Chadi Sayde

Bio

Dr. Sayde grew up in a multi-generational farming family, where he was exposed early on to the practical challenges of agricultural production, particularly under the increasing impacts of climate change on water resources. This experience motivated him to pursue a B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Holy Spirit, Lebanon, an M.S. degree in Land and Water Resources Management from the Mediterranean Agricultural Institute of Bari, Italy, and a Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering from Oregon State University (OSU).

Dr. Sayde’s expertise lies in heat and mass transport within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, a research area spanning agricultural sciences, hydrology, climate science, and environmental engineering. He develops advanced sensors and integrates them with physics-based models to study this complex system at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales. His research enhances our understanding of the interactions between water, soil, atmosphere, topography, and vegetation, and aims to develop engineered solutions for optimizing agricultural water management and minimizing environmental impacts. This work impacts fields such as climate change, air and water quality, and agricultural management.

Committed to interdisciplinary collaboration and student education, Dr. Sayde focuses on improving irrigation and agricultural water use efficiency in North Carolina and across the United States, and he actively pursues opportunities to expand his program globally. His goal is to develop solutions tailored to the needs of the developing world, addressing pressures on water resources and food production. Through these endeavors, he strives to address global water-related challenges and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and environmental health.