Brock University is applying to the Government of Canada’s Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program with the goal of securing a CERC in Sustainable Agriculture for Grape and Wine.
Launched in 2008, the program awards universities up to $8 million over a maximum of eight years to establish research programs that expand Canada’s reputation as a global leader in research and innovation.
Leading scholars from around the world interested in leading Brock’s CERC team are encouraged to consult the University’s job posting for more information. The last full day to apply is Sunday, Sept. 7 and the posting will close at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 8.
Debbie Inglis, Director of Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), is heading up the search committee for a world-leading viticulturist in sustainable agriculture who would collaborate with the local and national grape and wine industries.
“We are especially interested in candidates who take an integrated agriculture approach towards sustainable viticulture practices and can bridge research in applied vineyard management with innovative digital and AI (artificial intelligence) tools,” she says.
As well as building on Brock’s research strengths, Associate Vice-President, Research Michelle McGinn says a Chair in Sustainable Agriculture aligns closely with two of the CERC program’s priority areas: supporting Sustainable Food Systems and promoting a Clean, Sustainable and Prosperous Canada.
These two priority areas focus on advancing environmental sustainability, well-being and economic resilience by addressing climate change impacts and the protection of ecosystems and food sources, among other actions.
McGinn says the Chair would also support Brock’s Strategic Plan, particularly to “engage actively in the global dialogue on environmental sustainability through academic pursuits, research initiatives and partnerships.”
The University’s focus on sustainable agriculture sparked the creation of a multi-institutional Brock-led research farm, which is supported by $7 million in federal and Ontario government funding plus additional supports from industry.
The farm brings together experts to carry out research in such areas as identifying virus-free grapevine material, developing production processes for clean plants, employing precision agriculture and ecological interactions to improve crop yield and resilience, and integrating sustainable agriculture development into urban areas.
“This CERC competition offers Brock the opportunity to leverage new expertise, enhancing our potential by connecting soil health research with innovative AI tools to lower carbon emissions and minimize off-site impacts of grape-growing,” says McGinn. “This new expertise would serve as a catalyst for integrating researchers across multiple departments and Faculties at Brock, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on sustainability initiatives and enhancing the impact of research on the broader community.”
McGinn says Brock’s long-running history in agricultural research has resulted in a strong network of renowned scientists working across CCOVI, the Departments of Biological Sciences, Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Geography and Earth Sciences, the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, the Brock-Niagara Validation, Prototyping and Manufacturing Institute and the Niagara Community Observatory.
The CERC program complements the federal government’s Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program, which supports world-class researchers achieving research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences.
If successful in the national competition, Brock’s CERC will join the University’s 12 active CRCs in advancing Canadian expertise across disciplines to solve global challenges.
Source - https://brocku.ca
