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Agriscience student research strengthens career aspirations

The Michigan FFA Star in Agriscience has been studying the environmental impacts of hydraulic fuel since seventh grade.

Chesaning FFA’s Sterling Tomac tells Brownfield he was inspired by his dad, who works as a contractor in highly sensitive environmental areas.

“If a conventional hydraulic oil would get into the aquatic system, it would destroy the ecosystem,” Tomac explains. “He uses a brand of biodegradable hydraulic oil, and they have all sorts of claims. I really didn’t see much testing on these claims, so I decided I wanted to test them myself, and their claims were solid.”

Tomac’s comparison was first tested on Ryegrass and was adjusted to explore the impacts on aquatic systems during throughout high school.

“If you can find something that you’re really passionate about, and if you put your time and effort into that, there’s no telling what the future can hold for you,” he encourages.

Tomac says the project has taken him to several state and national events, strengthening his interest in civil engineering, which he plans to study at Michigan Tech.

Tomac is also serving as his chapter president and the Region III Treasurer.