From the Inside, out Ales Leads Tech Futures Herstory
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SPRING 2018 ISSUE NO. 11 The alumni magazine of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences facebook.com/UofAALES @UofAALES www.ales.ualberta.ca FROM THE INSIDE, OUT p. 31 ALES LEADS TECH FUTURES p. 19 HERSTORY: FIGHTING CANCER WITH FOOD p. 25 DEAN’S MESSAGE The Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences (ALES) has evolved At the from its earliest days as one of the first faculties at the University of Alberta. That evolution has seen many successes, and as we look to the next iteration of how intersection we serve our constituents, we rely on the past to guide us forward. of change Greenhouse showcases successes forestry and so many more. The com- and changes in ALES mittee acknowledged the transdisci- plinary nature of much of our teaching and research and recommended that the ALES experience should be seen as a template for integration across the university. The articles in this issue of Greenhouse speak not only to the diversity of our work within the faculty, but also the important “collision points” In 2017 the Faculty of Agricultural, Life that connect food security, environ- and Environmental Sciences under- mental resilience, product innovation, went a President’s Visiting Committee nutrition and health, as well as many review, which went beyond the familiar other sectors and issues that are but rigorous unit reviews and profes- important to Alberta, Canada and the sional accreditation processes done world. There is a wealth of opportuni- within our faculty. The work of the PVC ties available for our students within was to examine and provide recom- this powerful mix of activities and mendations to the faculty in areas issues. They benefit through classroom The construction of the campus of the University of such as strategic priorities, research experiences and other extracurricular accomplishments and relationships activities, which create a wide range of Alberta officially gets underway with its sod-turning with the wider community (including unique experiences and learnings. ceremony, circa 1900 (approx). alumni, levels of government and the Despite the recent recognition the donors). The chair of our faculty’s faculty has received like that of the that, for now, the decision has We live in communities that are President’s Visiting Committee was PVC, we have experienced challenges been made to suspend Greenhouse connected and complex. The Faculty Robert Easter, who served as president as well. As you have likely heard, magazine as a print publication. In of ALES is committed to ensuring that of the University of Illinois before his the University of Alberta has been this instance, and will all matters, our teaching and research mission retirement (the University of Illinois is undergoing a rigorous budget analysis, we welcome your feedback. Please incorporates expertise and approaches a significant and respected leader in which has an impact on all units within consider taking a moment to jot that span the traditional boundaries in the U.S. land grant universities with a the academy. In an effort to be as us a note. The email address which we do in ways that create new budget of US$6.5m). efficient as possible, while providing is [email protected]. insights and innovations. The PVC provided a report that was our students, scholars and staff with all Our mailing address is laudatory of the work of ALES. The one the support they need, the faculty has Editor, Greenhouse magazine Sincerely, area of specific focus was the integrat- undergone a comprehensive financial Faculty of Agricultural, Life and ed nature of the work that we do. The One of the first research sites of the faculty, the review to assess where we are at, Environmental Sciences faculty has a wide range of disciplines and where we need to be in years 2-06 Agriculture Forestry Centre, Dairy Barn still stands today on what is now South that run the spectrum of environment, to come. In short, we need to be University of Alberta Stanford F. Blade, PhD, P.Ag Campus (circa 1923). agriculture, food, nutrition, health, exceptionally sensitive to where Edmonton, Alberta Dean, Faculty of Agricultural, Life gerontology, family studies, economics, resources are applied, which means T6G 2P5 and Environmental Sciences 2 GREENHOUSE SPRING 2018 3 HAPPENINGS Spring 2018 HAPPENINGS 7 A TASTE SENSATION Two students are using an unusual ingredient for their baking 8 CERVID MYSTERY SOLVED REES research explains the real 11 reason behind the decline in Northern caribou herds 9 LOSING THE LAND 36 FEATURES Are municipalities at risk of allowing valuable agricultural land to slip away? 25 FROM THE HEART 10 Nutrition scientist Carla Prado THE NEW RECRUIT provides critical support through ALES welcomes a new kind her role in cancer and health of employee researcher 10 31 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL You Talked. We listened How AFNS scientists are taking the most fundamental 11 components of life and are MAKING A LEAP ACROSS THE 14 applying them to find the POND LIVE WHAT YOU LEARN answers to the biggest questions ALES’ latest Oxford Scholar focuses One students’ business acumen on the health and happiness of is having big results 36 families THE RACE TO OUTPACE 16 Alum John Church is leveling the feature 12 SEXTING CAN’T CUT IT playing field for new Ag tech with GONE GRIZZLY GONE Research shows sexters may be his drone research 19 PhD student shows why roads and ignoring more important parts of bears don’t mix relationships SEEING SUSTAINABILITY SUCCESS Three ALES researchers are a key part of the Future Energy Systems initiative CLARIFICATION: Grain farmer Darren Haarsma grows hemp, not marijuana. A photo and caption in the Table of Contents of the fall 2017 issue of Greenhouse, on the cover which highlighted our story about two different products derived from the Illustration by cannabis sativa plant, may have misled readers. We apologize for the confusion. Jean-François Podevin 4 GREENHOUSE SPRING 2018 5 HAPPENINGS HAPPENINGS ALUMNI CLUB 41 THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING Alum Dan Hays supports research GREENHOUSE is published twice a continuity as ALES acquires herd year by the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. It is 43 distributed to alumni and friends of APART FROM THE HERD the faculty. When one decision creates a world Dean Stan Blade of benefit Editor Cait Wills 45 Development Team IN MEMORIAM Marie Perron The Faculty of ALES notes with Katherine Irwin regret the passing of its alumni 43 Amy Stevens Dawn Donnelly Art Direction/Graphic Design Paige Weir 41 Contributing Writers Bev Betkowski, Michael Brown, Christina Frangou, Helen Metella, Cait Wills Contributing Photographers Robert Berdam, Richard Siemens, Jessica Fern Facette, John Ulan, ( ) Cait Wills HOW SWEET IT IS N’T Contributing Illustrators Jean-François Podevin, Paige Weir ALES-trained scientists launch business selling cricket-flour treats Send your comments to: HELEN METELLA The Editor GREENHOUSE 2-06 Agriculture/Forestry Centre Would you eat crickets? Willingly? Regularly? 100 per cent of your B12 for the day.” University of Alberta Two young scientists with graduate educations from the Additionally, he says, they require far fewer resources to Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2P5 Faculty of ALES are betting you will—if not right away, farm than traditional sources of protein. “One kilogram of Tel.: 780-492-8127 Fax: 780-492-8524 then soon after your first opportunity. cricket flour requires a little less than four litres of water. Email: [email protected] Silvia Ronzani and Claudio La Rocca are co-owners of One kilogram of beef, depending on the farming system, is Website: www.ales.ualberta.ca Camola Sustainable Bakery, a new business that produc- estimated to take 22 to 44 litres of water.” es numerous tasty treats—including granola bars, cakes, Both La Rocca and Ronzani are insect scholars—each are Publications Mail Agreement No. sourdough breads, pizzas and “bugscotti”—all of which are authors of separate master’s theses about the relationship 42038516 prepared by including some flour made from ground-up carabid beetles have to the environment. La Rocca earned crickets. his graduate degree from the Department of Renewable Return undeliverable We welcome readers to submit letters to: Canadian addresses to: “(The amount) is less than the regular flour but way more Resources in 2016 and Ronzani will soon do so from the GREENHOUSE 2-06 Agriculture/Forestry Centre than a spice,” says Ronzani, the partner who develops the same department. However, La Rocca learned about edible 2-06 Agriculture/Forestry Centre University of Alberta recipes. While the exact proportion of cricket flour is their insects through extracurricular research, which he started University of Alberta Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5 trade secret, it’s definitely enough for consumers to derive after a classmate invited them to eat home-roasted crickets Edmonton, AB, Canada the many benefits of eating bugs, says La Rocca. three years ago. T6G 2P5 “Insects are almost pure protein—crickets specifically That information, plus skills learned at UAlberta’s business Fax: 780-492-8524 are 67 per cent,” he says. “There’s almost no fat, incubator eHub, helps them convince reluctant potential Email: [email protected] little water and fewer carbs. They are very rich in customers to taste a cricket-flour product. Letters should include the writer’s full name, address and micronutrients—iron, calcium, potassium—and are high “It’s a culinary adventure. You are trying new tastes, it’s good home telephone number, and may be edited for purposes in vitamin B12. A tablespoon of cricket flour gives you for the environment and it’s also good for your health.” of clarity and space. 6 GREENHOUSE SPRING 2018 7 HAPPENINGS Prime farmland continues to be lost to urban expansion (as caribou populations dropped, communities harvested fewer caribou).