Unlocking Nature's Chemistry: A Q&A with Dr. Matthew Dahabieh

Conversations on leadership, innovation and growing a better future

I founded Terramera to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture. But I’m not the only one who’s striving to change the world. In “The Core Question” I’m sharing my learnings and talking to purpose-driven leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers about some of the most important questions we’re facing today. My goal is to start a conversation, so please read, comment and subscribe! This month… 

What do you think of when you hear the word chemistry? Beakers and bunsen burners? This month’s guest has spent his share of time in the lab. But in his new role as Terramera’s Senior Vice President and Head of Green Chemistry Solutions, Dr. Matthew Dahabieh is drawing inspiration from the possibilities in nature to unlock the next generation of formulation innovation. Before joining Terramera, Matthew worked in a variety of roles from hands-on research and scientific discovery to start-up corporate development. He’s a pro in biotechnology; and with a MSc in Genetics, a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and formal training in business and entrepreneurship, he’s incredibly skilled at translating highly technical, scientific concepts in an accessible way. Here’s what he shared with me recently.

What do you think the biggest gap in understanding is with green chemistry? A common misconception about green chemistry is it’s made up of just a few specific types of chemistries that have a limited set of applications. Instead, green chemistry is really more of a philosophy for chemical and biochemical improvement. Green chemistry looks to develop and harness technologies that enable more efficient and healthier solutions –– for people and the environment –– and better outcomes in industries like agriculture. Take for instance, safe biopesticides for pest management. Green chemistry encompasses many scientific disciplines and technologies across many different sectors. In my opinion, this is precisely what makes green chemistry so exciting and promising for the future!  

To nerd-out for a moment: Is there an example of one nature-based chemistry solution that you wish more people knew about? One exciting area of research that I wish everyone (including me) knew more about is the soil microbiome. Similar to the human microbiome, it’s an incredibly diverse and under-appreciated area of research that is growing rapidly. In every handful of healthy soil, there are billions of bacteria, the vast majority of which we have not even discovered, let alone started to study. Soil bacteria (and other microorganisms) undoubtedly have a major role to play in the health of our agricultural systems and starting to understand and eventually harness these interactions will bring major advancements to agriculture in the years ahead. 

Regenerative agriculture is all about adopting practices that help restore agricultural systems and their constituent soils to a more balanced, healthy, and productive state.

In your view, how can green chemistry help fuel a wider adoption of regenerative agriculture? Regenerative agriculture is all about adopting practices that help restore agricultural systems and their constituent soils to a more balanced, healthy, and productive state. But growers need access to tools that enable them to successfully transition from previous industrialized methods to regenerative, as well as tools that can ensure their long-term livelihood as regenerative growers. An important part of this is access to innovative green chemistry technologies that can reduce the reliance on conventional crop protection products, thus helping enhance regenerative practices and outcomes.

The pandemic disrupted many industries. Were there any ways in which COVID-19 changed your work for the better? I know it can be a contentious topic, but in my opinion, the pandemic helped force society and employers to embrace remote work and other alternative work structures. Obviously, we are still in a very dynamic period, so I don’t know exactly where we’ll land long-term but, at the very least, I think the rise of remote working has been beneficial to critically evaluate our pre-pandemic professional conventions. Collectively, we’ve started to better appreciate work-life balance and realize that productivity, innovation and working from home are not mutually exclusive. Perhaps most importantly, I think we’ve found a deeper appreciation for the times we do get to interact face-to-face.

What’s the leadership advice you wish you had gotten 10 years ago? 10 years ago, I would have told you that, without question, leaders, and especially the best ones, have to be the smartest, most knowledgeable people in the room. Today I know the best leaders are those who surround themselves with people smarter than them. Of course, leaders need to be technically smart and capable, but I’ve come to realize that leaders don’t (and probably shouldn’t) have all the answers. The best ideas, solutions and paths forward come from thoughtful debate and contributions from diverse and talented teams. My job as a leader is to coordinate our efforts, ensure everyone is rowing the same direction, remove as many roadblocks for the team as possible, and get out of the way so they can do their best work.

What’s one way you’ve grown in the last year, either personally or professionally, that you’re proud of? This past year has been a whirlwind of new experiences for me. Recently, I’ve taken on a whole new set of responsibilities at Terramera. This has of course come with its share of challenges and learning experiences (which I value greatly), but it has been a tremendously rewarding experience thus far, especially getting to see our team’s collective progress and growth. This is incredibly inspiring and I’m looking forward to celebrating many more successes in the years to come.

You’ve spent many years in research and development. How has that experience informed your work at Terramera? Having a technical background has been invaluable in my career by enabling me to more deeply understand and better connect R&D with commercialization. So-called translational science requires connecting various stakeholders that often speak different languages and have different points of view –– analysts, managers, sales, business development, finance, legal, etc. –– they all need to connect around a common thread, i.e. technology and product development. Being fluent in the technical language and process allows me to connect and communicate with different stakeholders.

You were promoted to your new role in February but you started out as our director of research and technology. What inspired you to join Terramera? Of course, joining Terramera was an opportunity to contribute to a company doing amazing work in an area critical to the health and well-being of our planet. I am grateful to have this opportunity and it is immensely inspiring to me every day. But another important aspect that drew me to Terramera was its people and entrepreneurial culture. From my earliest interactions with the company, I was consistently impressed by everyone’s passion, dedication, and ingenuity in their work. The opportunity to learn from such an amazingly talented group of people was an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up. 

You have one big thing in common with our VP of Regenerative Finance, Brian Smith  who co-founded Persephone Brewing –– you’ve studied yeast strains. What is one piece of advice you’d give brewers (or winemakers)? I’m not sure I have any great words of wisdom for brewers and winemakers –– these are already really successful industries that make a wonderfully diverse set of products for all tastes and palates. In that sense, I think a big thank you is in order! But if I had to offer some advice, I think it would be to keep experimenting with products, techniques, ingredients, etc. As some of the oldest industries out there, brewing and winemaking may not be what first comes to mind when people think about innovation; however, brewers and winemakers are actually a really innovative bunch. They are constantly studying their craft and looking for new opportunities to improve their products and processes. With that said, thanks again and keep it up! Cheers!

What activity or routine is essential to your personal well-being that you can’t do without? Without question, the number one thing that keeps me happy and healthy is getting outside. For me this is backcountry skiing, mountain biking, trail running, and sailing, but really anything outdoors is up my alley. Beyond the obvious physical benefit, making time for these activities is critical to my mental health –– they help me to de-stress, recharge, and refocus. I also really enjoy seeing the progression in my skills and performance that comes from the time spent doing. There’s always something to learn!

What has been a through line in your career and why? The main thing that has helped define and enable my career is a willingness and a desire to take on challenges that put me outside of my comfort zone. I’m a strong believer in jumping straight into the deep-end and just seeing how things turn out. For me, that’s the best way to learn –– obviously successes are great, but often it’s the difficulties, or even outright failures, that teach you the most in the shortest period of time. I’ve had my share of both types of experiences in my career and taking on big challenges has served me well. Of course, I have to say a big thank you to all the mentors and leaders who have been willing to take a chance on me over the years –– without them, it wouldn’t be possible.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Thank you so much, Matthew, for sharing your thoughts and experiences. My take-away: trying things, no matter how uncomfortable, is a surefire way of discovering something new. From working from home, to learning something new about soil, to trying out a new outdoor adventure, pushing our boundaries of what’s possible sets the stage for something novel –– and paves the way for innovation.

Additional Nutrients: What I’m Reading and Listening to

• Soaring prices, a war in Ukraine, a persistent pandemic –– what farmers can teach us about navigating risk.
• The world is potentially on track to keep global warming at 2 C … but only if political leaders keep their promises.
• New research shows how mines can become carbon sinks.

Thanks again so much to Matthew Dahabieh for sharing his thoughts for this edition of the newsletter — and thanks to you for reading along. If you found The Core Question interesting, please subscribe and follow me on Linkedin ... or, better yet, share it with somebody you know!