Yoav Sarig
Encyclopedia
Yoav Sarig is an Israeli scientist
, inventor and agricultural engineer
. He is a renowned expert in the field of mechanical harvesting of fruit, and is the holder of several patents for mechanical apparatus for harvesting and processing of jojoba
beans, pecan
nuts and pomegranates.
in 1976. The title of his doctoral thesis was Deformation analysis of foam-encapsulated apples under impact loading.
s, an apparatus for separating pomegranate seeds, a mechanical cracker for Macadamia
nuts, a machine for harvesting agricultural produce from the ground suitable for Pecan nuts and similar produce and many others.
In later years, his interest turned to non-invasive methods for evaluation of agricultural produce - to assess a product's readiness for harvest or its ripeness without harming the fruit. He pioneered the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
(NMR) to evaluate the maturity of Avocado
fruits, and the use of an "artificial nose" utilizing the olfactory response of fresh produce as a consumer-oriented and non-destructive quality evaluation method.
in 1992 formally established diplomatic relations with Israel and an Israeli embassy was opened in Beijing
, Sarig was appointed Science Counsellor
, a role he filled for 4 years, from 1993 to 1997. There, Sarig proposed and oversaw the establishment of three major demonstration farms in China, which showcase Israeli agricultural technology, and several training centers which are supported by both the Chinese and Israeli ministries of agriculture. Sarig also realized the significance of conducting a variety of management courses in China, and instituted a program to deliver courses in business, marketing and business management.
In recognition of his professional achievements, Sarig was named an ASABE Fellow in 2010.
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, inventor and agricultural engineer
Agricultural engineering
Agricultural engineering is the engineering discipline that applies engineering science and technology to agricultural production and processing...
. He is a renowned expert in the field of mechanical harvesting of fruit, and is the holder of several patents for mechanical apparatus for harvesting and processing of jojoba
Jojoba
Jojoba, pronounced , is a shrub native to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of Arizona, California, and Mexico. It is the sole species of the family Simmondsiaceae, placed in the order Caryophyllales. It is also known as goat nut, deer nut, pignut, wild hazel, quinine nut, coffeeberry, and gray box...
beans, pecan
Pecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
nuts and pomegranates.
Early years and academic education
Sarig was born in Holon, in the then British Mandate of Palestine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the Technion in 1962 and his Master's degree from the Technion in 1972. Sarig was awarded his doctorate from Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1976. The title of his doctoral thesis was Deformation analysis of foam-encapsulated apples under impact loading.
Research interests
Working for Israel's Volcani Centre, where he headed the Institute for Agricultural Engineering from 1985 to 1988, Sarig developed a mechanical pollinator for Date PalmDate Palm
The date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with...
s, an apparatus for separating pomegranate seeds, a mechanical cracker for Macadamia
Macadamia
Macadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, with a disjunct distribution native to eastern Australia , New Caledonia and Sulawesi in Indonesia ....
nuts, a machine for harvesting agricultural produce from the ground suitable for Pecan nuts and similar produce and many others.
In later years, his interest turned to non-invasive methods for evaluation of agricultural produce - to assess a product's readiness for harvest or its ripeness without harming the fruit. He pioneered the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance is a physical phenomenon in which magnetic nuclei in a magnetic field absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation...
(NMR) to evaluate the maturity of Avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
fruits, and the use of an "artificial nose" utilizing the olfactory response of fresh produce as a consumer-oriented and non-destructive quality evaluation method.
China
When ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1992 formally established diplomatic relations with Israel and an Israeli embassy was opened in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Sarig was appointed Science Counsellor
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
, a role he filled for 4 years, from 1993 to 1997. There, Sarig proposed and oversaw the establishment of three major demonstration farms in China, which showcase Israeli agricultural technology, and several training centers which are supported by both the Chinese and Israeli ministries of agriculture. Sarig also realized the significance of conducting a variety of management courses in China, and instituted a program to deliver courses in business, marketing and business management.
Honors
In 2006, Sarig was awarded the prestigious Namir Prize for his work in developing the apparatus for the separation of pomegranate seeds, and the same apparatus also won the ASABE's AE50 Award in 2007.In recognition of his professional achievements, Sarig was named an ASABE Fellow in 2010.