News at SDState

South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts was on campus March 27 to meet with South Dakota State University students participating in ECON 319: Seminar with Industry Leaders.

Natalie Sturm first learned about the Dakota Lakes Research Farm as part of an undergraduate cropping systems class. She was so inspired she emailed the farm manager, Dwayne Beck, asking if he was hiring. Now, six years after the initial email and four years after completing her master’s degree by conducting research on the farm, Sturm is returning as the new manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm.

From health care to agriculture to education, artificial intelligence is reshaping the modern world, and college graduates must have the skills, knowledge and tools to meet the challenges and demands AI presents across nearly every industry. To ensure its graduates are ready to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world, South Dakota State University has announced the establishment of the Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technologies.

The 2026 Midwest American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting was held March 8-11 in Omaha, Nebraska, bringing together researchers and students from 12 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. “Faculty and students from South Dakota State University were highly successful at the Midwest ASAS Annual Meeting, showcasing the strength of the university’s teaching, research and extension programs,” said John Jaeger, Calvin and Mary Hayenga Endowed Department Head of Animal Science.

South Dakota State University invites the public to the 103rd Little International, March 27-28, at the Animal Science Arena in Brookings.

Thanks to a series of grants, South Dakota State University offers a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling with tuition, fees and books all covered — meaning these counselors could get a graduate degree debt-free.

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact has awarded South Dakota State University, in partnership with Black Hills State University, a $250,000 Strategic Impact and Innovation Grant to support success for students pursuing careers in health professions.

The Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering at South Dakota State University will host the Innovate AI 2026 Symposium, a one-day convening of leaders from academia, industry, government and the startup ecosystem to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming critical sectors of regional and national importance.

American music history will come to life in Brookings as the South Dakota State University School of Performing Arts presents “A Sousa Symposium” on April 10-11 at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.

Research is the engine behind innovation, commercialization and economic growth across nearly every industry. At South Dakota State University, that innovation doesn’t stop in the lab; it goes to work. In this episode, we explore how a single research idea can become a commercial product with real regional and global impact.