Dr. Ryan Lefers is the Co-founder and CEO of RedSea, an innovative sustainable agtech company founded in the extreme climate of Saudi Arabia.  Ryan holds a BS and MS in Agriculture Engineering from South Dakota State University and PhD in Environmental Engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).  Prior to his current role, Ryan spent time as a Research Scientist with the Center for Desert Agriculture at KAUST, as an Assistant Professor with Texas A&M University, and as an engineering consultant.  As a professional engineer, researcher, and now CEO, Ryan has focused his efforts on systems that serve to advance water and food security in a sustainable way.  Ryan is an expert in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems and the complex interactions between food, water, and energy. Ryan’s passion is to serve people and steward the planet through problem-solving and innovation.