KELOWNA, BC – As a leading Canadian expert in sustainability, Dr. Nathan Pelletierhas been awarded a prestigious Industrial Research Chair by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The award will advance Dr. Pelletier's research activities focused on sustainability measurement and management, life-cycle thinking and resource efficiency, with a focus on the Canadian egg industry.
Dr. Pelletier has collaborated with Egg Farmers of Canada since 2016 as their Research Chair in Sustainability, exploring opportunities to improve resource efficiencies and reduce the environmental impact of egg supply chains.
"Food systems sustainability is a subject of increasing importance. Egg Farmers of Canada strives to promote innovation and the continuous improvement of egg production through the latest scientific research," says Tim Lambert, CEO of Egg Farmers of Canada. "Dr. Pelletier's work helps us understand the link between environmental sustainability and egg production, while developing processes and technologies with environmental and social impacts in mind."
Only a handful of researchers are awarded an Industrial Research Chair from NSERC each year, making it a great honour for Dr. Pelletier. NSERC's support will allow for Dr. Pelletier to grow his research program as the first-ever NSERC/Egg Farmers of Canada Industrial Research Chair in Sustainability.
"NSERC's Industrial Research Chair program provides for dynamic R&D collaborations between Canada's brain trust and partners. We are proud to support this Chair, which is developing the knowledge and supporting innovation necessary to advance the success of the sector and improve the sustainability of that production", says Marc Fortin, VP, Research Partnerships at NSERC. "The results this team will deliver could have broad benefits across Canada."
Local MP Stephen Fuhr also wanted to highlight the significance of the partnership and the good work coming out of UBC Okanagan, saying "Food systems and sustainability are two topics that are very important to our government. We know that partnerships like the one between UBC Okanagan's Dr. Nathan Pelletier and Egg Farmers of Canada, supported by organizations like NSERC, lead to discoveries that benefit all Canadians".
Dr. Pelletier is an assistant professor at UBC's Okanagan campus, working in both the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and the campus' Faculty of Management. He has spent roughly a decade researching the science of sustainability, with a focus on food systems.
"I am passionate about the development of food systems that are environmentally sustainable, economically viable and that contribute to our health and well-being," says Dr. Pelletier. "Achieving this in modern food systems requires considering food supply chains in their entirety, from the beginning of production to the consumer's end use of a product – in other words, a truly holistic evaluation of sustainability risks and opportunities."
"We are very proud that Dr. Pelletier is doing his innovative work at UBC Okanagan," says Phil Barker, Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research at UBC's Okanagan campus. "His insights on sustainability and agriculture are benefiting industry, our community and the environment. This cutting edge and relevant research will have direct impacts on our region and also on global production methods. Dr. Pelletier's work is a wonderful example of the outstanding and impactful research performed at UBC's Okanagan campus."
About Egg Farmers of Canada
Now in its fifth decade as one of Canada's leading agriculture organizations, Egg Farmers of Canadamanages the national egg supply and promotes egg consumption while representing the interests of regulated egg producers from coast to coast. Visit eggfarmers.ca for more information.
About NSERC
NSERC invests over $1 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Our investments deliver discoveries – valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 11,000 professors. Our investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect industry with discoveries and the people behind them. Researcher-industry partnerships established by NSERC help inform research & development and solve scale-up challenges.
NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.
About UBC Okanagan
UBC's Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia's stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.
Source: Egg Farmers of Canada
