UBC receives $1.4 million from Canada Foundation for Innovation

UBC receives $1.4 million from Canada Foundation for Innovation

Mar 14, 2016

By Heather Amos, UBC Public Affairs

Food scientist Dr. Siyun Wang is one of ten UBC researchers to receive a grant from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund, provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

UBC research in areas that include cystic fibrosis and food safety received $1.4 million in funding today from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund.

The John R. Evans Leaders Fund helps universities attract and retain researchers by providing funding for tools and laboratory equipment, infrastructure and operating costs.

“The Canada Foundation for Innovation is supporting 10 UBC research projects in engineering, science, medicine and more,” said John Hepburn, UBC vice-president, research and international. “This funding provides our researchers with the tools and equipment that will advance research and examine some of the complex issues facing our society.”

The UBC funding was part of $23 million in funding for 95 projects announced today by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science.

“Investments like today’s in Canada’s research infrastructure are incredibly important to the nation’s future,” said Duncan. “They give Canadian researchers the tools they need to make new discoveries that will better the lives of Canadians today and for years to come.”

UBC projects that received funding:

Molecular Characterization of Salmonella Enterica in Food Supply Systems, $68,190

Siyun Wang, Faculty of Land and Food Systems

Deciphering Mechanisms Regulating Neuronal Caspase Activity, $300,000

Phil Barker, UBC’s Okanagan campus

Mobile Channel Dynamics Monitoring Laboratory, $125,000

Brett Eaton, faculty of arts, geography

Reducing Morbidity Due to Human Herpes Virus Infections, $120,800

Soren Gantt, faculty of medicine

Computing Infrastructure for Automated Design, Optimisation and Customisation of Performance-Critical Software, $155,000

Holger H. Hoos, faculty of science, computer science

Infrastructure for Bionanomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research, $125,000

Keekyoung Kim, faculty of applied science, UBC’s Okanagan campus

Pediatric Inactivity Physiology Laboratory, $104,820

Alison McManus, faculty of health & social development, UBC’s Okanagan campus

Blood Protein Signatures to Enable Personalized Care in Cystic Fibrosis, $124,720

Bradley S. Quon, faculty of medicine

Infrastructure for Plant Research on Environmental Stresses (PRESS), $125,000

Abel Rosado Rey, faculty of science, botany

Development of the Translational Integrative Physiology Laboratory, $155,000

Chris West, faculty of education, kinesiology

[read the media release]

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Maja Krzic named 2015 Outstanding Associate Editor

Mar 3, 2016

Congratulations to Associate Professor Maja Krzic who has been awarded the 2015 Outstanding Associate Editor Award for the journal, Natural Sciences Education, presented by the American Society of Agronomy.

From the awards committee: “The quality of a journal’s published articles is largely a consequence of a supportive and knowledgeable Editorial Board, willing to uphold the NSE standards. On behalf of the rest of the NSE Editorial Board and all the staff at ASA Headquarters working on the journal, I thank you for your hard work, diligence, and conscientiousness.”

Dr. Krzic will be recognized in an upcoming issue of CSA News.

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LFS Centennial Session | Temple Grandin: maintaining high standards in animal welfare

Feb 26, 2016

On February 25, the Animal Welfare Program at the Faculty of Land and Food Systems in partnership with The Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada and alumni UBC were pleased to welcome world renowned animal welfare expert Dr. Temple Grandin to UBC. Held in the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, Dr. Grandin gave a talk on developing high standards of animal welfare in the agriculture industry, and how they can be maintained.

Dr. Grandin has revolutionized livestock handling facilities all over the globe and has dedicated much of her life to improving the lives of animals. She is also widely known for advancing the cause of people with autism.

Listen to a recording of Dr. Grandin’s talk here:

About Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and she has been a pioneer in improving the handling and welfare of farm animals.

She was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  Temple’s achievements are remarkable because she was an autistic child.  At age two she had no speech and all the signs of severe autism. Fortunately, her mother defied the advice of the doctors and kept her out of an institution.  Many hours of speech therapy, and intensive teaching enabled Temple to learn speech.  As a teenager, life was hard with constant teasing.  Mentoring by her high school science teacher and her aunt on her ranch in Arizona motivated Temple to study and pursue a career as a scientist and livestock equipment designer.

Dr. Temple Grandin obtained her B.A. at Franklin Pierce College in 1970. In 1974 she was employed as Livestock Editor for the Arizona Farmer Ranchman and also worked for Corral Industries on equipment design. In 1975 she earned her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State University for her work on the behavior of cattle in different squeeze chutes. Dr. Grandin was awarded her Ph.D in Animal Science from the University of Illinois in 1989 and is currently a Professor at Colorado State University.

Simone Castellarin

Yvonne Lamers

LFS Researchers Part of $27 Million Canadian Research Chair Program

Feb 11, 2016

Assistant Professor Simone Castellarin (Wine Research Centre) and Assistant Professor Yvonne Lamers (Human Nutrition) are two of 31 UBC professors appointed/renewed as Canada Research Chairs (CRC) this week. The CRC program helps attract and retain top researchers across the country. This week’s announcement will support 18 new chairs at UBC and will continue to support 13 renewed chairs. There are 187 chairs at the university.

Simone Castellarin, Canada Research Chair in Viticulture and Plant Genomics; Asst. Professor, Wine Research Centre

Castellarin studies the biological mechanisms that control how grapes ripen and how they are affected by climate. He plans to develop new practices for growing grapes in B.C. and Canada with the goal of producing better fruit for high quality and more valuable wine.

Yvonne Lamers, Canada Research Chair in Human Nutrition and Vitamin Metabolism (renewed appointment); Asst. Professor, Human Nutrition

Lamers studies vitamin B-12 and its role in fetal and infant development. The research will serve to review current public health policies related to nutrient intake recommendations.

(see the full list here)

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Maja Krzic named 3M National Teaching Fellow

Feb 4, 2016

Congratulations to Associate Professor Maja Krzic on being named 3M National Teaching Fellow. The 3M National Teaching Fellowship is Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in university teaching and educational leadership. Maja is one of ten 3M National Teaching Fellows this year; she’s the first Fellow from LFS and 18th Fellow from UBC since 1986.

Fellows are given a lifetime membership in the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) and a four-day study retreat together at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in November. They also join a vibrant and energetic Fellowship of over 300 dedicated and inspiring leaders and teachers who have helped shape university education in Canada for almost three decades. [read more]

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