive models.

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    Julie Cobb

    Julie Cobb is a Research Technician with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. She primarily works with heavy equipment on the Smart Farm including implements, tractors, autonomous equipment and seeders.

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    Angie Stoute

    Angie Stoute is a Research Technician with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. She enjoys learning about the various areas of research and projects the College is involved with.

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    Blair Bateman

    Blair Bateman is a Research Technician with Smart Agriculture at OCCI whose role involves collecting and working with remote and raw data from the Olds College Smart Farm fields, including the Olds College Saskatchewan Smart Farm.

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    Protus Nyende

    Protus Nyende is a Research Technician with Smart Agriculture at OCCI. He holds a MSc in Animal Science from the University of Alberta (U of A) and a BSc in Agriculture from Chuka University in Kenya, providing him with a robust foundation in both animal and crop science.

Angie Stoute headshot

Angie Stoute

Research Technician

Sofia Bahmutsky headshot

Sofia Bahmutsky

Data Scientist

Blair Bateman headshot

Blair Bateman

Research Technician

Julie Cobb headshot

Julie Cobb

Research Technician

Christina Kaye headshot

Christina Kaye

Project Lead

Lexie Herspiegel  headshot

Lexie Herspiegel

Research Technician

Roy Maki headshot

Roy Maki

Research Project Manager

Protus Nyende headshot

Protus Nyende

Research Technician

Herman Simons headshot

Herman Simons

Manager

Ashutosh Singh headshot

Ashutosh Singh

Data Scientist

Daniel Stefner headshot

Daniel Stefner

Project Lead

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