Animal Sciences x Computer Science
Note: This article was written by Miranda Scardina
Computer science has been merged with most subjects, but one beloved topic that before recently was not very associated with CS now has its own merged field: Animal sciences X CS.
The University of Illinois has created its own new undergraduate major and degree for the union of computer science and animal sciences called ACES. This development shows a growing traction for the use of CS to benefit the lives of animals everywhere, and if you happen to love animals and are also interested in computer science, this type of field would be perfect.
New solutions and innovations to make tasks more efficient and automated are developed every day. Using programming to maximize efficiency and accuracy in systems that are meant to improve quality of life for animals is now being acted on much more thanks to the growth of technology in more broad subjects such as animal science. Some examples of projects pertaining to the union of Animal Sciences and CS would be integrating many sensors into zoo habitats, farm stables, or even just into homes for monitoring/data collection, or to add automated feeding or mental or physical stimulation for the animals (motorized toys, nature sounds, etc).
Programmers who work with animals will also need to work with large amounts of data and be able to create predictive technology and code with it, meaning computer skills as well as experience with statistics would be needed. Location and heat detection are other tools programmers in this line of work would use to predict the health of an animal and collect bioinformation like genetic info, for example.
Computer science is integrating itself into every part of our lives, and our professions. People who have a strong foundation in CS, but also have a love for animal science will enjoy using their programming skills to improve the lives and health of animals in many different situations.
Sources:
https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/how-can-computer-science-support-wildlife-conservation
https://ansc.illinois.edu/academics/undergraduate-degrees/computer-science-animal-sciences