ASM: Water and Waste Management

Design and maintain systems to dispose of and store hazardous and solid wastes. Monitor, protect, enhance and restore watersheds. Help develop more sustainable ways to treat and process waste. Learn to use advanced technologies. We teach the tools of precision agriculture such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), sensors, and geographic information systems (GIS).

Our graduates are employed in a wide variety of positions in the agribusiness industry.

You will study water systems, equipment, machinery and technology. In class, you might plan drainage systems, collect and analyze soil samples, map waterways with GIS, and see how sensors can detect waste. Much of your education will be hands-on. Explore water quality and use in the water resources lab. Study water pressure in irrigation systems in the irrigation lab. Shape and work metal to maintain equipment in the welding lab.

During your senior year, you will draw on everything you’ve learned when your team tackles a real-world problem. You might design a methane capture system for a dairy or analyze industrial waste water to determine its environmental impact.

Students are encouraged to complete an internship the summer between their junior and senior year.

Prepare for Success

This major is a good fit if you can see yourself:

• Exploring new technology.
• Taking a hands-on approach to solving problems.
• Using your creativity to develop and test new ideas.

To prepare, you may want to:

• Stay current with new machinery and technology.
• Participate in 4-H activities, volunteer at a county fair or work for a farm.
• Practice your leadership skills in student office.

Your First Year

Your first year, you will hone your communication skills with course work in writing and public speaking. You will also take an introduction to agricultural systems management and computer applications in biological systems.

More advanced courses cover topics on water and wastewater operations management, physics, agricultural machinery systems, hydrologic measurement techniques, and engineering design.

What You Can Do

With this degree, you may become one of the following:

• Water manager: Manage water systems to process effluent from large-scale animal and plant processing operations.
• Industry representative: Sell irrigation and other water- and waste-related products for an equipment manufacturer. Design water irrigation equipment and components. Test products to ensure adequate performance. Match equipment to clients needs.
• Water treatment technician: Test and repair systems used for municipal water treatment.
• Water quality supervisor: Collect samples to measure sediment levels and chemical composition. Plan and take actions to treat hazardous water.

Opportunities

Our graduates are highly sought by manufacturers, farms and water treatment facilities. Salaries can start at $40,000.

You may also want to continue your education. Earn an advanced degree in environmental science, business or water resources.

Current Research

Do research. Make hands-on discoveries. Earn money working with faculty on grant-funded research projects like these:

• Waters of the West Program: Work with politicians and land managers to solve real-world water problems from pollution to drought.
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Grant: Help field test a new type of irrigation system.

Activities

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: Join the ASM branch, meet business leaders and potential employers, and work with a senior design team to build a ¼-scale tractor for the International Student Design Competition.
Student Idaho Cattle Association: Attend seminars and conventions and learn about issues facing the beef cattle industry.
Collegiate Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H: Attend local, state and national events.

Hands-On Experience

Intern. Get practical experiences like these:

• Farm: Take weekly water samples, test nutrient levels and monitor water usage.
• Potlatch Corporation: Analyze waste water for a large mill that manufactures paper.
• Simplot Soil Builders: Use portable data collection devices to collect information in the field.

• Taiwan: Learn about the aquaculture industry.
• India: Learn about 1,000-year-old farming practices on terraced hillsides.
• Mexico: Evaluate the function of absorbents in cleaning oil spills in water.