The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District welcomed a new team member this summer through a new District internship program. Bryce Phillips joined the team in May as the 2020 Smart Irrigation Intern. During his tenure as an intern for the District, Bryce worked with our partners at University of Georgia (UGA) Stripling Irrigation Research Park to provide technical assistance for the AgWet Project and other smart irrigation initiatives.
Through the AgWet Project the District, along with UGA Extension, provides training, outreach, and resources to install soil moisture sensors and leverage sensor data to inform irrigation scheduling decisions through irrigation scheduling tool IrrigatorPro.
Bryce was instrumental in installing soil moisture sensors, as well as creating smart irrigation outreach materials and providing direct outreach to growers. Bryce enjoyed his time working directly with producers that are interested in smart irrigation technologies.
Bryce is currently a senior at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia majoring in Agriculture Communications and Crop Production. Read more from our interview with Bryce below, which captures his summer experience with Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.
Bryce, the FRSWCD 2020 Smart Irrigation Intern, installs a soil moisture sensor in a peanut field in Calhoun County.
What is one thing that you learned during your internship with Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District?
One thing I feel like I learned from working with the District was about all the technology that is used with irrigation.
What is your favorite memory from the internship?
One of my favorite memories is traveling throughout southwest Georgia assisting with the soil moisture sensor installs.
Is there a professional skill you gained or improved during your time with the District?
I believe the most important skill that I gained while working with the District was improving my communication skills with professional communication by talking with growers on the phone.
If you had to pick a color to describe the internship, what would it be and why?
I would describe this internship’s color as yellow, because this experience has been one of my favorite summers and has given me a lot of joy for conservation work!