The Difference is in the Dirt: Testing Soil Samples with AI and Making Science Happen

Argonne National Laboratory researcher James O’Sullivan will share his journey to working at the

Advanced Photon Source, where scientists are using advanced imaging, like CT scans, to

“zoom in” on soil at an extremely fine scale. Then, see how AI tools help sort through data to

analyze soil structure, bacteria, and microbes. We’ll even explore some unexpected “mutant plants” –

plants with abnormal, naturally occurring mutations – to see what unusual growth patterns can

reveal about plant-soil interactions.