Education Symposium Presented by the University of Guelph, Ontario Agricultural College: The Future of Food

10:00 am and 12:00 pm
Tuesday November 7
Wednesday November 8
Thursday November 9

The OAC Liaison Program is hosting the Education Symposium Series at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Sessions on the Growth Hub Stage are perfect for teachers, guidance counselors, and high school students interested in learning about the educational and career opportunities that exist within the areas of agriculture, food, environmental sciences, and community development. Cutting-edge researchers will deliver presentations to help students discover how scientific innovations and emerging technologies in STEM fields impact society and are applied to solving real-world problems in food and farming.

Attendance is free with School Group and General Admission Tickets.

Reach out to schoolgroups@royalfair.org if you have any questions about ticket sales and all educational activities available at The Royal

Schedule

Tuesday, November 7

10:00AM: Louis Colaruotolo: “Designing & Building Longer Lasting Food”

Good food goes bad. Food scientists are using new tools to explore what causes food to deteriorate and using that knowledge to “build” foods with extended shelf lives. Between new materials made from foods, and technologies like 3D- printing, the future of longer lasting food is near.

12:00PM: Navneet N.: “Unbeanlievably good: future of bakery products”

With the increasing consumer demand for high-protein and gluten-free products, the quest for functional wheat flour substitutes has gained more traction. However, the gluten-free products currently available in the market are a cocktail of undesirable ingredients. In this presentation, Navneet, PhD candidate at University of Guelph will talk about how her research aims to make better bean-based ingredients to produce clean, gluten-free, and high protein bakery products.

Wednesday, November 8

10:00AM:Dr. Christine Baes: “Cows and Climate Change: How Canada is leading the pack”

Around the world, almost 14 per cent of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (GGEs) come from one source: burping livestock. Now the first national genetic evaluation in the world to help select low-methane dairy cows – an advance based on University of Guelph research – is expected to help reduce those farm GGEs without affecting animal health and welfare, or milk production. Join us as we unpack and quantify just how much cows contribute to green house gas production and, ultimately, climate change.

12:00 PM: Paul Kelly: “How are bees doing? – An update from the Honey Bee Research Centre”

The University of Guelph, Honey Bee Research Centre has been studying honey bees and providing apiculture education since 1894! In this talk we will provide information about the health challenges that honey bees face and how our work at the HBRC addresses the issues through research and education.

Thursday, November 9

10:00AM: Brad Howie: Indigenous Environmental Science

12:00 PM Andreas Boecker, Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics | University of Guelph “How the Food System Responds to Demographic and Climate Change: Innovation, Technology Adoption, and Management”

Demographic change, as reflected in smaller households, a growing, culturally more diverse, and aging population, is the source of change in food demand. Climate change with increasing temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events creates challenges and opportunities in agricultural and food production, thus affecting food supply. Both have increasingly shaped the food system in the past 30 years and will likely do so even more in the future. Research plays a central role for the food system to develop a strategic perspective in responding to these changes by innovating, adopting new technologies, and changing management practices.

Students & Teachers

Please note you are required to purchase Royal Admission tickets for yourself and your students to gain admission to the event.