Matt Haas graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering in 2023. Growing up on a farm in rural Illinois, Haas had a passion for Legos, agriculture, and hands-on work.
Making the most of ISU
During his four years on campus, Haas fully utilized all of the Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering’s (ABE) opportunities. Primarily, he was a member of the Cyclone Power Pullers ¼ Scale Tractor Pulling Team. As a member and leader in this club, he and his team built ¼ scale-pulling tractors from the bare bones.
Haas also completed several internships during his time at ISU. Working with both Trackside Solutions and Vermeer, Haas learned by doing. “That was the best way for me to learn; hands-on, learn by fire, learn by failures, you don’t make the same mistake twice,” Haas said.
Throughout his time in clubs and internships, Haas built his ability to network. Visiting and working with a variety of manufacturers and engineers helped him extend his learning and his professional connections. A significant networking opportunity for Haas was simply being an ISU student.
“I interacted with a lot of Iowa State students from farm backgrounds. I was able to talk about farming and hear what good and bad experiences they have had with equipment,” Haas said. “It allows me to go into a company and come prepared to provide solutions for things farmers have been frustrated with in the past.”
For the farmers
Haas now works for CNH Industrial as a Design Engineer. He focuses on the functional and vehicle aspects of crop harvesters, putting his hands-on education to use every day Haas works with current products and the next step for their machines to continue improving the user experience.
Although CNH is a much larger company than he has worked with in the past, Haas still has the same goal in mind: Making a difference for farmers. “Engineering is my gateway into making farmers’ lives easier,” Haas said.
Agriculture is everywhere, and working with a company that spans internationally, Haas has grown his knowledge and skills to help others.
“My grandfather taught me everything I knew before going to college. He told me, ‘One day you’re going to be out there designing this; don’t be the idiot that does something that we have to deal with on a day-to-day basis,’” Haas said.
To him, engineering something that can make one farmer’s everyday life easier means success in his career. Working with Vermeer in Pella, Trackside across North America, and CNH Industrial across the world, Haas started his engineering journey at Iowa State.