Plant Science Student Internship Spotlight: Arik Bains

Senior Arik Bains is a great example of the amazing connections our students have access to in the nation's leading agricultural area before they graduate.

The Turlock native is wrapping up a career-enhancing internship this fall with Bayer Crop Sciences after similar opportunities with GAR Bennett and Wilbur-Ellis.

His family has agricultural ties on his father's side (peaches, Yuba City) and mother's side (raisins, Selma) - and he was directly introduced and drawn to the industry when his father and uncle purchased an almond orchard 10 years ago. 

Learn what's next in his career path after he graduates next spring in this recent interview.

 

Q: How did you pick Fresno State and the plant science degree area?

Bains: "The main reason I chose to come here is because of its great agriculture program as well the Fresno State brand. Any alumni that I have ever talked to is proud to have received their degree from Fresno State. I was drawn to plant science because of my passion and roots in agriculture. Growing up in the Central Valley you see how prominent agriculture is. People are always going to need to eat and because of that there are so many opportunities in the agricultural industry."

 

Q: Did you have any other family ties to Fresno State?

Bains: "My family has deep roots here at Fresno State. My mother (Kuljit Bains) along with her two siblings (Raminder and Rajinder Atwal) graduated from Fresno State, almost all of their first cousins, and a few other relatives. It is really cool for me to be able to carry on the Bulldog tradition, and add to the long list of alumni in the family."

 

Q: Which classes & faculty members had the biggest influence on you at Fresno State?

Bains: "All of the major classes that I have taken have been influential, and I have been able to retain and apply a good amount of information. The two classes that have had the biggest impact on me so far have been Soils and Plant Pathology."

Bains: "Soils with Dr. Benes is one of the best classes I have taken here at Fresno State. Even though I had to take this class online, I was able to learn a lot from Dr. Benes, and the material in her class prepared me for other classes. Plant Pathology with Dr. Ellis was another great class that I enjoyed taking. Getting to learn about the diseases caused by pathogens was really interesting, and this information will be very helpful in my career path."

Bains: "Being a plant science - crop production management major gave me the opportunity to also take some ag business classes. I was able to take three classes with Dr. Williams, and he became one of my favorite professors at Fresno State. I enjoyed all of his classes, and I learned a lot from him."

 

Q: What companies have you done any internships with while at Fresno State? 

Bains: "During my time here at Fresno State I have held internships with GAR Bennett, Wilbur-Ellis, and Bayer Crop Science."

Bains: "With GAR Bennett I was a field scout, and my tasks included monitoring grower’s fields, checking insect traps, and taking tissue samples. While working for Wilbur-Ellis my title was also field scout, although the work I did was more research and development. Throughout the summer I assisted with conducting field trials. My tasks included instance and severity ratings, backpack spraying, hand-boom spraying, and data collection. This summer and fall I have been working as a field operations summer associate for Bayer Crop Science. At the Western Technology Field Station in Fresno, I have assisted with conducting small plot efficacy tests and drone imaging. Some of my tasks have been phytotoxicity ratings, mixing pesticides, plot evaluations, and planting."

 

Q: How did these internships help you professionally, and what skills did you develop?

Bains: "These internships have helped me in a variety of ways and allowed me to see things that I have learned in the classroom and how they actually work. It such a great feeling seeing something that you have learned about in the classroom and then being able to identify it and know what to do about it in real life."

Bains: "Getting the opportunity to work for the amazing companies that I have, I have been able to cross paths and network with different PCA's and scientists that come from different backgrounds and areas. Being able to pick their brains about different topics, experiences, and even career paths is something that I am so grateful for. Like almost any place of work, all of the internships required some knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word. Working with those platforms over the past few summers is another beneficial skill."

Bains: "Another vital skill that I have been able to develop through my internship experiences is a strong, work ethic from waking up at four or five in the morning to put in forty hours a week. Another skill I have developed is better multitasking and time management. Having multiple, different tasks that need to be completed by a certain date has allowed me to use my time wisely throughout the week to make sure that my work gets done."

 

Q: What were some of your most memorable experiences at these internships?

Bains: "There have been so many different things that I have been able to see through these opportunities. Traveling around the Central Valley for work, I have been able to get experience with so many different crops and see the different practices that growers use in their orchards. In addition to that, I have gotten to meet so many different people within the ag industry and have had so many great opportunities to network. These are the most memorable experiences for me because of how they will help me in my career path."

 

Q: What was your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

Bains: "Prior to coming to Fresno State to pursue my degree in plant science, I was fortunate to have a background in agriculture. Growing up I had no idea what I wanted to do or what I wanted to major in. It wasn’t until I actually started to go out to the orchard about 10 years ago and work with my dad that I realized I wanted a career in agriculture."

 

Q: What's your potential next career step?

Bains: "My next potential career step after graduation is to take the PCA exam. Whether I decide to become a PCA or not, I think that it is important for me to have my license. After working at Bayer Crop Science this summer, I have developed a keen interest in research and development. To do research I will need to obtain a master’s degree, and it is definitely a possibility in the future."