Get to know Erfan Vafaie

Photo courtesy
of Erfan Vafaie

Dr. Erfan Vafaie is an entomologist whose aptitude with technology helped him build a successful career at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. He used podcasts, videos and webinars, social media and even a pollinator citizen science project to help growers with their problems. Erfan (pronounced air-fawn) joined BioWorks as technical services manager in July.

NM: How did you become interested in entomology?

EV: It was two professors, Dr. Brent Sinclair and Dr. Jeremy McNeil, at University of Western Ontario, Canada. Dr. Sinclair taught a class on insect physiology where we studied freeze tolerance. Some insects can tolerate being frozen solid and survive after being thawed out, whereas others can’t.

It was the first time I was really exposed to the scientific method and research, in those labs. It really got me interested in doing science, because I felt like a detective. I felt like I was Bruce Wayne or Batman, looking up in the literature, trying to find answers, designing experiments to try and collect data.

Dr. McNeil’s courses focused on the interactions between insects and plants using chemicals in the air. A caterpillar chews on a plant, the plant releases a chemical that attracts predators of that caterpillar. From there, my mind was blown thinking about practical applications of my interest in science and entomology in helping agricultural production.

We’d find examples of a plant that would naturally have chemicals in the ground that would kill weeds and naturally attract predators of a major pest within the crop. So they could intercrop every other row with this particular plant and alleviate issues for growers in a very economic and sustainable way.

NM: What does your role at BioWorks entail?

EV: It’s more of a managerial type of role, so I’m managing our technical services specialists who are basically like our extension personnel. They’re answering questions specifically for growers. They’re coming up with specific crop recommendations for growers or tank compatibility or helping do demonstration trials on site. Essentially a lot of the functions that extension does, but in a commercial environment. When you’re on the business side, it’s more important to consider the economics of the challenges they’re facing. Or these specific technical details of how they’re using our products to make sure they’re using our product in a way in which it’s going to be effective and allow them to be successful.

NM: What are your hobbies, and how did you get into them?

EV: Web development has always been a passion, because I just thought it was really neat to be able to program something, to spend 30 minutes to a couple hours and have something online that others can come visit. Another that I picked up during my Ph.D is carpentry. Being in research, you can spend two or three days just reading papers and feel like you’ve got nothing accomplished because all you’ve been doing is just trying to absorb information. But with carpentry I could go in the garage and build a little cabinet and see the fruits of my labor pretty quick. I started with making a dresser for our son when he was born. A little baby changing table and whatnot.

We love going biking as a family; I love playing volleyball and ping pong. I like to play video games with friends online.

NM: How old is your son?

EV: He’s 3-and-a-half. He’s a lot of fun to play with. He knows when I go in my office I’m “going to BioWorks” so he’ll say “Are you going to BioWorks, daddy?” And whenever I come out: “Are you done with BioWorks?”

For more: www.bioworksinc.com