Exhibit: A Luminous Journey: The Art of Arran Stephens, O.B.C.
June 1-12, 2022
Madonna of Sunflowers by Arran Stephens
In support of Ukraine, Nature’s Path Foods co-founder, philanthropist, and painter Arran Stephens is showcasing an art exhibit at UBC campus, with all proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders.
After taking a 49-year hiatus from painting to build Nature’s Path Foods, a family, and a community, Arran took up brushes again in 2016, crafting visual stories of life in the lush nature of Goldstream, BC, where he grew up; his teachers and spiritual quest in India; mystical themes; family; people; and more.
In response to the tragic humanitarian crisis caused by war in Ukraine, Arran has created a new painting, Madonna of Sunflowers (2022, 36″x36”, oil on canvas), of a Ukrainian woman surrounded by sunflowers and saddened by the destruction of war. She represents peace and love, while the sunflowers represent regeneration. Signed prints of the painting will be available for purchase with all proceeds again going to Doctors Without Borders Canada.
The exhibit is presented by Nature’s Path, UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and Opus Art Supplies.
A Luminous Journey: The Art of Arran Stephens, O.B.C.
Hatch Art Gallery, AMS Student Nest (second floor)
6113 University Boulevard
UBC Vancouver campus
9 am – 5 pm daily
Click here for more information on the Hatch Gallery.
Vincent Fetterley has loved the outdoors for as long as he can remember.
Now an MSc student in Plant Science, Fetterley recalls growing up with huge, elaborate gardens that his parents and grandparents maintained in Montreal.
“I remember all summer long, I would just chill in the garden, eat food right off the plant, and be amazed at all the insects there,” says Fetterley. “I was always into nature and felt peaceful with the plants.”
Fetterley completed his undergrad at the University of Montreal, studying biology with a focus on ecology, evolution and the environment. It was not until second year, when he discovered the world of plant science and biotechnology, that he found his motivation to pursue graduate school.
A road trip from Quebec to B.C. to visit a friend solidified his decision to go to UBC in particular. Fetterley spent three months exploring the province and enjoying the outdoor activities he has loved since childhood.
Fetterley currently works in the Crop Pathology and Genetics Lab with Assistant Professor Gurcharn Singh Brar as his supervisor. He credits Brar for always being present for his students, giving guidance not only on projects, but their career as well.
Fetterley’s research focuses on resistant genes in wheat against stripe rust, a fungal pathogen that affects wheat crops all around the world.
“We have spelt wheat that is resistant to stripe rust and I’m trying to find the genetic basis of this resistance in order to use it in modern day cultivars that are high-yielding,” explains Fetterley.
Fetterley with wheat
Fetterley sees his current research as bringing together his personal and academic interests in ecology and environment, and combining those with genetics and molecular biology. With wheat being the largest crop in Canada, it was the perfect plant to focus on.
“I tried to a find a way to do research that has a good impact on the environment and ecological system in general, but also where I could use genetics and biotechnology,” says Fetterley. “Once you have the resistant gene, you can rely less on fungicide.”
For the future, Fetterley is looking forward to when the tools and technology produced from the research become accessible to the public. “We’re going to be able to really improve crops and diminish the impact of the environment when it comes to things like drought or pathogens on the food system, and have a more effective way of making food without relying too much on chemicals.”
In her new position with BC Dairy Association, Emma Strazhnik (BSc Applied Animal Biology Hon. ’13) is dedicated to supporting dairy producers improve their climate footprint.
Strazhnik is Stakeholder and Innovation Manager, a role that BC Dairy created last autumn to focus on research innovation and bringing producers into the conversation as the dairy sector explores ways to address climate and sustainability on-farm.
Emma Strazhnik (Photo: Brian Ceci)
“My main passion will always be animal welfare, but now I’m focused on the welfare of the land and the whole farm system,” says Strazhnik. “In this new role I’m self-driven and I get breathing space to build networks and think strategically and creatively.”
Strazhnik, who has worked at BC Dairy since 2018, shifted her focus from animal welfare to learning about new topics such as soil, manure and environmental regulations. She’s made many connections so far, and now she can prioritize growing a network of support to seek out opportunities that will benefit B.C. dairy farms and the environment.
“I need to know everything that’s going on so any research in progress includes a producer perspective to increase the potential for adoption on the ground, and to facilitate producer participation in initiatives that will benefit their practices and industry as a whole.”
She’s been collaborating with dairy colleagues across Western Canada, most closely with Alberta Milk, and working with dairy researchers, particularly Industrial Research Chairs from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
BC Dairy is a not-for-profit association representing close to 500 dairy farms. The organization works on behalf of local farmers to grow the market for dairy products and to support profitable, environmentally and socially responsible dairy farm businesses.
Last fall, Canada’s national dairy organization, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) joined international dairy organizations in supporting Pathways to Dairy Net Zero, a commitment towards net-zero GHG emissions, and in February 2022, it announced a commitment that Canada’s dairy industry would be net zero by 2050.
Associations such as BC Dairy are actively exploring ways to achieve this – through soil and nutrient beneficial management practices, emissions reductions, GHG removal offsets, carbon sequestration and qualitative targets related to soil and land, water, biodiversity, waste, and energy.
After completing a course-based MSc degree at the University of Glasgow, she returned to UBC to gain additional research experience at the Dairy Education and Research Centre in Agassiz, as she was considering a career in academia.
However, after working in Agassiz for 1.5 years, Strazhnik realized that academia wasn’t the right fit.
“I realized that I had to be working in industry to make the impact that I wanted to make.”
She didn’t grow up on a farm but has always loved animals, big and small. Currently, Strazhnik has her first foster animal – a three-legged dog from Afghanistan, in addition to her own dog.
“I’ve always been drawn to animals. Dairy cattle are so responsive to humans and I love their personalities and the relationships that are possible.”
Transforming protein has been in the spotlight in the last decade as plant-based protein products grow in popularity. Current commercial processes rely on extruded plant protein to make meat substitutes, but Assistant Professor Derek Dee’s research focuses on changing protein on a nanomolecular level.
Funded by a New Frontiers Grant and still in its early stages, Dee’s research focuses on the process of manipulating plant protein for application in food production, as a meat substitute, and more.
“We’re working with proteins on a molecular level,” Dee explains. “That’s a nanometre, or a billionth of a metre. This type of protein research spans biophysics and health science, and is novel in food science.”
Dee’s fascination with the biophysics of proteins began over a decade ago, studying prions in the University of Alberta. Prions are proteins that exist in everyone’s bodies, and every protein has a structure made from folds. However, through a process called misfolding, prions can turn from a benign molecule to a harmful pathogen.
Dee wanted to understand exactly what caused the misfolding, so he could learn to change a protein’s shape to benefit different aspects of human life instead.
At UBC, Dee’s research focuses on legume proteins. Similar to prions, his lab unfolds and refolds proteins using a special tool called optical tweezers. The tweezers use lasers to trap a single molecule, allowing Dee’s team to observe proteins under different conditions. Dee’s lab creates new protein nanofibres by varying temperatures, salt concentrations, pH levels, and other factors.
Dee emphasizes the importance of state-of-the-art equipment to his research.
“Optical tweezers have only been used in basic science, like chemistry or physics,” Dee explains. “Until 2016, if you wanted a good instrument, you had to build it yourself! Now there’s a company in the Netherlands who sells them. That’s what’s making this research possible.”
Optical tweezers used to view nanofibrils
Access to revolutionary equipment is only fitting for the type of research at Dee’s lab. When starting in 2019, there were less than 20 papers in the world on plant protein nanofibrils. Compared to the current meat substitute extrusion methods, Dee explains protein folding as a bottom-up approach. With extrusion, all the molecules are ground down, mixed up, then pressed together. This unfolds all the proteins and leaves them to clump together in random ways, very unlike the fibres that actually make up meat.
Meat is made from muscle fibres, organized from the molecular level up. By folding protein, Dee’s team can create protein strands that self-assemble into functional amyloid fibres under specific and controlled conditions. Then eventually, the functional amyloid fibres can be layered into an approximation of meat.
Meat substitutes are just one potential application. The functional amyloid fibres can be used to make emulsions, gels, and films to use for controlled release and delivery. Additionally, amyloid fibres are how biofilm attaches to surfaces, so learning to manipulate the fibres can allow food production plants to better manage biofilm and bacteria spread.
On the distant horizon, Dee mentions bio-electronics and cell-structures as possible future collaborations. When starting his lab in 2019, Dee was the only one in Canada working with plant protein nanofibers. Now, there is a group in Alberta and another starting in Ontario.
“This is still in the early stages and everything in between protein to fibre is a big question mark,” said Dee. “We are working on how the fibrils are made and how to control them. Why do different plant fibrils look different? What causes them to react the way they do?”
However, Dee is optimistic about the growth of his field, with more interest, funding, and growing demand around plant-based protein.
I’m feeling optimistic as we start turning a chapter on COVID-19 and we gradually return to in-person meetings again.
I’ve had the opportunity to visit some cutting-edge food processors over the past few months; it’s been exciting to see their technology, and learn how they are contributing to B.C.’s food sector.
As our Food and Beverage Innovation Centre comes to fruition, with an expected ground breaking in early 2023 and an expected completion in Spring 2024, LFS will be able to better support student experiential learning, research and entrepreneurs around the province as they test new product formulations and new processes. I’m excited by the opportunity to partner with more companies.
In this issue of ReachOut, you can read about research by Derek Dee, who is changing protein at the molecular level and with that, he will bring about new uses of plant-based proteins in the future. Also, read up on Juli Carrillo and Quentin Geissmann’s Sticky Pi project, a “smart” trap with a camera that uses deep learning – a subfield of machine learning using algorithms – to automate insect monitoring, a first of its kind.
You can also learn about some of the interesting personalities within LFS – our new faculty members who are vibrant and bring diverse talents and passions to the university. Meet an LFS graduate student, former Quebec resident Vincent Fetterley, who was drawn to B.C. in equal parts for the outdoors and for UBC’s plant science program.
Also, meet Career Strategist Rob Kim who is growing his following on LinkedIn and via a new podcast as he talks about navigating careers.
I hope you enjoy this issue!
Rickey Yada
Dean and Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
New Faculty Profile: Anna Brisco, Lecturer in Dietetics
Anna Brisco (they/them) has worked in the food system right across Canada, from being a culinary chef in Halifax to a food bank policy dietitian in Vancouver.
They bring this experience to UBC’s new Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (MND) professional program, which launches this fall, as a Lecturer and Student Advisor.
“I am so excited to build on the successes of the undergraduate Dietetics program, and to work with the wonderful team of staff and faculty to bring this new program to life.”
Brisco has delivered food literacy and nutrition education to a wide variety of people. At BC Dairy, they developed and presented nutrition programs for K-12 educators and health professionals, and they have also created nutrition resources for grocery store customers and for those living and working in care homes.
“For me, it’s always been about balancing nutrition with the social and cultural aspects of food and eating,” says Brisco. “People need to have positive and fun experiences with food, because healthy eating is so much more than just what we eat.”
At UBC, they have been teaching in the Dietetics program since 2017 as an Adjunct Professor. Most recently, they taught Professional Dietetics Practice II online in 2021, and in a blended format this term.
Brisco just completed a Master of Education at University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, where they learned how to create transformative learning experiences in diverse subject areas.
“Learning paradigms are shifting along with worldviews – society is in transition as institutions and individuals come to grips with our own histories of colonization, complicity, and ignoring social inequities. Education has the potential to create a better world, and it starts with shifting the learning space and relations to reflect the values we want to see in healthcare settings and in society at large.”
Brisco only found out about the dietetics profession 10 years ago. They were working in Halifax as a cook at a fine dining restaurant, with professional culinary training and a biology degree under their belt. However, something was missing.
Brisco decided to volunteer at a community health clinic. While helping a local dietitian plan intergenerational community dinners, and lunch menus for people managing health issues, they learned about UBC’s Dietetics program.
“I learned about this program that combines food, science, and working with people – all the parts of life that I loved! Dietetics, especially at UBC, looks at the interaction of these through a systems lens; I knew it would be perfect for me.”
Brisco was successful in applying for the Dietetics program, and graduated in 2016 from the Food, Nutrition and Health program (Dietetics major).
For fun, Brisco loves to cook with their partner (pad thai and Indonesian dishes are their current family favourites), and go bird watching. They are also preparing their spring garden.
“Gardening gives you such a deep appreciation of food, as you learn the time and attention it really takes to grow an onion or a carrot. Trying to grow food has definitely increased my humility and gratitude, because it’s really the environment – the earth – that we are all dependent on for nourishment.”
Micro-courses: Professional Development for the Food Industry
New Micro-certificate in Food Safety Management
LFS’s online Micro-certificate in Food Safety Management is a new program to help sharpen professional skills.
For those already working in food and beverage production, it’s an excellent way to gain skills needed in quality assurance. For those new to the industry, it provides a look inside the field and an edge for entering the industry.
The Micro-certificate in Food Safety Management includes three micro-courses that are offered in a spring or fall session. Each micro-course is three or five weeks in duration, and they are online with scheduled meetings for group discussions and to hear from industry experts. UBC is currently offering Food Science Fundamentals for Professionals and Food Safety Management System Principles, Laws and Regulations. BCIT will be offering micro-course Internal Auditor Training.
An innovation hub that brings B.C. companies, food scientists and students together is taking shape at UBC. The university’s new Food and Beverage Innovation Centre (FBIC) is expected to begin construction in early 2023 and be ready for occupancy in first quarter 2024.
FBIC Artistic Rendering
B.C. is one of the few Canadian provinces that lacks a food processing pilot plant and innovation centre. The FBIC will enable those in the province’s food industry – from start-ups to established companies – to gain a competitive edge by testing new processes, packaging, and marketing of leading-edge agriculture and aquaculture food products.
It will also support B.C.’s interconnected regional food hubs, known as the Food Hub Network, through knowledge exchange, and provide a training ground for the next generation of food scientists and entrepreneurs.
The centre will be approximately 9,000 square feet, and house laboratories and workshops dedicated to food processing, fermentation, pre-processing, and packaging, as well as new and innovative food product development and quality assurance. In addition, there will be meeting spaces and offices.
Milestones
New Frontiers Funds LFS Researchers
Two faculty members are leading projects funded through the New Frontiers in Research Funds competition. Assistant Professor Anubhav Pratap-Singh, in collaboration with UBC researchers, will trial a new way to deliver drugs for patients with mild Covid symptoms using an aerosol spray. Professor Hannah Wittman is working with Assistant Professor Khanh Dao Duc (UBC Math) and two universities in South America to investigate how to advance agroecological transitions using digital methods.
Soil Educator Wins Teaching Award
Instructor Sandra Brown, who teaches soil science, received a 2021-2022 UBC Killam Teaching Prize, recognizing her achievements as a teacher and commitment to students. Students, colleagues and alumni bring forward UBC Killam Teaching Prize nominations.
Blueberries and Cereals Research
Improving the sustainability of crops is a focus of these projects led by UBC LFS researchers, who are working in partnership with external organizations through NSERC Alliance Grants:
Assistant Professor Juli Carrillo will partner with the BC Blueberry Council to address key economic and ecological concerns in B.C. berries – pest management, pollination services, and alternative cropping systems – to promote the sustainability of this high-value crop.
Assistant Professor Gurcharn Singh Brar is collaborating with Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission and Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission to study cereal pathogens. They aim to improve crop management in cereals through early detection of pests and diseases, and through breeding programs.
New Lab Funding For Soil Science and Plant Physiology
To support their new research activities at UBC, these up-and-coming researchers were awarded Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Funds to outfit their labs: Assistant Professor Jean-Thomas Cornelis (soil science) whose research program is titled Integrated SOILRES platform for advanced study of soil processes driving agroecosystem resilience under climate change; and Assistant Professor Thorsten Knipfer (plant physiology) for his research program, Automated growth and screening platform for elucidating crop water requirements.
Creating a Mobile App to Change Dietary Behaviours
Tracking your diet for an extended period of time is hard, yet a key component in changing your diet. Assistant Professor Tamara Cohen aims to create a new diet self-monitoring tool that is accessible and inclusive to all Canadians. Her research team received a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant to test the acceptability and usability of iCANPlate, a mobile dietary self-monitoring tool that aligns with the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide.
Nutrition Researcher Named to Editorial Board
Crystal Karakochuk has been named to the editorial board of The Journal of Nutrition. She is an Assistant Professor in Human Nutrition at UBC and an Investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Women’s Health Research Institute. She also received a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development for her project titled Hemoglobin Measurement (HEME) Laboratory Validation Study in Cambodia.
UBC Funds Research Cluster Projects
Three LFS projects have been funded through UBC’s Research Excellence Clusters in 2022/23. These clusters are inter-departmental networks of UBC researchers who collectively represent leaders in their fields: Professor Hannah Wittman is leading the Diversified Agroecosystem Cluster, which has been funded since 2017; Assistant Professor Tamara Cohen is leading the Wild Berry Research Cluster; and, Associate Professor Eduardo Jovel leads the Indigenous Land-Based Health, Wellness, and Education Research Cluster.
The Crop Pathology and Genetics Research Group at the Faculty of Land and Food Systems
invites applications for a full time Research Associate in the area of Barley Genetics and Pathology with an anticipated start date of June 15, 2022.
The successful candidate will responsible for performing field and crop production activities at UBC farms and other off campus nursery locations. The hire will prepare for field season especially for disease nurseries of cereal crops such as wheat, oat and barley and collaborate with other lab and UBC field technicians (technical staff at Totem Field and the Greenhouse). This position also aims at making crosses of wheat and barley crops in greenhouse as well as field. The hire will prepare stripe rust and FHB disease inoculum for field use. This position will be responsible for overall looking after the seeding, crop management, harvesting and threshing of seed material and coordinating in exchange of seed material with other research groups across North America. This position will act as Lab Manager and shall be responsible for all purchases pertaining to lab as well as field research experiments. The hire will assist in research project framing and grants writing. The position will also write research manuscripts for the ongoing research projects and will provide research support to the supervisor Dr. Gurcharn Brar.
Candidates must have a PhD and at least three years of post-doctoral experience, preferably in cereal pathology, plant breeding, molecular genetics and preference will be given to those with experience with plant breeding for sustainable agriculture. Familiarity with Canadian cereal networks and research institutions is also required. Candidates with demonstrated contributions in cereal research systems and sustainable agriculture are encouraged to apply.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of three references to: Dr. Gurcharn Brar, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, 2357 Main Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6T 1Z4; or electronically (e-applications are encouraged) to gurcharn.brar@ubc.ca. The application deadline is June 11, 2022. Only those asked for an interview will be contacted.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the BC Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
The Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (lfs-ps-2023.sites.olt.ubc.ca) is seeking an outstanding candidate for a part-time (60%) Lecturer within the Applied Biology Program. This will be an initial three-year position, from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025.
Applicants must have a PhD in Applied Animal Biology or Animal Science. Previous experience teaching at a post-secondary institution and familiarity with Canvas, or another Learning Management Software an asset.
The successful applicant will be responsible for teaching 15 credits of courses per year related to Animal Welfare as follows: APBI 314 (3) (2 sections), APBI 316 (3), APBI 414 (3), and LFS 150 (3).
The closing date for applications May 23, 2022. Please send applications including CV with cover letter, evidence of teaching excellence, and names of 3 references to the attention of:
Program Director, Applied Biology
c/o Melanie Train, HR Manager-Faculty
University of British Columbia
Email: melanie.train@ubc.ca
The Faculty of Land and Food Systems uses student-centered learning to educate new generations of learners equipped to solve the most fundamental issues faced by society — those focused around human health, a sustainable food supply and the responsible use of finite land and water resources.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.
Wing Cheong is passionate about health and well-being, and is excited to expand her knowledge through research so she can make a difference in the world. She is doing this in the Food, Nutrition and Health program. Wing can't wait to meet prospective students in her role as an LFS Student Ambassador - find out how to connect with Wing and her outreach team here.
What are three adjectives that describe you?
Adventurous, inquisitive and conscientious
What advice would you give incoming LFS students?
The transition from high school to university can often be overwhelming and this is a common experience for many students. Initially, I struggled with managing my course load and finding a school-life balance in my first year. At first, I was uncertain whether I would find the support I needed from my instructors or LFS Student Services, but I quickly realized my fear was misguided after seeing how friendly and welcoming all the UBC staff members are. Utilizing the free tutoring resources such as Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) also helped me grasp difficult concepts and learn from my peers. I would advise all students to not be afraid to reach out for support as everyone working at UBC wants you to succeed and there are many resources available to support you along your academic journey.
What has been your most favourite way of getting involved in LFS so far?
I have been a member of Nutrikids, a UBC club where I developed nutrition education workshops with some of my peers and delivered them to local schools. It was a great opportunity for me to connect with the community and other LFS students. I had a fulfilling experience sharing nutritional knowledge and helping the children establish a positive relationship with food. Working with kids was also super fun as they were always eager to learn, and I have gained a variety of skills through my involvement with the initiative.
Before graduating, what is still on your UBC bucket list?
I would like to partake in research at one point in my UBC journey. There are so many research projects in LFS that strive to address important matters such as climate change and building a sustainable food system, which was what drove me to choose LFS. Given that UBC is one of the top research universities in the world, I definitely want to utilize all the research resources available here and have a role to play in potentially creating global change.
Why did you ultimately choose UBC and LFS for your post-secondary studies?
UBC is known for its diverse student body and supportive community, which I knew I wanted to be a part of while I was selecting which university to attend. I had a strong interest in health and well-being so naturally LFS was the perfect Faculty choice for me. UBC’s unique location also creates a relaxing learning environment for me as I can easily immerse myself into nature to destress.
Interested in studying in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems? Learn more here!
