Meet Ryan Sarhan
Ryan Sarhan is an ASABE competition veteran. He admits to being a bit intimidated when he first began participating in ASABE's annual meeting activities, where many of the competitions are hosted. But he persisted, and now offers his insights for others, specifically calling out the Young Professionals Community (YPC), which hosts an entire program of events at the annual international meeting (AIM).
"Getting involved in groups like ASABE Young Professionals Community," he says, "can make being an active member of ASABE feel more accessible. In addition to hosting valuable events at AIM, YPC is a offers opportunities for professional development opportunities geared towards young professionals, such as writing scientific content and for Resource or planning events. Additionally, being part of YPC ensures your voice is heard to shape a better ASABE of the future!"
How have the ASABE competitions you competed in helped you in the real world?
This is my second time entering into an ASABE competition and these experiences developed skills I normally wouldn’t have gotten in my coursework and expanded my understanding of what I could achieve.
In my first competition, our team came up with a novel startup idea, focusing on its scientific basis and a potential application. However, lacking experience in startup pitches and lacking expertise at that specific research area, we didn’t fully grasp the intricacies of commercializing it. This experience gave me valuable experience, teaching me what to anticipate when pitching an idea and how to more effectively “sell” an idea. Competing in this competition also gave me the startup “bug.” Following the first competition, I enrolled in an entrepreneur’s bootcamp at my university and I believe my experience in the ASABE competition helped me achieve my finalist position, winning money for my startup.
For my second ASABE competition, I returned with an idea based on my teammate Keya Roy’s research into pure mycelium materials. This provided a tangible pathway to turning it into a company. I particularly enjoyed the excitement the idea generated in the room, especially when people first touched the leather wallet prototype and couldn’t believe it was made of pure mycelium.
Reflecting on why I got into biosystems engineering, I always liked learning, and wished to apply my grasp of the fundamental science in innovative ways that benefit the world. For me, this path lacked exposure to business-oriented thinking until I joined the ASABE competition. Overall, these experiences opened up the possibility of turning my research into a startup and offered a fresh perspective on the ultimate application of waste-valorization efforts.
Was this your first time attending AIM? Would you recommend that other students attend?
This was my third time attending AIM. Each visit reinforces its value for professional development, as I consistently make new meaningful connections that I invariably see at following conferences. This ongoing networking has helped my career by expanding my professional “bubble” with passionate scientists I otherwise wouldn’t have met.
Beyond professional development, AIM is a great event for disseminating and refining my research. I find that AIM is a great venue for sharing my work beyond my immediate circle and actively seek feedback. This process often sparks new ideas, highlights new research directions, or provides necessary course corrections. I recommend students looking to understand their own and other’s research better, as well as looking to grow their career, attend AIM. In any case, the social activities and new connections are a lot of fun!
Would you recommend other students participate in ASABE student competitions?
Competitions give complementary experience to just attending for networking or presenting posters/research. They are a great way to practice combining science with creativity, pursue an idea you’ve always wanted to try, and challenge yourself by testing your understanding of the limits of what you can do. This can be incredibly satisfying.