Jason Hardin, an Environmental Science teacher at Gahanna Lincoln High School, shares news about ag education opportunities at ATI:
I attended the annual Spring Update Day Educators’ Breakfast at the Ohio State Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) to find out what exciting changes and new programs that they have to offer. The breakfast was held at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, OH. This campus has traditionally offered programs in Agricultural Business, Livestock Sciences, BioChemical Sciences, and Greenhouse & Nursery Management, but Dr. Jim Kinder, Interim Director of Ohio State ATI, was very excited to announce that they have added a new BioEnergy program. As part of this program students will be able to work closely with the Wooster Water Treatment Plant integrating bioenergy in water treatment. Dr. Kinder was also enthusiastic about research in their livestock programs involving embryo implantation research.
In addition to the new programs, Ohio State ATI will offer new state of the art chemistry and biology labs, as well as updates to their dairy facility. According to Dr. Kinder, “These changes, along with 11 new faculty, are being made to stimulate interest in the technical college.” Ohio State ATI has also put forth extensive work in “recruiting as one college between main and Wooster campus”, stated Jill Arnett, Coordinator of Prospective Student Services, to achieve the same goal.
Overall, I was very impressed with the hands-on applied science programs that Ohio State ATI has to offer and I’m excited to share these experiences with my students.
