By blending hands-on farming with data-driven research, Adam Leise is helping Nebraska farmers make smarter decisions — from the soil up.
Leise helps his father on their family farm in Hartington, Nebraska, while also working full time at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He draws on his background in agronomy, economics and extension to manage the farm — planting, harvesting, pricing fertilizer and conducting on-farm research.
“Farming makes me a better researcher, and research makes me a better farmer,” Leise said.
Leise is Nebraska Extension’s on-farm research network manager, overseeing projects across the state. A dual Husker alumnus, he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics in 2019 and a master’s in agronomy in August 2024. He stepped into his current role a month after earning his second degree.
He ensures research quality by working with educators and university faculty to design effective trials. Leise also secures funding through grants, represents Nebraska Extension at field days, and analyzes data to help shape future practices for farmers and researchers.
His focus shifts with the seasons to support educators and projects throughout the year.
While Leise values all aspects of his work, he especially enjoys discussing agronomic economics with farmers.
“Seeing those simple thresholds and simple return on investments that we find — it’s one of my favorite parts,” he said. “As a farmer, I understand that economics and agronomy have to be of equal weight. We can’t have one outbalance the other.”
His experience on the farm sparked his interest in agronomy, but it was his time as a student that deepened his passion for serving farmers through research. While working with the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Leise saw the long-term impact of research on land stewardship.
“The entire department prioritizes resource management, future water quality, soil health — and ensuring the land we have now will be better for the next generation,” he said. “On-farm research captures many of those ideas in one program, which is awesome.”
In August, Leise was named an Extension Educator Department Affiliate, formalizing his ongoing collaboration with the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
“I already worked closely with the department. Being a recent graduate, I knew a lot of the faculty and had worked with them on projects,” he said. “The affiliate status is really just an official badge for a relationship that’s already been there.”
Leise hopes his new role will create more opportunities for student involvement in extension.
“One cool thing we’re working on is creating a pathway program for students interested in on-farm research,” he said. “That includes me presenting in courses, working with faculty and offering internship opportunities where students manage projects from spring through fall, including data analysis.”
The program is designed to give students real-world experience and introduce them to lesser-known career paths in agriculture, including drone piloting, imagery analysis and other roles in digital and precision ag.
“Those focus areas are booming right now,” Leise said. “The more hands-on experience we can give students in real-life scenarios, the better.”
