2025 RBC Scholars explore sustainable agriculture
The RBC Scholars in Sustainable Agriculture program has been made possible by a generous gift by RBC. Undergraduate and graduate students are working with Faculty researchers on low-emission agriculture and food systems research.
Meet the scholars from 2025:
Ariel Aledia
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) – Animal Systems
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What drew you to this program?
I was drawn to this program because it offers opportunities to learn and gain hands-on experience in research and to further enhance my perspective of livestock agriculture. Moreover, the program creates avenues to make personal connections by working alongside student graduates and industry specialists.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
To me, sustainability in agriculture is a means of preservation and balance between the world’s ecosystems and humanity’s way of life.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer, I will be working under the supervision of Dr. Anna Rogiewicz and her research team. We will be contributing to the development of a more sustainable food system that balances environmental and economic objectives, using Exogenous Enzyme Technology on under utilized feed ingredients. By incorporating this approach in poultry nutrition, we can assess its viability to improve nutrient digestibility, release prebiotic components from dietary fibres, and explore its potential to positively influence the health and performance of poultry.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I am honoured to take on this opportunity, and I am very thankful to Dr. Anna Rogiewicz for her support and guidance during my undergraduate studies.
Gokarna Baskota
What program are you in?
M.Sc. Biosystem Engineering
Where are you from?
Nepal
What drew you to this program?
I joined this program due to the opportunity to be involved in research related to precision agriculture along with sustainable practices. Additionally, the presence of excellent advisors and access to the world-class research facility in agricultural technology were also major factors in being part of this program.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
Practicing the different techniques in achieving better productivity while preserving the existing ecosystem in the long run is sustainability in agriculture for me. The cutting-edge technologies like robotics, machine learning and automation should play a vital role in sustainable agriculture to protect the natural resources while providing higher outcomes.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
My research in the upcoming year would be to design and test the system to collect data from the crop field, which includes capturing the top/side-view of the crops, monitoring soil properties (nitrogen, phosphorus and moisture content) and collecting weather conditions (air temperature, relative humidity, and vapor pressure). The data will be collected from the wheat field at the Glenlea research site to visualize and analyse in order to detect any stress symptoms present on the crops as early as possible.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Being a research assistant under the supervision of Dr. Jiating Li would be a great opportunity for me to explore the sustainable agriculture domain with the help of technologies like sensor fusion, embedded systems and machine learning. I believe that this will bring a new perspective to my research journey.
Vaughn Gregory
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What drew you to this program?
I was drawn to this program for the opportunity to explore how artificial intelligence can support sustainable agriculture in a sector that’s vital to our province.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
To me, sustainability in agriculture means enhancing efficiency and productivity while promoting long-term environmental health. For example, by enabling practices like intercropping without the usual efficiency concerns around crop separation.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer, I plan to begin by assessing sustainability concerns with researchers at the Glenlea Research Station. Based on those discussions and potential applications, I will collect on-site data to train several computer vision models. I then aim to integrate these models into algorithms I develop to address key challenges in sustainable agriculture.
Stephanie Hanis
What program are you in?
B.Sc. Agriculture (Agronomy)
Where are you from?
Teulon, Manitoba
What drew you to this program?
This program is a good fit for me because it is in alignment with my beliefs concerning the direction agriculture needs to take in order to remain a viable industry.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
In my view, sustainability in agriculture exists at the intersection of economic, environmental, and social responsibility – all three are critical to affordably feed the global population with nutritious food today and in the years to come.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer I am conducting field-plot trials on organically-managed forage and green-manure crops using compost products made of yard waste, household-food waste, and livestock manure, which are each enriched with wastewater-derived struvite – a renewable, slow-release phosphorus input. Organic crop production is often limited by low plant-available phosphorus due to its limited options for fertilizer inputs, and these phosphorus-fortified compost products may present an alternative. Such products were also developed with sustainability in mind, aiming to return carbon and phosphorus to the agricultural soils from which they came.
Nelum Jayarathna
What program are you in?
Ph.D. Soil Science
Where are you from?
Sri Lanka
What drew you to this program?
I was drawn to this program for its unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in research while building meaningful connections within the field. It offers an ideal platform to explore and deepen my passion for soil science, particularly in the context of sustainable soil and water management. The integration of scientific research with real-world applications aligns with my commitment to creating practical, impactful solutions in environmental stewardship.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
To me, sustainability in agriculture means managing soil and water resources efficiently to support food production while preserving ecosystem health for future generations.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
My research will focus on quantification of phosphorus release from soils across Manitoba’s landscapes during spring snowmelt. I will be collecting field data, analyzing soil and snowmelt samples, and applying GIS techniques to map areas at risk of phosphorus loss. This summer, I will be conducting a laboratory study, and over the next year, I will continue my field sampling and analysis.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I would like to express my gratitude for the RBC Scholars Program which is an amazing opportunity to further my education in sustainability.
Rebecca Micheal
What program are you in?
MSc Soil Science
Where are you from?
Nigeria
What drew you to this program?
What drew me to this program is its alignment with my current research on soil health and how it influences long-term food security. Soil is an essential growth medium for food, underscoring its critical role in the continued existence of humanity.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
To me, sustainability in agriculture means adopting practices that maintain and enhance soil quality, ensuring that it remains productive so that future generations can thrive. This approach aligns with RBC’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, and the program provides an opportunity to expand my expertise, collaborate with like-minded researchers, and make a meaningful contribution to the future of agriculture.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
I am assessing how the use of cover crops can enhance nutrient availability and soil health in annual cash crop rotations. The high dependence on annual cash crops, coupled with inadequate soil management practices, has intensified soil degradation and nutrient depletion. My focus is on how different cash and cover crop integrations influence the cycling of essential soil nutrients and health indicators, which in turn affect long-term soil fertility.
Mansi Patel
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture( Animal Systems)
Where are you from?
Gujarat, India
What drew you to this program?
I was drawn to this program because it offers hands-on research opportunities that address real-world issues in animal health and nutrition.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
To me, sustainability in agriculture means integrating animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and efficient production practices to support long-term food security and responsible resource use.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer, I’m assisting with a poultry nutrition trial under the supervision of Professor Anna Rogiewicz and PhD student Shengnan Li. The study evaluates how different omega-3 fatty acid sources impact the health, productivity, and immune response of laying hens vaccinated against avian encephalomyelitis.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to research that connects nutrition, animal health, and sustainability. This experience is enhancing my technical skills, deepening my understanding of poultry production systems, and supporting my goal of advancing science-based solutions in agriculture.
Brooklyn Trudeau
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Animal Science
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
I was drawn to this program because of its commitment to advancing sustainable solutions in animal agriculture. As a pre-veterinary student, I’ve seen firsthand how interconnected human, animal, and environmental health are.
What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
To me, sustainable agriculture means protecting animal welfare, managing disease and pests responsibly, and ensuring long-term viability for both farms and ecosystems. Through this program, I hope to contribute to all three areas while sharing knowledge that builds resilience in the agricultural community.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer, I will be studying the prevalence of ectoparasites in various laying hen housing systems. I will also be involved in research on the role of horseflies and ticks in transmitting Bovine Anaplasmosis to beef cattle. Lastly, I will be contributing to an ongoing project that involves tick surveillance across Manitoba.