AgTM students learn how to run a farm business, build and repair hydraulic systems, and wire a building for electricity.

Growing up amid the high-tech industries of Puget Sound, Makayla Raap felt the call of her family’s agricultural roots.

When it came time to choose a college path, Raap followed her interests in ag, science and technology to Washington State University, joining an interdisciplinary program that broadens graduates’ skills in STEM.

Short for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math,” STEM is increasingly important to feed our modern world.

“A lot of people don’t realize it, but STEM is a big part of agriculture,” Raap said.

From plant breeding to the systems that sustainably grow, harvest and market crops, America’s 22-million-person-strong agricultural backbone depends on science, data and technology.

“As agriculture changes, the need keeps growing for employees that understand the science and engineering that support new technologies like genetic engineering, robotics and artificial intelligence,” said Drew Lyon, interim chair of WSU’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.

“Regionally and nationally, there’s demand for graduates who are grounded in the fundamentals of modern agriculture, and adaptable to the new technologies that are rapidly enhancing productivity and efficiency,” said Tadd Wheeler, lead instructor in Raap’s major — Agricultural Technology and Production Management (AgTM), part of WSU’s Agricultural and Food Systems (AFS) program.

One of several cross-disciplinary programs encompassing nearly a dozen majors within WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, AFS prepares graduates for careers in the food system, economics, organic and sustainable agriculture, and ag education: from farm operators and entrepreneurs to research and computer scientists, environmental specialists, analysts, accountants, human resource professionals and marketers.

Job placement is very strong for WSU STEM graduates, with many career fields having more open positions than candidates to fill them.

“We need to increase food production by 70% to feed a growing global population, so there are lots of opportunities for innovation,” said Holly Henning, WSU’s Swantz Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning. “AFS teaches scientific reasoning, communication and systems thinking to help our students to understand the many systems that impact our ability to feed the future.”

For senior Jordan Culpepper, STEM means the biochemistry and microbiology studies that help her understand what’s happening in Washington vineyards and wine cellars.

“I learned the nitty-gritty of winemaking, everything from basic to really complex chemistry,” she said.

Graduating this spring with a degree in Viticulture & Enology, Culpepper will spend the summer studying wildfire smoke’s effects on wine, then join a Northwest winery to undertake cellar responsibilities.

In AgTM, Raap researched a new technology in every one of her classes. She has learned how to run a farm business, build and repair hydraulic systems, and wire a building for electricity. This summer, she jumps feet first into a data analytics internship on her way to a STEM career.

“My dad is so proud of me,” she said.

• To learn more about agriculture and STEM education at the Future CAHNRS Cougs website at cahnrs.wsu.edu.