College News

Three University of Guelph PhD candidates and one post-doctoral researcher will receive the Government of Canada’s most prestigious scholarships, worth $50,000 to $70,000 a year.

Tyler Black, Jude Frie and Eleonore Lebeuf-Taylor will receive Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. The awards recognize top Canadian and international doctoral students for academic excellence and research potential. The awards are named for former Governor General Georges Vanier and provide $50,000 per year for up to three years.

The “Future of Agri-Tech” in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the potential for Canadian collaboration was the focus of a two-day virtual forum hosted by the Canada Arab Business Council in June.  

The forum brought together agri-food and technology experts from Canada and the UAE. OAC Dean Rene Van Acker sat on a panel to discuss agri-tech research and education. Additional panellist included Dr. Charbel Tarraf from the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dr. Gil Ha Yoon from Sultan Qaboos University and Dr. Alex Melnitchouck from Olds College.

A second run of a beer made with wild yeast collected during a “yeast safari” on the University of Guelph campus proved just as popular as the first, selling out quickly after going on sale this past spring.

Experimental Farm Ale was created using yeast discovered on the U of G campus and was re-launched this past June in concert with U of G’s alumni weekend by Guelph’s own Royal City Brewing Co.

After completing the marine and freshwater biology program here at the University of Guelph (U of G), Melissa was exposed to working on land development projects through post grad job experience. She decided to pursue a career in planning after being inspired by the sight of development projects coming to life in rural and small-town areas. The MSc Rural Planning and Development program at U of G is where she is conducting research on infrastructure innovations in rural communities, and gaining the tools and skills needed for her future as an accredited planner.

A newly discovered species of Listeria has been named to honour a University of Guelph food scientist and food safety expert who has made significant contributions to understanding these bacteria.

The name of the new species, Listeria farberi, recognizes the work of Dr. Jeffrey Farber, an adjunct professor of food microbiology in U of G’s Department of Food Science.

Continue reading "New Listeria Species Named for U of G Food Scientist" here.

About Kelly Evans

Kelly Evans is a fourth-year environmental sciences student majoring in environmental biology. She was drawn to the University of Guelph by her passion for marine protection. Her primary study focus includes courses that highlight interactons between human activity and the environment. She hopes to pursue a career as a climate change specialist.

A research project aimed at the early detection and prevention of enteric and food-borne illnesses has received $1.15 million from the Ontario Research Fund (ORF).

The funding is the province’s contribution to a project valued at nearly $6.5 million.

Led by Dr. Lawrence Goodridge, a professor in the Department of Food Science, the three-year project is focused on using genomic science in the rapid detection of food-borne illness outbreaks – through a combination of wastewater monitoring and the monitoring of social media for keywords associated with specific illnesses.

Dr. Alan Ker, a professor in the University of Guelph’s Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, has been named a Fellow of the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society (CAES).

The award is the highest honour given by CAES to its members.

Continue reading "U of G Prof Named Fellow of Canadian Agricultural Economics Society" here.

The School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) is pleased to welcome Afshin Ashari and Zannah Matson as new assistant professors in landscape architecture.

Afshin Ashari, comes to SEDRD from professional practice, most recently working with Brooks McIlroy Inc. in Toronto; an interdisciplinary firm of architects, landscape architects, planners, and urban designers.

That silky, gold-coloured tuft you normally discard along with your corncob husks is worth more than you think.

For the first time, a team of University of Guelph researchers has shown corn silks naturally contain diverse microbes, a finding that may point to a new strategy to protect the cob from fungal infections.

Their discovery of this corn silk microbiome may help improve breeding and farming practices to avert costly and harmful fungal outbreaks, protect one of the world’s three most important food crops and increase food security globally.