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On today's episode of Deep Roots, we sit down with Matthew Barnes to explore how environmental DNA helps us detect life we can’t easily see and why that matters for conservation, agriculture, and water in West Texas. Along the way, we connect cutting-edge monitoring to real management problems, from invasive species to restoration and emerging threats.

• environmental DNA explained through real-world examples from water, sediment, and the air
• freshwater ecology as a foundation for agriculture, communities, and ecosystem health in water-limited regions
• invasive species impacts and why early detection is the best chance to intervene
• threatened and endangered species monitoring with sensitive DNA-based tools
• airborne eDNA using dust traps to track plants, vertebrates, and seasonal patterns like migration
• partnerships with the Texas Produced Water Consortium and using eDNA to measure restoration outcomes
• why eDNA complements visual surveys rather than replacing classic field skills

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A Dean’s job is big, but Dr. Clint Krehbiel keeps coming back to simple questions: Who are we serving, and what kind of impact lasts? We talk through his journey from a central Kansas farm and ranch background to research leadership roles across the Plains, and why Texas Tech University felt like the right place to pour that experience back into students, rural communities, and the future of agriculture.

The heart of our conversation is the new Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources flagship building. We break down why the project matters beyond square footage: it creates a true home on campus where students from animal and food science, plant and soil science, ag economics, ag education and communications, landscape architecture, and more can gather and build community. We also connect the Davis college’s mission to West Texas realities like the Ogallala Aquifer, water conservation, heat, and the need for sustainable farming and ranching systems that can adapt.

We get specific about what’s planned inside: modern classrooms, student success support, multimedia space for communications, high-quality research laboratories for analytics, genetics and genomics, and a food innovation area designed for training and hands-on learning. A major theme is collaboration, with intentional community space where industry partners and stakeholders can meet faculty, co-create ideas, and move technology from campus into the real world.

If you care about agricultural innovation, natural resources, or what it takes to build a campus destination that educates every time you walk through the door, you’ll want to hear this one. Subscribe, share the episode with a colleague or alum, and leave us a review with one feature you think every “college home” should include.

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In this episode of the Deep Roots Podcast, host, Vikram Baliga, PH.D., sits down with Lance Nicholas, a senior agricultural education student at Texas Tech University, to talk about his journey as a student leader, undergraduate researcher, and future educator. Hailing from the small town of Brookshire, Texas, Lance shares how saying yes to new opportunities has transformed his college experience and shaped his passion for agricultural education.

Lance reflects on his involvement across campus, from serving as president of Agricultural Educators of Tomorrow and recruiting future students as an Agri-Techsan to mentoring peers through the Tech Leadership Institute. These experiences helped him develop as both a leader and educator while reinforcing the importance of curiosity, service and personal growth.

A major focus of this episode is Lance’s undergraduate research, where he completed two projects. His first examined the relationship between school administrators and agricultural educators in districts experiencing high teacher turnover, seeking ways to strengthen communication and improve teacher retention. Through interviews with school leaders, Lance gained firsthand insight into the challenges facing agricultural education and the value of collaborative leadership. His second project explored media framing of Texas’s school choice legislation and its implications for rural education, broadening his understanding of research methods and public policy.

Throughout the discussion, Lance emphasizes how undergraduate research has prepared him for a career in education by developing critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills. He also shares the challenges of conducting qualitative research, including building trust with participants and learning how thoughtful communication can open doors to meaningful conversations.

Looking ahead, Lance discusses his acceptance into the agricultural education graduate program at Texas Tech, where he plans to continue researching teacher recruitment and retention. He hopes to mentor future students while expanding his own research interests under the guidance of faculty mentors.

Let us know your thoughts on Lance’s research, reach out to him for more information, and be sure to subscribe to Deep Roots!