LFS Today Feb 23, 2022

 News  

Rapid Testing Program Review

As you are aware, in light of the recent changes and easing of public health restrictions, the University is reviewing its Covid-19 Rapid Testing Program. As a result, the University is pausing further actions for approximately the next two weeks. As part of the review, Enrollment Services will not be taking further action to deregister students or place additional students on academic hold. Similarly, HR is pausing the distribution of Letters of Expectation and not moving to unpaid leaves while the review is ongoing.

We expect the review to be completed by the end of this week or early next, and an update on the University’s decision will be forthcoming. In the meantime, compliance with the program is still required, we are only putting a pause on the stronger enforcement steps.  Please note the current PHO order with respect to employees who work out of Care Facilities is still in effect.

LFS in the News

James Vercammen, commented on the damages suffered by farmers after the B.C. flooding: “I think the real story is the loss of farm income and productive assets.” Globe and Mail

Wellness Wednesday

UBC’s Health, Wellbeing and Benefits team has a great line-up of free activities and opportunities coming your way this month.

• February 24: Women’s Money Mindset with Vanessa Bowen from Mint Worthy
• March 7: Tax, Tips and Tricks with Dayna Holland
• March 22: Pet-ditate – Meditate with your pet
• March 24 and 31: Mental Health First Aid

View all the upcoming events here.

 Events  

Today – Ethics for UBC: Ethics in Technology

Wednesday, February 23, 2022
12:00PM – 1:15PM PST
Via Zoom.
Register here to receive the link: https://efubctech.eventbrite.com/

Ethics for UBC is a series of panel discussions that will explore the current landscape of ethics scholarship and education across the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses of our university. In attending one of the five interactive 75-min panel discussions, guests will have the opportunity to learn about the current ethics-related endeavours taking place at UBC, pressing ethical issues that exist across a wide range of disciplines, and the ways in which they can become more involved.

Welcome by:
Gail Murphy, PhD
Professor, Computer Science
Vice President – Research and Innovation, University of British Columbia

Moderated by:
Ari Rotenberg, BA
MSc Candidate, Experimental Medicine; Neuroethics Canada, University of British Columbia

Panelists: 

• Shahria Alam, PhD
  Professor, School of Engineering; Director, Green Construction Research Training Centre, University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
• Fionn Byrne, MLA
  Assistant Professor, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of British Columbia
• Julie Robillard, PhD
  Assistant Professor of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine; Faculty, Neuroethics Canada, University of British Columbia
• Patricia Rodney, PhD
  Associate Professor Emerita, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia

Feb. 24 to Mar. 17 – UBC Farm Community Workshops

The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm is excited to announce that registration for the first half of the 2022 community workshop series is now open!

• *Online* Virtual Foraging for Survival on February 24, 2022 6:00 pm
• *Online* Veggie Gardening 101 on March 3, 2022 6:00 pm
• *Online* Starting Your Own Seedlings on March 10, 2022 6:00 pm
• *Online* How to Make Chai: Indian Spiced Tea on March 17, 2022 6:00 pm

 Deadlines  

Feb. 25 – CIFST Annual Food Summit – Call for abstracts

CIFST is accepting speaker and poster presentation proposals for their Annual Food Summit at the University of Guelph, June 1 to 3, 2022.

Here is the event schedule for concurrent sessions:

• Wednesday, June 1, 2022 – 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
• Thursday, June 2, 2022 – 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, June 3, 2022 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Food themes being considered include:

• Food Safety
• Genomics
• Food Science Education and Technology Transfer
• Cereals and Pulses
• Non-invasive Testing Methods
• Interfaces in Foods
• Sustainable Food Systems
• Processing
• Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals
• Sensory Science
• Nutrition
• Food Chemistry

Please complete your submission(s) by February 25, 2022 – 5:00 p.m. EST via this link.

Mar. 22 – Canadian Agricultural Youth Council Seeking New Members

The Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, hosted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), is recruiting creative and outspoken people who have a passion for food and farming and enjoy working in a team to find solutions and have impact.

The Youth Council meets regularly with Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food as well as department officials to discuss the issues that matter the most to young people in food and farming. Together, Youth Council members look for ways to overcome challenges facing youth and build a vibrant future for food and farming in Canada that reflects the values and aspirations of young people from all walks of life.

Deadline to apply: Tuesday, March 22

Learn more and apply here.

Mar. 31 – Call for Poultry Science Cluster Letters of Intent

The Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC) is making a Call for Letters of Intent (LOIs) for the next Poultry Science Cluster.

Please submit your completed LOI in Word format to info@cp-rc.ca by 5:00 pm EST March 31, 2022.

See the full details here.

Apr. 25 – Canadian Society of Soil Science Student Photo Contest

Are you a graduate student interested in visually projecting your soils focused research? Do you have exciting and memorable research photos you are willing to share? Then look no further as the CSSS accepts graduate students’ submissions for the Canadian Journal of Soil Science (CJSS) photo contest that runs from January 26 to April 25, 2022.

All submissions must meet the following specifications:

• Image should focus on some aspect of soil science to reflect CJSS content.
• Image size and resolution at least 8.5″ x 11″ at 300 dpi or better.
• Cell phone photographs are acceptable as long as they meet the above criteria.
• No collages; one single image only.
• Image in focus and not blurry.
• Image must not include people.
• No manipulation or heavy editing of photo required.
• Acceptable image formats are jpg, png, tif.

Students may submit more than one image.

All entries should be sent to:
M. Anne Naeth (anne.naeth@ualberta.ca) and Erika H. Young (ehyoung@grenfell.mun.ca).

Deadline for submission is April 25, 2022.

The top submission will receive a $125 cash prize, and the winning photograph will be featured on the cover page of the Canadian Journal of Soil Science and on the CSSS website.