Muhammed Sayed ‘26 Honored at Texas Capitol for his Patented Invention

Earlier this month, Muhammed Sayed ‘26, a student in the Economics, Politics, and Social Thought (EPST) program at Bard College Berlin, was recognized on the House Floor of the Texas State Capitol for developing a now-patented apparatus for sanitizing products. He attended a ceremony where he received a personalized Letter of Recognition from the State of Texas in celebration of his achievement. The House of Representatives also passed a resolution in honor of DiscoverSTEM, the organization through which Muhammed developed his invention.

Muhammed’s invention, which uses UV-C light to disinfect items on a conveyor belt, was inspired by concerns about germs on groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The invention is meant to offer a way to sterilize products without leaving chemical residue or altering the quality of the items.

The invention, he says, was a collaborative effort: "I got the idea from watching a video of a person talking about how they were afraid of COVID-19 germs and other microbes on groceries. My teammate had the idea to use UV-C light to kill them, and I connected that idea to grocery conveyor belts.That’s how it all came together."

The team’s journey from concept to patent was a rigorous process. "The process of finding a problem, coming up with an idea, and making it something workable took about six weeks," he says. All of this happened as part of the DiscoverSTEM program, which provided the mentorship, resources, and legal assistance needed to bring the invention to life. “They had a team of attorneys who handled the patent filing,” he explains. The patent was officially filed in August 2021 and granted while he was studying at BCB in early 2024.

For Muhammed, the recognition in the Texas State Capitol was about more than just personal accomplishment. "I feel really accomplished but, more importantly, proud of myself and the team I worked with," he says.

"At the time, we were a bunch of teens, and it really shows that with the right guidance, really anyone can come up with solutions to problems,” he concludes. “It is the building of confidence that really shines and lets kids know that they can do awesome things."

Those interested can access the video recording of the recognition ceremony.

By: Mishel Jovanovska '25

Post Date: 04-28-2025