Sara El-Sayed
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Mail code: 2701Campus: Tempe
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El-Sayed has a joint position as the Director of the Biomimicry Center and Assistant Research Professor at the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. El-Sayed has a doctorate in food system sustainability, specifically on regenerative food practices in arid regions, and a master's in Biomimicry both from ASU. She also has a Biomimicry Professional Certificate from Biomimicry 3.8. She held a postdoctoral position at the School for Future innovation and Society, in Public Interest Technology. Her research interests include exploring ways to have more regenerative and net-positive local food systems, she is currently involved in the local Arizona food space. Previously she worked as a researcher in Biomimicry and microbial geographies. She is the co-founder of several enterprises in Egypt. Nawaya is a social enterprise working as a catalyst to transition small-scale farmer communities into more sustainable ones through education and research. Dayma an LLC responsible for outdoor Environmental Education, teaching young adults about Biomimicry and local Egyptian communities. Clayola is an LLC producing low-tech irrigation systems. She is an avid traveler, nature lover, and enjoys tasting foods, cooking and interacting with people through food experiences. Sara is on the board of Slow Food, an international movement that started in Italy aiming to safeguard local food cultures and traditions and does so by promoting Good, Clean, and Fair food for all.
Doctorate of Philosophy in Sustainable Food Systems, Arizona State University
Master of Science in Biomimicry, Arizona State University
Bachelor of Science in Biology, The American University in Cairo
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, The American University in Cairo
Research Interests
My interdisciplinary bridges the worlds of biology, biomimicry, food systems, sustainability, environmental humanities, arts-based methods, eco-feminism, Indigenous knowledge systems/TEK
- Knowledge Symbiosis: Can Indigenous Knowledges and Biomimicry Harmonize? Initiative and Podcast series, ASU, co-PI Melissa Nelson
- ASU Farm: A collaboration led by the Lincoln Center for Applies ethics, fosters a vibrant and inclusive community, cultivating character through sustainable practices, and educating students as whole people. Cultivating plants, people, and planet. Core team: Tyler DesRoches, Becky Tsang, Joan McGregor, Julian Vitulo, Jason Bruner, Hallie Eakin, Ilaria Tabusso-Marcyan, Jose-Benito Rosales Chavez, and Chris Wharton. Starting with Maya's farm.
2023:
El-Sayed, S., & Spackman, C. (2023). Mobility of Food and Ideas in Egypt: Between Sterilization and Inoculation. In D. E. Bender & S. Cinotto (Eds.), Food Mobilities: Making World Cuisines (1st ed.). Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Maleki, M., Gheitaran, N., El-Sayed, S., Cloutier, S., & Giraud, E. G. (2023). The Development and Application of a Localized Metric for Estimating Daylighting Potential in Floor Plate. International Journal of Ambient Energy, 45(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01430750.2023.2277310
2022:
Benyus, J., Dwyer, J., El-Sayed, S. et al. Ecological performance standards for regenerative urban design. Sustain Sci 17, 2631–2641 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01180-5
El-Sayed, S. Priya Borah & Christy Spackman 2022. The impact of temporary COVID-19 legislative moves on the ability of food enterprises to pivot in Arizona, Journal of Foodservice Business Research, DOI: 10.1080/15378020.2022.2063620
El-Sayed, S. Cloutier, S. 2022. Weaving Disciplines to Contextualize a Regenerative Food System. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2022.112.002
El-Sayed, S.; Spackman, C. Follow the Ferments: Inclusive Food Governance in Arizona. Gastron. J. Food Cult. 2022, 22 (1), 20–33. https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2022.22.1.20.from.
2021:
Giraud, E.G.; El-Sayed, S.; Opejin, A. Gardening for Food Well-Being in the COVID-19 Era. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9687. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179687
Kitch, S.; McGregor, J.; Mejía, G.M.; El-Sayed, S.; Spackman, C.; Vitullo, J. Gendered and Racial Injustices in American Food Systems and Cultures. Humanities (2021), 10, 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/h10020066
2020:
El-Sayed, S. (2020). Review of Florentine Frentz, The Pursuit of Food Well-Being: The Mechanism Behind Consumers’ Food Well-Being, and their Relevance for Food Retailing and Marketing, (Springer 2020), Pages 220, Cost 83,19 €. Int. Journal of Com. WB https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-020-00095-2
2019:
Gheitarani, N., El-Sayed, S., Cloutier, S., Budruk, M., Gibbons, L., & Khanian, M. (2019). “Investigating the Mechanism of Place and Community Impact on Quality of Life of Rural-Urban Migrants.” International Journal of Community Well-Being, 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-019-00052-8
Dorghamy, Y., Dorry, M., Barakat, H. N., Mehrez, M., El-Sayed, S., & Ikram, S. (2019). Egypt’s Culinary Review. Rawi Egypt’s Heritage Review, 80.
2016
Pozzi. S, El-Sayed, S. (2016). Where Is Our Baladi Food? In M. Rouchdy & I. A. Hamdy (Eds.), Cairo Papers In Social Science: Vol. Volume 34. Cairo: Cairo Papers In Social Science.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BMY 302 | Principles of Life |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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BMY 430 | Biomimicry Practicum |
2024 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
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BMY 430 | Biomimicry Practicum |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BMY 302 | Principles of Life |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SOS 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BMY 302 | Principles of Life |
FIS 494 | Special Topics |
FIS 494 | Special Topics |
HSD 598 | Special Topics |
HSD 598 | Special Topics |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SOS 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BMY 302 | Principles of Life |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BMY 302 | Principles of Life |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BMY 302 | Principles of Life |
SOS 598 | Special Topics |
SOS 598 | Special Topics |