University of Guelph

Standard Appraisal Brief for the Graduate Diploma, MSc, MES, and PhD Programs

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Submitted to the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies December 2010

VOLUME I: The Program

OCGS APPRAISAL BRIEF - [Environmental Sciences] page 2

THE PROGRAM

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3 1.1. Brief listing of programs ...... 3 1.2. Objectives of the programs...... 4 1.3. Method used for the self-study as well as the preparation of the brief, including faculty and student input and involvement ...... 5 1.4. Fields in the programs (indicate recent changes if any) ...... 6 1.5. Review concerns expressed in previous appraisal and actions taken...... 7 1.6. Special matters and innovative features...... 12 2. THE FACULTY...... 14 2.1. List of faculty by field ...... 14 2.2. External operating research funding...... 20 2.3. Graduate supervision...... 23 2.4. Current teaching assignments ...... 30 2.5. Commitment of faculty members from other graduate programs and/or from other institutions…...... 48 3. PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES...... 51 3.1. Library resources...... 51 3.2. Laboratory facilities...... 51 3.3. Computer facilities ...... 52 3.4. Space…… ...... 52 3.5. Financial support of graduate students...... 53 4. PROGRAM REGULATIONS AND COURSES ...... 56 4.1. The intellectual development and the educational experience of the student ...... 56 4.2. Program regulations ...... 58 4.2.1 General…………………………………………………………………………………………….58 4.2.2 Admission Standards…………………………………………………………………………….58 4.2.3 Degree Requirements ...... 60 4.2.4 Regulations for Thesis ...... 61 4.2.5 Progress Reports ...... 63 4.2.6 Language Requirements...... 63 4.2.7 Distance Delivery ...... 63 4.3. Part-time studies...... 64 4.4. Total graduate courses listed and level ...... 64 4.5. Collateral and supporting departments...... 70 5. OUTCOMES ...... 70 5.1. Enrolment and graduations...... 70 5.1.1 MSc……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 70 5.1.2 PhD……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 80 5.2. Employment...... 87 5.3. Publications ...... 87 5.4. Projected graduate intake and enrolments ...... 87

6. APPENDICES …………………………………………………………………………………… 90

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1. INTRODUCTION

This brief represents a proposal for a new graduate program (MSc, PhD, Coursework Masters, and Graduate Diploma) to be offered by the recently formed School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph. The School of Environmental Sciences draws together two existing graduate programs that are successful and approved by the OCGS: Land Resource Science and Environmental Biology. The graduate program proposed in this Brief represents a strategic and progressive formalization of several complementary research areas in the physical and natural sciences within the former two departments into a single cohesive multidisciplinary graduate program. Once the new program has been approved, the existing programs in Land Resource Science and Environmental Biology will be phased out and no further students will be accepted into them. Students within the existing program at the time of approval will be offered the opportunity to transfer into the new Environmental Sciences program or remain with the existing program.

1.1. Brief listing of programs The master’s program will lead to the degree(s) of Master of Science (MSc) and Master of Environmental Science by coursework (MES). The doctoral program will lead to the degree of PhD in Environmental Science. Completion of the current and new programs prepares students for careers in both academic and non-academic settings.

This submission for a new graduate program in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES) is the result of the merger of two former departments within the Ontario Agricultural College, Environmental Biology and Land Resource Science, and the Faculty of Environmental Sciences in September 2009 (herein referred to as “the merger”). All faculty members from these units became members of the School of Environmental Sciences at that time.

Core faculty in the School of Environmental Sciences currently participate in the approved MSc and PhD programs from the two founding departments (descriptions can be found at): http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/graduate/current/gradprog/envb.shtml http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/graduate/current/gradprog/lrs.shtml

In addition, faculty members in the former Land Resource Science program participate in a Masters by coursework degree: http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/graduate/current/gradprog/lrs-msc.shtml

The Environmental Biology program was reviewed in 2002 by OCGS and classified as Good Quality. The Land Resource Science (LRS) program was reviewed by OCGS in 2007 and classified as Good Quality with Report. The latter standing has not changed and a report to address reviewers concerns was not submitted as an extension was granted by OCGS due to the pending merger. Concerns raised as part of the 2007 LRS review are addressed in the current Brief in section 1.5 and were considered in the development of new program guidelines.

In addition to the proposed MSc, PhD, MES, and Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science, the School participates in the following inter-departmental programs (details in section 4):

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 MSc and PhD in Toxicology – collaborative program

 Biophysics Interdepartmental Group

1.2. Objectives of the programs The SES Graduate Program will offer comprehensive studies toward a Graduate Diploma and MSc, MES, and PhD degrees. The MSc and PhD degrees will involve research that seeks to increase our understanding of biological and physical processes, and their interactions, at all levels of biological organization. The SES Graduate Program will build on the high quality already established in the former department programs by fostering excellence in experimental work and mathematical modeling in the laboratory and field, and emphasizing our strong capacity to link theoretical and applied aspects of the environmental sciences. The Graduate program in the SES will provide additional theoretical and practical breadth for all students through the development of new courses in support of the new MES degree. Students admitted to the SES Graduate Program come from a wide variety of backgrounds including (but not limited to) chemistry, ecology, entomology, geology, microbiology, molecular biology, physics, plant biology, toxicology, and zoology. The new program is designed to position students to be successful in all avenues they might pursue in the field of environmental science. It is expected that the graduates of the SES program will provide leadership in research and training in academic, government, and industrial sectors of society and who will participate in the formulation and implementation of constructive national and international science policy.

The University of Guelph has established a series of Learning Objectives that define the expected characteristics and skills of its graduate students: literacy, numeracy, a sense of historical development, global understanding, moral maturity, understanding forms of inquiry, depth and breadth of understanding, independence of thought, and love of learning. The Graduate Program in the SES is designed to meet these objectives, along with the following additional goals:

 To provide graduate students with comprehensive education, knowledge, technical skills, and training in the area of environmental sciences so that they may play leading roles in helping to address existing and future environmental problems in Canada and around the world.

 To foster academic and intellectual growth, and interactions between the graduate students and faculty, the university and the wider research community, and the public.

 To ensure that students can effectively communicate their knowledge both orally and in writing

 To advance and encourage the growth of the SES and interdepartmental programs through continual review and incorporation of new and emerging developments in the field of environmental science.

Graduate Diploma Program: The objective of the Graduate Diploma is to provide highly focused training, education, and practical experience in specific areas of expertise within the SES. The Graduate Diploma will be targeted to recent undergraduate students, graduate

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students, and professionals seeking enhanced practical knowledge and experience associated with the application of technologies and methods used in the emphasized areas.

MES Program: The objectives of the SES MES (Coursework Master’s) program is to provide a foundation on which students and professionals can study the most recent theoretical and technical advances in the environmental sciences through interdisciplinary (depth) and multidisciplinary (breadth) teaching and research. Through coursework and a project, the SES MES is designed to promote critical thinking and enhance oral and written communication skills so that graduates can excel in industry, government and other sectors of society (e.g., environmental risk assessors/managers, political advisors on policy/law issues in government, senior positions in national and international agencies, etc.).

MSc program: The objective of the SES MSc program is to develop and train graduate students that possess a high level of knowledge about the field of environmental science, expertise in specific aspects of environmental science (their thesis research focus), training in laboratory and field techniques, and excellence in writing and oral communication. With these skills, SES MSc students will possess a strong foundation on which they can be highly successful in science-related positions in government, industry, and consulting, or carry out high quality research at the PhD level.

PhD Program: The objectives of the SES PhD program are to develop highly competent, independent, creative, and critical scientists. Doctoral students of the SES Graduate Program will provide leadership as scholars in academic institutions, as managers and officers in the industrial research and development sector, research and policy branches within the government sector and in other social institutions. Research in the PhD program is expected to be original and novel, contribute significantly to the relevant research field, and published in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

The goals and objectives of the SES Graduate Program will be achieved through laboratory and field research, course work, seminar and workshop participation and presentation, projects and/or placements (in the MES program), completion of qualifying examinations (in the PhD program), thesis writing, and thesis defence, publication of scholarly and extension (educational) material.

1.3. Method used for the self-study as well as the preparation of the brief, including faculty and student input and involvement The School has made a concerted effort to include all interested parties in the process leading to the submission of this brief.

The proposal to apply for a new graduate program in Environmental Sciences was initiated in the fall of 2009 following the merger. A Graduate Studies Committee consisting of faculty members from both former departments and student and staff representatives was composed and charged with developing the new program guidelines. These guidelines were developed within the context of the concerns listed in section 1.5. The recommended guidelines were approved by the School during the summer semester of 2010.

In addition to representation as part of the Graduate Studies Committee, graduate student participation in the development of this brief was accomplished through requests for information from the students via a comprehensive electronic survey. Information provided by Graduate

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Program Services (University of Guelph) and anecdotal information gained from personal conversations and interviews with students and staff were also included.

As part of the development of this review, the Graduate Studies Committee completely revised its Graduate Studies Policy and Procedures handbook which is available on-line (http://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/sites/uoguelph.ca.ses/files/SES_Graduate_Policies_and_Guideline s.pdf). Further, promotional material (flyers, pamphlets, etc) are in the planning stages to allow us to more actively promote the SES to prospective graduate students.

The Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee then drafted this appraisal brief, and made it available to all faculty, students, and staff for review. It was also be reviewed by the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Ontario agricultural College. Approval of the program by the University’s Board of Graduate Studies and the University of Guelph Senate is pending.

1.4. Fields in the programs (indicate recent changes if any) The development of the proposed fields of study is based on careful consideration of the existing OCGS-approved MSC and PhD programs in the founding departments of the SES. The existing fields in Land Resource Science are:

 Atmospheric Science - Emphasizes issues related to trace gas exchange between the surface and the lower atmosphere. Expertise includes the physical and biological processes controlling emissions and uptake, effects of management on such processes, the physics of transport into the atmosphere, techniques for measuring and modeling exchange, the chemistry that occurs in the surface layer of the atmosphere, and the relation of these trace gases and processes to climate change and air quality.

 Environmental Earth Science - Emphasizes diverse research interests in fundamental and applied aspects of agrogeology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, geobiology and geochemistry, including investigations on soil nutrient fate and effects, mineral characterization and soil structure, metal and isotope analyses, and molecular biology.

 Land Resources Management - Emphasizes ways to manage the Earth's resource in an environmentally responsible manner. Areas of investigation include the management of landfills, the agronomic impacts of linear facilities on agricultural lands in Ontario, assessing farmland protection policy options and determining the attitudes of landowners and foresters to woodlot management.

 Soil Science - Emphasizes research in areas such as soil biology, soil chemistry, soil physics, soil management and soil fertility.

The existing fields in Environmental Biology are:

 Entomology - emphasizes systematics, ecology, physiology, behaviour and insect pest management strategies as they relate to toxicology, insecticide resistance management, agro-ecosystem impact on non-target beneficial insects, climate change, and biological, genetic and cultural control tactics.

 Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology - Emphasizes the physiology, ecology and biochemistry of microorganisms with potential for environmental or biotechnological

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applications. It also includes studies on microbial pathogen detection, bioproducts, and environmental applications of microbial forensics, recombinant antibodies, and in plant expression of antibodies.

 Environmental Toxicology - Emphasizes how terrestrial and aquatic organisms interact with toxic compounds in the environment, describes the methods and tools needed to assess environmental impacts, and emphasizes practical management solutions to address environmental problems.

 Plant and Forest Systems - Emphasizes the ecology and genetics of plant pathogens, plant disease resistance and epidemiology, the genomics and molecular biology of plant- pathogen interactions, and the development of new plant disease management strategies, such as the use of chemical, cultural and biological control agents.

 Plant Pathology - Emphasizes the ecology and genetics of plant pathogens, plant disease resistance and epidemiology, the genomics and molecular biology of plant- pathogen interactions, and the development of new plant disease management strategies, such as the use of chemical, cultural and biological control agents.

The proposed Environmental Sciences PhD program will contain the following three fields (with a brief description of the research areas conducted within each field).

 Earth and Atmospheric Sciences – Research areas include: soil biology and soil physics, sedimentology, geobiology, soil chemistry, geochemistry, atmospheric chemistry and air quality, soil and land resource management

 Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity – Research areas include: toxicology, pest management, management of agroecosystems, microbiology, forest systems, agroforestry, climate change biology, ecology, and insect systematics and taxonomy

 Plant & Environmental Health – Research areas include: plant biology, plant pathology, epidemiology, soil-plant interactions, biotechnology, molecular biology, forest systems, agroforestry, and climate change biology

Fields of study have not been designated for the MSc or MES programs.

Our objective was to identify broad field designations rather than ones with a narrow focus whose viability might be impacted dramatically by changes in research trends and faculty retirements. As might be anticipated for such a cross-cutting approach, some of the research areas are applicable to each field, depending on faculty interests and experimental emphases.

1.5. Review concerns expressed in previous appraisals and actions taken Although this brief proposes a new program, some of the issues raised in the last OCGS reviews of Environmental Biology and Land Resource Science are still relevant. These are described below.

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Environmental Biology The graduate program in Environmental Biology was last review in 2002 and given the rating of “Good Quality”. A couple of the issues raised as part of that report are pertinent to the current brief and are reviewed here.

Concern 1: Faculty renewal:

The consultants expressed concern about the reduced number of faculty in the department due to retirements.

Action Taken:

Since the 2002 assessment, the Department of Environmental Biology has added several new faculty:

1) Mike Dixon, Professor, Plant and Forests Systems (January 2003) 2) Jonathon Newman, Professor, Applied Ecology (August 2004) 3) Ernesto Guzman, Associate Professor, Apiculture (October 2004) 4) Marc Habash, Assistant professor, Aquatic Microbiology (January 2005) 5) Madhur Anand, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair in Global Change Ecology (August 2007) 6) Shelley Hunt, Assistant Professor, Forest Systems Biologist (August 2007) 7) Neil Rooney, Assistant Professor, Food Web Ecology, (August 2009)

The distribution of faculty across the proposed fields of study (designated only for the PhD program) is summarized in Table 1. The addition of these faculty members has greatly strengthened teaching and research in the areas of two proposed fields of study: Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity (Anand, Hunt, Newman) and Plant & Environmental Health (Guzman, Habash, Dixon).

Concern 2: PhD Comprehensive Examination

The consultants found that the structure of the comprehensive exam (herein referred to as the qualifying examination) was “somewhat discretionary as it is usually conducted as an oral exam and the written component is used only occasionally” and recommended that more formal arrangements be developed.

Action Taken:

At the time of the report, Environmental Biology had two appraisal committees, one each for the MSc and PhD programs. The PhD qualifying examination consisted only of a choice consisting of a strictly oral examination or a combination of written and oral components. The latter, however, was rarely selected by students. In 2004, following a survey of students and faculty, the written component was made a mandatory component of the qualifying examination. As part of this change, the department created a single committee, the Graduate Education Committee, to oversee MSc and PhD defense and qualifying examination process. This committee consisted of the Graduate Coordinator and four other faculty members. As part of this re- structuring, the department implemented a change to the PhD qualifying examination process by implementing a standard written and oral component. Further, guidelines were developed to

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clearly articulate the planning, procedures, and expectations for qualifying examinations. A survey of graduate students (response rate of 96/157 = 61%) in both departments in 2010, in preparation of this brief, indicates that most are satisfied with the qualifying examination process.

Following the creation of the SES, the administration of graduate student activities, including admissions, awards, and examinations became the purview of the Graduate Studies Committee. This committee consists of four faculty members (two from each of the former departments) and two graduate students (one each from the former departments). This committee will be reviewing the PhD qualifying examination process to determine if and what additional changes are needed.

Land Resource Science

The graduate program in Land Resource Science was last reviewed in 2007 and given a designation of Good Quality with Report”. A response to the concerns raised by the consultants was not prepared (an extension was granted by the OCGS) pending the merger between Land Resource Science and Environmental Biology into the SES. It should be noted that some of the concerns raised were unique to LRS and some no longer apply following the merger. Nonetheless, each of the concerns is addressed below.

Concern 1: Core faculty compliment, renewal, and retirements

The consultants raised concerns about faculty renewal and gender balance, noting particular deficiencies in two of the four fields of study (two Category 1 faculty in Atmospheric Science and four Category 1 faculty in Earth Science).

Action Taken:

Since 2003, LRS hired several faculty members as part of a strategic effort to renew strengths in specific fields. New faculty include:

1) Susan Glasauer, Assistant Professor, Geology (Sept 2003) 2) Kari Dunfield, Associate Professor, Soil Microbiology (Jan 2004) 3) Laura Van Eerd, Associate Professor, Soil Nutrient Management (Aug 2005) 4) Tom Rennie, Assistant Professor, Renewable Energy (Sept 2007; Dr. Rennie is located at the Kemptville campus of the Uiniversity of Guelph) 5) Rob Nicol, Assistant Professor, Bioenergy Production (Nov 2007; Dr. Nicol is located at the Ridgetwon campus of the Uiniversity of Guelph) 6) Christian Blodau, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair & Associate Professor, Geochemistry (Sept 2009)

The distribution of these faculty members across the proposed fields of study is summarized in Table 1. With the exception of Atmospheric Science, these hires were strategically spread across three of the four previous fields of study in LRS, greatly strengthening representation in each. The addition of Blodau greatly strengthened the Earth Science field as recommended in the 2007 review. Although new hires were not made in the field of Atmospheric Science, this field has been eliminated in the current brief in favour of the more inclusive designation of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Collectively, these hires addressed another, related, concern raised

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by the consultants - that new faculty should constitute “suitably multi-faceted individuals”. The above-listed faculty meet these criteria; indeed, the new faculty in LRS encompassed three of the four fields of study, and in many cases, the new faculty could be listed under more than one field of study. Moreover, they will contribute significantly to all three proposed fields study in the PhD program: Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity (Dunfield, Blodau), Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (Dunfield, Glasuaer, Van Eerd, Rennie, and Nicol) and Plant Health and Environment (Van Eerd, Rennie, Nicol).

Finally, three of the six faculty hired were female, addressing another concern pertaining to faculty renewal in LRS - that an effort be made to increase the proportion of female faculty.

Concern 2: Program content and requirements, journal publication issues, and courses in Earth Science

The consultants raised concerns about the lack of a requirement for coursework at the PhD level and the content of the one required course, Research Issues. They also expressed concern about the lack of courses in the field of Earth Science, low publication rates of graduate students, and the manner in which field research was conducted.

Action Taken:

The lack of coursework requirements at the PhD level is common at most Canadian universities because emphasis is placed on research rather than coursework as is common among American universities (we note that one of the reviewers is from an American academic institution). In the proposed program, we will continue to require only one course for PhD students. This course represents a combination of the previous Research Issues course in LRS and the Introductory Seminar course in EVB. The consultants suggested that revisions to the Research Issues course should include preparation of research proposals. The combined course in fact requires students to prepare and present (defend) a proposal, with the final presentation being open to all faculty, staff, and students in the SES. The consultants also recommended that consideration be given to increasing the credit value of the required introductory course to 0.5 (it is currently worth 0.25 credits). Although this change has not been made, the graduate committee for SES will discuss making this change following discussions with faculty and students regarding the content of the course.

With one exception, additional courses in the field of Earth Science have not been developed, in part, because it is no longer a stand-alone field as it has been folded into the new field Earth and Atmospheric Science. However, as part of our planned curriculum renewal in support of the Coursework Masters and Graduate Diploma, one new field-based course in earth and soil science (Survey and Interpretation of Soils) has been created to augment existing courses in this area (see description in section 4.4).

Since the 2007 report, significant effort has been made to increase the rates of publications from students in LRS. Notably, students are encouraged to write their thesis using a journal paper format, which makes it much easier to publish with minimum re-organization of thesis text. Faculty have also made greater efforts to encourage students to submit their papers prior to defending their thesis.

Finally, the consultants recommended that a more directed approach be taken in relation to field work as many students were noted to spend at least two summers in the field. We are uncertain

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if this comment was based on concerns about duration of field-based students in the program or simply a recommendation as to how the field research might be conducted to answer questions that the reviewers felt were particularly important (which they cite in the report). While some of the example questions (areas of research) raised by the consultants are indeed highly relevant in the field of soil science, many relate to areas in which faculty in LRS already conduct research. Thus, we are uncertain how to respond to this issue.

Concern 3: Graduation rates and times to completion

Action taken:

The consultants noted that the mean time to completion for MSc students was seven semesters (they did not comment on the time to completion for PhD students) which is over the expected limit of six semesters. They recognized that this reflected the heavy field-based research conducted in LRS and did not register a concern about this aspect per se. However, they did express concern about students who leave for employment opportunities and either do not complete or greatly extend the duration of their degree. This is an on-going issue for which a resolution is difficult. It would be unfair to expect students to forgo opportunities for employment when they arise. Increasing pressure from the OCGS and the university to ensure that students graduate within designated time periods are forcing faculty to ensure that students defend on time. While this may help to meet the intended goal of defending in a timely fashion, it remains to be seen whether this will result in theses of reduced quality, a concern raised by the consultants.

Concern 4: Space, facilities, library

Action Taken:

The consultants clearly noted the deep-seated and ongoing concern that has remained unresolved for many years in expressing their concerns over the space constraints and structural inadequacy and of the Richard’s building in which LRS was housed. At the time of the report, the move to Alexander Hall (formerly Axelrod Building) was a distant possibility so the consultants focused on recommendations related to retrofitting and improvement to the equipment and structure of the Richards building. After much delay, however, in the summer of 2010, this situation was resolved when LRS completed a move from the Richard’s building to the Alexander Hall. The new building is still undergoing renovations and some disruption continues to be experienced by faculty, students, and staff as they settle into their new location (this was noted as a strong possibility by the consultants). The renovations are expected to be completed by the spring of 2011 at which time the students of LRS will have a state-of-the art building and equipment facilities at their disposal to conduct their research.

The consultants were highly positive about the computing facilities available through LRS and the university library. These facilities will continue to be available to students through the SES (in both Alexander Hall and the Bovey Building, the two buildings on campus that house the SES faculty and students) and the university library.

Concern 5: Intake and enrolment plans, international students, and financial support for students

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The consultants commented that the number of students in LRS (approximately 25 MSc and 25 PhD at the time of the report) was somewhat modest and noted that many of these (~40%) would be graduating in the near future. At the time, LRS was in the process of developing a Coursework Master’s degree which was subsequently approved and first offered in September of 2008. With minimal advertising, a total of 10 students have since enrolled in this Coursework Master’s degree, helping to increase total student enrolment in LRS. As described later in this brief, this Coursework Master’s degree was used as the basis for a revised Coursework Master’s; one that is inclusive of all SES faculty and which we expect will be highly attractive to students and professionals.

The consultants also noted as a “praiseworthy contribution to the international community” the high proportion of international visa students in LRS and decried the lack of encouragement by the provincial government to enrol and support visa students in Ontario universities. With a similar proportion of international students comprising the graduate student population in EVB, the goal of the SES is to continue to encourage strong international representation among its graduate student population. In support of this philosophy, the SES has implemented a $3000.00 top-up for all international students. This effort should be greatly assisted by the recent announcement by the provincial government that increased subsidies will be made available to international students with the goal of increasing international student representation at Ontario universities.

The consultants also noted the lack of teaching assistantships for students and that those without scholarships (the majority in LRS) depended entirely on stipends from faculty grants. The consultants viewed the inability to off-set or supplement graduate student stipends as a significant constraint on the ability of faculty to attract greater numbers of graduate students. Both LRS and EVB (and the combined unit SES) continue to be limited in the number of teaching assistantships under their jurisdiction. However, recent changes in the SES to guarantee teaching assistantships and top-up scholarships to graduate students having scholarships has been implemented in order to encourage students of the highest academic quality to enrol in the SES.

1.6. Special matters and innovative features As Canada and the rest of the world are increasingly confronted by serious and complex environmental threats, the need to train students to develop the skill sets and intellectual capacity for broad-based problem-solving is critical. We believe that this can be most effectively achieved by training students using a combined multi-and-interdisciplinary approach; one that integrates the excellent science background of the SES faculty in the natural and physical sciences with a broader understanding of social science elements of the issue; and one that teaches students the importance of bridging science-policy gaps that currently constrain our capacity to adequately address many of these environmental issues. Since the last OCGS review, LRS added a Coursework Master’s program which we seek to expand in the current OCGS review to include Environmental Biology faculty. The SES graduate program will foster interdisciplinary collaboration both on and off campus. Because of the diverse nature of our faculty, and their research programs, SES graduate students will inevitably be exposed to areas of research outside their own. In addition to the core faculty within the SES, the graduate program is supported by faculty in the following academic departments: Animal and Poultry Science, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, Food and Resource Economics, Food Science, Geography, Integrative Biology, Molecular and

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Cellular Biology, Physics, and Plant Agriculture, and the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development. The SES also has numerous adjunct faculty members from government, industry, and academia who assist our graduate program by providing intellectual and physical resources for graduate students to conduct their research, participate in occasional teaching, and sit on student advisory committees. The SES also participates in the Collaborative Toxicology Program and the Biophysics Interdepartmental Group. Research in the SES extends from fundamental to applied. Many of the faculty members have been involved in intellectual property issues including patents and technology transfer. Many of our faculty are also heavily involved in extension education, primarily in relation to the southern Ontario farming community and the Ontario Ministry of Food and Rural Affairs. A core principle of the SES graduate program is that graduate students are provided opportunities to participate in these activities.

Graduate students in the SES have access to an exceptional range of research facilities. Facilities housed and operated by the SES include:

o The Insect Collection (http://www.uoguelph.ca/debu/). The insect collection is the oldest in Canada; at over 1.5 million specimens, it is third or fourth largest in Canada. This museum serves as a focal point for research on the taxonomy, systematic, and evolutionary relationship of insects from Canada and around the globe.

o The Honey Bee Research Center (http://www.uoguelph.ca/ ses/content/honey-bee- research-centre). This facility is used for research and teaching for both graduate and undergraduate students, for extension education and training of personnel in apiculture, and public demonstration activities. Additionally, the molecular biology laboratory serves as a reference laboratory for bee breeding and diagnosis of diseases and pests in Canada.

o Controlled Environment Systems Facility (CES: http://www.ces.uoguelph.ca/). The CES Research Facility and its Space and Advanced Life Support Agriculture (SALSA) program are an essential part of Canada's contributions to plant research and development for space and closed environment related activities. Its modern facilities and equipment provide excellent opportunities for graduate student research and training.

o The SES, in association with Plant Agriculture, also houses numerous large growth chambers for research on plant biology and plant-soil-organism interactions. Combined with the CES Research facility, and the availability of extensive greenhouse facilities, the SES has one of the most extensive controlled environment capabilities in Canada.

o The Model Aquatic Ecosystem Facility (Dr. Keith Solomon: http://www.uoguelph.ca/ ses/content/aquatic-ecotoxicology-microcosms). This outdoor research facility consists of 30, 12,000 L microcosms has been used for aquatic research initiatives ranging from fundamental ecology to the assessment of risks associated with emerging contaminants.

o The Agroforestry Research Station (Dr. Andrew Gordon). One of the oldest such centers in North America, this research site has been used extensively in graduate research and training pertaining to the use of trees in agriculture (inter-cropping, bioenergy production, etc).

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A more detailed explanation of these and other facilities is provided in section 3.2. These facilities range from open access, where users are trained by support staff/technicians, graduate and undergraduate students, or faculty and perform the work themselves to fee-for-service units and equipment.

Several SES faculty members currently hold independent salary awards in the form of Canada Research Chairs (CRCs): Dr. Christopher Hall (Recombinant Antibody Technology), Dr. Madhur Anand (Global Ecological Change), and Dr. Christian Blodau (Environmental Geology and Biochemistry). In addition, Dr. Beth Parker, an adjunct faculty in SES who is based in the Department of Engineering holds a NSERC IRC in Groundwater Hydrology. Dr. Neil Rooney is supported, in part, through a partnership with the Saugeen Ojibwa First Nations in a five-year contractually-limited appointment. The SES also houses two NSERC Strategic Networks: the Bioconversion network (http://www.nsercbioconversion.net/; Dr Hung Lee), whose research focuses on lignocellulosic biomass conversion to fuel ethanol and valuable industrial chemicals; and the CANPOLIN Network (http://www.uoguelph.ca/canpolin/; Dr. Peter Kevan) whose research is addressing the growing problem of pollinator decline in agricultural and natural ecosystems in Canada. The Metals in the Human Environments (MITHE; http://www.mithe-rn.org/index.cfm; Drs Len Ritter and Beverley Hale) whose mandate is to conduct research in support of science-based environmental and human health risk assessments for metals in water, soil and food has been housed in the SES for the past seven years.

Students in the SES are currently divided between two buildings – the Bovey Building and Alexander Hall. Alexander Hall is in the process of undergoing a $33.1 million structural renovation to implement state of the art research, equipment, and teaching facilities.

2. THE FACULTY

2.1. List of faculty by field Table 1 lists the faculty members involved in the SES graduate program, identifies their field of affiliation, indicates gender, and expected retirements in the next seven years.

As of 2010, the SES had a total of 40 full-time Category 1 faculty members. All are expected to contribute to the training and assessment of graduate students through direct supervision, participation on graduate student committees, graduate course teaching, and participation in qualifying exams and thesis defense committees. The SES has two Category 2 faculty members (R. Nicol and N. Rooney). Also listed are thirty Category 5 faculty members who are either adjunct faculty or holders of College/University emeritus status. Each of these individuals are actively involved (or have been actively involved during the assessment period) in the graduate program as co-advisors to graduate students, participation on graduate student committees and defences, and contributions to the teaching of graduate courses. Many are PIs or co-PIs on active grants administered by the SES.

Each of the three proposed fields has a “critical mass” of Category 1 faculty members and there is strong representation within each: 17 in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, 12 in Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity, and 10 in Plant & Environmental Health based on primary affiliations). However, the expertise of many faculty members clearly overlaps between fields. When multiple

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affiliations are taken into consideration, the number of faculty members in each category increases to 17, 17 and 16 for the three fields, respectively.

The Category 1 faculty members meet a very high standard of performance and include numerous recognized leaders in their disciplines. Three faculty members (Hall, Anand, and Blodau) hold either Tier I or Tier II Canada Research Chairs. Another (Parker) holds an IRC and is is an Adjunct in the SES. Two faculty members (Lee and Kevan) head up national NSERC Networks and several faculty members have served on NSERC and other granting agency selection committees. One faculty member (Kevan) is a member of the Royal Society of Canada while two others (Solomon and Ritter) are Fellows of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences. Numerous faculty members have received high-level society awards in recognition of outstanding achievements in their fields, served as editors or on editorial boards for journals, and as society presidents or on Boards of Directors.

There have been nine retirements since the 2007 appraisal for LRS (Brookfield, Goss, Hilts, Van Straaten) and the 2002 appraisal for EVB (Hall, Kevan, Solomon, Stephenson, Sutton). One faculty member (Dr. Liss) resigned to take up a position as Vice President of Research at another Ontario university. Five Category 1 faculty members (Boland, Evans, Ritter, Trevors, Voroney) will reach the age of 65 over the next seven years. Of these, only two (Boland and Evans) have committed to specific retirement dates (both in 2011). With the elimination of mandatory retirement in Ontario, it is premature to plan for and schedule potential replacements for these faculty. Indeed, with hiring freezes within the university anticipated over the next few years, it is expected that positions vacated by retirements in the SES may not be replaced. The impact that future retirements that are not replaced could have on the graduate curriculum is speculative. However, the SES has taken the approach of hiring new faculty in strategic areas to ensure that strength is maintained in the proposed fields of study. Since the previous reviews, eight new faculty members have been hired in the SES. These include Newman (2004), Guzman (2005), Habash (2005), Hunt (2007), Anand (2007), Nicol (2007), Rennie (2007), and Blodau (2009):

1) Dr. Jonathon Newman – Ecosystem dynamics and global change ecology. Dr. Newman uses experimental and mathematical ecology to investigate impacts of climate change on temperate grasslands in terms of community and population ecology, plant-animal and plant-fungal interactions, trophic interactions and ecosystem function 2) Dr. Ernesto Guzman – Apiculture and honey bee biology. Dr. Guzman investigates aspects of honey bee breeding, genetics and behaviour, and honey bee pathology 3) Dr. Marc Habash - Aquatic microbiology. Dr. Habash studies microbial biofilm development and physiology and molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and catabolic genes 4) Dr. Shelley Hunt – Forest Systems Ecologist. Dr. Hunt studies ecosystem structure and function in managed forests, forest biodiversity, carbon and nitrogen dynamics in forest litter and woody debris, boreal forest ecology 5) Dr. Madhur Anand – Canada Research Chair in Global Ecological Change. Dr. Anand studies the potential impacts of global warming via the application of emerging interdisciplinary theories, quantitative methods and predictive simulation models to aid the preservation, recovery and restoration of perturbed and vulnerable forest ecosystems worldwide 6) Dr. Rob Nicol - Bioenergy Production. Dr. Nicol’s research focuses on the development of biofuels and other types of renewable energy, as well as the bioconversion of biofuels co-products to useful chemicals

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7) Dr. Tom Rennie – Agricultural Engineering. Dr. Rennie’s work will focus on improved processes for bioenergy production. 8) Dr. Christian Blodau - Canada Research Chair in Environmental Geology and Biogeochemistry. Dr. Blodau’s work will focus on the hydrological and chemical regulation of elemental cycles in peatlands and lakes, and fate and mobility of carbon, sulfur and iron in subsurface environments

Two Category 2 faculty members joined the School since the last appraisals for LRS and EVB. Nicol is affiliated with Ridgetown College and is co-funded through the Centre for Agricultural Renewable Energy and Sustainability. Rooney is co-funded by the university and the Saugeen Ojibway First Nation. It is important to note that these positions represented new opportunities for the School and College and were not intended to substitute for replacements of tenure-track faculty.

The current faculty complement in the SES is entirely appropriate for the proposed program and includes an excellent balance of new and experienced faculty across the ranks and within the fields of study. Nonetheless, the School and College will continue to periodically re-evaluate its academic plan with respect to recruitment strategies.

TABLE 1

Faculty Members by Field

Fields1,2

Ret Home Unit Supervisory Faculty Name & Rank M/F EAS ESB PHE Date Privileges Category 1 (Core Faculty) Anand, M. – Associate Professor F SES Full X Arnaud, E. – Assistant Professor F SES Full X Blodau, C. – Associate Professor M SES Full X* X Boland, G. - Professor M 2011 SES Full X Dixon, M. – Professor M SES Full X Dunfield, K. – Associate Professor M SES Full X* X Evans, L. – Professor M 2011 SES Full X Glasauer, S. – Assistant Professor F SES Full X Goodwin, P. – Professor M SES Full X Gordon, A. – Professor M SES Full X Gordon, R. – Professor M SES Full X

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Guzman, E. – Professor M SES Full X X* Habash, M. – Assistant Professor M SES Full X* X Hale, B. – Professor F SES Full X* X Hall, C – Professor M SES Full X Hallett, R. – Associate Professor F SES Full X X* Heck, R. – Associate Professor M SES Full X Hilts, S. – Professor M 2010 SES Full X Hsiang, T. – Professor M SES Full X X* Hunt, S. – Assistant Professor F SES Full X Lauzon, J. – Associate Professor M SES Full X Lee, H. – Professor M SES Full X Marshall, S. – Professor M SES Full X McBride, R. – Professor M SES Full X Newman, J. – Professor M SES Full X* X O’Halloran, I. – Associate Professor M SES Full X Otis, G. – Professor M SES Full X Parkin, G. – Associate Professor M SES Full X Rennie, T. – Assistant Professor M SES Co- X supervisor Ritter, L. – Professor M SES Full X Schmidt, J. – Associate Professor M SES Full X Scott-Dupree, C. – Professor F SES Full X X* Sibley, P. – Professor M SES Full X Trevors, J. – Professor M SES Full X X* Van Eerd, L. – Associate Professor F SES Full X* X Voroney, P. – Professor M SES Full X Wagner-Riddle, C. – Professor F SES Full X Warland, J. – Associate Professor M SES Full X Watson, A. – Assistant Professor M SES Co- X supervisor Category 2 (Contractually Limited faculty)

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Nicol, R. – Assistant Professor M SES Co- X supervisor Rooney, Neil M SES Co- X supervisor Category 5 (Adjunct and Emeritus Faculty) Alex, J. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Barron, G. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Beauchamp, E. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Berkelaar, E. – Adjunct M Redeemer Co- X College Supervisor Chesworth, W. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Chung, D. – Adjunct M Centurion Co- X Biofuels Supervisor Elrick, D. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Fletcher, A. – Emeritus M SES Co- X Supervisor Gillespie, T. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Goss, M. – Emeritus M 2009 SES Co- X Supervisor Groenevelt, P. - Emeritus M SES Co- X Supervisor Hall, R. - Emeritus M 2004 SES Co- X Supervisor Hanson, M. – Adjunct M University Co- X of Manitoba Supervisor Kaushik, N. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Kevan, P. – Emeritus M 2009 SES Co- X X* Supervisor King, K. – Emeritus M SES Co- X Supervisor

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Liss, S. – Professor - Adjunct M SES Co- X Supervisor MacKenzie, R. – Adjunct M National Co- X Research Supervisor Council Martini, P. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Miller, M. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X supervisor Morris, D. – Adjunct M Ministry of Co- X Natural Supervisor Resources Muir, D. – Adjunct M Environmen Co- X t Canada Supervisor Parker, B. – Adjunct F Engineering Full X Sears, M. – Adjunct M 2006 SES Co- X Supervisor Shipp, L. – Adjunct M SES Co- X X* Supervisor Solomon, K. – Emeritus M 2010 SES Co- X Supervisor Sutton, J. – Adjunct M 2006 SES Co- X Supervisor Stephenson, G. – Emeritus M 2007 SES Co- X* X Supervisor Thevasthasan, N. – Adjunct M SES Co- X Supervisor Thomas, N. – Adjunct M Consultant Co- supervisor Trevorrow Ltd. Thompson, D. - Adjunct M Natural Co- X Resources Supervisor Canada Thurtell, G. – Emeritus M Ret SES Co- X Supervisor Van Staaten, P. – Emeritus M 2009 SES Co- X Supervisor Woodcock, T. - Adjunct M SES Co- X Supervisor

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Zhang, T. – Adjunct M Agriculture Co- X Canada Supervisor Zheng, Y. – Adjunct M SES Co- X Supervisor

1 Field acronyms: Earth and Atmospheric Science (EAS), Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity (ESB), and Plant Health and Environment (PEH) 2 Where more than one field is declared, an asterisk indicates the primary field

2.2. External operating research funding External research funding received by faculty from the two programs by source for both year and proposed field for the past eight years is presented in Tables 2a and 2b, respectively. Complete data is presented up to and including the fiscal year 2009/2010.

Faculty members in the SES have been highly successful in attracting research funding during the previous seven years. In total, LRS received over $26 million in research funding over the assessment period, while EVB received over $53 million. Funding for research in EVB has generally been higher than that in LRS over the assessment period, reflecting the greater number of faculty members in that department.

Faculty in both LRS and EVB have been highly successful in attracting funding from granting councils (NSERC Discovery, strategic grants, etc), with more than $25 million total funding over the assessment period. Both units enjoyed consistent success in NSERC-based funding, with 35% and 34% of total research funds derived from this source in LRS and EVB, respectively. Currently, 73% of SES faculty hold either an NSERC Discovery or NSERC Strategic grant. The recent drop in granting council funding in LRS may reflect reduced funding availability through government and industry sources due to the economic recession during this period. For example, federal government policy has seen reductions in the number of Discovery grants being awarded across Canada in recent years. This situation is also true in EVB but is somewhat masked in the last two years due to $5 million awards to each of two faculty members to establish national NSERC strategic networks in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, respectively. Success in the granting council category also reflects funding to support three CRC’s (Hall, Anand, and Blodau).

A significant contributor of research funding to the two departments in most years was the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) which, through its Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the University of Guelph buys some faculty time for research and provides support for administrative, technical, and field research facilities. Through various OMAFRA-sponsored programs (e.g., New Directions, annual OMAFRA theme-based funding), the LRS and EVB have attracted over $10 million (38%) and $12 million (23%), respectively in the last seven years (listed under the Other Peer-Adjudicated column in Table 2a).

Contracts, derived through the formation of strategic partnerships with government agencies and industry, accounted for over $2 million (8%) of funding in LRS and over $16 million (30%) in EVB. A large portion of the money awarded to EVB in this category came via a $4 million dollar grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the entire amount of which was accredited in 2006.

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Faculty funding by proposed field indicates strength in all three areas (Tables 2b and 2d). Total funding across all categories for the three proposed fields was over $29 million (35%), $12 million (14%), and $41 million (48%), for Earth and Atmospheric Science, Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity, and Plant & Environmental Health, respectively. The lower level of funding for faculty in Field 2 (Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity) in most categories reflects a number of reasons including a smaller compliment of faculty for which this is the primary field, smaller funding contributions from the OMAFRA program (under Other Peer-Adjudicated sources), recent faculty additions (Hunt and Rooney) to this field whose research programs are still in the developmental phase, and secondment of one faculty to serve as an Associate Dean at the University of Guelph. The relatively higher funding amount listed under the contracts category in Field 2 reflects the CIDA contract (A. Gordon).

There was only a single situation in which funding was awarded for the sole purpose of travel as most faculty members incorporate funding for travel into their grant applications. Thus, we have not reported funding for travel in tabular format. A number of faculty members have received funding through the Canadian Foundation for Innovation New Opportunities Program (Habash, Anand, Blodau, Glasauer, Dunfield) and this accounts for the bulk of monies allocated as equipment funding, which was over $6 million and $7 million, respectively for LRS and EVB during the assessment period (Tables 2c and 2d).

Not reflected in these tables is the 33 million dollar refurbishment of Alexander Hall which will significantly improve the quality of the lab and office space for graduate students. Similarly, funds obtained as part of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario initiative to expand the insect museum located in the Bovey Building, including the purchase of equipment to enable the compact storage of insect specimens is not shown.

In summary, faculty members in EVB and LRS have been highly successful in attracting the fund necessary to sustain and expand the critical infrastructure and equipment to support the research activities central to the proposed SES graduate program.

TABLE 2a

Operating Research Funding by Source and Year

Source

Other Peer Year 1 Granting Councils2 Contracts Others 4 Adjudicated3 2002-03 LRS 383, 303 1,211,494 262,627 1,331,621 EVB 1,452,928 1,326,091 941424 991,827 2003-04 LRS 697,690 1,281,803 186,088 119,698 EVB 1,213,979 1,098,215 2,136,746 639,400

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Operating Research Funding by Source and Year

Source

Other Peer Year 1 Granting Councils2 Contracts Others 4 Adjudicated3 2004-05 LRS 1,862,022 1,064,817 111,832 364,555 EVB 616,014 1,181,893 866,809 637,645 2005-06 LRS 1,070,742 1,081,127 939,800 1,038,507 EVB 1,585,506 2,038,570 1,954,800 1,539,314 2006-07 LRS 1,164,184 1,211,201 703,249 505,958 EVB 1,841,449 1,522,882 6,172,450 504,658 2007-08 LRS 1,499,765 1,183,368 278,848 687,015 EVB 1,780,124 1,729,609 1,488,988 619,605 2008-09 LRS 836,436 1,649,934 161,239 1,156,472 EVB 5,036,373 1,681,934 1,530,239 1,427,604 2009-10 LRS 603,870 1,619,429 312,598 1,196,144 EVB 3,756,558 1,861,236 1,250,586 640,914 Totals LRS 8,118,012 10,302,711 2,055,582 6,399,970 EVB 17,632,999 12,656,809 16,602,885 7,048,439 Overall 25,019,266 22,439,429 18,937,739 12,850,214

1. Based on fiscal year (May 1st to April 31st) 2. Does not include equipment grants, conference grants, or grants allocated by the university 3. Grants that are peer-reviewed independently 4. Funding derived from industry, foundations, etc

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TABLE 2b

Total External Operating Funding by Field

Other Peer Granting Councils Contracts Others Adjudicated Field 1 8,415,222 11,342,711 3,039,182 6,540,120 Field 2 2,620,580 2,059,263 6,470,579 1,240,542 Field 3 15,012,419 10,597,546 10,132,306 5,808,167

TABLE 2c

Operating Research Funding for Equipment by Year

Year 1 LRS EVB 2002-03 49,000 42,689 2003-04 46,974 9,728 2004-05 16,400 2005-06 413,031 23,430 2006-07 24,567 2007-08 32,798 95,636 2008-09 248,700 2009-10 442,494 Totals 1,000,697 444,750

1. Based on fiscal year (May 1st to April 31st)

TABLE 2d

Field 1 Field 2 Field 3 1,000,697 341,036 103,714

2.3. Graduate student and post-doctoral supervision Table 3 summarizes the past and present supervisory activities of current faculty in the SES. Collectively, the faculty members have an excellent track record of training graduate students and other HPQ. A total of 37 out of 40 (92.5%) Category 1 faculty members in the SES currently

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supervise or co-supervise at least one graduate student or post-doc. Of those that are not currently supervising students, Ritter has a distribution of effort (DOE) that heavily emphasizes service, Watson is the full-time Director of the University of Guelph Arboretum, and Rennie is a recent faculty member at the Kemptville campus and has not yet taken on any students but is expected to do so in the proposed graduate program. Among Category 2 faculty members, Rooney started in September 2009 and is actively seeking graduate students. Among the Category 5 faculty, many (Hanson, Kaushik, Liss, MacKenzie, Muir, Parker, Sears, Solomon, Thevasthasan, Sutton, and Zheng) are currently or have recently been actively involved in the co-supervision of graduate students. Active participation of Emeritus and Adjunct faculty in the graduate program is highly valued within the SES as they play an important role in the intellectual development and technical training of graduate students, in some cases by bringing valuable perspectives from non-academic sectors of society. This is also true of PDFs, which we have included among the totals in Table 3. PDFs provide excellent role models and mentors for graduate students, and benefit overall graduate training activities.

The size of the graduate cohort at any given time since the merger of the two former departments fluctuates between 140 and 160 MSc and PhD students (160-180 including Post- doctoral students). Approximately 33% of the degree student total is comprised of PhD students. The SES has developed a number of strategies to increase the number of PhD students (and degree students in general); projected trends in graduate student numbers and relative proportions in degree categories are discussed in section 5.4). Category 1 faculty have supervised a total of 417 MSc/Master’s students, 149 PhD students and 134 post-doctoral students and are currently (Fall 2010) supervising 88 MSc/Master’s students, 65 PhD students, and 19 post-doctoral researchers. The SES stipulates that students advised by Professors Emeritus and Adjunct Professors must have a co-advisor from Category 1 faculty members; as such, all currently enrolled graduate students are either superivised or co-supervised by Category 1 faculty members.

Overall, the sustained large number of high quality students, along with the high proportion of regular faculty, Professors Ermeritus, and Adunct faculty participating in training activities, clearly indicates the strength, maturity and vigour of the graduate program in the SES.

TABLE 3