International Day of Women and Girls in Science

February 10, 2025

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

February 11, 2025 – The United Nations declared February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, recognizing the need to bring diverse perspectives, fresh talent and creativity to the field. Since that original declaration in 2013, there is still a ways to go to achieve gender parity in science, technology, engineering and math.

In LFS, we want to highlight a few students who took some time out to share why they are passionate about science and how they knew science was the field for them.

Emiko Araki, Undergraduate student in Food and Resource Economics

“Science excites me because it not only explains these economic mechanisms but also equips us to address global challenges like climate change, food security, and economic inequality through innovative, evidence-based solutions.”

Maya Bodnar, PhD student in Applied Animal Biology

“I am especially drawn to science as it encourages us to rethink how we do things and find better, more ethical approaches. For me, that’s led to a passion for animal welfare and how we can improve the lives of animals used in science. It never ceases to amaze me how much we (might) know about the natural world, and even more so, how much more there is to discover.”

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Mahshid (Michelle) Heydarirad, Undergraduate student in Applied Biology

“I believe the thing that most excites me and keeps me intrigued about science is the fields’ ability to constantly be evolving. There is always a world of unknown and things that have yet to be discovered and I think this allows those lucky enough to be in this field to constantly be searching for new and innovative ideas to keep up with science.”

Gulbahar Mammetgurbanova, Undergraduate student in Global Resource Systems

“Science not only helps us understand how things work, both in the present and the past, but also equips us with the tools to predict how they might function in the future. What fascinates me even more is how science connects humanity, uniting us in the pursuit of knowledge and a shared understanding of the world.”

Stella Chimwemwe Mapemba, PhD student in Integrated Studies in Land & Food Systems

“Attending science and biology classes allowed me to see how science is applied in the real world to improve health, enhance food productivity, and solve significant issues. Learning about how early scientists conducted experiments to address real-life problems, such as the discoveries of scurvy and kwashiorkor, sparked my curiosity and deepened my desire to study science.”

Shaina Alize Sequeira, Undergraduate student in Food, Nutrition and Health

“Since middle school, I’d always been drawn towards science—something about the empirical explanations it demanded just clicked with my inquisitive mind. It wasn’t until I reached the 12th grade and started applying to university that I realised these two worlds of knowledge that I was so passionate about actually had more in common than I thought — and were combined into a discipline called Food Science! Nothing has felt more like my true calling.”

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Tagged with: 2025, Applied Animal Biology, Applied Biology, Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Food and Resource Economics, Food Nutrition and Health, Global Resource Systems, Integrated Studies, Women and Girls in Science

Tagged with 2025, Applied Animal Biology, Applied Biology, Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Food and Resource Economics, Food Nutrition and Health, Global Resource Systems, Integrated Studies, Women and Girls in Science
Categories: News

Tavaella Gozali

February 7, 2025

Tavaella Gozali

About

Name	Tavaella Gozali
Pronouns	She / Her
Program	Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition and Health
Major	Double Major Food & Nutritional Sciences
Year	3
Hometown	Jakarta, Indonesia
Transferred from:	UBC Faculty of Arts

Tavaella Gozali is an undergraduate student in the Food, Nutrition and Health program. She transferred from the UBC Faculty of Arts to the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems (LFS) to pursue a career pathway where she feels she can make an impact on her community. Ella chose LFS because she believes that “food and nutrition are fundamental to human well-being, and no matter how advanced technology becomes, the need for proper nutrition will always be essential.”

She encourages students considering a change in their academic direction to embrace the uncertainty that often accompanies such decisions, as navigating these challenges can lead to a deeply rewarding experience.

What are three adjectives that describe you?

Authentic, Curious, Resilient

Why did you choose to transfer to LFS?

I wanted to do more of a practical degree where I could gain more hands-on experiences, which led me to the Double Major Food and Nutritional Sciences program in LFS.

I was worried about future job security but I believe jobs within the food and health sections will always be apparent. People will always need food to survive, and these industries require a human touch to keep innovating as they are fundamentally about people helping people.

What has been the best part of your university experience so far?

The best part of university has been the people I’ve met. As someone who considers themselves shy, I’ve found it exciting to connect with people who have vastly different personalities and backgrounds. They’ve introduced me to new cultures and activities that I hadn’t explored before. I believe that beyond education, university offers the chance to learn and experience things you would not normally encounter – it’s like discovering something new every day.

What advice would you give students who are thinking of transferring?

My advice is not to be afraid to explore. Switching to a new faculty or program and adjusting to a different social environment can be intimidating but remember that everyone else has been in the same position at some point.

It’s also important to take the initiative and make the first move– say hi to the person next to you in class or invite a friend out for coffee. These small steps can lead to meaningful, lifelong friendships.

What advice would you have given to yourself before transferring?

I would remind myself that transferring isn’t a setback but rather a redirection. I was most anxious about being behind my peers who were a year ahead, but it’s important to remember that taking your time is okay. This extra time can be valuable for exploring new interests and building experiences before graduating.

What were your experiences of life in Vancouver? How is Vancouver different from home?

Being in Vancouver is quite different from my home in Indonesia, where the population is more ethnically homogenous. There are so many different people here with different stories to tell. Adapting to their cultures and behaviors was challenging initially, but the support from friends and others helped me a lot with the transition. Additionally, my experiences here feel more personally rewarding. Being away from my family means that all my achievements are truly my own.

What is one resource that has helped you during your time in LFS?

My main challenge in transferring to a new faculty was the anxiety of completing my course load on time, especially since I was delayed by a year. However, the academic advisors in LFS were incredibly helpful. They assisted me in translating my previous courses from Arts to see which ones could be transferred and provided guidance on how to systematically build my schedule to ensure I could finish on time. My advice to students is to not hesitate to reach out to academic advisors as they are there to help, and no question is too “inconvenient” for them.

What strategies would you recommend for adapting to a new university setting?

Plan well in advance! Map out your course schedule ahead of time, and if necessary, discuss potential exemptions with professors. It’s beneficial to reach out to peers who have faced similar situations to gain insights on how they managed their hurdles. Effective planning can save you time and provide stability throughout your undergraduate journey.

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Categories: Profile Undergraduate, Uncategorized

Zelalem Taye

January 30, 2025

Zelalem Taye

Assistant Professor,
Applied Biology, Soil and Plant Science (appointed jointly with UBC Forestry)

604-827-2147

zelalem.taye@ubc.ca

Office: MCML 231, Lab: MCML 308 - 2357 Main Mall

@zelalemtaye1

Education

BEd. in Biology (Major) and Chemistry (Minor), Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
MSc. in Biological Sciences (Botanical Sciences), Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
MSc. in Mediterranean Forestry and Natural Resources Management, University of Lleida, Spain
MSc. in Forest and Environmental Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
PhD in Plant Science, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
PRP Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri Food Canada

Research

Zelalem leads an interdisciplinary research group working across agricultural, forest, and urban ecosystems, focusing on ecosystem productivity, sustainability, and resilience in the face of global change. His group actively collaborates with experts in soil science, plant science, plant pathology, plant breeding, computer science, statistics, and other disciplines. Their research integrates wet lab and field research with computational and data-driven approaches.

Research Areas:

Plant and Soil Microbiome – Investigating microbial assembly processes and the role of plant genotype, management practices and environmental factors in shaping microbial communities and function. Using a One Health research approach, we also explore microbiomes across organisms (e.g insects) across agricultural, forest, and urban ecosystems.
Synthetic Microbial Communities – Designing and testing microbial consortia to enhance plant and soil health and productivity. Our goal is through model consortia to uncover key molecular principles and explore their application in sustainable agriculture and ecosystem restoration.
Plant and Soil Health – Examining biological and environmental factors that influence plant and soil resilience, including microbial communities, nutrient dynamics, and drought stress.
Genomic Tools and Ecological Modeling – Developing genomic and computational tools to support climate-resilient plant breeding programs, conservation strategies, and species distribution modeling. Our work integrates large-scale genomics, biodiversity, trait, and environmental databases to improve decision-making in agriculture and natural resource management.
Non-Wood Forest Products & Sustainable Forest Management – Investigating wild edible mushrooms (ectomycorrhizal fungi) and indigenous knowledge to inform culturally sensitive and ecologically sustainable forest management practices. We examine the impact of land use change, climate change and invasive species on non-wood forest products.

Our group employs ecological concepts, genetics, genomics, microbiology, bioinformatics, GIS and remote sensing, computer programming, and statistical and computational approaches. We welcome motivated students from diverse backgrounds interested in these research areas.

Selected Publications

For a full list of publications, visit: Google Scholar.

Taye, Z. M., Helgason, B., Bell, J. K., Norris, C. E., Vail, S., Robinson, S., Parkin, I., Arcand, M., Mamet, S., Links, M., Dowhy, T., Siciliano, S., & Lamb, E. G. (2020). Core and differentially abundant bacterial taxa in the rhizosphere of field-grown Brassica napus genotypes: Implications for canola breeding. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10:3007. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03007.

Taye, Z. M., Noble, K., Siciliano, S. D., Helgason, B. L., & Lamb, E. G. (2022). Root growth dynamics, dominant rhizosphere bacteria, and correlation between dominant bacterial genera and root traits through Brassica napus development. Plant and Soil. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05296-6.

Taye, Z. M., Martínez-Peña, F., Bonet, J. A., Martínez de Aragón, J., & de-Miguel, S. (2016). Meteorological conditions and site characteristics driving edible mushroom production in Pinus pinaster forests of Central Spain. Fungal Ecology, 23, 30-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2016.05.008.

Awards & Honours

2020 University of Saskatchewan Doctoral Dissertation Award Nominee
2019/2020 University of Saskatchewan Plant Science Outstanding PhD Student
2020 Teacher-Scholar Doctoral Fellow, University of Saskatchewan
2016-2020 Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission Graduate Scholarship
2016 Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)
2012-2014 Erasmus Mundus European Master’s Scholarship

Tagged with: Plant Science, Soil Science

Tagged with Plant Science, Soil Science
Categories: Profile Faculty

Celebrating Black History Month

January 30, 2025

Celebrating Black History Month

February 2025 – The Faculty of Land and Food Systems is fortunate to welcome Black scholars who bring diverse experiences to the classroom, and the wider UBC community. These students are motivated to be innovators in agriculture and food systems globally – from addressing food security as climate extremes become more prevalent, improving the quality and marketability of indigenous agricultural products, to ensuring food processing is safer and more efficient.

Learn about these future leaders, and how they have adapted to student life in Canada.

Kanaan Selasie Doe-Addo, Master of Food Science

Kanaan Selasie Doe-Addo is working towards a career as a research and development scientist, where he hopes to be on the leading-edge of developing new, sustainable food and packaging products.

He developed an interest in food systems during his undergraduate degree at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. He learned about food science, technology, and the importance of protecting and harvesting indigenous crops.

Read more about Doe-Addo’s story here.

Josephine Nabwami, Master of Food and Resource Economics

Josephine Nabwami believes education is a powerful tool for solving pressing issues in society. Her academic and professional experiences have inspired her to contribute meaningfully to Uganda’s agricultural sector by promoting sustainable farming practices and financial stability for smallholder farmers.

“Unpredictable weather is a challenge in agriculture, and stabilizing farmer incomes is critical,” says Nabwami, a Mastercard Foundation Scholar in the Master of Food and Resource Economics program.

Oluwafemi Ojo, Master of Food and Resource Economics

Oluwafemi Ojo first learned about climate change from the documentary series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey in 2016. One episode showed how climate change is an existential threat to humanity, which left a lasting impression on him particularly because shortly after airing, his home state in Nigeria was struck by drought.

“There was about six months when it didn’t rain, and it started right after the planting season, so all the farmers’ seeds decayed in the soil,” Ojo said. “I felt so concerned thinking we would be in a lot of trouble.”

Temilola Olowookere, Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

Growing up in Nigeria, Temilola Olowookere developed a deep appreciation for how food could bring people together and mark life’s milestones.

“Food had cultural and community significance,” she says. “It celebrated births, naming ceremonies, and even commemorated deaths. For example, akara (bean fritters) is traditionally eaten for seven days to honour the passing of an elder.”

Read more about Olowookere’s story here.

Joseph Sarfo Tabi, Master of Land and Water Systems

Adapting to life in a new country has been an adventure for Joseph Sarfo Tabi, a Mastercard Foundation Scholar.

Travelling from his hometown in the Ashanti region of Ghana, he landed in Vancouver on August 1, 2024, to start the Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS) program. While he was happy to finally be in Canada, he remembers feeling chilly even in the height of summer.

“It was sunny when we landed at the airport, but I was already feeling cold compared to home,” Tabi recalls, as he reassured himself he would be able to cope.

Black History Month: Temilola Olowookere

January 29, 2025

Black History Month: Temilola Olowookere

Program: Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

February 2025 – Growing up in Nigeria, Temilola Olowookere developed a deep appreciation for how food could bring people together and mark life’s milestones.

In high school she asked her teachers how she could study and work with food professionally, and was told that dietetics was one route: “Dietetics can help people see the beauty in food while understanding how it supports the body and brings joy.”

At that time, she had never met a dietitian, but she enrolled in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at Afe Babalola University, in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria, at age 16. After completing her bachelor’s degree Olowookere was interested in pursuing research, and moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to study at Mount Saint Vincent University. She completed an MSc in Applied Human Nutrition.

Olowookere gained valuable experience working as a research assistant and food service supervisor in healthcare settings in Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia.

She is now pursuing her goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian through UBC’s Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (MND) program and has completed two practice education placements. One was working in population health, teaching kids how to cook, and the other was working in a clinical setting, where she developed Nutrition Assessment skills.

“These experiences confirmed that I’m on the right path and truly want to work in a clinical setting,” she says.

While at Mount Saint Vincent, Olowookere was active in supporting Black students through fundraisers to increase student supports and resources, and hosting roundtables and networking events.

If she has any advice, it is to dream big – but take small steps to achieve your aspirations as they will lead to bigger steps. Also, she says African students need to know that they are just as capable as any other students at UBC.

When she’s not studying, Olowookere treasures reconnecting with her Nigerian roots through food. Her favorite dish is starchy African yam, a staple that she goes to great lengths to source in Vancouver – even waitlisting herself to buy it from a specialty grocery store in Surrey.

To read more stories celebrating Black History Month, click here.

Tagged with: Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

Tagged with Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
Categories: Uncategorized

Black History Month: Oluwafemi Ojo

January 29, 2025

Black History Month: Oluwafemi Ojo

Program: Master of Food and Resource Economics

Oluwafemi Ojo, Mastercard Foundation Scholar

February 2025 – Oluwafemi Ojo first learned about climate change from the documentary series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey in 2016. One episode showed how climate change is an existential threat to humanity, which left a lasting impression on him particularly because shortly after airing, his home state in Nigeria was struck by drought.

“There was about six months when it didn’t rain and it started right after the planting season, so all the farmers’ seeds decayed in the soil,” Ojo said. “I felt so concerned thinking we would be in a lot of trouble.”

With so much of Nigeria’s GDP tied to agriculture, Ojo felt motivated him to learn about how climate can impact livelihoods.

He studied economics at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria for his undergraduate degree and completed an honours thesis on the economic implications of climate change on Nigeria’s agricultural output. His study highlighted the sensitivity of Nigeria’s agriculture to climate shocks and the lack of mitigating strategies.

“My hypothesis was proven true, showing that when temperature rose beyond a certain threshold, yields would be negatively impacted.”

“Nigeria is currently experiencing the worst food inflation in its history, with food inflation rising 40%. Some of the structural factors causing inflation include climate change and bad policies.”

Ojo came to UBC through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program. In this next stage of his academic journey, he believes studying in the Master of Food and Resource Economics program will give him the knowledge and skills to contribute to effective policymaking aimed at strengthening food security in Nigeria.

His passion for environmental sustainability led him to co-found the Pale Blue Dot Initiative, a volunteer not-for-profit organization aimed at promoting climate action among young people in Nigeria.

In addition, Ojo volunteers for the U.S.-based Foundation for Climate Restoration and U.K.-based Extinction Rebellion.

“With my masters degree, I want to help develop policies that can reverse the tide of the perpetual low productivity plaguing Nigeria’s food and agriculture sector, and improve the status of Nigeria as a country.”

To read more stories celebrating Black History Month, click here.

Tagged with: Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Food and Resource Economics

Tagged with Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Food and Resource Economics
Categories: Uncategorized

Black History Month: Kanaan Selasie Doe-Addo

January 29, 2025

Black History Month: Kanaan Selasie Doe-Addo

Program: Master of Food Science

Kanaan Selasie Doe-Addo, Mastercard Foundation Scholar

February 2025 – Kanaan Selasie Doe-Addo is working towards a career as a research and development scientist, where he hopes to be on the leading-edge of developing new, sustainable food and packaging products.

In addition, in his third year, he had an internship at the Department of Food Processing and Engineering at the University of Ghana, in Legon, Ghana. There, he worked in the analytical, wet, and dry labs.

He had the opportunity to work on several food processing research projects that explored indigenous crops. This included egusi seeds, which come from cucurbit plants such as melons, squash and gourds.

“Egusi melon seeds are rich in protein and are drought resistant,” says Doe-Addo. “We studied the nutritional composition and new processing techniques with the goal of alleviating malnutrition in Ghana.”

“I became interested in promoting sustainable food systems, particularly crops that are underutilized in Ghana and other sub-Saharan Africa countries. The UBC Master of Food Science program aligns with that, especially when it comes to the field of sustainability and also processing.”

Other projects included studying the physico-mechanical properties of newly developed cowpea varieties, drying kinetics of mango and pineapple, and the production of brukina, a millet-based fermented diary beverage.

Doe-Addo came to UBC’s Master of Food Science program as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar. He was drawn to the workplace practicum offered, as well as some of the unique projects underway at UBC, such as upcycling blueberry waste into biodegradable packaging materials.

One remarkable difference between the food science programs in Canada and Ghana is the focus on food safety in Canada, he says. In Ghana, although safety is taken into account, the focus is mostly on efficient food processing and reducing waste during the process.

He is excited to be at UBC, in a cutting-edge environment where food and sustainability are heavily researched. When he graduates, Doe-Addo hopes to work on alternative sources of protein and developing new products, using inputs that are indigenous to Ghana.

“I think it’s time to look at alternative protein sources. Why don’t we look at edible insects as a source of protein instead of over-relying on animal meat, which in the long-run won’t be sustainable.”

To read more stories celebrating Black History Month, click here.

Tagged with: Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Food Science

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Categories: Uncategorized

Black History Month: Josephine Nabwami

January 29, 2025

Black History Month: Josephine Nabwami

Program: Master of Food and Resource Economics

Josephine Nabwami, Mastercard Foundation Scholar

February 2025 – Josephine Nabwami believes education is a powerful tool for solving pressing issues in society. Her academic and professional experiences have inspired her to contribute meaningfully to Uganda’s agricultural sector by promoting sustainable farming practices and financial stability for smallholder farmers.

With over 65% of Uganda’s population involved in farming, and 90% of agriculture relying on rainfall, she recognized the immense vulnerability of farmers to climate change. Her work revealed a significant gap in awareness about government-subsidized insurance programs designed to mitigate crop losses and promote resilience in rural communities.

Nabwami holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Cairo University, where she specialized in Insurance, Statistics, and Risk Management. Her professional journey began as a business analyst and later as a claims adjuster in Uganda, where she discovered her passion for agricultural insurance.

She is passionate about policy development and hopes to combine her skills in policy analysis and risk management into a future career in this area. Post-graduation, Nabwami would ideally gain some work experience, maybe at an NGO in Canada, learning how to implement policy before returning to Uganda.

She had a late start to the Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE) program due to visa issues, and is grateful for the support she received.

“Kelleen Wiseman (Academic Director) made a personalized catch-up plan for me,” says Nabwami. She started in-person classes a month behind her classmates, but while she was still in her hometown in Uganda, she watched class recordings – prepared to go to Canada as soon as her paperwork came through. Now, in the second semester she’s feeling as though her academic work has caught up.

Nabwami said being at UBC is both a privilege and a responsibility.

“I feel like I am both a student and a teacher. As a student, I am trying to thrive academically and socially. As a teacher, I am sharing the perspectives of Black communities and celebrating Black achievements, especially in spaces where representation can often be limited.”

She has become involved in Vancouver’s Ethọ́s Lab event called Blackathon, which takes place later this month, encouraging youth to celebrate Black inventors and to explore science and technology.

Wherever her future journey leads to, Nabwami is certain that she wants to be at the forefront of change.

To read more stories celebrating Black History Month, click here.

Tagged with: Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Food and Resource Economics

Tagged with Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Food and Resource Economics
Categories: Uncategorized

Black History Month: Joseph Sarfo Tabi

January 29, 2025

Black History Month: Joseph Sarfo Tabi

Program: Master of Land and Water Systems

February 2025 – Adapting to life in a new country has been an adventure for Joseph Sarfo Tabi, a Mastercard Foundation Scholar.

“It was sunny when we landed at the airport, but I was already feeling cold compared to home,” Tabi recalls, as he reassured himself he would be able to cope.

After landing, he was met with another surprise. A Mastercard Foundation Scholar alumni greeted him at the airport and they ate dinner at Browns on campus. Tabi didn’t recognize any menu items, ordering a chicken dish as he is familiar with chicken. It was his first time trying ramen noodle.

Academically, he has reveled in the MLWS program and has called it “eye-opening”. Soil studies has been his favourite part of the program, as he begins seeing practical applications of his studies.

“The program opened my eyes and my mind to see that soil is not just about agriculture. I have so many ideas and want to contribute to the efforts of mine reclamation through remediation techniques. In Ghana, illegal mining activities known as ‘galamsey’ have left behind degraded land – it’s a menace all over the country.”

The courses that have been particularly enlightening so far have been Soil 501: Advanced Soil Processes and Soil 503: Advanced Soil Sampling, Analyses and Data Interpretation.

As an undergraduate student, he studied Environmental Sciences, then worked in various roles at his alma mater Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, aka KNUST, in Ghana. This included being a teaching assistant and a research assistant, where some of his responsibilities included testing soils from cocoa farms for heavy metal contamination.

After being in Vancouver for a few months, he’s ventured into Vancouver’s surrounding neighbourhoods and found restaurants that give him a taste of home. He enjoys goat biryani at Indian restaurants, and he has found some Ghanaian-owned and operated restaurants in Surrey, with his favourite being Taste of Africa.

To read more stories celebrating Black History Month, click here.

Tagged with: Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity, Master of Land and Water Systems

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Categories: Uncategorized

Message from the Dean, LFS Community Connects: January 2025

January 27, 2025

Message from the Dean, LFS Community Connects: January 2025

Posted on January 29, 2025

Welcome to the first issue of LFS Community Connects for 2025. I hope your new year is going well so far!

As I’ve settled into my position as Dean pro tem since October 1, I’ve been fortunate to meet alumni, mentors, industry partners, and students. I’ve learned that many of you are putting your skills to work through entrepreneurial endeavours, helping to fuel our economy here in B.C., working in careers that support human health in diverse ways, and finding solutions that will help advance sustainability in the agri-food industry.

I look forward to engaging even more with you to learn about the work that you are doing, as well as the successes and challenges that you’re encountering.

So far this year with numerous news events happening or forthcoming, I’m certain many of you are preparing, as best you can, to withstand shocks that could impact our country, province, and the agri-food industry, while being cognizant of the future challenges that climate change may bring farmers and producers.

At the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, we are also finding new ways to approach issues that could be part of our future and, therefore, would be very interested in hearing your ideas and approaches to ensure a sustainable food resource. It could be related to extreme climate events that intertwine with our areas of research and study; reviewing policy that impacts food and resource economics; finding solutions to improve food sustainability in agricultural fields; improving safety in the processed food industry, while being in tune with the current messaging as it relates to nutritional quality and food producing; or, ensuring the welfare of animals.

We are fortunate to have three research sites devoted to hands-on learning: the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm, the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre in Agassiz, B.C., and the upcoming Dan On Food and Beverage Innovation Centre on campus. Coordinating faculty-student research activities within these Centre’s to collaborate, will offer a very unique and relevant position for LFS’s agri-food mission, both nationally and internationally.

I would like to warmly acknowledge that it is Lunar New Year this week! In this year of the Snake, we should adopt some of the positive traits commonly associated those born under the sign: resourcefulness, determination, perceptive, and caring for others.

All the best for a healthy and productive 2025,

David Kitts

Professor and Dean pro tem

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International Day of Women and Girls in Science