Student Competitions and Awards
CSABE/SCGAB Foundation Sponsored Student Activities
The CSABE/SCGAB Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
The scholarship ($400) recognizes academic excellence among student members of the Society and is awarded each year to the student member with the highest grade point average (GPA) in the preceding semester (based on a minimum of 12 credit hours).
The Department Head or his/her designate selects one scholarship recipient per year per department and sends the name to the Society Manager (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by May 15.
The CSABE/SCGAB Student Team Competition
The program provides funding ($50 per student member, up to $500 per team, and up to $1000 per academic institution per calendar year) to eligible student teams participating in a recognized agricultural or biosystems engineering competition. The Foundation thereby encourages students to gain teamwork experience and to learn by comparing their efforts and ideas with those of others. Such projects also provide visibility for engineering and its role in improving agriculture, the food system, and the environment.
To be eligible, the team must be formed of at least two student members and participate in an agricultural or biosystems engineering competition open to more than one academic institution. Examples of eligible student competitions include the ASABE Robotics Student Design Competition, the K. K. Barnes Student Paper Award Competition, the International 1/4 Scale Tractor Student Design Competition, and the Fountain Wars Student Design Competition.
To request funding, teams must complete the form on the next page and return it to the Society Manager (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by May 15, along with proof of registration.
DOWNLOAD THE FUNDING REQUEST FORM
CSABE/SCGAB Undergraduate and Graduate Student Awards
Two undergraduate student competitions namely (1) design competition and (2) undergraduate paper competition, are organized to promote a high degree of professionalism, encourage development of professional and engineering ingenuity, provide opportunity for interaction between students and professional associates and encourage active undergraduate student participation within CSABE/SCGAB.
Two graduate student competitions (1) Masters and Doctoral thesis award competition and (2) graduate student paper competition, are organized to encourage innovation and excellence in Biosystems, Biological and Environmental Engineering and recognize our most promising graduate student members. Brief overview of these competitions is given below.
The CSABE/SCGAB Society Manager will circulate detailed and specific instructions each year for the competitions to the Education institutions across Canada who have students interested in bioengineering. Each institution will submit a recipient. Potential contestants should consult their Faculty.
CSABE/SCGAB Undergraduate Design Project Award
Eligibility
The CSABE/SCGAB Undergraduate Design Project Award is to recognize excellence in the development of engineering design skills in solving problems related to biological systems. Individual or team projects are eligible. Each eligible university will identify their recipient of the Award. These names will be sent for recognition at the annual banquet. To qualify, the recipient(s) must have completed a design project at a Canadian University during the 12-month period ending April 30th, and each member of the design team must be a student member of the Society.
Award Value: $100 per person on the design project ($500 maximum or divided equally if there are more than 5 team members).
Deadline: The name(s) of the award recipient(s), along with the title of the design project, must be submitted to the Society Manager by May 15.
How to apply: Send your name to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CSABE/SCGAB Undergraduate Thesis Award
Eligibility
The CSABE/SCGAB Undergraduate Thesis Award is to recognize excellence in undergraduate student research in fields represented by the Society. Each eligible university will identify their recipient of the Award. These names will be sent for recognition at the annual banquet. To qualify, the recipient must have completed an undergraduate level thesis at a Canadian University during the 12-month period ending April 30th, and be a student member of the Society.
Award Value: $100
Deadline: The name of the award recipient, along with the title of the thesis, must be submitted to the Society Manager by May 15.
How to apply: Send your name to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NEW - CSABE/SCGAB National MSc/PhD Thesis Award
The award aims to recognize outstanding candidates for their academic excellence, research capacity, communication skills, and social engagement. The evaluation criteria are based on the following items:
- Projects demonstrate strong agricultural and biosystem engineering relevance (70%);
- Exceptional leadership during the program (15%), such as evidence-based mentorship of graduate or undergraduate students;
- Excellent communication (writing and verbal) skills (10%);
- Active in CSABE/SCGAB community (5%).
The award is reserved for graduate students registered at a Canadian university who have submitted their PhD or master's thesis in the last 12 months prior to receiving the prize
Documents to submit:
- Research project overview: Summarize the completed research project, including objectives, methodology, and expected scientific and applied outcomes. Assess how the project directly addresses agricultural, agrifood, or agri-environmental challenges and delivers practical value for the entire food chain. Finally, in your opinion, explain what the greatest originality of your study is (2 pages);
- Experience in communication and public speaking skills: Explain in more detail your experience communicating and transferring knowledge to diverse audiences (1 page);
- Community engagement and activities outside academia: Describe your involvement in community, agricultural, educational, or outreach activities outside formal academic requirements. Attention should be given to sustained engagement, service to the community, and leadership or social impact (1 page).
- Two letters of recommendation: Two letters are needed: one from your supervisor stipulating your remarkable scientific and leadership contributions, and one from another person able to judge your community engagement and/or communication skills;
- Personnel context (optional);
- CV;
- A link to access the thesis.
How to apply
In each CSABE/SCGAB region (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic), supervisors must recommend to the Regional Director (https://csbe-scgab.ca/about/council-members) by May 1st the candidature of their most deserving MSc or PhD student who has submitted his/her thesis. They should send the following information with all the requested documents:
- Full name and email of the student;
- Degree level (MSc or PhD);
- Institution/University;
- Field of study.
The Regional Director will validate whether the application documents are complete. The Regional Director will then send the eligible applications to the Society Manager by May 15, who will transmit the files to the CSABE/SCGAB Award Committee.
The six most deserving applications (3 MSc and 3 PhD) will receive a $500 prize and will be invited to the AGM to give a short presentation. The “Best Thesis” winners (1 MSc and 1 PhD) will be announced at the Banquet evening and will receive an additional $500.
CSABE/SCGAB Student Competition (Oral and Poster Presentation during the AGM)
The CSABE/SCGAB Local Organizing Committee for the Annual Meeting and Conference may arrange for two student competitions: “Best Oral Presentation” and “Best Poster Presentation”. Students attending conference should declare their intent to enter to the Society Manager (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) 2 weeks prior to the AGM and Conference. Please indicate your paper ID# and whether you wish to compete in the oral or poster competition. Please check with the CSABE/SCGAB Society Manager to see if the competitions will be held.
Judges, selected from CSABE/SCGAB members attending the conference, will utilize a standardized scoring sheet to provide results to the Student Competition Leader and the CSABE/SCGAB Society Manager. Cash awards and certificates will be presented.
The areas used to evaluate presentations will be as follows:
Oral presentation
- Organization
- Delivery
- Use of visual aids
- Content and responsiveness to audience
Poster presentation
- Organization of material
- Image content and quality
- Written word
- Presentation/overall content
- Question and answer effectiveness
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)
University of Saskatchewan, Sled Dogs ¼ Scale Tractor Team – Max Kazuska & teammates
Université Laval, Équipe ULtrac – Simon Dallaire, Gabriel Blouin, Alexis Pellerin, Sarah Benabbas, Jacob Drapeau, David Brunelle, Ethan Cadet, Samuel Blouin, Mathieu Deschênes & Alexandrine Trottier
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.
Université Laval, Génie agroenvironnemental – A. Desroches
Université Laval, Génie alimentaire – R. Guay
Dalhousie University – J. A. Davidson
Graduate Thesis Award (PhD) - $200
University of Saskatchewan – O. O. Olughu – for a thesis entitled “Ultrasonic and fungal pretreatment of dwitchgrass for biofuel and bioproducts applications” (Advisor: L. Tabil).
University of Manitoba – A. La for a thesis entitled “Modelling of infectious animal viral disease transmission by aerosols” (Advisor: Q. Zhang).
University of Guelph – D. Saha for a thesis “Evaluation of machine learning techniques for image based quality assessment of chickpea” (Advisor: M. Annamalai).
McGill University, Department of Bioresource Engineering – P. W. Addo for a thesis entitled “Optimization of postharvest processing for hops (Humulus lupulus) and cannabis (Cannabis sativa)” (Advisors: M. Lefsrud & V. Orsat).
McGill University, Department of Bioresource Engineering – M. Alizadeh for a thesis entitled “Development of a multi-scenario multi-objective analysis framework to explore optimal, resilient and robust solutions in coupled human-water systems” (Advisor: J. Adamowski).
Université Laval – S. Almady for a thesis “Conception et évaluation d’un prototype innovateur de contrôle pneumatique du doryphore de la pomme de terre, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) / Design and evaluation of an innovative pneumatic prototype machine to control the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)” (Advisor: M. Khelifi).
University of Prince Edward Island, School of Climate Change and Adaptation – H. D. M. Wilts - for a thesis entitled “Cultivating agricultural-riparian shrub willow to improve the sustainability of potato production systems in Prince Edward Island, Canada” (Advisors: D. Burton & A. Farooque).
Graduate Thesis Award (MSc) - $200
University of Manitoba – M. Rahman for a thesis entitled “Design and evaluation of a plant-controlled atmometer for measuring crop evapotranspiration” (Advisor: R. Sri Ranjan).
University of Guelph – A. Kaur for a thesis “Impact of channel geometry parameters and reservoirs on streamflow and water quality modeling” (Advisors: P. Daggupati & R. Rudra).
McGill University, Department of Bioresource Engineering – N. Bélanger for a thesis entitled “Assessment of corn and starch-based biochar as reinforcing fillers in the rubber composite industry
Dalhousie University, Faculty of Agriculture – U. Ali for a thesis entitled “Application of satellite-based indices for precise agricultural land management and estimation of evapotranspiration” (Advisor: T. Esau).
University of Prince Edward Island, School of Climate Change and Adaptation – R. Khan - for a thesis entitled “Soil carbon, cover crops and sustainability: implications for improved management of potato production in Prince Edward Island” (Advisors: A. Farooque & C. P. Brown).
Undergraduate Awards - $100
University of Manitoba - Undergraduate Design Project – M. Dewar-Norosky, N. Duguay, C. McRae, M. Pries & J. Wyllie-Runner for a project “Design of a compostable menstrual pad: fluid acquisition layer and absorbent core” (Advisor: N. Jacobson).
Université Laval, Génie agroenvironnemental - Undergraduate Design Project – A. Bouchard, P.-P. Durand & R. Leclerc for a project “Conception d’un pulvérisateur d’abrasifs pour le contrôle des mauvaises herbes au champ / Design of an abrasive sprayer to control weeds in the field” (Advisor: M. Khelifi).
Université Laval, Génie alimentaire - Undergraduate Design Project – R. Guay & S. Nicolescu for a project “Valorisation du tourteau de caméline pour la production de concentré de protéines en poudre / Valorization of camelina meal for the production of powdered protein concentrate” (Advisor: M. Aider).
Dalhousie University, Faculty of Agriculture - Undergraduate Design Project – C. M. Nemis, J. B. Thornhill, E. L. Trenholm & J. W. Cameron for a project “Enhanced process design for wooden strawberry box assembly” (Advisor: T. Esau).
University of Manitoba – Undergrad Thesis - S. S. Reimer for a thesis entitled “Biomechanics of mental illness” (Advisor: N. Jacobson).
McGill University, Department of Bioresource Engineering – Undergrad Thesis – A. Choiniere, E. Lafond, J. Liang & K. Geddes for a thesis entitled “Drop of Power: Root monitoring of valley heart lettuce in hydroponics systems” (Advisors: M. Lefsrud & C. A. Madramootoo).
University of Prince Edward Island, School of Climate Change and Adaptation - Undergraduate Thesis – K. Henry for a thesis entitled “Crop row detection in agricultural fields using genetic algorithms” (Advisor: A. Farooque).
