Board approves 2-year extension for Vice-President (Research and International) Digvir S. Jayas

The Board of Governors, at its meeting on April 17, 2018, approved a two-year extension to the term of Vice-President (Research and International) and Distinguished Professor Digvir S. Jayas to June 30, 2021.

Dr. Jayas received his doctoral degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1987, following a Master’s Degree from the University of Manitoba in 1982 and undergraduate degree from the G. B. Pant University in India in 1980, both in Agricultural Engineering.  He has spent his career at the University of Manitoba, first as a faculty member in the Agricultural Engineering and Biosystems Engineering Departments, followed by a series of progressively senior leadership roles as Department Head, Associate Dean (Research), Associate Vice-President (Research) and Vice-President (Research and International), a role he has held since 2009.

He has, through many conversations with researchers, department heads, Associate Deans (Research) and Deans, encouraged a strategic approach to pursuing research funding. Dr. Jayas has generated notable success in advancing major initiatives on the University’s behalf, such as the successful application processes for a Canada Excellence Research Chair and a Canada 150 Chair, the Churchill Marine Observatory and the development of the Smartpark Innovation Hub. He continues to advocate with government and industry for increased funding for research and to develop supports within the University that help researchers be successful. 

Dr. Jayas has conceptualized and implemented many programs such as Science, Engineering and Technology Day (SET Day), an annual event that brings close to 200 high school students and teachers to learn about the future of research in selected fields at the University; Undergraduate Research Awards that provide opportunities for undergraduate students to work with our top researchers; the Transformational Partnerships program to enhance collaborative research among our researchers and partners from industry, government and non-governmental organizations; Game Changer Manitoba, an annual event that challenges Manitobans to contribute to enhancing  entrepreneurial skills of our students and researchers; and advocated successfully for increased investment in graduate student support.

Over his career, he has received almost $30 million in support for his research projects via grants and has authored or coauthored over 900 publications.  He also is a member of numerous boards, committees, professional organizations and associations, which presently include ArcticNet, Cancer Care Manitoba Project Grants Committee, Engineers Canada, Genome Prairie, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, NSERC Council, TRIUMF and Research Manitoba, among others.