<p> There are an insufficient number of university students, specifically women, graduating with an education in agronomy to fill work force demands. This need, driven partially by population growth, is increasing due to growing rates of industrialization and consequential environmental issues. Agronomy pays special attention to the supply and demand of resources from the environment. Though there is an apparent regression in students choosing an education in agronomy, there is a need for their skill set. This study hypothesized that urban and rural women have different perceptions that influence them towards agronomy careers. To quantify these perceptions, a survey was issued to women at the 2014 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America Joint Annual Meetings in Long Beach, CA, USA. Rural and urban women had significantly different (p < 0.05) perceptions about their birthplace environment's influence on career choice, proving the hypothesis. Rural women were more influenced by this setting than their urban counterparts, which could prove to be a major issue if urban encroachment progresses. This study defines the rural urban birthplace population break at 25,000 for women in agronomy careers. This population break knowledge should be helpful for revisions of marketing, recruitment, and retainment programs. Other trends presented are helpful because together they disclose potential future investigations into agronomy women's perceptions, their decision-making processes, and what influences their career choice.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:1589553 |
| Date | 30 June 2015 |
| Creators | Litke, Graham Ross |
| Publisher | Tarleton State University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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