Meet the RBC Scholars
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 inaugural scholars from 2024:
Kenzie Friesen
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Agroecology
Where are you from?
Arnaud, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
In the summer of 2023, I worked as a summer student for Dr. Yvonne Lawley and helped her with her experiments and her master’s students. After that experience, I thought that it would be super fun to have a project of my own. Sustainable agriculture, to me, means keeping future generations and the environment in mind when developing agricultural practices. Organizing ourselves in a way that ensures there is a promising future for everyone and agriculture.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
In my program, I am evaluating the impact of two different nurse crops, fall rye and oats, on flea beetle damage of canola. Specifically, I will be looking at the effect the nurse crops have on soil moisture, and if it is a factor in limiting canola growth.
Julia Beechinor
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Agroecology, minor in soil science
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
I’ve always been interested in researching sustainability in agriculture, and Dr. Entz encouraged me to apply, as he thought my values as a student and agroecologist aligned with the intent of the RBC program. When I think of sustainability in agriculture, I think of adapting our agronomic systems to have resilience and respond to the conditions that threaten our agricultural industry. Sustainability means evolution in response to the changes we are seeing, and improving our systems to take into account the ecology that impacts them so that we can continue to provide not only food and feed, but ecological services like carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
I will be conducting multiple greenhouse gas experiments, comparing the nitrous oxide emissions from oat crops in organic and conventional systems, as well as nitrous oxide emissions from different green manure cover crops during the termination phase. Secondly, I will be conversing and visiting with producers across the province, to document what kind of beneficial practices they are using to promote the long term sustainability on their farms. I will form a collective of information, in which I can present as a first person article that educates other researchers, agronomists and producers on the diverse way sustainability can be applied on farms.
Briee Villeneuve-Armstrong
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Environmental Science
Where are you from?
St. Norbert, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
I was drawn to this sustainable agriculture program due to my passion for addressing climate change and my deep-rooted connection to the land, stemming from my upbringing in a rural area and a keen interest in National Geographic entertainment. To me, sustainability in agriculture means implementing practices that ensure the long-term health of our ecosystems while also meeting the needs of present and future generations. It involves finding innovative ways to mitigate environmental degradation, promote biodiversity, and enhance soil health.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer, I’ll be exploring and harnessing soil samples from the Glenlea long-term manured NCLE plots. My focus will be on analyzing their carbon sequestration potential and conducting comparisons among various manure treatments.
Ashley Henderson
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Animal Systems)
Where are you from?
Manitou, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
When initially introduced to this program, I knew it was not an opportunity that I could pass up. It allows me not only to have hands-on experience within the research side of the industry, but also creates personal connections and a space to further explore my passions within animal science. Sustainability to me means not only the continued preservation of our ecosystems, while embracing new technologies/practices to enhance continued productivity, it also means the preservation of the cherished rural way of life.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
I will be working under the supervision of Dr Anna Rogiewicz and her phenomenal research team. Taking prebiotic products derived from under-utilized feed ingredients and by-products from various agricultural and food industries – specifically SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). By incorporating it into poultry nutrition, we then can further assess its effects on poultry gut microbiome, health, and overall nutrient utilization, thus exploring the product’s feed component capability and sustainable potential.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I would like to say that I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity, and I would like to say thank you to everyone who has made it possible.
Kingsford Amoah
What program are you in?
Master of Science in Soil Science
Where are you from?
Ghana
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
In my previous role as a Research Assistant in the Department of Soil Science, University of Ghana, I worked on projects that focused on climate change impact on food systems in Ghana. We addressed the impacts through the lens of sustainable resource development, and I saw how that developed into strategies that were workable and acceptable by the farmers and other stakeholders. I am excited to be an RBC Scholar with the focus on sustainable agriculture as this provides me with the opportunity to advance my understanding of agricultural practices to promote resilient and sustainable food production systems and a healthy environment.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
I will set up my research, which will focus on how soil freezing and thawing processes impact the interaction between soil structure and nutrient management in Manitoba. I will share my preliminary results with key stakeholders as well as present at local and national scientific meetings. In addition to my research, I will complete my coursework, which is relevant to deepening my understanding of concepts and principles that are critical to successfully executing my research.
Toby Szkop
What program are you in?
Master of Science in Biosystems Engineering
Where are you from?
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lived my whole life in Winnipeg
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
What drew me to this program was the opportunity to pursue my interest in water conservation and soil science while being able to work at the Glenlea plots to collect data. Sustainable agriculture to me looks at discovering methods to conserve water and promote optimal plant health in the crop fields. Sustainability in agriculture also looks at creating models of fields in order to find better sustainable farming practices.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
Over the summer I plan to install data collection systems in multiple locations of the Glenlea crop fields. The sensors will collect soil moisture and temperature data. Using this information, a 3D model using Hydrus will be created to accurately represent the soil conditions at the crop field in Glenlea. The model will allow for future recommendations to be given to optimize crop yield at Glenlea.
Is there anything you would like to add?
The RBC Scholars program is an amazing chance to pursue further sustainability education while getting to work on a hands-on project with professionals in your field.
Fatemeh Mohammadian
What program are you in?
Master of Science in Animal Science
Where are you from?
Iran
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
Growing up with pets during my childhood instilled in me a sense of responsibility towards animals, which led me to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine and my scholastic career deepened my understanding of animal production and welfare. Considering how important livestock production is to the health of society, my main goal for continuing graduate studies is to contribute to the sustainability of livestock production.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
I’m working on post-weaning diarrhea in piglets and my project will centre on enhancing the health and productivity of pigs. The primary objective is to develop innovative strategies for managing infectious diseases on swine farms.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Hooman Derakhshani for his valuable guidance and support as my graduate supervisor.
James Watson
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biological Sciences with a minor in Entomology
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
I am passionate about pollinators and the services they provide to our food systems, as well as their ecological roles within Manitoba’s landscapes, both agricultural and non-agricultural, so I was immediately drawn to this program for the opportunity to contribute to research on the interactions between bees in both of these systems. To me, sustainability in agriculture requires us to understand the impacts of agricultural operations on non-agricultural ecosystems so that these operations can be appropriately managed to mitigate harmful impacts to the environment, and ideally so that agricultural and non-agricultural ecosystems can complement and support each other into perpetuity. The pollination services provided by bees are integral to both our food systems and natural environments, and I believe it is important to have knowledge on how monoculturally farmed honey bees are impacting the health of our native bees in order to effectively sustain their diversity and preserve the ecosystem services they provide outside of pollinating crop plants.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer I am working with Dr. Kyle Bobiwash and graduate student Kira Peters on a project examining the transmission of viruses from and between native bees and honey bees on canola fields. We are looking at the impact of agricultural landscape and honey bee density on virus levels.
Ramanpreet Brar
What program are you in?
Master of Science in Plant Science
Where are you from?
Punjab, India
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
Through this RBC-sponsored initiative, I will get the chance to expand my knowledge of sustainability-related agriculture research and encourage other academics and students to pursue similar endeavours. In my view, sustainability in agriculture refers to preserving natural resources, using agricultural inputs efficiently to lessen their negative effects on the environment, reducing the negative impacts of climate change, and ensuring sustainable food production.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
My research project will evaluate the agronomic potential of integrating cover crops in an annual crop rotation. This project aims to assess the growth and establishment of cover crops, and their impact on soil properties, cash crop yield, and quality.
Roman Song
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Plant Biotechnology)
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 by my interest in agriculture, which is a major part of Manitoba’s economy. Sustainability to me means pursuing agriculture in a way that allows us to continue farming far into the future without damaging the fields and lands we rely on for it.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer I will be working at the department of soil science on a project assessing the impact of certain manure additives on greenhouse gas emissions.
Adam Kozuska
What program are you in?
Bachelor of Science in Agroecology
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What drew you to this program? What does sustainability in agriculture mean to you?
I’m interested in the intersection of and interaction between environment, food, and social systems. Sustainable agriculture to me means working with the land to create systems that improve ecosystems while providing for humanities needs.
Tell us about what you are doing this summer in your program.
This summer I am working on best managements practices for establishing pollinator habitats on farms. I am also developing a survey to better understand the current landscape of pollinator habitats in the prairies.