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Our researchers are studying everything from climate change and storm water management to the relationship between food, nutrition, diet and health. The research discoveries being made here have the potential to reach across borders for world-wide applications.
We are also sharing what we’ve learned with the next generation of scientists - our students. They come to us with a strong sense of global responsibility, passionate about creating positive and lasting change on issues of importance. We believe that by providing them with the opportunity to learn outside the traditional classroom - taking part in a community-based experiential learning project or studying overseas - we can enhance their education and help them develop to their full potential.
The Faculty of Land and Food Systems offers unique hands-on learning sites for graduate students, in addition to traditional labs where food science, food processing, and nutrition and health research take place.
UBC Farm is 24-hectare site on UBC Vancouver campus, which is a living laboratory that contains agricultural, forest, and transitional landscape areas for interdisciplinary field research. The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (CSFS) located at UBC Farm is a unique research centre that aims to understand and fundamentally transform local and global food systems towards a more sustainable, food secure future.
The Dairy Education and Research Centre, located a 2-hour drive from UBC Vancouver campus, is an internationally recognized dairy cattle research centre supporting the development and adaptation of new technologies for the dairy industry in British Columbia and beyond. The Centre has a large research herd that can provide sufficient numbers of experimental animals at a given physiological stage to meet most research requirements. These features support a vibrant critical mass of students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, visiting scientists, and faculty. A 10,800 square-foot student residence building opened in September 2015, which allows students and researchers to live on-site at the Agassiz, B.C. research station, and more closely monitor their research projects in dairy cattle welfare, animal reproduction, and resource recovery.
The Wine Research Centre has sites at both UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan campuses, with modern and fully equipped laboratories. Researchers in the Wine Research Centre also have access to the outstanding research facilities in the Michael Smith Laboratories (MSL) which is conveniently located adjacent to the Centre. The MSL has established itself as a force in the global biotechnology research community. Research areas include grapes, vineyards, and soils; wine and fermentation; winery performance and sustainability; and wine territory competitiveness.
In the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, our researchers are focused on finding viable solutions to pressing global crises and are known worldwide for their innovation and leadership in areas such as food science, dairy reproduction and animal welfare, sustainable agriculture, and community health and nutrition.
Our researchers have attracted millions of dollars in research funding from sources including Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Michael Smith Scholar, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Our experts are conducting ground-breaking research in many areas including:
This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems.
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Dr. Heckelman evaluated different agricultural development approaches underway in the Philippine rice sector and examined the resilience outcomes of conventional and organic rice systems in the country. This research illuminates the necessary conditions and factors for building farmer capacities to enhance climate resilience. | Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Eriksson studied how standing behaviour around calving relates to hoof lesions in dairy cows. She found that both long daily standing time, and long standing bouts were related to a higher risk of these lesions. This knowledge will help farmers to evaluate what management practices can affect the claw health of their animals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Stojkov studied the management of vulnerable dairy cows. His findings improve our understanding of how dairy cows are managed once they leave the farm. This will help to guide future research, policy and development of better industry practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Daros studied some of the most common diseases of milk producing cows. Aiming to improve dairy cow's welfare he has revealed some of the factors associated with disease onset that will help guide future disease prevention protocols. Such protocols include better hoof care and nutritional management for indoor and outdoor housed cows. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. MacRae examined facial expression, vocalizations and changes in eye temperature as potential indicators of pain in harbour seals. This work represents some of the first research on pain and pain indicators of the harbour seal. Her research contributes to the welfare of seals by improving understanding of their pain responses. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Hu developed several novel analytical techniques to rapidly and accurately determine food adulteration. The methods developed in her studies can be applied by governmental laboratories and the food industry to better guarantee the authenticity of food products and protect consumers from economic loss and potential health risks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Levay explored the implementation of British Columbia's school food and beverage sales policy. This research provides insight into the complexity of implementing food systems-related public health policy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (PhD) |
| 2018 | Drawing from national data, Dr. Tugault-Lafle characterised the determinants of diet quality among Canadian children on school days and how diet quality has changed from 2004 to 2015. These findings provide evidence to inform policy debates about the potential roles schools could play to influence the diet of Canadian children. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD) |
| 2018 | Soils play a crucial, but often under-estimated, role in the water cycle. Dr. Roa-García analyzed the properties of common soils in the Colombian Andes, and found that nano-particle size minerals increase the ability of these soils to hold and release water. This knowledge informs management practices to optimize water for food and communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Sumner demonstrated that promoting cooperation among dairy farmers and veterinarians can identify shared goals and improve communication across their diverse perspectives in improving calf welfare. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |