Luke Fuhrer may be new to the Midwest, but his passion for using agricultural technologies to help growers be more productive, profitable and sustainable makes him a perfect fit at Iowa State’s Digital Ag Innovation Lab in Ames. Dr. Fuhrer joined the organization as a Precision Ag Engineer in August 2025 after earning a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Mechanization and Business from Clemson University, and a master’s degree in Crop and Soil Science and a Ph.D. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia.
His focus is managing, developing, and implementing extension and outreach efforts to bring the organization’s leadership in innovation and development for agricultural machinery to farmers. He also is embedded in the digital agronomy team, diving deeper into how new sensors, software, technologies, and machines affect crops from an agronomic and physiological perspective.
1. What brought you to Iowa?
In all transparency, I was looking at extension specialist positions at University of Georgia, Mississippi State and Tennessee. As a South Carolina native, I was excited about the opportunity to stay closer to home while still getting to go experience a new place. After presenting at the 2024 annual international meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Dr. Bailey Adams from Iowa State approached me with information about job opportunities here. I was blessed to interview at all four institutions, and after deliberation, prayer, seeking advice from others and internal reflection, I decided to expand my horizons and challenge my extension and engineering skills at Iowa State’s Digital Ag Innovation Lab.
2. What excites you most about the technologies that are being developed in agriculture today?
In many ways, we are already very good at farming. We produce strong crop stands despite the unforeseen challenges of each season. In my opinion, the opportunity now is moving from good to great. By utilizing data, sensors and digital tools to make every acre, every input and every decision smarter, the work at the Digital Ag Innovation Lab can help farmers around the world do just that.
Not only can technologies help increase productivity and profitability, but we can also improve sustainability by reducing waste, environmental impact and risk. I also believe that technologies can take pressure off farmers. By turning complex data and screen outputs into clear, actionable insights, digital agriculture helps reduce uncertainty, improve confidence in management decisions, and ease the mental and operational stress that comes with feeding, fueling and clothing the world.
3. What sets Iowa State’s Digital Ag Innovation Lab apart?
I can say, full-heartedly, that what sets the Digital Ag Innovation Lab apart, first and foremost, is the people. Our staff of 65 graduate students and engineering professionals exemplify the core values of Passion, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence each and every day. Our work not only touches the state of Iowa, which is very important, but also impacts the world! We are actively shaping the landscape of agriculture each day we walk into the office, interact with a corporate partner, or work with a grower or operator.
Those core values are also exemplified in the extension and outreach events we conduct. Leveraging the experience and knowledge of our staff members we are able to deliver a truly unique learning environment where we help build connections between the information delivered and what an event attendee would experience in the field. Both the excitement of our attendees and our staff’s passion is shown through our flagship event, Planter University. We are excited to see the continued success of this event and are working to expand this style premier events to other topic areas.
Additionally, the Digital Ag Innovation Lab has developed truly unique relationships and strategic partnerships with partners ranging from large global OEMs to small startups. This empowers our staff to be impactful not just locally but also around the world. With 90+ patents/ tech transfers and 60+ current products sold in the ag industry with ISU licensed software and/or patented hardware implementation we are generating wide scale industry impact.
Finally, our location in the new Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab at the Iowa State University Research Park fosters collaboration because we are so close to many of our partners, and we tap into the innovation mindset and ecosystem around the park. You can’t help but be excited to be a part of such an environment.
4. What advice do you have for someone considering a move to Iowa?
First – speaking to all my southern brothers and sisters – learn to layer and do that well! I have learned the art of layering clothes, and it is paying dividends by keeping me warm in these cold, windy Midwestern days.
Get excited about exploring! There is such a deep culture and amazing experiences waiting in each of the towns, big or small, spread throughout Iowa.
5. Please recommend three things to do or places to go in Iowa.
In just a few months of living here, Ames already formed a special place in my heart. Though I am still partial to SEC and ACC football, a Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium at Iowa State University is a must! The fans are so nice, the atmosphere is electric and enjoyable for all ages.
The park system in Iowa is great for any activity level, with unique opportunities throughout the state. With locations such as Beulah Falls in the northeast, Ledges State Park in Boone and the Loess Hills in the west, there are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors!
Finally, Des Moines is a must-visit. You can catch a concert or event at the Civic Center or the Casey’s Center, it has plenty of sporting events to attend with the Iowa Wolves, Iowa Cubs and Iowa Wild, and a ton of great places for food and drinks.
Published January 2026