Research and industry work go hand in hand in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE). That’s why the department, through the leadership of the ABE Advising Office, hosts several tours throughout the year for students across the department.
Most recently, advisors Lindsay Frueh and Ben McCarty introduced ABE 110 to the new Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex with a classroom visit in April.
“By hosting trips like this, students get to see a new facility on campus, but it is also a great opportunity to see how their major is involved in both research and industry,” McCarty said.
For this tour, students got the chance to see the process it takes to bring a new facility to life. The students were split into two groups and saw both the mechanical and agricultural pieces of the complex. Dirk Maier, a professor in ABE, introduced the students to the grain side of the complex, while Tony Ewing, the feed mill manager, brought students inside the complex and explored the behind the scenes process for grain production.
Seeing ABE outside of the classroom
“For this group of students, this trip was an amazing experience to see the process it takes to get our facilities on campus all set up,” McCarty said. “As Dr. Maier shared on the tour, so much engineering goes into place to get this research facility working and ready.”
Field trips are a great way for students to see more about their major outside of the classroom, McCarty says. The ABE 110 course targets first year students in both agricultural and biological systems engineering, so it’s important to give them the chance to see their potential major in action while exposing them to industry.
“These trips give our students a great opportunity to learn more about their major and find different connections across campus or out in industry,” McCarty said.
