macdonald’s community outreach - mcgill university · 2015. 8. 11. · eat, their health and the...

Canada Post Corporation Publications Mail Agreement# 40613662

FALL/WINTER 2010

2 From the Dean’s desk

3 McGill Institute for Global Food Security

opens its doors at Macdonald

4 Reaching out locally

9 Reaching out nationally

10 Reaching out globally

12 Around the Faculty

14 Development and alumni news

16 Alumni news

T H I S I S S U E

AGRICULTURAL ANDENVIRONMENTAL

SCIENCESedition

Macdonald’s Community OutreachFrom local to national and global

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM

FACULTY OF AGRICULTURAL

AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Fall/Winter 2010

Office of the Dean

Macdonald Campus

McGill University

21,111 Lakeshore Road

Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue

Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9

Tel.: 514-398-7707

Fax: 514-398-7766

www.mcgill.ca/macdonald

Dean of the FacultyChandra A. Madramootoo,

BSc(AgrEng)’77, MSc’81, PhD’85

Development and Alumni RelationsRon Henry, Director of Development -

Macdonald

Vaughan Reid, Development Officer

Anna Duff, Alumni Relations Associate

Editorial TeamHelen Cohen Rimmer, BA’76, MSc’79

Kathy MacLean, BSc(Agr)’81

ContributorsHelen Cohen RimmerAndrea DeromeJim HynesKathy MacLean

ProofreadingDiana Grier AytonManager, Alumni Communications

Design and LayoutHelen Cohen Rimmer HCR Photo

AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 2

Dear Graduates and Friends,

We are well into the start of another remarkable academicyear. This year we welcome 423 new undergraduatestudents to Macdonald, 128 of whom are entering theFreshman Program. Thanks to the hard work ourdedicated student recruitment teams, this is the largestincoming class ever! We have some 1,300 undergraduatestudents on Campus. As Dean of the Faculty, I amimmensely overjoyed to see such growth at Mac. However,as you know, growth comes with its challenges.

We are all proud of our Mac heritage. You each have veryfond memories of your days on Campus, which you have shared with me on variousoccasions. As was evident at Homecoming on October 2nd, Mac is in the heart and soul ofeach and everyone who has studied and worked at the College. Macdonald formed ourminds and shaped our lives, thereby providing us with the tools to make outstandingcontributions in our various fields of endeavour and communities.

My goal is to ensure that this passion and commitment stay alive in the forthcominggenerations of students by instilling in them the sense of community spirit that we all feltwhen studying here. We need you, our alumni, to get involved.

I encourage you to help me in this goal, by giving a small bit of your time and experiencewith today’s students. Through the active engagement of the Macdonald AlumniAssociation, I would like to create two programs that will require your involvement if theyare to be successful. These are the “Adopt a Freshman Program” and a “Macdonald AlumniMentoring Program.” Both programs are described in more detail on page 15.

Nothing would please me more than to see our alumni play a major role in sustainingMac’s growth, prominence and excellence. Your commitment would be an example for ourstudents to follow, and it will be a true reflection of our motto: Mastery for Service.

I invite you to read about some of our new developments and a few of our communityoutreach projects in this edition of In Focus.

On behalf of the students, faculty and staff at Macdonald, I would like to take thisopportunity to wish you all happy holidays and best wishes for 2011. I close by once againthanking you for your immense support of Mac, its mission and commitment toexcellence.

Sincerely yours,

Chandra A. Madramootoo, BSc(AgrEng)’77, MSc’81, PhD’85 Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Dean Chandra Madramootoo

From the Dean’s desk

OW

ENEG

AN

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM

McGill Institute for Global Food Security

McGill’s Board of Governors, at its meeting of May 25,2010, enthusiastically approved the creation of theMcGill Institute for Global Food Security, signifying

the commitment of the University to take its extensive andimpressive leadership in the areas ofagriculture, food, nutrition, health andthe environment to finding lastingsolutions to the world’s most pressinghumanitarian issue – feeding some onebillion people by the year 2050. TheInstitute will be housed in the Facultyof Agricultural and EnvironmentalSciences (FAES).

“Food production will have to doubleover the next 20 years in order to meetthe food needs of a growing worldpopulation. Therefore new foodproduction practices and policies willhave to be implemented, particularly inthe most impoverished regions of theworld,” says Dean ChandraMadramootoo, who spearheaded thecreation of the new Institute. “TheMcGill Institute for Global FoodSecurity is dedicated to findingsolutions to these food availabilitychallenges over the short and long terms.”

Drawing on the broad interdisciplinary strength andinternational experience from both campuses of McGill, theInstitute, the first of its kind in Canada, will train the nextgeneration of professionals to work in the areas of internationalagriculture and food systems and will provide a platform forscholars and policy makers from around the world to define andundertake innovative research and technology transfer programs

that support the needs of governments, international agencies,foundations and the agriculture and food industries.

The challenges of global food security require a multi-disciplinary understanding ofagriculture, environmental and climatesciences, economics, engineering,health, nutrition, and social science.The FAES is a world leader in fieldsrelated to agriculture, food, nutritionand the environment. Since itsfounding in 1907, it has played asignificant role in increasingproductivity in the agricultural andfood sectors while, at the same time,finding better ways to protect theenvironment in Quebec, across Canadaand internationally. Now in its secondcentury, the Faculty is playing a criticalrole in promoting environmentalmanagement, sustainable agricultureand improved human health throughbetter food and nutrition; it is a naturalto lead the new Institute.

“This is a landmark development forboth the Faculty and the Campus,” says

Madramootoo. “It will lead to the introduction of promisingnew teaching and research endeavours.”

Priorities will be to seek support for a seminar series, visitingscholars, and funding for postdoctoral fellows and graduatestudents working on topics of global agriculture, food, nutrition,health and the environment.

For more information: www.mcgill.ca/globalfoodsecurity

The McGill Institute for Global FoodSecurity opens its doors at Macdonald

3 AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

The alleviation of poverty and the improvement of human health and well-being are deeply rootedin the availability of a secure and safe food supply. The McGill Institute for Global Food Securitywill focus on innovative research, development and training programs aimed at improving the socio-economic status of over one billion people suffering from hunger, malnutrition, lack of clean water,environmental degradation and poverty.

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM

OldMacdonald has a farm

Why is agriculture such a tough sell when food is at theroot of our very existence? Why aren’t educationalinstitutions teaching about food and food production

overrun with applicants who want to solve food and hunger-related problems at home and abroad? Has society becomecompletely disconnected from its food? If so, how did thishappen and what is Macdonald doing to address these questions?

Distance and desensitization are largely to blame. Urbanizationhas moved people away from the areas where their food isproduced. Food found at our local grocery stores, whileconvenient, is highly processed and in many cases bears littleresemblance to the original raw ingredients. Shelves are stockedto the ceiling – choices abound, the supply seems limitless.

The popular Facebook game, Farmville (see: www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/01/12/consumer-farmville.html), is estimated to beplayed by 73 million – mostly young – people daily. Describedby the Urban Dictionary “as an agricultural utopia with noseasonal changes, a market with an unchanging supply anddemand and no competition,” it paints an unrealistic picture ofwhat it takes to produce food. And in the game, farmers makemoney.

The Macdonald Campus Farm is leading efforts to provideaccurate information about farm practices. The last remainingworking dairy farm on the Island of Montreal and home to oneof the top-producing dairy herds in Quebec, the Farm issensitizing thousands of young Montrealers, many from the inner

city, about where their food comes from. The work parallels theefforts of the national grassroots movement, “Farmers FeedCities.” Closed to tours for a decade due to concerns about thespread of foot and mouth disease, the Farm re-opened its doorsto the public in 2008. Since that time, Macdonald has hostedvisits from more than 10,000 pre-school and elementary schoolchildren.

According to Farm Manager Paul Meldrum, the goal is simple.“Sensitize the public about where their food comes from andreinforce the fact that agriculture is and always will be the mostimportant industry in sustaining human life.”

Anyone who knows Farm Administrator, Nancy Lavigne, will tellyou that her passion and drive about bringing kids back to thefarm has been a major contributing factor in the success of thisprogram. “We are getting absolutely fabulous feedback from thecommunity and many groups have already booked next year’stours,” says Lavigne.

Meldrum sees a bright future ahead. With the foundation laidfor the tours, Meldrum is looking at expanding programofferings with colleagues across the Faculty. “Ideally, I see thatwe will develop workshops for these kids that will tie intodeveloping science competencies in the school system,” he says.“This will truly make the links for them between the food theyeat, their health and the businesses that produce the rawingredients.”

Reaching out locally


NAN

CYLA

VIG

NE

NAN

CYLA

VIG

NE

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM

SupportingSustainability



Responding to the first call for applications for theUniversity’s newly created Sustainability Fund, adynamic group of Macdonald students – Emily McGill

(Bioresource Engineering; pictured above left), Andrea Hawkes(Agriculture), Kourosh Mohtashami (Bioresource Engineering)and Katryna Van Vliet (McGill School of Environment; picturedabove right) – have had the experience of a lifetime. Using theknowledge that they had acquired in class, they started theMcGill-Macdonald Student-run Ecological Garden project(MSEG) and developed a series of on-campus sustainable organicgardens aimed at meeting the food, physical and spiritual healthneeds of the Macdonald community. And what a job they’vedone! Three beautiful gardens, ranging from a production andresearch plot to a 2,600-square-foot Meditation Garden, wereplanned, planted and cultivated over the summer.

The largest garden, a quarter-acre plot at the MacdonaldHorticulture Centre, focused on organic vegetable, fruit and herbproduction. Students grew a wide variety of tomatoes andcucumbers, greens such as arugula and shungiku, as well as okra,dried beans, cabbage and beets. Part of the learning processincluded determining whether or not these crops were feasible,dealing with unexpected insects and diseases, as well asmarketing the produce. The results of these labours have beensold to the campus community and at local farmers markets andare being made available to other student groups.

Truly a cooperative effort, all team members shared the tasks thatneeded to be undertaken on any given day, from managing fieldsto finance to communications. Fortunately mentors andvolunteers abounded and, thanks to their collaborative efforts,the gardens have flourished.

“We started to work very early in the morning, rested during the

heat in the middle of the day and then worked late into theevening,” said Emily McGill. “We used intensive farmingpractices – all manual, no herbicides or pesticides. We will leavethe soil in better condition than we found it.”

Emily, now in her fourth year of Bioresource Engineering, wasvery involved in student politics but realized that she needed todo something different to effect change. Her solution was to getinvolved with some of the student clubs. Her experience withuniversity administration helped MSEG get all the fundingneeded to start the project. She came to study at Macdonald notunderstanding agriculture; she now feels that growing her ownfood is something that she will do for the rest of her life.

“I feel such a connection with the land,” says Emily. “I nowunderstand how important our food systems are, how deeply weneed to analyze where our food is coming from, how little weknow and how little the upcoming generation knows. TheMSEG project is a living educational entity that we are allparticipating in. Our goal is to get more students out thereworking with the earth.”

As if all the field work was not enough, the MSEG project alsoproduces a newsletter, offers movement sessions that incorporateyoga and dance, workshops that explore various aspects oforganic agriculture, including biodynamic farming, tomatocanning, apiculture, permaculture and medicinal plants, andgives garden tours to interested groups.

If you would like to learn more about the McGill-Macdonald Student-run Ecological Gardens or if you wish to get involved, pleasecontact the group at [email protected]. You can also follow their experiences through their blog athttp://macdonaldstudentgarden.blogspot.com/.

HCR

PHO

TO

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM



Inspiringcuriosity,

promotingscience

Global food production, food safety and environmentalconcerns about climate change, water quality and loss ofbiodiversity are critical areas of study for future

scientists. Food production and consumption are intimatelylinked to many of today’s most pressing health andenvironmental problems, but many children raised in urbanenvironments have little connection to farms or to the origins ofthe food they eat. Sensitizing children to the issues surroundingtheir food and water supply and challenging them to findcreative and sustainable solutions is essential for the long-termhealth of individuals and of the planet.

So how do we educate and excite the younger student populationabout these areas of study? We need to introduce them early onto the issues and challenges facing society and encourage them topursue university training and careers in these disciplines. Howdo we do this? PromoScience.

PromoScience is an initiative funded by the Natural Sciences andEngineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to bring thescience of food production to the classroom and have studentsexperience first-hand how applied science is already an integralpart of their daily lives.

The objectives of the Macdonald PromoScience Project includegenerating curiosity about the science of food and theenvironment, and promoting an understanding of what it takesto produce a safe and secure food supply; the demystification ofscience through familiar things such as food, water, plants andanimals; the reinforcement of the links between farm, foodprocessing and grocery stores, and the associated environmentalimplications; and the broadening of students’ perspectivesregarding careers in agriculture, food, the environment, as well asscience and engineering.

Under the supervision of faculty lecturer David Wees,BSc(Agr)’84, MSc’87, the PromoScience Project is developing a

series of hands-on workshops, based on the science of food andthe environment, that target all levels of “pre-university”students. The workshops take applied sciences out of thelaboratory and into the classroom. By encouraging local(especially inner city) teachers and children to visit theMacdonald Farm and other facilities, providing kits for thoseoutside the Montreal region who cannot come to the campus,and developing online follow-up activities, the MacdonaldPromoScience project hopes to reach a broad audience ofchildren from different cultural and socio-economic backgroundsand stimulate their interest in the science of food, water andrelated environmental issues. After each workshop is developedand tweaked, a pool of Mac students will be trained to deliverthe programs to participating schools.

To date, several workshops have been designed, including Yo-YoYogurt, where elementary school classes make yogurt whileexploring some concepts of microbiology and nutrition, and TheCarbon Garden for high school and CEGEP classes that hasstudents “do the math” to figure out how many trees are neededto counteract a car’s emissions per year. A close partnership withMcGill’s Faculty of Education ensures that the workshops arepedagogically sound and blend seamlessly into the Quebeccurriculum prescribed for each grade level.

“It is known that more boys drop out of school and fewer boysare attracted to careers in science,” says Wees. “We hope that byoffering hands-on, outdoor workshops the boys will engage morefully in the educational process and develop a greater enthusiasmfor science. By having students understand science by doingscience, we hope to promote an interest in applied sciences andthe real-world relevance of the Mac Campus programs of study.

“What we do in our faculty is directly relevant to students of allages,” he continues. “We all live in an environment, we all eatfood, and this all stems from agriculture. It is important to getthis message across to both the students and the educators.”

STO

CKPH

OTO

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM



For ten years, Food for Thought has been bringing important science to the community. We feature leading expertsin key areas and promote comment and creative thinking from diverse and well-informed people. The talks arealways informative and the audience-speaker interactions are thought-provoking and spirited. The series has lookedat green energy and alternate fuel sources, as well as the challenges in food security and safety and water scarcityfacing us in the 21st century. Many of the talks have been eye-openers and some even controversial.

The Macdonald Campus’ Food for Thought lecture seriesat Macdonald Campus has gone back to its roots for itstenth season – no pun intended.

OK, pun sort of intended. Roots, agriculture…get it?

The series, which organizer Don Smith says was originallycreated to focus on important environmental and agriculturalissues, branched out (no pun intended) over the years to includetalks on everything from philosophy to international law,nanotechnology to the cosmos, and, of course, food, from thefunctional to the gastronomic.

“Ten years ago the Dean at the time asked me to do it and I saidOK,” says Smith, James McGill Professor in the Plant ScienceDepartment and Director of both the Green Crop StrategicResearch Network and the McGill Network for Innovation inBiofuels and Bioproducts.

“She knew I had a broad interest in big-picture agriculture,where it’s going, that sort of thing. The idea at first was that thiswould represent our Faculty and at the same time build linksbetween our campus and the surrounding community. I think itstill does a good job of that.

“The lectures usually have a lot to do with things related toagriculture, but not always,” Smith says. “We don’t limitourselves to that. For instance, one year it was just Big Ideas, big

and interesting concepts that were developing through research atthat time. We ran one on energy a few years ago when gas priceswere high. That included biofuels, which obviously impactedagriculture, but it doesn’t have to be about agriculture.”

This year’s series, with the unofficial title of Life on Planet Earth,brings together experts whose research takes them from the highArctic to the deep forests, and from the treetops to the soilbelow. All of them are Mac professors.

“Because it’s our tenth year, we thought we’d bring it back to allthe interesting natural history stuff that’s going on at Mac, theneat stuff our people are working on,” Smith says.

This year’s crop (pun intended) of speakers includes NaturalResource Sciences professors David Bird, MSc’76, PhD’78, onthe American Kestrel, Jim Fyles on trees and the MorganArboretum, Lyle Whyte on microbial life and Mars analoguesites in the Canadian High Arctic, Murray Humphries, PhD’01,on useless knowledge and essential perspectives in studying thenatural history of wildlife, and Chris Buddle and Terry Wheeleron insects and spiders and global change. Plant Science professorSuha Jabaji will speak about The Magic and Marvels ofMushrooms: Fungi – The Good, the Bad & the Ugly.

For more information on the series, please visit:www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/events/fft

A decade of Food forThoughtJim Hynes, McGill Reporter

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM



McGillfeedingMcGill

If apples are grown and available at Macdonald, why are weeating Granny Smiths from New Zealand? It seems that thisquestion is on more than one person’s mind these days. The

motives are simple – to eat the freshest, healthiest food available,to reduce the environmental impact of our food choices and tocreate and maintain sustainable local agricultural communities.

Students continually demand that they be given opportunities toapply the theory taught in class to real-world situations.Opportunities to do this on a University-wide basis are rare. Anambitious group of undergraduate students is leading the chargeto examine and revitalize the University’s relationship with thefood it consumes. Using student research and communityengagement, the McGill Food Systems Management Project(MFSP) “intends to maximize the environmental, social, andeconomic sustainability of the food systems of McGill’scampuses.” The group has spent the last two summers studyingUniversity food procurement and food/dining systems and ismoving ahead with several pilot projects including one thatencourages University food service providers to buy “local”whenever and wherever possible.

As Executive Chef of McGill Food and Dining Services, Oliverde Volpi prepares and serves 2,700 meals a day to students inthree of the University’s downtown residences. A chanceconversation between de Volpi and his uncle Martin Silverstone,BSc(Agr)’77, raised the possibility that de Volpi might just beable to find a “home-grown” solution to providing students withfresh, healthy local produce. A weekend tour of the MacdonaldHorticultural Services was arranged and a deal struck for aquantity of fresh fruits and vegetables to be grown, harvested andsold to University Residences. The trial was a resoundingsuccess, thanks to the enthusiastic effort put forth by MikeBleho, DipAgr’81 (pictured above at right), senior technician atHorticultural Services.

De Volpi was so happy with the pilot project that he orderedtriple the volume of produce for the summer of 2010. Seizingthe opportunity, Plant Science Chair Philippe Seguin,BSc(Agr)’95, MSc’97, and Bleho submitted an application to theUniversity’s Sustainable Project Fund for funding. The project,entitled “McGill Feeding McGill,” was positioned to not onlyprovide the output ordered but to meet student demand forlocally grown foods and provide hands-on training for students,something exiting students had been requesting for some time.Funding was received in the early spring.

In March the partners met to determine the quantities ofproduce required. Seeds were ordered and planted, field planswere drawn up and fields prepared, and plants were transplantedand maintained throughout the growing season. Harvestingstarted in mid-August and the first truckload of produce wasdelivered to De Volpi at the beginning of September.

Of the project de Volpi says, “It’s not just to attach the Macname to the produce; much of the demand comes from thequality of the produce that we saw last year. The best tomatoeswe had in 2009 came from Mac. The best apples that we ate lastyear came from Mac. What beautiful peppers, melons, cabbage,onions and eggplant (I wish the students like eggplant as muchas I do). We bought as many pumpkins as we could fit in thedining halls. The season is not yet over, but this year I hope thatwe will be able to say that Mac was our biggest fruit andvegetable supplier for the months of August, September andOctober. In every way possible we all end up winning.”

To date nearly 2,000 student hours have been put into theproject and a combined total of 14,000 pounds of apples,cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, peppers, tomatoes,onions, garlic, cabbage, turnips and cabbage have been delivered.Planning for 2011 is already under way, with new initiatives inthe works.

COU

RTES

YM

IKE

BLEH

O

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM

Reaching out nationally


Our population is aging and living longer. And as the first“baby boomers” turn 65 in 2011, the percentage ofseniors in Canada will start to increase dramatically.

Statistics Canada predicts that, by 2041, one in four Canadiansis expected to be 65 or over. Associated with an aging populationwill be new challenges for the health care system to providerelevant care in the face of increased chronic disease anddisability.

Katherine Gray-Donald, BSc’69, PhD’84, professor in theSchool of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, along with colleaguesat the Université de Sherbrooke, is a co-investigator in the“NuAge” study, whose main objective was to look at the role ofnutrition in successful aging.

“We wanted to understand the relationship between nutritionand decline and what aspects of nutrition can affect loss ofautonomy,” says Gray-Donald. “Until now most studies have emphasized the sick elderly population. Our study looked athealthy seniors.”

The study team recruited 1,793 participants between the ages of68 and 82 and followed them over a period of four years,evaluating parameters that included diet, health, cognition,strength, and functionality. This was the first time that such alarge in-depth study on eating habits and their impact on aging

had been conducted in Canada. Participants were invited back atthe end of the study to hear the results and recommendations.Gray-Donald’s research included studying Vitamin D levels,weight stability and determining predictors of weight loss.Vitamin D levels were reasonably good in the group, but thosewith the optimal levels were those taking a supplement. Thestudy also found that there was a strong association betweenbeing physically strong and maintaining a stable body weight. Inaddition, good levels of protein intake protects against weightloss.

“As you age, you eat less and consequently take in less protein.Our research showed that the elderly need more protein than theyoung,” says Gray-Donald. “Making the effort to keep fit andkeep protein levels up keeps you from getting frail.”

Early dietary recommendations were theoretical; now they aremeasurable and the health implications are better understood.“We now have a real understanding of what matters in a person’sdiet,” says Gray-Donald. “This is a boon for nutrition and itsimplications on health. We now know that not following dietaryrecommendations does have a real impact on health.”

“Successful aging," she continues, “is not just lack of disability,but keeping an active mind and still contributing.”

Successfulaging

STOCK

PHO

TO

STO

CKPH

OTO

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM

The Faculty has just wrapped up its third Agro-EcosystemsProgram with participation from 18 undergraduatestudents from the South China Agricultural University

(SCAU). Students selected to participate in the program are atthe top of their class and highly proficient in English, quite a featconsidering that formal English language training ends inelementary school. During their four-week stay on campus,students are immersed in activities that broaden theirunderstanding of the North American agrifood-environmentalsystems and are given the chance to see what opportunities existfor advanced studies in these fields. The program is spearheadedand managed by Suha Jabaji, Associate Dean Research andGraduate Education, and is coordinated by Caroline Begg,BSc(Agr)’79, PhD’95. We took the time to catch up with severalSCAU students on a sunny afternoon.

Wei Que, a third-year student in Tea Science, is completelyenthralled with discovering other majors and with the experienceand opportunity to undertake a research project on fruit storageunder the supervision of Professor G.S.V. Raghavan, aninternationally renowned expert in post-harvest technology. Ofher experience she comments, “He did help us a lot and gave usa lot of helpful information. It was an honour to be his student,even for such a short time.”

Liu Yang, a fourth-year Biotechnology student and one of thegroup leaders, finds that her work here this summer has

significantly advanced her knowledge-base in the field ofbiotechnology. When asked why she chose to participate in theprogram, Yang responds, “It was an opportunity to decidewhether I would go out to work or pursue graduate studies inthe field of biotechnology.” She adds, “The experience of havinghighly trained graduates will be of immense benefit to mycountry.”

Weekly field trips included one to a highly automated state-of-the-art dairy farm. Biotechnology student Xuan Chen says thatshe’s learned a lot about advanced agriculture in Canada and seeshow Chinese agricultural productivity can be improved, perhapswith investment in technology. “It could be something as simpleas the government providing seed to rural farmers,” says Chen.

Shuting Zhao, a graduate student in the Department of FoodScience and Agricultural Chemistry, acted as a mentor for thiscohort of students. Zhao participated in the very first SCAUexchange in 2008. The experience heightened her interest infood safety and the work of Professor Inteaz Alli moved her toenrol in a Master’s program in the Faculty.

This year, five students from the group that was here in 2009 areexpected to enrol in graduate programs at Mac. “All in all, thishas been a very successful program for all involved,” says Jabaji.“We are now in the process of expanding the program to includeother universities in Guangdong Province.”

Reaching out globally


SCAU-McGill

ExchangeProgram

CARO

LIN

EBE

GG

CARO

LIN

EBE

GG

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Reaching out globally


E.N.A.M.spells success

How do you spell success? In some small villages inGhana, success is spelled E.N.A.M. – EnhancingChildren’s Nutrition through Animal-source Food

Management. Built around women’s groups, E.N.A.M. started asa 16-month micro-finance project (in four cycles of four months)whose underlying purpose was the improvement of childnutrition. Ghana was chosen as the test case, since foodavailability is not an issue there, but food quality is. Mostchildren are fed bulky staples grown on family land – fillingbellies but not satisfying vitamin and mineral requirements.Nutrient-rich foods such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables mustbe purchased.

Led by Grace Marquis, Canada Research Chair in Social andEnvironmental Aspects of Nutrition and professor with McGill’sCentre for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment(CINE), and funded by USAID, the program targeted primarycaregivers of children between the ages of two and five. Theresearch question: Would the implementation of an interventionwith micro-credit, entrepreneurship training, and nutritioneducation improve household food security, the use of animalsource foods for children, and children’s nutritional status inrural Ghana?

Phase 1 was a participatory process by all involved to develop theworking model; Phase 2 was the implementation of income-generating activities through the provision of micro-credit loansand entrepreneurship training; Phase 3 was the transfer ofactivities to local agents, in this case local banks, forsustainability. Throughout all phases, nutritional and healtheducation was provided for the participating caregivers.

The caregivers made a commitment to the program and to theirgroup. They prepared business plans and received the trainingnecessary to implement the plans. Women received a four-month loan of $50, repayable on a weekly basis, to either start orexpand a small business venture. Although the loans were made

to individuals, the group guaranteed them, so success and failureaffected the entire group. Participants also attended weeklymeetings to discuss their progress, exchange ideas, and receivenutritional and health training.

“Ventures included fish smoking, fishmongering, poultry eggproduction, selling of foodstuffs, selling of cooked foods, andprocessing and sale of foods such as shea butter and parboiledrice,” says Marquis. “What made it unique was the participationat all levels – from caregivers to community leaders to Ministryofficials, banks and NGOs. Everyone was involved from the verystart.”

Without question, the E.N.A.M. program has been a resoundingsuccess. After the sixteen months, food insecurity was reduced byfifty percent. Loans were repaid in full, businesses expanded andchildren were healthier, better dressed and regularly attended andperformed better in school.

“The most gratifying part of this program has been theempowerment of the women,” says Marquis. “In sixteen months,their lives have changed for the better and this will influence notonly their children but all those with whom they interact in thefuture. We have learned that it’s not just about nutritioneducation, but the recognition that nutrition requires multi-sector intervention, including the means to implement changethrough micro-credits, business, and education.”

The project is now in the hands of the community and privaterural banks. The banks are so convinced of the importance ofnutritional education that they have hired local E.N.A.M. staff toprovide it.

The final outcome of the E.N.A.M. program was the opening ofthe Nutrition Research and Training Centre two hours fromAccra which will continue to promote nutrition extension andresearch and train new students in Ghana.

GRACE

MARQ

UIS

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Around the Faculty

Hope Weiler, Canada Research Chair Tier II in Nutrition,Development and Aging in the School of Dietetics and HumanNutrition, is the recipient of the 2010 Wiebe Visser InternationalDairy Nutrition Prize of the Utrecht Group, a group of dairyorganizations and institutes active in the field of nutritioneducation. This international award recognizes researchers under45 years of age who have made significant contributionsregarding milk and human nutrition. The awards ceremony willtake place during the World Dairy Summit in Auckland, NewZealand, in November.

Plant Science professor Jaswinder Singh has been elected EasternDirector of the Canadian Society of Agronomy.

Eby Noroozi, MSc(Agr)’78, laboratory coordinator for the FoodScience and Agricultural Chemistry Department, was recognizedfor his effort in establishing the first Health & Safety Committeefor an NGO, Iranian Food Science & Technology Association.

PhD candidate Agartha Cofie (Supervisor: Grace Marquis) hasreceived an IDRC Doctoral Research Award. This grant willenable her to undertake field research on the topic “IntegratedEducation Intervention to Improve Infant Nutrition and Growthin Ghana.”

PhD student Devin Holman (Supervisor: Martin Chénier) hasreceived a short-term graduate scholarship from Le Centre derecherche en infectiologie porcine (CRIP) to carry out researchon the impact of antibiotic use on the development of antibioticresistance in swine.

Congratulations to Bioresource Engineering students StéphanieMayer, Stéphanie Dumais, Eman ElSayed and Colin Gombaulton their wins at the 2010 NABEC Conference held in Geneva,NY, July 18-21. First in the undergraduate design competition:Stephanie Mayer and Stephanie Dumais; First in the posterpresentations: Eman ElSayed; Second in the poster presentations:Colin Gombault.

K U D O S . . .


Meet the new guys ...

Viacheslav AdamchukBioresource Engineering

Dr. Adamchuk comesto McGill fromUkraine via PurdueUniversity and theUniversity ofNebraska (Lincoln).He holds a degree inAgricultural andBiological

Engineering. His research interests are inthe design and analysis of automatedsystems for mapping soil properties on-the-go, and targeting site-specificmanagement of agricultural inputs toincrease profitability of crop production,improve product quality, and protect theenvironment. Dr. Adamchuk hasdeveloped a fleet of on-the-go soil sensorprototypes capable of mapping physicaland chemical soil attributes while movingacross an agricultural field.

Nicolas Kosoy Natural Resource Sciences and McGill School of Environment

Dr. Kosoy'sspecialization is in thefield of ecologicaleconomics, workingwith nationalgovernments tointernalize positiveexternalities such asEcosystem services

into their decision-making processes. Hehas been directly involved in improvingthe capacity of developing countrystakeholders in terms of the economicvaluation of ecosystem services. His manyresearch interests include the study ofeconomic incentives for conserving nature,the analysis of economic institutions,environment and economic history.

Chris SolomonNatural Resource Sciences

Dr. Solomon studiesthe food web and thedynamics of lakes andother aquaticecosystems. He isinterested in thefunction, managementand conservation ofthese ecosystems.

Food webs are linked together bymovements of organic matter andorganisms, even across habitat boundariesthat seem quite distinct. He is interestedin understanding how lake food webswork (particularly since environmentalchanges are likely to reshape spatialconnections in food webs), and theprocesses that drive ecosystem metabolismand land-lake-atmosphere carbon cycling.

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Around the Faculty


In 2006, the Macdonald Distinguished Alumni Award wascreated by the Macdonald Branch of the McGill AlumniAssociation. In 2009 the Macdonald Distinguished YoungAlumni Award was introduced. Both awards recognizeoutstanding professional accomplishments and/or service to thecommunity at large.

At Homecoming on October 2, we honoured three graduateswhose accomplishments are of such excellence that they provideinspiration and leadership to future generations of Macdonaldgraduates: Harold Blenkhorn, BSc(Agr)’51, and John R.Ogilvie, BSc(Agr)’54, each received a Distinguished AlumniAward and Oriana Familiar, BSc(AgEnvSc)’06 received aDistinguished Young Alumni Award.

Harold Blenkhorn graduated with a degree in Agronomy Soilsand worked in soil fertility research and as an industrial chemist.

In 1968, upon transferring to Montreal, he begana long association with his alma mater –becoming involved not only because of his loyaltyas an alumnus but also because of his interest inplant nutrient research. He has maintained thisassociation even after retirement. Harold’s guitarhas been has also been an important part of hislife. It was also part of the Mac Centennialanniversary in 2006-2007, playingaccompaniment to the “Songs of the Century,” aspecial concert that he helped organize.

John Ogilvie joined Macdonald’s faculty inagricultural engineering in 1963 and served thereuntil 1977, the last six years as department chair.As president of the Macdonald branch of the

McGill Graduates Society during Expo ’67, he hosted many Macgraduates in residence. John's principal interest in teaching andresearch is in ventilation of agricultural structures and inagricultural systems. Since retiring, he has developed computersoftware for manure management with a multidisciplinary team.He also established and operated a website for the CanadianAgricultural Engineering Society (1997-2003). He continues hiswork of more than 40 years with Scouts Canada, recentlyreceiving the Bar to his Medal of Merit.

Even before graduation, Oriana Familiar has been raisingenvironmental awareness in the community as a volunteer in herher local Eco-Quartier (Montreal's network of environmentalaction groups). She visited schools to educate students in properwaste sorting and composting. As Waste and EnvironmentForewoman for the City of Côte Saint-Luc , Oriana has in thelast three years implemented recycling and organic wastecollection in the city’s 5,000 single-family homes and duplexes aswell as in some apartment and municipal buildings and schools.

Distinguished alumni recognized at Homecoming

CLAU

DIO

CALL

IGAR

IS

L-R: John Ogilvie, Oriana Familiar and Harold Blenkhorn

The Journey of Sustainable Food – Mentoring Talk October 1, 2010

Diane Imrie, BSc(NutrSc)’91, is a Registered Dietitian and has an MBA from the University ofVermont. For the past 12 years, she has worked as Director of Nutrition Services at Fletcher AllenHealth Care, responsible for clinical, retail and patient nutrition services. She has implemented a newretail service, room service for patients and a food sustainability program that is nationally recognized.Diane received the first Fletcher Allen CEO Leadership Award, titled “Living the LeadershipPhilosophy.” She is passionate about local food, both personally and professionally, and is the co-authorof a cookbook highlighting seasonal cooking titled “Cooking Close to Home.” Diane shared herexpertise on food sustainability with over 50 students at a special seminar and with alumni, as the guestspeaker during the Sir William Macdonald Luncheon at Homecoming.

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Development and alumni news


ITT Water & Wastewater Scholarship:Established in 2010 by ITT Water & Wastewater Canada Inc. aspart of their national scholarships program, the ITT Water &Wastewater Scholarship will be awarded annually to one or moreoutstanding undergraduate students who have completed at leastone year in the BSc(AgEnvSc) or the BEng(Bioresource)programs in the Faculty of Agricultural and EnvironmentalSciences.

Norm and Betty Campbell Scholarship:Established in 2010 by Norman Campbell, DipAgr’66, and hiswife Betty (Chapman) Campbell. Norman worked at MacdonaldCollege for 23 years as Manager of the Dairy Herd AnalysisService and Betty is a graduate of Macdonald College inEducation. This scholarship will provide support forundergraduate students who have completed at least one year ofany program in the Faculty of Agricultural and EnvironmentalSciences.

Robert D. Parkinson Scholarship: Established in 2010 by Robert D. Parkinson, DipAgr’63, torecognize and promote academic achievement by undergraduate

students at McGill University. The scholarship will be awardedannually to an outstanding undergraduate student who hascompleted at least one year of any program in the Faculty ofAgricultural and Environmental Sciences. Bob Parkinson issenior groundskeeper on the Mac Campus; he guides a historicaland entertaining tour of the campus and trees duringHomecoming.

Murray and Eleanor McEwen Clean Water Scholarships:

Established in 2010 by Murray McEwen, BSc(Agr)’52, DSc’93,the Murray and Eleanor McEwen Clean Water Scholarships willrecognize outstanding undergraduate students who havecompleted at least one year in the BSc(AgEnvSc) or theBEng(Bioresource) programs in the Faculty of Agricultural andEnvironmental Sciences. Scholarships will be awarded on thebasis of academic merit to students who have a strong interest inthe protection, development or restoration of clean waterresources. Preference will be given to, but not limited to,students whose work and studies are carried out in a Canadiancontext, especially in Canada’s northern lands and/or is of directbenefit to Canada’s First Nations.

Scholarships open new doors for studentsThe establishment of new scholarships demonstrates not only the potential of our students but the commitmentof our alumni to giving future generations of students the opportunity to excel.

The Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (FAES) is establishing a Student Travel/Internship Fund which will offerstudents the kind of global exposure that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom. FAES is deeply committed to ensuring thatour students are provided with every possible opportunity to make the most of their undergraduate years and to provide them withthe necessary tools so they will be sought after by both the best graduate schools and employers. Student Travel/Internships are anideal way for students to translate their classroom experience into real-world situations and gain valuable experience related to theirfield of study. This includes travel to field and research sites, industrial sites, hospitals, clinicsand similar work environments.

Please take a moment to consider supporting the Student Travel/Internship Fund. Yoursupport has an immediate and direct impact on students in every discipline, providingmuch-needed funding for the activities and programs that help enrich their educationalexperience.

If you are interested in learning more about the Student Travel/Internship Fund, please contact:Ron Henry, Director of Development - Macdonald514-398-7695 • [email protected]

Travel fund will facilitate student internships

Elizabeth Legault, a first-year student Agri-Environmental Sciences, did her internship with AgriSource, a small crop consulting company in Ontario. As an intern she did soil sampling, GPA mapping,

nutrient management plans, weed / pest / disease scouting, weed escapes, as well as field work

PHO

TO C

OU

RTES

YE.

LEG

AULT

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Development and alumni news

ADOPT A FRESHMAN PROGRAM

The growth in student enrolment at Macdonald is due in largepart to the high number of students we are attracting fromoutside the province of Quebec. These students who come fromother Canadian provinces, the U.S., and other countries nownumber 128, and they enter the U0, or Freshman Year. Formany, it is their first time away from home and in a newenvironment. They are also at least one year younger than ourU1 students.

We have worked very hard to establish the proper institutionalhome for the Freshman Program, with two dedicated full-timefaculty lecturers, one of whom is the Program Director and theother the Freshman Advisor. We see the dividends paying off, inthat the majority of these students remain at Mac, enter our U1academic programs, and feel as if Mac is truly their home. Manyof the Freshman students become actively engaged in student lifeand they have become very active student leaders. They are alsoambassadors for the Campus, and promote Mac to their friends.

Our focus is to continue to grow the Freshman Program, and tocontinue to attract the best and brightest undergraduate studentsfrom afar. At the same time, we want to provide them with afriendly, welcoming and enriching freshman experience. Webelieve that Mac alumni living in and near Montreal are wellplaced to help us achieve this goal.

We are therefore encouraging alumni to participate in the Adopta Freshman Program. The intention is build a roster of alumniwho are willing to help Freshmen settle into life on campus andin Montreal, particularly those who are away from home for thefirst time, and quite far from parents or relatives. We would putyou in touch with a Freshman student, whom you can invite fordinner, to meet with your own families, or to a join in familyactivity. This will help Freshmen students to feel welcome intheir new surroundings, allow you to share your Mac experienceand provide a way for you to keep in touch with the Campus.We anticipate lifelong friendships will be developed through yourinvolvement.

MAC ALUMNI MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Macdonald alumni have had very rich and rewarding careers inmany fields; it would be wonderful if they could share theirexperiences with students as they prepare themselves for theworld upon graduation. Students often ask questions about thejob market, career prospects, how to decide on a particularcareer, how to prepare for a job interview, and what skills areneeded to succeed in the workplace. Mac alumni are well placedto provide such mentoring to our students.

The Alumni Mentorship Program is designed to bring tocampus, during the academic year, Mac graduates who can give a30- to 45-minute informal presentation to students on the abovetopics. The presentations can be made at a time of dayconvenient to the speakers, and they would be advertised well inadvance in order to have maximum possible participation. Weenvisage about four such presentations by alumni each year.

As you can see this is not an onerous task, and it would be aterrific way to engage with the student community, hear theirquestions, and mentor them so that they can launch successfulcareers. It is also a very powerful way to shape and influence thelives of very passionate students, and to acknowledge Mac’s rolein your life.

New initiatives from the Mac Branch of the McGill Alumni Association

If you are interested in learning more about the Adopt a FreshmanProgram or the Alumni Mentorship Program, please contact Anna Duff, Alumni Relations Associate, Macdonald Campus, at514-398-7852 or by email to at [email protected]

Advisor Alice Cherestes with a group of Freshman students.PHOTO: HCR PHOTO

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Alumni news


Bob Pugh with the Lloyd family – Debbie, Jim (kneeling), Nancy(Berry), Amanda and Adam.

Golf Classic raises $27,800 for Lewis E. Lloyd Memorial Scholarship

Bob Pugh inducted into McGill’s Sports Hall of Fame

Bob Pugh, DipEd’52, was inducted into McGill’s Sports Hallof Fame at Homecoming luncheon on September 29. From1955 to 1969, Bob served as the tireless director of athleticson the Macdonald campus. During his tenure, he alsocoached the Macdonald football and hockey teams for nineand 14 seasons, respectively.

Congratulations, Bob! A well-deserved honour!

More at: www.mcgill.ca/athletics/varsitysports/athletes/profiles/view/?id=1344

MacCorn 2010

On August 19, 2010, 34 members of the Clan Macdonald gathered to enjoy thebest of the year’s corn crop. The corn has never been better. Many happy reunionstook place over the luscious desserts. Participants included Bill and Rhona Ogilvie,who came all the way from Peterborough to attend. Among the organizers were:Joan Marshall, HEc’56, Jean Stalker, Agr’56, Ron Coyles, Agr’56, and Lynne Coyles,Teachers’56, Dave Gray, Agr’57 and Janet Gray, and Neil Irvine, Agr’57.

The organizing committee: Bob Pugh, DipEd’52, Richard Gilmer,BSc(Agr)’75, Don Grant, BSc(Agr)’60, MSc’62, PhD’66, Tom Clapp,BSc(Agr)’65. Absent are Pat Parker; Ken Kilgour, DipAgr’62, ByronBeeler, BSc(Agr)’58, Gib Patterson, BSc(Agr)’60, Peter Marshall,BSc(Agr)’65.

Class of ’51 gathers at Montebello

The Macdonald College “Family” of 1951 convened at Chateau MontebelloSeptember 21 - 24 and mingled as kindred brothers and sisters for a few happymoments of laughter, song and the odd tear. The reunion included a veryinteresting talk by Paul Meldrum, the Macdonald Farm Manager, a tour of thePapineau Museum which is a National Historic Site, and a visit to Park Omegawhere they toured a large forested area in cars to observe some of Canada’sfreely roaming indigenous animals. In their free time some of members took theopportunity to play tennis, others used the swimming pool and still others strolledthe Montebello grounds. It was all very casual. The class will celebrate their 60threunion at “Mac” and McGill in October 2011. (Class Historian Bill Spriggs)

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Alumni news


DOUG PASHLEIGHKEEPING THE CLASS SPIRIT ALIVE

The Class spirit and pride that Doug engenders is best exemplified in the Class Yell:

Give a yell! Give a shout! Tell them what it’s all about!Tell them straight, tell them true, Best at Mac is ’52!

Doug’s boundless energy, enthusiasm and people skills soonbecame evident to his Classmates and to the College throughhis extensive participation in football, basketball, and track,culminating in a term as President of the Men’s AthleticAssociation, Class President in 1951-52 and a member of theexclusive Gold Key Society. After graduation, Dougcontinued to have the best interests of the class of '52 at heart.As its first and only President, he became the catalyst forensuring that the Class spirit was kept alive and cohesive. Theresult was many well-attended and successful reunions. Thatspirit also kept interest in Macdonald alive, to the extent thatthe Class of '52 became a major factor in scholarship fundingand other special projects and College needs.

“What made Mac special was the atmosphere,” says Doug.“Living in residence, making close friends, being in such agorgeous environment. Mac really felt like home and thatfeeling is still persistent.”

Doug has continued as Class President since graduation 58years ago! He has proposed on a number of occasions at Classreunions that the job of President should be put to a vote. As ameasure of what Doug has meant to the Class, this idea hasconsistently and enthusiastically been declined by all thoseattending. Doug also has had enough energy and enthusiasmleft over from his career as a senior executive in industry totake up many other pursuits. He and his wife Shirley are avidgolfers, trailer campers, international travellers, dancers andskiers. Our thanks go to Doug for his many years of service tothe Class of ’52.

PAU

LFO

URN

IER

’52 and ’53 Maritime Gala

55 for DipAgr’55

Fifty-five years after graduation, the DipAgr Class of 1955 is still having an “every-five-year” reunion. This was the year to mark the big 55 with a celebrationweekend on Oct. 22 - 23 at Alan and Sally Webster’s home in Lac Brome (Knowlton,Quebec). The class has been getting together every five years since graduation forgood conversation, good memories, good food and good wine. This year, thefollowing Dips were there: George Pirie (Bristol), Jack Ride (Peterborough), RussSuitor (Portland), David Rankin (Huntingdon), André Trepanier (Notre Dame du MontCarmel), Alan Webster (Knowlton) and Mark Waldron (Guelph).The group alsowelcomed Roger Buckland, BSc’63, a former Dean of the Faculty, who has recentlymoved to Lac Brome.

A fun-filled fall gala was held Sept 20-23 in Wolfville N.S. at the Old Orchard Inn,for the “ever young” combined classes of ’52-’53, with a total of 49 in attendance.Our hosts were the residents and alumni from Annapolis Valley-the Walsh’s,Haliburton’s and Ricketson’s. They did such an excellent job of showing off thebeauty of the Fundy landscape. The sun shone on our visits to Grand Pre and theEvangeline trail, with visits to blueberry farms, potato and broccoli producers, andBlake Johnston’s cranberry marsh and plant. Entertainment was topped off with alobster dinner at Hall’s Harbor, and a pig roast at Fred (Uncle Fred) Walsh’s appleorchard and Community. Maritime hospitality surpassed all expectations, thanks toour dual committees. The surplus funds were split between the two classes; theClass of ’53 have made a donation to their class Bursary in memory of Ann CutlerHyde and the Class of ’52 have added to their class project — the workstations inthe new Food Lab.

Class of ’53

Class of ’52

Members of the DipAgr Class of ’55standing next to the tree they

planted five years ago.

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Macdonald Legacy Society

Dear Mac Aumni,

We are particularly proud to announce the creation of the Macdonald Legacy Society, launched to honour and thank graduates andfriends of Macdonald who have arranged a Bequest or Planned Gift. All graduates from Macdonald College and everyone whonotifies us that Macdonald is named as the beneficiary of a gift through his or her estate plans or through a planned gift, isautomatically enrolled as a member of the Society. Each member receives a certificate of membershipsigned by the Dean and the Principal, as well as a specially designed lapel pin and invitations to specialevents.

This is one small way of saying thank you or following in the footsteps of our Founder, Sir WilliamMacdonald. We are fortunate that this gentleman, who funded both atomic discovery (through hissupport of the work of Nobel Prize-winner Ernest Rutherford) and better crops, had the vision to see howimportant it is to invest in young people and prepare them to be the leaders of tomorrow.

You, too, can have a significant impact through a planned gift. Not only will you have an opportunity toachieve your long-term philanthropic goals, you will also ensure future revenues for this Faculty. Theimpact of private giving is significant. The recent gift from the late Catherine Freeman, BHS’41, througha realized bequest is a wonderful example of what can be achieved. Thanks to Ms. Freeman’s generosityand vision, the Faculty was able to start construction of the new Food and Nutrition Laboratories. Thisnew industry-standard educational facility will be one of the most modern and technologically advancedin North America for training nutritionists/dietitians and food scientists.

I would like to take the opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the esteemed graduates who havejoined the Macdonald Legacy Society and who, through their future generosity, will have a considerableimpact on the future of this Faculty. It would be my pleasure to discuss planned gifts and share news ofthe University and Macdonald and I therefore invite you to get in touch. I welcome your comments andlook forward to sharing your experiences and vision.

Ron HenryDirector of Development - [email protected]

The Macdonald Legacy Society

Season’s GreetingsFromDean Chandra Madramootoo

and the Faculty, Staff

and Students at Macdonald

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

The Helen R. Neilson Classroom - A Lasting Legacy

Helen R. Neilson

Helen R. Neilson was an Emeritus Professor in the School ofDietetics and Human Nutrition, as well as a pioneer andoutstanding leader in this field. During her distinguished career,Professor Neilson was instrumental in developing the Facultyinto the leading authority in the teaching and research ofnutrition, dietetics and food science. In the process, her worktouched hundreds of students.

In 1949 Helen was appointed Director of the School ofHousehold Science, which became the School of Food Science in1967 and, 18 years later, the School of Dietetics and HumanNutrition. Helen occupied the post of Director until 1975.Professor Neilson was an active member of the CanadianDietetics Association and was honoured with a lifetimeachievement award. She was a founding member of the QuebecDietetics Association, now the Ordre professionnel des diététistesdu Québec, who also recognized her with a lifetime achievementaward. In 1980, Macdonald honoured Professor Neilson'scontributions with the Mastery for Service Award, a recognitionoffered only each five years to an outstanding member of theMacdonald community.

The Facility

Three innovative, high quality laboratories required to train thenext generation of students are being built on the second floor ofthe Centennial Centre and will open their doors to students in2011. The three laboratories are comprised of a Food

Preparation Laboratory,a Food Sensory TestingLaboratory and aDemonstrationClassroom.

The Helen R. NeilsonDemonstrationClassroom features aprofessional culinaryteaching studio, digitalvideo cameras andrecording system, flatscreen displays andother equipmentnecessary for teaching aswell as the developmentof instructional videos.

A Lasting Legacy

To serve as a permanent recognition of Emeritus Professor HelenR. Neilson’s exemplary commitment to McGill and to honourher remarkable legacy, the Faculty of Agricultural andEnvironmental Sciences has embarked on a two-year $250,000fundraising campaign to name the Demonstration Classroom inthe new Food and Nutrition Laboratories the “Helen R. NeilsonClassroom.”

This initiative is co-chaired by Anna Hobbs, BSc(HEc)’58,Byron Beeler, BSc(Agr)’58, and Linda Jacobs Starkey (MSc’75,PhD’99). To date $50,000 has been raised. We need yoursupport to reach our ambitious goal. Please make your gift todayand help make a difference in the lives of the Macdonaldstudents who will benefit from this classroom. On behalf of thesestudents, thank you for your continued support and for helpingus to pay tribute to a fine educator and mentor who enriched thelives of so many.

Helen R. Neilson in 1966

KEN

NET

H B

OW

E/M

CGIL

LU

NIV

ERSI

TYAR

CHIV

ES,

PR04

4908

LOUISE HOGUES, ARCHITECTE

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:35 AM

Please return undeliverable mail to:Prière de retourner les envois non-livrés à:

In Focus Editor, Development OfficeFaculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Macdonald Campus, McGill University21,111 Lakeshore Road

Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9

Scen

es f

rom

Ho

mec

om

ing

2010

For

mo

re p

hoto

s fr

om

Ho

mec

om

ing,

ple

ase

visit

our

Flic

kr p

age

at:

ww

w.fl

ickr

.co

m/p

hoto

s/m

cgill

alum

ni/c

olle

ctio

ns/

PHOTOS: CLAUDIO CALLIGARIS

macfall2010.qxp 11/18/2010 9:34 AM Page a1

macdonald’s community outreach - mcgill university · 2015. 8. 11. · eat, their health and the...

Documents