Faculty /consortium-rita/taxonomy/term/3/all en Chandra Madramootoo: A lifetime of service to VRƵ, Macdonald Campus and the world /consortium-rita/channels/news/chandra-madramootoo-lifetime-service-mcgill-macdonald-campus-and-world-361559 <p>In 1974, <a href="/bioeng/faculty-and-staff/academic-staff/chandra-madramootoo">Chandra Madramootoo</a> arrived at Macdonald Campus to pursue his BSc in Agricultural Engineering. He never left.</p> <p>“I loved the program. I loved the professors. I loved my courses,” said Madramootoo. “It was giving me exactly what I wanted in life. I was fulfilling a dream.”</p> <p>After also earning his MSc (1981) and his PhD (1985) at Mac, he accepted an 11<sup>th</sup> hour offer from VRƵ for an assistant professorship, declining opportunities at other universities.</p> Thu, 28 Nov 2024 19:33:19 +0000 admin 2287 at /consortium-rita 2024 Scholastic Awards Reception: celebrating student excellence /consortium-rita/channels/news/2024-scholastic-awards-reception-celebrating-student-excellence-361501 <p>The 2024 Scholastic Awards Reception on November 12<sup>th</sup> recognized more than 155 outstanding undergraduate students and close to 50 graduate students. The Faculty awarded over $400K in named scholarships at the undergraduate level and more than $340K in fellowships and awards at the graduate level.</p> Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:32:46 +0000 admin 2284 at /consortium-rita VRƵ Bioresource Engineering Prof. Zhiming Qi honoured with L.R. Ahuja Ag Systems Modeling Award /consortium-rita/channels/news/mcgill-bioresource-engineering-prof-zhiming-qi-honoured-lr-ahuja-ag-systems-modeling-award-361500 <p>On November 11, VRƵ Bioresource Engineering Professor <a href="/bioeng/faculty-and-staff/academic-staff/zhiming-qi">Zhiming Qi</a> received the L.R. Ahuja Ag Systems Modeling Award at the annual Soil Science Society of America conference in San Antonio, Texas.</p> <p>This prestigious honour is awarded by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America to a soil scientist, agronomist, or crop scientist in recognition of recent distinguished contributions and their demonstrated impact on:</p> Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:25:20 +0000 admin 2285 at /consortium-rita Macdonald Campus Farm wins regional award for milk excellence /consortium-rita/channels/news/macdonald-campus-farm-wins-regional-award-milk-excellence-361453 <p>The Macdonald Campus Dairy Unit has been named best in the region in the 36th Agropur Club of Excellence for Milk Quality Awards.</p> Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:00:24 +0000 admin 2283 at /consortium-rita Are Canadian Froot Loops healthier than those in the US? Comments from Prof. Stéphanie Chevalier /consortium-rita/channels/news/are-canadian-froot-loops-healthier-those-us-comments-prof-stephanie-chevalier-361378 <p>In <a href="https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/sciences/2024-11-22/lu-vu-verifie/les-froot-loops-d-ici-sont-ils-meilleurs-que-ceux-des-etats-unis.php">a new article, <em>La Presse </em>investigates claims made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, Donald Trump's Secretary of Health nominee, that Froot Loops sold in Canada have far less ingredients than their American counterparts. </p> Mon, 25 Nov 2024 17:33:37 +0000 admin 2280 at /consortium-rita Plant-based beverages: a green alternative to cow's milk? Comments from Prof. Vijaya Raghavan /consortium-rita/channels/news/plant-based-beverages-green-alternative-cows-milk-comments-prof-vijaya-raghavan-361315 <p>Almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, rice milk, macadamia milk... there have never been so many options to replace cow's milk on grocery shelves. But which one has the smallest environmental footprint?</p> Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:03:01 +0000 admin 2278 at /consortium-rita Artificial intelligence to reduce herbicide use—comments from Mathieu Leduc /consortium-rita/channels/news/artificial-intelligence-reduce-herbicide-use-comments-mathieu-leduc-361310 <p>Students at the Université de Sherbrooke have developed a tool that enables market gardeners to rid their fields of weeds more quickly and without resorting to herbicides, using AI-controlled robotics<em>. </em></p> Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:15:48 +0000 admin 2277 at /consortium-rita Fifteen new or renewed Canada Research Chairs awarded to VRƵ /consortium-rita/channels/news/fifteen-new-or-renewed-canada-research-chairs-awarded-mcgill-361164 <div> <div> <p><em><strong><span><span><span><span>$<span>13.8<span><span> <span><span>million <span>in federal funding <span>for<span> <span>VRƵ’s cohort of <span>10 <span>new<span>,<span> five renewed Canada Research Chairs<span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></em></p></div></div> Thu, 14 Nov 2024 17:05:33 +0000 admin 2269 at /consortium-rita AI for the well-being of cows and the wallets of breeders—interview with Prof. Elsa Vasseur /consortium-rita/channels/news/ai-well-being-cows-and-wallets-breeders-interview-prof-elsa-vasseur-361136 <p>Images captured by cameras scrutinizing the slightest movements of cows. This is the basis of a major study currently being carried out by the Innovation Research Chair in Animal Welfare and Artificial Intelligence (<a href="https://www.well-e.org/fr">WELL-E</a>), jointly created by VRƵ and UQAM. <a href="https://www.laterre.ca/technique/sante-animale/lia-au-service-du-bien-etre-des-vaches-et-du-portefeuille-des-eleveurs/">A new article in <em>La Terre </em>dives into the project and interviews the VRƵ team members at the helm.</a></p> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:51:17 +0000 admin 2265 at /consortium-rita Veterans honoured in annual Remembrance Day ceremony /consortium-rita/channels/news/veterans-honoured-annual-remembrance-day-ceremony-361130 <p><em><small>Photo by Neale McDevitt: On the left, 99-year-old WWII vet Joe Maxwell shakes hands with Colonel Andrew Lussier, 35 years service including tours in Kosovo and Afghanistan. In the middle is Lt. Commander Alex Csank (20 years Canadian Navy).</small></em></p> <p><big>Hundreds of community members take part, including students from local elementary schools, Macdonald High School, John Abbott and Macdonald Campus</big></p> <p>By Neale McDevitt<br /> Editor, <a href="https://reporter.mcgill.ca/">VRƵ Reporter</a></p> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:43:46 +0000 admin 2261 at /consortium-rita More expensive beef: why such a meteoric rise in price? Interview with Pascal Thériault /consortium-rita/channels/news/more-expensive-beef-why-such-meteoric-rise-price-interview-pascal-theriault-360960 <p>Beef prices have risen in recent years, and could continue to do so in the coming year, <a href="https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2024/11/03/le-buf-plus-cher-pourquoi-une-hausse-du-prix-aussi-fulgurante"><em>Le Journal de Montréal</em> reports.</a></p> <p>This year's high prices are partly explained by the price of grain used to feed the cattle, according to agronomist and economist <a href="/fmt/staff/theriault">Pascal Thériault</a>, Director of VRƵ's Farm Management and Technology Program.</p> Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:32:40 +0000 admin 2253 at /consortium-rita International Day for Women and Girls in Science 2025: Transforming Global Food Systems through Diversification, Innovation and Gender Inclusion /consortium-rita/channels/event/international-day-women-and-girls-science-2025-transforming-global-food-systems-through-359646 <p>The Margaret A.</p> Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:15:51 +0000 admin 2251 at /consortium-rita Skills shortage could lead to food insecurity /consortium-rita/channels/news/skills-shortage-could-lead-food-insecurity-357691 <p> A lack of scientists specialized in plant breeding could lead to ‘dire’ food security implications in Australia, and around the world, according to new research conducted across three continents. </p> <p>Plant breeding is a multidisciplinary science that underpins the global production of food, animal feed, fuel and fibre.  </p> Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:14:18 +0000 admin 2218 at /consortium-rita Prof. Dastmalchi receives prestigious Phytochemical Society award /consortium-rita/channels/news/prof-dastmalchi-receives-prestigious-phytochemical-society-award-358147 <p>Please join us in congratulating Mehran Dastmalchi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Plant Science, on receiving the prestigious Arthur C. Neish Award from the Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA). The 63rd annual PSNA meeting took place in Monterrey, Mexico from July 15–19, 2024, where Professor Dastmalchi presented his lab's research in a keynote speech. Among the accomplishments recognized at the conference were his group’s findings on the biosynthesis of medicinal alkaloids in the Madagascar periwinkle (<em>Catharanthus roseus</em>).</p> Tue, 30 Jul 2024 13:53:43 +0000 admin 2199 at /consortium-rita VRƵ researchers awarded $5.5 million in CFI funding /consortium-rita/channels/news/mcgill-researchers-awarded-55-million-cfi-funding-359755 <p>Twenty VRƵ researchers have received infrastructure awards from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support their innovative projects, for a total federal investment of $5.5 million.  </p> <p>These grants will be matched by the Quebec government, doubling their value.  </p> Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:55:28 +0000 admin 2173 at /consortium-rita