Research in agricultural education and communication is pivotal for the advancement of the discipline. It plays a crucial role in disseminating knowledge, fostering change, and driving innovation. Research efforts help agricultural educators and communicators understand how to effectively package and deliver messages to various audiences. 

Faculty in the department not only have their own research agenda but also mentor graduate student research,  assisting them with learning the research process. 

Each faculty member is also part of the Experiment Station established by the Hatch Act of 1887. It is a program of research that is supported in part with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the State of Iowa and. 

The department has two approved Hatch/Experiment Station projects. Faculty research and scholarship is a product of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Each project has its own project number and is sponsored by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds.

Project Title:     Refining adult education and communication strategies for effective decision making at the nexus of agriculture and conservation

Accession Number: 7003935

Project Number: IOW05705

Project Start Date: 11/18/22

Project End Date: 9/30/27

Project Members: Nancy Grudens-Schuck, Shuyang Qu, Fally Masambuka-Kanchewa, Alyssa Rockers

Project Title: Identifying best practices in the preparation and retention of agriculture teachers

Accession Number: 7003303

Project Number: IOW03913

Project Start Date: 8/1/22

Project End Date: 7/31/27

Project Members: Michael Retallick, Scott Smalley, Amber Rice