AI Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Department of Biological Systems Engineering at UNL is launching three innovative AI courses for Spring 2026. These courses offer hands-on learning experiences that bridge artificial intelligence with real-world applications in agriculture, engineering, and beyond.
Three Pathways to AI Mastery
UNL is offering three distinct AI courses designed to meet different interests and skill levels. Each course emphasizes practical application, ethical considerations, and collaborative learning while building critical AI literacy for the modern world.
AGST 492/892: AI for Everyone
MWF 12:00-12:50
Broad introduction to AI concepts, tools, and applications with emphasis on productivity and ethical considerations.
AGST 492/892: Agentic AI for Workflow Automation
MWF 1:00-1:50
Advanced exploration of prompt engineering, context engineering, and agent-based AI systems for workflow automation.
AGST 492/892: Vibe Coding, Hardware, and Robotics
Tue/Thu 9:30-10:50
Hands-on integration of AI with hardware platforms, sensors, and robotic systems for real-world applications.
AI for Everyone: Building Foundational Literacy
This introductory course welcomes students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds—no prerequisites required. The curriculum balances conceptual understanding with practical application, covering everything from AI fundamentals and history to hands-on experience with generative AI tools.
Students will learn to use AI for writing, analysis, and creativity while developing critical evaluation skills to recognize bias, limitations, and ethical considerations. The course emphasizes responsible AI practices and culminates in a collaborative project that leverages AI to solve real university challenges.
Key Learning Focus Areas
  • AI concepts, history, and societal applications
  • Productivity tools for writing and analysis
  • Ethical considerations in AI deployment
  • AI's role in education and accessibility
  • Collaborative project design and implementation

Graduate students complete an additional AI Integration Plan, designing context-specific strategies for incorporating AI into professional or research workflows.
Agentic AI: Automating Complex Workflows
This advanced course dives deep into the emerging field of agentic AI—systems that can autonomously execute complex, multi-step tasks. Students gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge frameworks like LangChain and AutoGen, learning to design intelligent agents that streamline research, automate literature reviews, and manage sophisticated workflows.
01
Prompt Engineering Mastery
Learn strategies for effective prompt design and reproducible workflows through structured prompting techniques.
02
Context Engineering
Explore context construction, multi-step reasoning, and contextual frameworks that guide agentic behavior.
03
Agent Development
Build single and multi-agent systems using professional frameworks for practical applications.
04
Workflow Automation
Apply AI agents to automate complex research tasks, data extraction, and analysis pipelines.
05
Ethical Implementation
Examine transparency, reproducibility, and fairness challenges in automated systems.
Vibe Coding: Bridging Software and Hardware
The most hands-on of the three courses, Vibe Coding explores the exciting intersection of AI, hardware, and robotics. Students learn to integrate Hugging Face models with physical devices, creating intelligent systems that combine sensors, actuators, and AI decision-making.
This course introduces "vibe coding" as a paradigm for human-AI collaboration, where students craft context-rich prompts to generate starter code, then refine and verify it through iterative testing. Projects range from connecting AI models to IoT devices to building autonomous robotic systems.
Context Engineering
Structure prompts with hardware constraints, sensor specifications, and safety considerations.
AI-Generated Code
Use AI to generate starter code, then revise and adapt for specific hardware requirements.
Safe Testing
Begin with low-risk verification (LED indicators) before deploying to actual actuators and motors.
Reflection
Analyze what changed, why it works, and identify potential failure points in the system.
Hands-On Learning Through Weekly Studios
All three courses emphasize experiential learning through dedicated AI Studio activities. Each week, students engage in practical exercises that reinforce concepts and build real-world skills.
AI for Everyone Studios
Creative AI labs, prompt engineering workshops, debate sessions on AI regulation, and collaborative project development.
Agentic AI Studios
Agent building with LangChain, multi-agent system design, research automation pipelines, and workflow prototyping.
Vibe Coding Studios
Hardware integration labs, IoT data pipelines, robotics programming, and embedded systems development.
Responsible AI Use in Coursework
All three courses emphasize responsible AI practices and academic integrity. Students are encouraged to use AI tools as collaborative partners for brainstorming, grammar checking, and initial research assistance—but with important guardrails to ensure authentic learning.
1
Disclosure Requirement
All AI assistance must be documented in an AI Use Statement, transparently describing how tools were used in the assignment.
2
Substantial Personal Contribution
Work must demonstrate original analysis, critical thinking, and meaningful engagement beyond AI-generated content.
3
Verification and Fact-Checking
Students are responsible for verifying all AI-generated content for accuracy, relevance, and appropriateness.
4
Learning Objectives First
AI use must not bypass essential learning objectives. When uncertain about appropriate use, consult the instructor.
Enroll Now: Spring 2026
These courses represent a unique opportunity to gain practical AI skills in a supportive, hands-on learning environment. Whether you're interested in foundational AI literacy, advanced workflow automation, or hardware-software integration, there's a pathway designed for your goals.
Spring 2026
AGST 492/892-001 AI for Everyone: MWF 12:00-12:50, Chase 116 (syllabus here)
AGST 492/892-002 Agentic AI: MWF 1:00-1:50, Chase 112 (syllabus here)
AGST 492/892-003 Vibe Coding: Tue/Thu 9:30-10:50, Othmer B161 (syllabus here)
No Prerequisites
All courses welcome students from any background. Graduate students complete additional specialized projects for deeper exploration.
Hands-On Learning
Weekly AI Studio activities, collaborative projects, and practical applications ensure you build real-world skills.
Enroll at https://myred.nebraska.edu/For more information, contact Santosh Pitla or Derek Heeren. Join us in exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence!