Nate Phillips

nate.phillips@mtsu.edu

Jessica Carter

ABAS

Discipline specific equipment

SAG 100

N/A

N/A

The School of Agribusiness and Agriscience serves over 500 major and minor students working towards careers in Animal Science, Agribusiness, Plant and Soil Science, and Agricultural Education. Our enrollment has significantly increased since 2008 and many of our key instructional technology tools have become outdated and/or non-functioning. Virtually all students in our program will benefit from our proposed updates. The equipment in the Meats Laboratory has not been updated in over 20 years and most of the equipment is no longer serviceable. The software used to maintain environmental controls in the Horticulture Center greenhouses is from the 1990’s and is no longer serviced by the manufacturer. The temperature sensors in the greenhouses, which the software uses to regulate the greenhouse environment, are in need of servicing from Argus technicians. We are still using mechanical balances, which most public high schools have long since replaced with digital scales. A diurnal plant growth chamber is needed technology to update and improve ABAS courses. This computerized system provides current technology for plant growth laboratories. In order to improve our recruitment and retention abilities we need to update these essential laboratory devices to modern standards. Courses utilizing these technologies and equipment include ABAS 1610, 2500, 3810, 3850, 4820, 3490, 3540, 4860, 3340, 3350, 3370, 3660, 4300, 4620, 4630, and 4670.