Plant Science Student Spotlight: Satpal Sidhu

Recent plant science graduate Satpal Sidhu’s hands-on experience tied to research on campus and at Bayer CropScience has allowed him to forge an exciting career path.

The Punjab, India native’s journey started while working on his family farm before he moved to the Central Valley when he was 18 years old (& following the lead of his cousin, Pritam Dhanoa, who finished a master’s degree at Fresno State in computer science).

Sidhu's passion for agriculture has also been expanded thanks to research comparing pistachio tree rootstock growth related to irrigation water salinity (with faculty members Dr. Brar and Dr. Benes).

Learn more about his background in this recent interview.

 

Q: Talk a little bit about where you’re from, why you chose to attend Fresno State, and why are you attracted to a plant science degree?

Sidhu: “Where I was born in India - Punjab - is the biggest state in terms of agricultural produce and is also known as the “food basket of India”. I grew up in a family active in agriculture, and my ancestors and all the previous generations were also primarily involved in it, so I developed a passion from them to learn in depth about plants and the industry. I chose Fresno State because of its faculty, the plant science program, and its location in the Central Valley, which is huge in agriculture. This has exposed me to plenty of opportunities to fulfill my goals.”

Q: Which classes & faculty members had the biggest influence on you, and have you been involved with any of their research?

Sidhu: “All the faculty members have been helpful, and some members who I had a chance to work with and had the biggest influence on me are Dr. (John) Bushoven, Dr. (Sharon) Benes, Dr. (Gurreet) Brar and Marlene Miyasaki. They always motivated me to learn more and were willing to help, and I learned a lot from them. I worked as a research assistant with Dr. Brar and did a research project entitled “Growth Responses of Pistachio Rootstocks to Irrigation Water Salinity” with Dr. Brar and with Dr. Benes. This study was conducted in the greenhouse at Fresno State, and the purpose was to compare two pistachio rootstocks, UCB-1 and Platinum. Having this experience in research will definitely help me in the future to fulfill my career goals.”

Q: Have you participated in any other outreach activities or events that have benefited the community?

Sidhu: “I am a member of “Punjabi American Grower’s Group” (PAGG) that organizes events that answer questions from all the growers and creates awareness about the issues in agriculture.” 

 

Q: Have you overcome any challenges to get where you are today that have shaped who you are?

Sidhu: “The biggest challenge I faced was the adversity of coming to the United States alone at 18 years old, after never having been out of my home state. I became independent and self-reliable after having to maneuver not only the U.S. education system but the adult world on my own.”

 

Q: Talk about any internships or part-time jobs you had while at Fresno State and how they prepared you for your career? 

Sidhu: “I did an internship with Bayer Crop Science, and it was a really great opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge in person at their research farm. My job title was field operation associate, and usually I worked with the scientists on many research projects. Some tasks included chemigation, transplanting, identifying weeds, identifying pests, evaluation, irrigation, collecting samples and drone spraying. I learned a lot from this internship, and I am confident of the professional skillset that I developed such as discipline, efficiency, improvisation, working in a team, meeting deadlines, working under pressure, and adapting to advanced technologies.”

   

Q: What were some memorable experiences at your Bayer Crop Science internship?

Sidhu: “I am glad that I got an opportunity to work with such a renowned company. One was when I had a chance to go on a field tour to visit other growers in the Central Valley, talk to them, and see how differently they practice agriculture.”