Future Food Systems

Professor Rickey Yada is Dean of The University of British Columbia, Canada, and specializes in the structure-function relationships of food and non-food related enzymes using molecular biology and various physico-chemical techniques, carbohydrate metabolism as it related to process quality as well as various applications of food-related nanoscale science and technology. Prior to his appointment at UBC, he was a Professor in the Department of Food Science, Chair of the Department of Food Science, Assistant Vice President Research, a Canada Research Chair in Food Protein Structure, the Scientific Director of the Food Institute at the University of Guelph and the Vice Chair of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes. Prof. Yada is the EiC for Trends in Food Science and Technology (Elsevier Food Science journal), and is on the editorial boards for several journals. He is the author of over 200 refereed journal publications and several book chapters. Dr. Rene Van Acker is Professor and Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) at the University of Guelph. Prior to his appointment as Dean, Rene was Associate Dean External of OAC (2009-16) and previously chair of the department of Plant Agriculture (2006-09). Prior to his appointments at Guelph, Rene was a professor at the University of Manitoba (1996-2006). Rene is a co-founder of the Food Institute at the University of Guelph (now the Arrell Food Institute) and has played a key roles in fundraising for OAC since 2009. Rene's research interests include weed management and agronomy. He has published over 130 peer-reviewed works to-date and over 300 other non-peer reviewed contributions. His research on coexistence and genetically modified crops has led to work in Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, Australia, and the US. Rene grew up on a farm in southern Ontario. He holds BSc and MSc degrees from the University of Guelph and a PhD from the University of Reading (UK). Dr. Martin Scanlon is Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. Prior to his appointment as Dean, Martin was Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty, and previously Chair of the Department of Food Science. Martin has also worked at the Flour Milling & Baking Research Association in England and the Canadian Grain Commission in Winnipeg, and has had sabbaticals at Imperial College (London) and Pillsbury Technical Centre (Minneapolis). Martin served on the Advisory Board for the province of Manitoba's Food Development Centre, and was a member of the Board of Directors for Cereals & Grains Association (an international organization advancing cereal grain science through research). Martin's teaching and research interests have been focused on food processing and food quality, primarily working with Canadian prairie crops. Martin has published over 160 peer-reviewed works to-date plus over 150 non-peer reviewed contributions. As well as being on granting agency panels for granting agencies and international review teams, Martin has worked with a number of trans-national and local companies to implement new technologies aimed at improving process efficiency or product quality. Martin grew up in a pub in northern England. He holds BSc(Hons) and PhD degrees from the University of Leeds (England). Dr David Gray is the inaugural Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at The University of Niagara Falls, Canada. Prior to becoming, Provost David held the position of Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Principal of the Agricultural Campus of Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia for 10 years (2013-23). Before 2013 David had held Dean and Senior Leadership positions at 3 other Universities including Hartpury University, The University of Derby, and The NAFC Marine Centre - University of the Highlands & Islands, Shetland.

David's academic interests lie in aquaculture and fisheries management, but he has a passion and enthusiasm for sustainable food production systems and feeding a global population of 10 billion people by 2050. He has held the position of Chair of the Nova Scotia Provincial Aquaculture Science Advisory Committee (2015-23); Chair of the International Agriculture Section of the North American Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (2019-21); a founding member of the North American Agricultural Advisory Network Steering Committee (2021-23); member of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council taskforce (2021-23)

David gained his B.Sc (Hons) in Marine Biology from the University College of North Wales, Bangor, and his Ph.D from Rhodes University in South Africa. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal for services to agriculture and higher education in 2022.