2025 JOHN TURNBULL AWARD

Dr. Patrick Brassard holds a degree in agri-environmental engineering from Université Laval (Canada) and completed a Ph.D. in Bioresource Engineering at McGill University. His doctoral research focused on pyrolysis and the use of biochar for soil amendment and carbon sequestration. During his postdoctoral research internship at the National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) in Toulouse (France), he gained valuable expertise in life cycle assessment (LCA).
Currently a researcher at the Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), Patrick is committed to advancing sustainable agricultural practices. His work focuses on developing innovative approaches for the management and valorization of agricultural residues, manure, and slurry. He has contributed to numerous manure management projects, including mechanical separation system testing and the establishment of complete mass balances for manure treatment processes. Recently, he has been studying an integrated management chain combining in-barn separation, aerobic treatment of the liquid phase and dry anaerobic digestion of the solid phase. He has also played a key role in developing several technical reference documents for manure storage tank design.
In addition to his research activities, Patrick contributes to the training of future professionals by supervising graduate students as an adjunct professor at Université Laval, reflecting his strong commitment to the field of agricultural engineering.

2025 GLENN DOWNING AWARD

Dr. Travis Esau is a Professor at the Department of Engineering in the Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University. Dr. Esau is a Licensed Professional Engineer and a Professional Agrologist, and currently the president of the CSABE/SCGAB. Dr. Esau is a mechanical engineer specializing in machine systems and automation engineering, focusing on agricultural mechanized systems, digital agriculture, precision agriculture, remote sensing, agricultural drones, automation of farming operations and data-driven decision analysis for complex agricultural and biological systems. Traditional agricultural farming is not sustainable and requires new engineering advancements to remain competitive in local and global markets. His mechanized systems research increases farm efficiency and uses environmental resources more effectively. His research team is comprised of Postdocs, PhD and MSc students, research staff and undergraduate students. He has published over 75 peer-reviewed journal publications and actively participates in international conferences and regional farmer field day events. Dr. Esau teaches undergraduate courses, including engineering design, vector mechanics, technology for precision agriculture, and agricultural machinery and building technology courses. Dr. Esau has received several awards from Dalhousie University, including the Engineering Society Faculty Momentum Award, Award, Early Career Research Excellence Award, and Early Career Teaching Excellence Award. Additionally, he has received the Outstanding Young Agrologist Award from the NS Institute of Agrologists and the Young Engineer of the Year Award from the CSABE/SCGAB. Dr. Esau is also involved with graduate student supervision at the University of Maine and the University of PEI, where he holds adjunct positions.

2025 JOHN CLARK AWARD

Dr. Ashutosh Singh is an Associate Professor and Area Head of the Biological and Biomedical Engineering program in the School of Engineering at University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Bioresource Engineering from McGill University, Quebec, Canada, where his research work focused on design, development, and application of electrohydrodynamic drying system for dehydration of heat-labile food products. His Ph.D. work also explored the application of molecular dynamic modeling systems to study the effect of external food processing stressors on the conformation of food proteins. From 2014 to 2015, he participated in the research of innovative food processing technology and entrepreneurial development as a postdoctoral researcher at Dalhousie University in Canada. At University of Guelph, Dr. Singh’s leads the Agri -Food Engineering Research Lab, where his research group works on development of novel food processing methods and the use of physical, chemical, engineering, bioinformatics, and biotechnological tools to improve the understanding of the nutritional component of food at the molecular level. In recent years, Dr. Singh’s research group has expanded its research domain to include fabrication and application of biosensors including electrochemical, Quartz-Crystal Microbalance (QCM) and colorimetric biosensors to identify food allergens and toxins. His research group also specializes in the development of novel nanoparticles from agri-food by-products and their application to improve agricultural and environmental sustainability. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed research articles, 11 books chapters, edited 2 books and has supervised over 20 undergraduate students, 15 M.Sc. students, 15 MEng students, 2 postdoctoral fellow and has graduated 4 Ph.D. students. Dr. Singh has received research funding of more than $1.5 million funded by National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and MITACS.

2025 JOHN OGILVIE RESEARCH INNOVATION AWARDS

“Sustainable approaches for upcycling of industrial pea-starch waste into nanomaterials for potential agricultural and food applications” by Ashutosh Singh, Abdallah Elsayed, Guneet Kaur & Rahul Islam Barbhuiya

Pea starch obtained from pea protein processing industries has a high amylose content (40 %, w/w) rendering them unsuitable for direct food applications as ingredients. Starch is one of the natural encapsulant materials widely used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Starch with high amylose content (above 40 %, w/w) is prone to form single helices V-type allomorph with a hydrophilic outer surface and a hydrophobic inner cavity making them suitable for encapsulation of hydrophobic compounds such as essential oils, fatty acids, and vitamins. Therefore, in this project, an in-house spraying procedure was used to synthesize nanoparticles using pea starch, to encapsulate neem oil, a natural antimicrobial compound obtained from neem plant (Azadirachta indica) seed. The synthesis of the oil-encapsulated starch nanoparticles (OESNP) was optimized using a Box-Behnken experimental design to study the influence of the processing parameters such as the initial starch concentration, homogenization speed, duration of homogenization, sample injection rate, and quantity of antisolvent (ethanol). The optimized samples showed an 80–90 % encapsulation efficiency and particle size of <500 nm. The spherical OESNPs also demonstrated sustained release of the oil compared to free oil when dispersed in water. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the coexistence of C-type and V-type polymorphs in the loaded and unloaded nanoparticles. It is concluded that the synthesized OESNPs with controlled release hold the potential to utilize industrial pea starch waste for the delivery of natural pesticides in agriculture.

2025 JOHN OGILVIE RESEARCH INNOVATION AWARDS

“Development of RZWQM2-P model for reducing phosphorus loading from agricultural field to surface water bodies” by Zhiming Qi

Agricultural soils in the humid temperate regions of Canada—particularly in Ontario and Quebec—are a major source of non-point phosphorus (P) pollution in freshwater rivers and lakes, especially when treated with chemical fertilizers, manures, or biosolids. Over the past several decades, the frequency and severity of cyanobacterial blooms have increased significantly. These blooms, along with broader eutrophication issues in freshwater bodies, have been closely linked to the enrichment of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) via subsurface drainage effluent. Subsurface drainage systems are a primary pathway for P transport from agricultural fields in these regions. In response, various strategies have been developed to manage agricultural practices and mitigate P pollution. Among these strategies is the development of computer models capable of simulating and assessing P loss from agricultural lands. Although some models have been updated or newly developed, most lack integration of field management practices and crop growth dynamics, limiting their effectiveness as decision-support tools. Moreover, none currently simulate both dissolved and particulate P losses through subsurface drains simultaneously. To address these limitations, a new phosphorus management tool—RZWQM2-P—was developed. This tool builds upon the Root Zone Water Quality Model 2 (RZWQM2) by incorporating the latest scientific advances in soil and water phosphorus dynamics, while leveraging the model’s existing hydrologic and agricultural management capabilities. The performance of RZWQM2-P was evaluated using data from tile-drained agricultural fields treated with both organic and inorganic phosphorus sources across the Lake Erie watershed (encompassing Ontario, Ohio, and Michigan). Results showed that the model reliably simulated monthly dissolved reactive P and total P losses via surface runoff and tile drainage, achieving a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient greater than 0.35, percent bias within ±25%, and an index of agreement exceeding 0.75 across the study sites. RZWQM2-P represents a promising advancement in phosphorus management, particularly for subsurface-drained agricultural systems.

2025 JOHN OGILVIE RESEARCH INNOVATION AWARDS

“Development of AI-Assisted Imaging and Spectroscopic Techniques for Pulse Quality Assurance Systems” by Manickavasagan Annamalai, Senthilkumar Thiruppathi & Chandra Singh

Canada is the world’s second-largest producer of pulses, exporting approximately 6 million tonnes annually to over 150 countries, with a net export value of $4.2 billion. However, nearly 30% of international pulse trade contracts lead to disputes requiring arbitration, primarily due to inconsistencies in quality standards, methodologies, and nomenclature.
To address these challenges, a five-year collaborative research project (2020–2025) was launched by a consortium comprising the University of Guelph (ON), the University of Prince Edward Island (PEI), and Lethbridge Polytechnic (AB). The project focused on developing artificial intelligence-driven, non-destructive testing technologies for pulse quality assessment, targeting critical factors such as adulteration, pesticide residue, protein content, and varietal purity.
This initiative led to an industry-academic partnership with Hensall Co-op/Hensall Foods and NSERC Alliance, securing $540,000 in funding. The project has resulted in over thirteen peer-reviewed publications in leading journals and 20 conference presentations. Additionally, it provided advanced training in pulse quality assurance to eleven highly qualified personnel (HQPs) and numerous undergraduate students.
The developed technologies are now in the implementation phase, being deployed in small and medium-sized enterprises across the pulse supply chain both in Canada and globally. The HQPs trained through this initiative are securing positions in the pulse industry and the broader food processing sector, underscoring the project’s significant contributions to workforce development and industry innovation.

ASABE  ¼ Scale Tractor Student Design Competition - $500

Design and construction of a four-wheel-drive tractor taking into consideration the rules specified by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)

McGill University, MuTrac Team – Liam Parnell, Nadia Etzinger, Camille Laboisse, Martin Ma, Vincent Boa, Thomas Brunet, Olivia M. Giguère, Imad Boumenna, Alyson Meadows, Madeleine C. Hétu, Kyle R. Geddes, Étienne-Nathan Balasingam & Catherine Grammond

Université Laval, Équipe ULtrac – Simon Dallaire, Alexis Pellerin, Émérick Prince, Ethan Cadet, Antoine Néron, Élodie Tremblay, Amélie Fecteau, Jacob Drapeau, Sarah Benabbas & David Brunelle

CSBE/SCGAB FOUNDATION  Undergraduate Scholarship - $300

Recognizes academic excellence among student members of the Society.  The Scholarship is awarded each year to the student member of the Society with the highest GPA in the preceding semester.

University of Manitoba – Ben Martens

McGill University – Grace McDougall-Vick

Université Laval, Génie agroenvironnemental – Antoine Turcotte

Université Laval, Génie alimentaire – Livia Bolduc Painchaud

Dalhousie University – Akshit Bhalla

University of Prince Edward Island – Yuvraj S. Gill

Graduate Thesis Award (PhD) -  $200

University of Saskatchewan – Cuong N. Dao for a thesis entitled “Microbial pretreatment of camelina straw and switchgrass for the production of solid biofuel pellets and bioethanol” (Advisors: L. Tabil & E. Mupondwa).

University of Manitoba – Chitra Sivakumar for a thesis entitled “Comprehensive characterization of pulse flour microstructure using advanced non-destructive techniques” (Advisor: J. Paliwal).

University of Guelph – Rahul I. Barbhuiya for a thesis “Development, optimization, and characterization of organic nanomaterials for potential agricultural applications” (Advisors: A. Singh & A. Elsayed).

University of Guelph – Hamid Mohebzadeh for a thesis “Ephemeral gully erosion mapping and modeling using topographic indices, machine learning, and hydrological/water quality modeling” (Advisors: P. Daggupati & A. Biswas).

McGill University – Haoyu Chen for a thesis entitled “Energy harvesting and energy absorbing/dissipating triboelectric mechanical metamaterials” (Advisor: A. Akbarzadeh).

McGill University – Surabhi Pandey for a thesis entitled “Production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid from whey permeate powder and its application in fluorescent sensor” (Advisors: V. Orsat & M. J. Dumont).

Université Laval – Herman Douglas Jougbou Nkala for a thesis “Stratégies d'atténuation de l’hornification des fibres alimentaires : Une approche pour la valorisation des coproduits de l'industrie agroalimentaire (Mitigation strategies for dietary fiber hornification: An approach for the valorization of agri-food industry co-products)” (Advisor: S. Khalloufi).

Dalhousie University – Mathieu Bilodeau for a thesis entitled “Assessing equipment and technologies for use in the development of dykeland in Atlantic Canada for sustainable agricultural production” (Advisor: T. Esau).

University of Prince Edward Island – Fatima Imtiaz for a thesis entitled “Integration of machine learning and remote sensing data for evaluating climate extremes in the agricultural production system of Prince Edward Island” (Advisor: A.A. Farooque).

Memorial University of Newfoundland – Sashini Pathirana for a thesis entitled “Integrated ground penetrating radar – Electromagnetic induction techniques to support precision agriculture by assessing the effects of agricultural practices” (Advisor: L. W. Galagedara).

Graduate Thesis Award (MSc) - $200

University of Saskatchewan – Jeongmin Lee for a thesis entitled “Eco-friendly non-thermal inactivation of Escherichia coli in wheat flour using cold plasma technology” (Advisor: O. D. Baik).

University of Manitoba – Harshini Boopathy for a thesis entitled “Three-dimensional movement and distribution of Tribolium castaneum and Cryptolestes ferrugineus in stored wheat at different temperatures and at different times” (Advisors: D. Jayas & F. Jian).

University of Guelph – Erich C. Fischer for a thesis “A neural network model for the prediction of deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination in corn grain using remotely sensed weather and agronomic data” (Advisor: M. Annamalai).

University of Guelph – Makary Nasser for a thesis “Bioprocess strategies for the production of designer rhamnolipid biosurfactants” (Advisor: G. Kaur).

McGill University – Calista Brown for a thesis entitled “Development of a preliminary nitrogen index for different soil types in Quebec” (Advisor: C. Madramootoo).

Université Laval – Ines Dhib for a thesis “Implantation de stratégies de mitigation des émissions de gaz, de poussières et de bioaérosols en étable à stabulation libre (Implementation of strategies to mitigate gas, dust, and bioaerosol emissions in free-stall barns)” (Advisors: S. Fournel & A. D. Larios Martinez).

Université Laval – Mathieu Deschênes for a thesis “Modélisation énergétique de serre permettant d’évaluer l’impact des matériaux de recouvrement (Greenhouse energy modeling to assess the impact of covering materials)” (Advisors: S. Fournel & M. Bendouma).

Dalhousie University – Connor Mullins for a thesis entitled “Mechanical wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) harvester tote volume estimation using time-of-flight imagery for automated yield monitoring” (Advisor: T. Esau).

University of Prince Edward Island – Charanpreet Singh for a thesis entitled “Combating potato virus Y (PVY) through deep learning and robotics” (Advisors: G. S. Randhawa & A. A. Farooque).

Undergraduate Awards - $100

University of Manitoba - Undergraduate Design Project – Madan I. Frolek, Izabella L. Marquez, Katrina Purcha, Amber Schinkel & Karisma Vyas for a project “Transtibial socket production optimization” (Advisor: N. Jacobson).

McGill University - Undergraduate Design Project – Danaé Gilbert, Sara Lapointe & Jasper J. Sieniewicz for a project “Optimizing apple usage with advanced maturation monitoring” (Advisor: Y. Gariepy).

Université Laval, Génie agroenvironnemental - Undergraduate Design Project – Rébecca Beauchamp & Allyson B. Brassard for a project “Élaboration d'une approche mécanisée du bouletage du biochar (Development of a mechanized approach to biochar pelletization)” (Advisor: P. Brassard).

Université Laval, Génie alimentaire - Undergraduate Design Project – Laurent Demers, Anne-Sophie Laplante & Marylee Paré for a project “Conception d’une usine de lyophilisation de fraises enrobées de chocolat (Design of a freeze-dried chocolate-covered strawberry production plant)” (Advisor: C. Ratti).

Dalhousie University - Undergraduate Design Project – Akshit Bhalla, Robert Holmes, Rachel Hawkes & Gabriel J. Natividad for a project “Development of an innovative trailer parking and storage system” (Advisor: C. Toombs).

University of Manitoba – Undergrad Thesis – Ben Martens for a thesis entitled “Design and verification of a fed-batch model to improve production of functionalized biopolymers” (Advisor: W. Blunt).

McGill University - Undergraduate Thesis – Tristan A. Brunger, Kevin Fitzsimmons, Catherine Quinty & Chendan Zhang for a project “Digestate management for biogas-ZE” (Advisor: G. Clark).

University of Prince Edward Island - Undergraduate Thesis – Karan Goel for a thesis entitled “Enhancing soybean yield through AI-based weed and disease management” (Advisor: A.A. Farooque).