Agricultural and Environmental Technology in Applied Settings
College of Agricultural Sciences
Soil and Crop Sciences
Larimer
County
(Otero, Routt)
- Agriculture
- On-campus
Primary Topic:
Agriculture
Other Topics:
Natural Resources
Internship Overview:
The primary goal of this internship is to assist in data collection on agricultural producer managed research fields during the summer 2024 field season for the Colorado State University (CSU) Agricultural Water Quality Program (AWQP). The initial objective of the project is to learn agricultural research technologies as applied to environmental monitoring for scalable research. Specific technologies include low-cost IoT water samplers, multispectral drone technologies, temperature and humidity sensors, and 3D printing. The intern will work with CSU Extension and AWQP staff to use these technologies in existing research projects around the state, with a special focus on Routt and Larimer Counties.
This internship will involve both field work and laboratory work. This includes supporting the installation of research equipment, collecting spectral imagery with AWQP drones, water and soil sample collection and processing, and data organization, processing, analysis, and mapping. Post training, the intern will be expected to conduct independent travel and supervised research, culminating in a poster presented at the annual CSU Extension meeting. The student will have the opportunity to gain work experience conducting research in irrigated agriculture and water quality monitoring as well as Extension practices with real producers and a local CSU Extension agent.
This internship will involve both field work and laboratory work. This includes supporting the installation of research equipment, collecting spectral imagery with AWQP drones, water and soil sample collection and processing, and data organization, processing, analysis, and mapping. Post training, the intern will be expected to conduct independent travel and supervised research, culminating in a poster presented at the annual CSU Extension meeting. The student will have the opportunity to gain work experience conducting research in irrigated agriculture and water quality monitoring as well as Extension practices with real producers and a local CSU Extension agent.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
The intern will collaborate with AWQP and CSU Extension staff, learning about and assisting with agricultural environmental monitoring technologies. This includes developing a low-cost IoT water sampler (LCS) for state-wide water quality analysis. The intern will learn to build, deploy, and use the LCS for edge-of-field water monitoring, coupled with soil sampling for comprehensive agricultural system characterization. They’ll also explore other technologies like a temperature and humidity sensor for sugar beet crop monitoring and drone imagery for field characterization.
Key activities involve building, testing, and calibrating LCS devices and environmental sensors, installing and removing monitoring equipment, and collecting soil, water, and plant samples. Lab work includes sensor preparation, sample processing, data entry, and website maintenance. The intern may also engage in basic farming operations, educational material development, and outreach activities.
The goal is for the intern to acquire skills in using emerging technologies in agriculture, leading to a research poster presentation at the 2024 CSU Extension Meeting. Objectives include assisting in environmental monitoring equipment development and deployment across Colorado, collecting various agricultural data, learning drone imagery processing, 3D printing, understanding environmental issues in Colorado agriculture, and contributing to AWQP’s social media outreach.
Key activities involve building, testing, and calibrating LCS devices and environmental sensors, installing and removing monitoring equipment, and collecting soil, water, and plant samples. Lab work includes sensor preparation, sample processing, data entry, and website maintenance. The intern may also engage in basic farming operations, educational material development, and outreach activities.
The goal is for the intern to acquire skills in using emerging technologies in agriculture, leading to a research poster presentation at the 2024 CSU Extension Meeting. Objectives include assisting in environmental monitoring equipment development and deployment across Colorado, collecting various agricultural data, learning drone imagery processing, 3D printing, understanding environmental issues in Colorado agriculture, and contributing to AWQP’s social media outreach.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
The geographic area of this internship will cover the state of Colorado with a primary focus in Routt and Larimer Counties. The intern will work with a large network of external stakeholders, including but not limited to: individual farmers and ranchers, CSU Extension agents, Colorado Agriculture Water Alliance members, CSU Agriculture Experiment Station staff, Colorado Department of Agriculture staff, and other AWQP stakeholders.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
Student learning outcomes are expected to be: hands-on opportunity to gain research experience in both the laboratory and in the field; exposure to emerging technologies for the use in research; professional development by networking with stakeholders, and attending other outreach events; improved knowledge and experience with scientific protocols for water, plant, and soil sampling. While there are specific job tasks associated with this position, there is also room for the student to explore projects related to their own research interests as they relate to soil and water health. The AWQP program is eager to incorporate policy, economics, or other related fields into this research.
Additionally, the student will participate in networking days. The student will visit Todd Hagenbuch, Routt County Director in Steamboat Springs, Colorado to gain greater background knowledge of the research area. The student will also visit at least two AES experiment stations. This position will provide a unique opportunity to learn about current agricultural research happening across the state. AWQP staff will help facilitate the meeting/tour of the selected area. This is a unique opportunity to learn about the current research that is happening across the state.
Additionally, the student will participate in networking days. The student will visit Todd Hagenbuch, Routt County Director in Steamboat Springs, Colorado to gain greater background knowledge of the research area. The student will also visit at least two AES experiment stations. This position will provide a unique opportunity to learn about current agricultural research happening across the state. AWQP staff will help facilitate the meeting/tour of the selected area. This is a unique opportunity to learn about the current research that is happening across the state.
