Invasive species pose increasingly daunting threats to biodiversity, agriculture, and more. Moreover, they serve as compelling natural laboratories for addressing fundamental questions such as how species adapt rapidly to new environments. Nearly 70 species of terrestrial snails and slugs have been introduced into the contiguous US, but they are critically understudied. This project focuses on two genera of invasive slugs that are widespread in North America—Arion and Deroceras. Although they are known crop pests, very little is known about their invasive histories or the traits that make them successful invaders. The proposed work will develop new genomic resources for these groups, infer the history of their invasions into North America, and identify factors that have promoted their rapid spread. To accomplish these goals, the proposed work will take advantage of the flexibility offered by Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, the project will develop an undergraduate course on invasive species and engage in outreach to local gardeners. By providing students with opportunities to analyze biological datasets and contribute to the proposed outreach, the course will emphasize the hard and soft skills that are critical in today’s workforce. Slugs of the genera Arion and Deroceras have been introduced and become established in North America and are recognized as crop pests both within the US and internationally. Furthermore, both genera are represented by multiple, independen