Video Transcription – Ajwal Dsouza Controlled Environment Student 


The video begins with University of Guelph PhD student, Ajwal Dsouza. In the opening shot Ajwal picks up a plant from a tray of several plants in identical green containers.  
[Ajwal] Growing plants for space forces us to be extremely resource efficient, cost efficient and energy efficient. It forces us to think out of the box and understand how we can grow plants with minimal imports. I’m Ajwal Dsouza and I am a PhD student in environmental sciences.
On screen a statistic displayed by the university appears. The statistics reads: In 2023, U of G students worked with the Canada Space Agency to grow food using controlled environment agricultural technology. 
 [Ajwal] Controlled environment agriculture is a method of growing plants or food crops in an indoor setup. 
 The video pans to Ajwal sitting down in front of the camera. He is in the GRIPP building (Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation) on the University of Guelph’s campus as a text box pops up that reads, ‘Ajwal Dsouza - PhD Environmental Science.’
 [Ajwal] You have all the environmental conditions that are necessary for plant growth under the controls. 
 A series of short clips are displayed: Ajwal inspecting the brightness of the lights placed on top of the plants, a tray of plants under neutral lighting, Ajwal checking electronic data in the lab as well as measuring the temperature of the plants showcased in the tray.  
 [Ajwal] So you can control the brightness of the light, colour of the light, temperature, CO2, humidity, all the alum conditions. I get to play with a lot of cool technology, the chambers, the equipment we use, and understanding how plants react to changing environments. Because I can take control of the environment, change it, modulate it, to see how plants respond. So, understanding that dance between plants and environment is really fascinating, whatever I come up with has a real impact in terms of food production or medicinal production, which ties into public health as well. Doesn’t matter if it is the desert or northern arctic, you can situate these facilities and still grow crops, in respective of the weather requirement. The University of Guelph has given immense networking opportunities, from scientists to politicians. The impact that the University of Guelph holds is staggering. 
 Ajwal is then shown removing a sample from an electronic machine while standing in a blue lab coat. 
 [Ajwal] The Ontario Agricultural College is well-known throughout the world in terms of its research output, its comprehensive research programs. I am fortunate to be here.
 The video displays University of Guelph’s crest which then transitions into the University’s logo for the Ontario Agricultural College.