Agricultural Systems Technology Management Concentration Recognized Nationally

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ASTM students Gracie Hewat (left) and Caitlyn Simon are completing a microcontroller breadboarding and programming assignment in the Mechanized Systems Management class.

The agricultural systems technology management concentration in U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences recently earned "continuing recognition as a technology management program" status from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

The announcement, which continues a streak beginning in 2004, came at the ASABE 2023 annual international meeting in Omaha, Nebraska.

ASABE recognizes ASTM programs meeting specific quality standards related to curriculum requirements, graduate placement, facilities and equipment, faculty quality and institutional support.

The ASTM concentration is coordinated by University Professor Don Johnson.

According to Johnson, ASABE program recognition assures students and employers that graduates are learning the technical and management skills necessary for success in a wide variety of technology-oriented agricultural careers. ASTM graduates are typically employed in technical sales, service and management careers.

Program recognition is based on detailed documentation submitted by the department and a meeting with representatives of the ASABE's EOPD-206 (Agricultural Technology & Management Curriculum Review & Program Recognition) Committee.

The status is for six years and extends through 2029.

The concentration is part of the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology.

The U of A ASTM concentration is the only ASABE recognized program in Arkansas. ASABE, founded in 1907, is an educational and scientific organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food and biological systems.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.