Emma Sagan ’06

For example, the technology is helping wine growers in Northern California measure precise levels of harmful chemicals in smoke from wildfires. “Not all smoke destroys the grapes’ taste,” Emma explains; “Farmers need to know exactly what compounds are in the smoke and at what levels, to know whether plants are exposed and if a particular field is lost.” Agrology’s system provides this data right away, in time to take action. Emma and her team are continuing to add new features to their app, such as a new extreme weather alert. By constantly evolving their technology, Emma hopes to help farmers make better data-driven decisions. Emma has always been interested in applied engineering. She fondly recalls the Shady Hill LEGO robotics lessons taught by Ms. Bratzel, one of Emma’s favorite teachers. Not surprisingly, Emma majored in engineering at Stanford University, blending Mechanical
and Energy Engineering courses into a focus on Sustainable Manufacturing. She went on to be Product Manager at Capital One, developing financial applications used by millions of customers. She also developed tools to help people register to vote in the 2020 election as product manager for a data analytics firm. Speaking about what inspires her at her current job, she says, “I love my current work, harnessing technology to support farmers and the
sustainability of the planet. All my passions rolled into one!”