Countless landscapes unfold across Ryan Zhang’s (’24) past, each marked by the golf courses he’s played in across the country. National tournaments and decorated golfing victories are only half the story, however. The other half lies in nature. From his family garden back in China to the flora he tends in his backyard, Ryan finds a lengthy history in the plants that he cultivates.  The diverse environments he’s golfed in have only furthered this love for the world around him, sparking deep-rooted interests in research, sports and exploration.

“When I was younger, I spent all my free time browsing the internet, looking into anything that catches my attention,” Ryan said. “So that curiosity part is what fuels a lot of things I like to do.”

As a child growing up in China, Ryan dreamed of becoming a professional golfer, an interest which began at the age of three when his dad introduced him to various sports. Ryan’s early golf experiences were limited to the driving range in Beijing, as he had never played on a real course until he moved to the U.S. at around seven years old, but he came to love the sport even more after approaching it fully. 

“I always notice he’s a really hard worker,” close friend Varun Fuloria (’24) said. “He always put all of his energy into working, whether it’s schoolwork or things that he was doing outside of school.”

While generally a social sport, competitive golf focuses more on the individual and the surroundings. For Ryan, competitive golf has influenced not only his skills but also the core of his character. His experiences on the golf course have collectively taught him not just resilience and determination, but have instilled a love of nature in him as well.

“One of my favorite things is going to the golf course to practice in the morning, right after the sun comes up or even before and that’s really a moment of peace for me, away from all the chaos of life,” Ryan said. “But that peace of being out in nature, being with the birds, listening, experiencing it all, has become a very important part of how I reset, and enjoy things. That was where my love of nature was born.”

Although he still loves and enjoys golf, Ryan now focuses more on his interest in nature. While traveling to compete nationally in golf, Ryan encountered the environmental impact of pest invasions in California’s central valley due to climate change. This prompted him to develop his own research project where he integrated both technology and environmental awareness to combat such a blight. Ryan utilized imaging, acoustic recording and signal processing to address the escalating issue of pest invasions. The experience of exploring the outdoors and investigating pest-related challenges made the project enjoyable for Ryan and shaped his journey, one that began with a simple swing of the golf club.

“I felt that research was a very valuable way to deal with the environmental problems that we’re facing right now,” Ryan said. “And since nature is something I really value, I hope to pass it on to the later generations.”

When he was still living in China, his grandma used a small piece of land in the back of the apartment building to grow many vegetables and also had flowers and plants inside the apartment as well. Ryan continued this family tradition, mirroring his grandma’s actions by planting trees and plants on an empty piece of land in the back of his house when he moved to the United States.

“For me, the magic of gardening is that process of nurturing something,” Ryan said. “There’s a sense of optimism that doesn’t really exist anywhere else. I’ve never met a gardener that doesn’t believe that their plant is going to not last the season. That optimism and that physical involvement with something that you take care of very much is a good way to reflect on things.”

Ryan also finds enjoyment in contemplating philosophical topics. Upper school English teacher Brigid Miller appreciates how he always had something earnest to say during his junior Honors English class, making connections and offering insights that other people did not.

“He’s a thinker,” Miller said. “He would come to office hours to talk about deep philosophical issues. I could ask what I considered a difficult question, and he would be more than willing to take it on. He wanted to challenge himself.”

“I’ve never met a gardener that doesn’t believe that their plant is going to not last the season,” Ryan said. “That optimism and that physical involvement with something that you take care of very much is a good way to reflect on things.”

Optimism and unwavering determination define Ryan’s journey in gardening. Despite facing setbacks in his initially barren backyard, where much of the land was paved over and not conducive to plant growth, he refused to give up. Undeterred by the lack of progress during the fall season, especially as he sought to nurture plants with sentimental connections to his childhood in China, Ryan persisted. It was only with the arrival of spring, after countless hours of hard work and perseverance, that he finally witnessed the fruits of his labor.

“The cherry blossom tree reminds me how quickly time goes by because it only blooms for a week and then the petals fly off,” Ryan said. “That first bloom that appeared on the cherry blossom tree was pretty special.”

Ryan often hears people asserting that the meaning of life lies in finding happiness. However, he believes that happiness is a somewhat insufficient definition. While various things bring him joy, such as indulging in a delicious dessert, Ryan feels that happiness alone doesn’t equate to a fulfilled life.

“I don’t really care much for what I personally have or what I personally don’t like,” Ryan said. “What’s most valuable for me is like creating something or doing something that some other person finds useful, whether it be research or volunteering. But there’s obviously that cliche component of life, when you see someone else smile from something you did. And that feels a lot better than receiving something.”