I got a chance to look back at my former lab at Oregon State today:, and I saw Susan’s post asking what I think of as STEM? As those who know my career path might imagine, like Susan, I’ve had STEM, particularly science and math, in my world for almost as long as I can remember. I seem to vaguely remember an EZ-Bake oven-type toy, or at least wishing for one, and since I no longer cook, I think I was more interested in the science behind it all.

Apropos, then, that I find myself these days trying to help others realize the even broader meanings of STEM as I work to promote the connections among Agriculture and STEM. Just today in our lab meeting, we were talking about how to take what we’re developing as Disciplinary Core Ideas for Agriculture and match them up with the Next Generation Science Standards, and then Math standards.

So Susan, to me, STEM means (and maybe subconsciously has for a long time) something that affects all of us everyday – the integral role of agriculture and all it entails in our lives, particularly but not only food production and water management.

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