Arbores Serit Diligens Agricola, Quarum Adspiciet Baccam Ipse Numquam
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Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences Annual Report 2008-2009 DEAN’S MESSAGE Arbores serit diligens agricola, quarum adspiciet baccam ipse numquam. [The diligent farmer plants trees, of which he himself will never see the fruit] - Cicero I am pleased to present you with the 2008/09 Annual Progress Review of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. In the following pages, you will learn about the many academic, research and outreach activities undertaken by the Faculty in the past year. Key among our research highlights is the progression from infrastructure development to more active research programs at the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment, located at the Glenlea Research Station south of Winnipeg. We were excited to show off our facilities and current projects during an open house in September that drew over 120 visitors. Our focus is now on the second phase, the Glenlea Farm Education Centre, an interactive facility aimed at public awareness of agriculture and food production. Architectural plans are in the works and we expect to break ground on this important project within the next few weeks. The Faculty is also focused on the very important task of educating future leaders of the agri-food industry. We are currently coming to the end of an extensive a review of our undergraduate degree program curriculum, with the goal of increasing student engagement and providing them with opportunities to develop personally and professionally. We are also encouraging our students to pursue international study and travel to broaden their experiences. Four of our students journeyed to India in December on a three-week study tour funded by the Stewart Pugh External Study Scholarship and organized in collaboration with St Xavier’s College Kolkata, an experience they will not soon forget! Student numbers for 2008/09 were relatively steady across all programs, and in diploma we saw a dramatic increase in first year enrolment. Part of this jump may be due to the new option to transfer from diploma into degree, which is providing students greater flexibility and an increased practical component to their studies. Our student population is also increasingly diverse, with nearly 20% of degree students and 44% of graduate students coming from outside of Canada. Our faculty base is also becoming increasingly diverse with most of our recent appointments being academics who were born and educated outside Canada. As evidenced in the Awards and Achievements section, our faculty and students have been recognized for their academic, research and community accomplishments. From the most prestigious international prizes to praise from their peers, our people continue to stand out for their dedication and excellence. Finally, I would like to recognize those government and industry partners as well as individuals who have contributed to our research and academic programs. Thanks to this strong support, the Faculty continues to be able to train top-quality graduates and to provide relevant research to the agri-food industry and the community at large. Michael Trevan Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Manitoba 1 ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Review of Undergraduate Degree Curriculum A review of the undergraduate degree curriculum was initiated in 2008 to evaluate our current programs and degrees and determine how they can be improved to meet needs of industry and of our students. Each program sought input from representatives of industry. A set of learning outcomes for all programs was approved by the faculty and each instructor was requested to develop course objectives for their courses identifying which learning outcomes are addressed, the learning levels, and method of evaluation. This information will be used to ensure that the intended goals of our programs are being achieved and will provide a map for evaluating the overall quality of our programs. Students Broaden Horizons with India Trip With the help of the Stewart Pugh External Study Scholarship, four degree students travelled to India for three weeks in December 2008 on a visit arranged by St. Xavier’s College in Kolkata. Jamie Poirier, Kristine Blair, Ramona Garbald and Daniel Fox, toured a variety of agricultural operations and also travelled north to the city of Shillong to take part in the 96th annual Indian Science Congress. Through trips and exchanges such as this one, the Faculty hopes to increase our students’ international experiences and provide them with a broader understanding of global agriculture. New Courses Added in Animal Science The Animal Science department has added two new undergraduate courses. The ANSC 4240 Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems course is a course introduced by Dr. Ermias Kebreab to provide a core background and understanding of principles of mathematical modeling in agricultural systems. This course is also offered at the graduate level ANSC 7560 Mathematical Modeling of Agricultural Systems. The second course introduced this year, ANSC 2540 Companion Animal Nutrition and Management, will be taught for the first time in the Fall 2009 term. This course has been added in recognition of the large economic and social role that companion animals make in today’s society. Students Push for Charity The 27th annual Aggie Bed Push successfully concluded on the steps of the University of Manitoba administration building September 29, 2008. The event began two days earlier in Brandon, where the students set off pushing their familiar burgundy bed on wheels along the #1 Highway. This year’s charity of choice was the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, which aims to eliminate heart disease and stroke through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy. Each year the students are able to raise several thousand dollars for charity, and in previous years have supported Kidsport, the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, CancerCare and other worthy causes. 2 First Crop of International Agrologists Graduate Ten members of the inaugural class of the Internationally Educated Agrologists Pilot (IEAP) Program graduated in 2008 eager to enter the Manitoba workforce. The IEAP program integrates foreign- trained agrologists into the Manitoba agriculture sector through a one-year program of coursework and work experience. Manitoba Labour and Immigration funds the IEAP Program and the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, the professional body for agrology, provides direction on the needs of the agriculture industry. The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba supplies the academic component. The program assists students with their language skills, helps them become familiar with the agriculture industry in Canada, and facilitates networking with the agricultural community. The program received the 2008 PEARL Award from the Manitoba Prior Learning Assessment Network. The PEARL Award, which stands for “Pursuit of Excellence in the Assessment and Recognition of Learning”, is given each year to an organization, program or individual in recognition of excellence in prior learning assessment and recognition. Seven individuals enrolled in the 2008-09 academic year and intake for the 2009-10 year is underway. Centennial Entrance Scholarship Awarded Minnedosa Collegiate graduate Mac Ross was awarded the first Agricultural and Food Sciences Centennial Entrance Scholarship in 2008. The endowed scholarship, valued at $2000, was established with support from the Province of Manitoba and alumni and friends of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences to commemorate the Faculty’s 100th anniversary. It is awarded to a Manitoba high school student who plans to enter the degree or diploma program at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. In addition to meeting academic requirements, students must also demonstrate an interest and commitment to building vibrant rural communities and a strong interest in pursuing a career in the agri-food and rural economy sectors. For the 2009 scholarship, four top high school students were selected from a pool of nearly 30 applicants. They will be entering either the Diploma in Agriculture program or University 1 in fall 2009. Kraft Endowment Fund Supports Student Award, Lecture The fund established in memory of the late Daryl F. Kraft continues to grow and has now funded a student prize and launched a policy seminar series. Matthew Hink, agribusiness student, was the recipient of the inaugural Daryl F. Kraft Undergraduate Student Paper Prize in Agricultural Policy in November 2008. And in February 2009, the first seminar in a lecture series on agricultural policy was presented by Dr. Alex McCalla, professor emeritus with University of California, Davis. His topic was “Agricultural Commodity and Food Prices: A Wild Ride! What’s Next?” The seminar was also supported by GrainWorld 2009 and the Solomon Sinclair Farm Management Institute. 3 RESEARCH NEWS Research Strategic Plan Provides 5-Year View Through the efforts of the Faculty Research Committee, a five-year Research Strategic Plan has been developed which identifies the Faculty’s research strengths and outlines several key objectives. The mission states that the Faculty will “enhance linkages between production-oriented research and longer-term multifunctional research and student training, expand its focus beyond the individual producer and consumer to the community and build across disciplinary expertise