Integrating Agriculture into STEM Education

Speaker: Ethan Wright and Shae Devers of New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau

Description:

Agricultural careers sit at the intersection of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)—where innovation meets real-world problem solving. With the global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, agriculture must increase food production by 60% to meet future demand. Solving this challenge will require bold thinkers, scientific research, new technology, and creative solutions across every sector of agriculture.

New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC) connects educators, students, and communities to the science behind agriculture—building agricultural literacy while inspiring the next generation of professionals to pursue careers in food, agriculture, and natural resources.

Workshop participants will take part in a hands-on, mini version of the popular Pumpkin Smash activity, applying engineering design, data analysis, and critical thinking in a fun, interactive setting. Participants will also gain access to classroom-ready resources and career-connected tools they can use immediately in education and beyond.

This experience is designed to spark curiosity, encourage innovation, and show students how STEM skills can shape the future of agriculture—and the world.

Objectives:

After this presentation, students will be able to:

• Identify the mission of the New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom Program

• Explain basic agricultural challenges and the need for STEM solutions in ag

• Understand how the Agriculture Literacy Project functions to:

     - Cultivate agriculturally literate elementary students

     - Provide examples of challenges in Agriculture and the necessity of STEM

     - Empower high-school students to teach agriculture literacy project materials to elementary students

     - Interest students in pursuing agricultural careers

• Explore NMAITC’s online resources for use in college coursework (if applicable) and lesson planning

• Return to their chapters with a connection to NMAITC that can foster future collaboration in their chapter and school district, if desired

Resources:

1:15 pm