Dean’s Message
I hope you enjoy this issue of ReachOut magazine, where we are introducing a refreshed look-and-feel to the edition.
I invite you to meet four new researchers and instructors who have joined LFS. Also, you may recognize some retiring faculty members who have just hung up their hats after long and illustrious careers at UBC.
This fall, we launched a series of events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Animal Welfare Program. In this issue, you can read how the science of animal welfare evolved at UBC, becoming a robust, world-leading research program. I am proud of the impact our alumni and researchers have made on animal welfare standards in place around the world.
We have several faculty members working on different aspects of climate change adaptation. You can learn about two of them who are trying to predict how future climate conditions will impact our ecosystems by understanding the physiological reaction of plants in drought stress situations. Thorsten Knipfer is experimenting with precision irrigation approaches in hazelnuts using innovative technology. Simone Castellarin is looking at how water stress impacts wine grapes – in terms of growth, sugar production, and compounds that create a wine grape’s distinct aroma.
Alumnus Michael Wesley, who is part of the Gitanmaax Band, shares his motivation for entering the dietetics profession. He aims to make an impact in his community by addressing health and food insecurity, and fostering relationships across the province. A recent graduate, he is also helping to lay a foundation for future dietitians to begin understanding some of the complexities in Indigenous health.
Enjoy this issue and as always, I’d love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Rickey Yada
Dean, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
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