School: Michigan State University
Major: Biosystems Engineering

Caden Wade is an NSF GRFP-funded Ph.D. student studying Biosystems Engineering at Michigan State University, with research focusing on the development of plasma-activated water technologies and applications in agriculture. Caden’s passion for agriculture began in Wheatland, Wyoming, after learning about the depleting Ogallala aquifer and its effects on local irrigation and farm productivity.

Caden completed a bachelor’s degree in Crop and Soil Sciences at Michigan State, becoming a Goldwater Scholar and a College of Ag Fellow, and enrolled in graduate school to further research into irrigation technologies and fertilizer developments. Caden serves as Secretary on the department’s Graduate Student Advisory Board and as the Graduate Student Representative for the ASABE Young Professionals Committee. After earning a Ph.D., Caden hopes to apply this experience in industry through internal fertilization technology or chemistry research and development.