Michael Evans
Director and Professor
This fall semester, we opened enrollment into our new Integrated Agriculture Technologies major. This major focuses on the use of technologies such as drones, robotics, sensors, and data in agricultural applications. According to Forbes, robotics in agriculture is a $5 billion business that is expected to double over the next five years. Internet connected devices and sensors are an $11 billion market. McKinsey and Company proposed that, if the use of connectivity using artificial intelligence, data analytics, connected sensors, and other emerging technologies is implemented correctly in agriculture, it could add $500 billion in additional value to the global gross domestic product. For food producers, the use of new precision technologies promises to help reduce the amount of water required as well as the amount of pesticides applied. Being able to reduce these inputs has environmental benefits and also reduces production costs.
This new major is designed to develop our students and allow them to take advantage of these current and future job opportunities. To support this new major, SPES hired new faculty and created new courses. We also renovated three teaching spaces including our Agriculture Technologies Learning Sandbox 1 and 2, as well as a Data Analytics Teaching Lab. We invested in new computer equipment, robotics, drones, 3-D printing, and other items to provide the opportunity for extensive hands-on experiential learning activities for our students in this major. We believe that it will be exciting in the coming years as new Hokies, pursuing this major, graduate and pursue their careers in this field, and make their mark on agriculture. You can read more about this new major on page four of this issue of The Magazine of SPES.
With the end of the year approaching, I want to thank you all for your continued support and wish each of you a happy holiday season and a safe and prosperous 2023.