Aryan Nobar
From Lab to Rice Paddies: Experiences of a Dutch student in Tra Vinh
When Aryan Nobar, a final-year Biomedical Laboratory Research student from Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, arrived in Vietnam for a six-month internship, his goal was clear: applying his academic knowledge in Biology and Medical Laboratory Research into practical solutions for salinity intrusion in the Mekong Delta, and to gain the hands-on experience that no textbook can provide.
With the support of Saxion University, one of the impact partners of Empower Youth4Food, Aryan immersed himself in a cross-cultural learning environment where theory meets real-world challenges. Equipped with modern biology and medical expertise to research microbial solutions for brackish water, Aryan found in the Mekong Delta a “living laboratory” to test his ideas in a region facing serious challenges from climate change and food insecurity.
Why Tra Vinh?
A search for real-world impact.
Aryan chose to do his internship at Tra Vinh University (TVU) to combine research with international teamwork. "This environment challenges me to take complex biology findings and turn them into measurable and reproducible outputs," he explains.
His current research focuses on how bacteria and algae can help remove salt from brackish water, but also translating this into an easy-to-use guide for people living in rural areas. A critical issue in an area where rising sea levels and shifting river flows threaten rice fields and aquaculture.
"The Mekong Delta is at the front line of climate, salinity, and food system challenges. I hope that through this internship I can apply my lab skills - assay design, data quality, and troubleshooting - to a real environmental and agricultural context where I can help people who live in the rural areas," Aryan says.
His ambitions for the future? To establish his own lab and research group back home in the Netherlands dedicated to finding practical, science-based solutions to global problems.
The "One Day as a Farmer" experience 🌾
Aryan's philosophy of "starting close to the problem" came to life during the One day as a farmer activity in Tra Vinh last September. This event, organized by Agriterra and EarthFeast, the student team from Tra Vinh University, who were the winners of our Changemaker Challenge, gave Aryan a firsthand insight into the life of the farmers of the Mekong Delta.
He was struck by the contrast between Vietnamese and Dutch farming practices. "In the Netherlands, machines do a lot of the work,, and we have a totally different climate. In Vietnam, farming faces big challenges because of climate change."
The experience deepened his belief that real innovation starts with understanding people’s everyday struggles. "Don’t just read articles and papers—go to the farmers, hear their stories and difficulties. Only then can you make a meaningful change," he advises.
Turning Data into Action
Turning Data into Action
For Aryan, the real reward is not the prestige - it is the practical outcome and the potential impact it can generate. "The most rewarding aspect of my studies is seeing data drive real decisions," he says. His approach reflects the EY4F campaign’s mission to turn knowledge into tangible action.
As his six-month internship continues, Aryan is working to test and improve his desalination system and refine his research. His research aims to develop a practical easy-to-use tool for farmers facing saltwater intrusion.
Aryan Nobar's journey shows that science should not just stay confined to the labs - it should be grounded in the needs and challenges that farmers face every day.
Are you a young professional or student passionate about sustainable food systems? The Empower Youth4Food campaign champions the kind of applied, cross-cultural research Aryan is undertaking. How can your skills help solve a local agricultural challenge?
Share with us!