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“Faculty have rallied around a new Strategic Research Plan that is based in part on diversification of funding sources,” said Mario Pinto, Vice-President (Research and International).

Dr. Mario Pinto, Vice-President Research and International

 In 2023-24, UM received $96 million in research dollars from not-for-profit organizations, an increase of 39 per cent. Highlights included significant investments from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand maternal and child health services in Africa, and Genome Canada to conduct the largest-ever genomics study in Manitoba to detect and treat chronic and genetic diseases.  

UM also ranked second nationally in annual increases in partnerships with industry. Corporate research income increased by 45 per cent to $37 million. Key highlights included new and expanded investments from Magellan Aerospace to build cutting-edge satellites, and partnerships with Bunge and Nutrien Ag Solutions to develop disease-resistant, high-yielding oilseed varieties that Canadian farmers grow each year. 

Dr. Phil Ferguson, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

 

“These results highlight a major shift in how organizations are turning to UM researchers to help solve urgent challenges,” said Mario Pinto, Vice-President (Research and International). “Despite an increasingly challenging funding environment, it’s great to see revenue grow from non-government sources, a clear signal that our researchers are creating knowledge and innovation that matters.” 

In total, UM recorded $246 million in total research income in 2024 and moved from 14 to the 13th-ranked research university in Canada. Every year, the dynamic impacts of research at UM have a large impact on Manitoba’s economy—an estimated $3 billion. 

“In winter, vegetables in grocery stores in most parts of Canda are transported by truck from southern US and Mexico,” says Cha. “In addition to saving money, locally grown vegetables from vertical farms are more nutritious and taste better.”

As the fifth-largest importer of fresh vegetables worldwide, Canada spends around $4 billion importing fresh vegetables. Cha and other researchers now envision a better way to supply Canada’s vegetables, an automated vertical farming system to lower prices and address dietary-related health issues.

Smart Vertical Farms

Inside the Smart Vertical Farm.

Today there are no vertical farms with AI control systems anywhere in the world. Cha expects to bring the Smart Vertical Farming System to market within the next two years to optimize value and nutrition for local markets.

“We anticipate that smart vertical farming will play a significant future role in our winter food supply using big warehouses for cities like Winnipeg and shipping containers for smaller Northern communities,” says Cha.

With AI assisted vertical farms, producers can automatically adjust conditions including temperature, lighting, ventilation and nutrient supply to provide the best environment and yield at the lowest cost. The lighting period for plants at night to take advantage of lower electricity rates outside of peak hours.

“For example, if the market price of lettuce goes up, our AI system will adjust production conditions to boost the yield,” says Cha. “Optimization is the key here. We are currently focused on AI optimization of crop yield and quality, and resource usage to maximize value.”

Lower price and improved nutrition

Aside from saving money, freshly grown produce is also much more nutritious. Vegetables grown in a vertical farm can be sold at the grocery store the same day they are picked, by contrast imported foods often sit in containers for days or weeks before we buy them at the store.

In the next phase of the Smart Vertical Farming project Cha is working with Dr. Miyoung Suh, who has already made progress growing nutrient-enriched vegetables in AI monitored vertical farms. Suh co-leads the community-driven SMART-VF vertical farm in Opaskwayak Cree Nation which is showing potential to supplement the diets of more than 98,000 people annually.

“Providing a sustainable source of fresh produce to northern and isolated communities is a key component in the UM strategic research priority for Water and Food Security,” says Dr. Mario Pinto (Vice-President Research & International).

“I congratulate Dr. Cha and the Smart-VF team on this important partnership with Efficiency Manitoba following decades of dedicated research. While Manitobans stand to benefit greatly from this breakthrough, the smart vertical farming system is sure to positively impact food security across Canada, and indeed, around the world.”

An international team, including UM’s Dr.Harmeet Chawla from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, have recently succeeded in creating an oat pangenome that maps the plant’s entire genome, as published in Nature.

“Understanding this blueprint could have direct implications for breeding oats that are healthier and oat crops that remain high yielding, even in the face of climate change,” says Chawla.  

Mapping the oat pangenome

The study marks the first time the oat genome has been successfully mapped. This process is particularly complex because the plant has six sets of chromosomes, known as a hexaploid. The team used state-of-the-art gene sequencing technologies to examine the genomes from 33 oat plant lines from both wild and cultivated varieties.

“I led the genome assembly of two Western Canadian cultivars—AC Morgan and Leggett—that were key to this study,” says Chawla. “These varieties were strategically selected due to their genetic resistance to fungal diseases like rust and covered smut, along with their desirable milling qualities.” 

By incorporating these Manitoba-grown cultivars into the international pangenome analysis, the research ensures that genome-driven breeding can now directly target traits vital to Canadian farmers: disease resistance, stable yields and quality characteristics important to processors and consumers.

Encouraging prospects for agricultural genomic research

Although oats occupy a smaller market share than global staples like rice and wheat, their nutritional profile and role in diversified crop systems make them an important crop for sustainable food systems.

“This new approach to mapping plant genomes is a promising start that could also help decode other grains with complex genomes,” says Chawla.

Oats are widely produced in Manitoba. In 2024, provincial oat production increased 43%, with record setting yields. As producers continue to adapt to climate change, this research could play a key role in future oat production and helping keep Manitoba a leader in high-quality oat production.

Dr. Hans Joachim Wieden will join Luma Clarindo Lopes, winner of the 2025 Falling Walls Lab Manitoba in front of the Admin building.

WINNIPEG — In a proud moment for Manitoba’s innovation community, Dr. Hans‑Joachim Wieden, Associate Vice-President Partnership, Knowledge Mobilisation and Innovation, joins Luma Clarindo Lopes, winner of the 2025 Falling Walls Lab Manitoba, on her journey to Berlin this week for the Falling Walls Science Summit.

IDEA START, in partnership with the University of Manitoba (UM) and the University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg), hosted the Falling Walls Lab Manitoba 2025, bringing together some of the province’s brightest minds in a celebration of innovation, research, and collaboration. The event’s success underscored Manitoba’s commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive innovation culture, making it a truly Manitoban initiative.

At the prestigious global summit, Luma will present her groundbreaking idea alongside 99 other Lab winners from around the world. She’ll be representing the University of Manitoba, our province and Canada alongside fellow Canadian finalists Annika Benson (Atlantic Canada), Artem Kushnirenko (Toronto), and Harry Wilton‑Clark (Edmonton), showcasing the strength and diversity of Canadian innovation on the world stage.

This participation underscores Manitoba’s growing footprint in research, development and innovation, reinforcing how platforms like Falling Walls can bridge local insight with international opportunity.

Empowering Manitoba’s Innovation Narrative

With Manitoba’s research and innovation sector rapidly evolving, the arrival of Luma and Dr. Wieden in Berlin represents more than mere attendance, it signals strategic alignment and ambition. As the province continues to build capacity in science‑driven enterprise, having a representative stand on the global stage advances our story and elevates local credibility.

Dr. Wieden commented:

“Berlin is not only a centre for science but a nexus of global collaboration. For Manitoba to have a voice among the world’s leading early‑career innovators is a powerful step. This platform enables us to put Manitoba squarely on the map of breakthrough research and enterprise.”

Spotlight on Luma Clarindo Lopes

Luma, whose innovative project earned her the Manitoba Lab winner title, is preparing to showcase her idea at the Fallings Walls Summit and engage with peers, mentors and global decision‑makers.

She shared:

“Representing Manitoba on this global stage is incredibly exciting. Meeting other finalists‑innovators from around the world, exchanging ideas and learning from diverse perspectives will be a career‑shaping experience. I’m proud to carry the province’s flag and eager for every minute of the journey.”

Strategic Value for Manitoba’s Ecosystem

Platforms like Falling Walls Lab offer powerful momentum for both individuals and regions. For early-career innovators, it’s a chance to gain global exposure, sharpen their pitching skills, and build international networks. For ecosystems like Manitoba, it means a stronger talent pipeline, greater visibility, and new opportunities for collaboration.

These ripple effects support broader provincial goals, from accelerating research-to-market pathways to attracting investment and deepening ties between academia and industry.

In this landscape, Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden plays a pivotal role. He’s not only helping Luma prepare for the global stage but also positioning Manitoba’s innovation story within a wider international narrative. His mentorship highlights a key truth: behind every standout idea is a community working toward lasting impact.

Canadian Cohort Joins Global Innovation Line‑Up

• Annika Benson (Atlantic Canada): Winner of the Falling Walls Lab Atlantic Canada, now advancing to present in Berlin to present her research on development and testing of a miniature, high-resolution, tracked ultrasound probe for brain surgery.
• Artem Kushnirenko (Toronto): PhD candidate and Lab Toronto winner, heading to Berlin to pitch his translational surgical analytics innovation.
• Harry Wilton‑Clark (Edmonton): First‑place winner at Lab Edmonton 2025 with a project on antisense therapy for rare diseases.

Together with Luma, they form a Canadian cadre taking local innovation to the world’s premier science summit.

In Summary

The trip to Berlin is not simply a travel opportunity, it is a tangible expression of Manitoba’s ambition to be recognized among global centres of innovation. With Luma Clarindo Lopes representing Manitoba on the world stage, accompanied by Dr. Hans‑Joachim Wieden, the province is charting a path from local ingenuity to global relevance. The journey will unfold not just in Berlin, but in how Manitoba leverages this spotlight to advance its innovation agenda.

The annual list is compiled by the Women’s Executive Network, a national member-based organization that celebrates the advancement of women in all sectors and of all ages. Categories in which UM has been recognized include women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), corporate performance and professionals.    

The winners will be honoured at an awards gala on Nov. 27 in Toronto.  

Corporate Performance Category  

Krystyna Koczanski Associate Dean (Administration), Faculty of Science 

Krystyna Koczanski is a dynamic academic leader and educator whose work bridges vision and practicality.  

She helps steward more than $65 million in projects that strengthen research, sustainability, and create spaces that blend function and inspiration—beautiful environments where people feel they belong.  

A 2019 recipient of the UM Outstanding Teacher Award, she also launched UM’s participation in the SHAD program, Canada’s STEAM and entrepreneurship youth program. She spearheaded the transformative learning experience in Churchill celebrating Manitoba’s North and its role in shaping future innovators. 

STEM Category

Dr. Mojgan Rastegar Professor of biochemistry and medical genetics, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Dr. Mojgan Rastegar is internationally recognized as a leader in the field of epigenetic regulation of brain development. Her research explores how epigenetic deregulations at the cellular and molecular levels lead to compromised brain function, mental disability and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Rett Syndrome, a rare and progressive neurodevelopmental disease.  With a leadership role in Rett Syndrome research in Canada, Rastegar has established the Human Rett Syndrome Brain Bio-Repository Laboratory in Manitoba as the Canadian site for post-mortem brain donations from Rett Syndrome patients. 

Beyond her scientific achievements, Rastegar is a passionate advocate for women in STEM, dedicating significant time to mentoring and training women in science, and inspiring them to cultivate their curiosity and pursue their ambitions from a young age. 

Professionals Category  

Dr. Lori Wilkinson Distinguished professor department of sociology and affiliated professor Faculty of Law   

A distinguished academic leader and Canada Research Chair, Wilkinson is renowned for her expansive research on the social impacts of humanitarian crises, refugee and immigrant resettlement, vulnerable children and youth, religious persecution, gender-based health inequities, Indigenous reconciliation, francophone resettlement, and anti-racism efforts.  

Her work integrates rigorous statistical and empirical analysis with qualitative methods to produce both scholarly insight and policy-relevant outcomes. As a public sociologist, she collaborates closely with immigrant community-led advisory committees to dispel migration myths and contribute meaningfully to anti-racism initiatives. A committed knowledge mobilizer, she ensures her findings are widely shared to inform policy and practice. Her research is deeply rooted in social justice, with a focus on inequality, migration and practical application. She also plays a vital mentorship role, guiding emerging scholars, new academics, policymakers and professionals in the settlement support sector. 

Late on an October Monday night, George Springer smashed a three-run homer to send nearly 45,000 fans in Toronto’s Rogers Centre — and a record national television audience — into a frenzy.

Six outs later, the Blue Jays had qualified for the 2025 World Series against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

It had the feeling of a denouement. Yet, like other famed home runs in Blue Jays history, Springer’s blast was just one step in the long journey through baseball’s three playoff rounds.

Edwin Encarnacion’s extra-inning walk-off homer against the Baltimore Orioles in 2016 only won an elimination wildcard game.

A year earlier, Jose Bautista’s then-audacious bat flip followed a dramatic home run — also like Springer’s hit in the seventh inning — that moved the Blue Jays onto the same championship series round that they had not won since 1993. Until this year.

Toronto Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista flips his bat after hitting a three-run homer during seventh inning of Game 5 of the American League Division Series in Toronto in 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

The enduring legacy of 1993

Invoking 1993 holds special resonance for Blue Jays fans. It’s the last time the team won, let alone reached, the World Series.

That year produced the most dramatic home run in team history. Joe Carter’s Game 6, ninth-inning, three-run blast to left field was only the second time a World Series had ended with a walk-off home run. It clinched the team’s second straight championship.

It is easy to tell the story of the Blue Jays through the lens of dramatic game-winning home runs. However, the context of the team’s championships —and near misses — offers a more nuanced tale.

Toronto Blue Jay Joe Carter celebrates his game-winning, three-run home run in the ninth inning of Game 6 of the World Series in Toronto in 1993. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

Building a contending team

Toronto, thanks to funding from Labatt Breweries, was granted an American League expansion franchise in 1977, alongside the Seattle Mariners — the team Toronto just vanquished in the championship series this year. The Mariners remain the only current franchise never to have played in a World Series.

Following a handful of dire losing seasons, Blue Jays management earned a reputation for talent development. The first crop of stars — Dave Stieb, George Bell and Tony Fernandez — won a division championship in the team’s ninth season. They fell one game short of qualifying for the World Series, losing the only seventh game in a post-season series in franchise history prior to this year.

That team played in an open-air, refurbished football stadium. Fans chilled by the cool breezes off Lake Ontario did not enjoy the irony of cheering on their brewery-owned team in a venue where beer sales were prohibited by provincial edict.

Modernity came to Toronto in 1989 when the team moved into SkyDome, a then-state-of the-art domed stadium complete with retractable roof (and by then, beer vendors) that was funded and operated by a public-private partnership.

A U.S. marine honour guard flies the Canadian flag upside down during Game 2 of the 1992 World Series in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Hans Deryk

After playoff disappointments in 1989 and 1991, that generation of BlueJays stars broke through in 1992 to reach the World Series for the first time. Prior to the second game at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium, the U.S. Marine Corps colour guard walked onto the field with the Canadian flag flying upside down.

The controversy was integrated into circulating narratives that Americans did not respect Canadian teams. It is a still-perpetuated trope: the Toronto Star has spent this playoff run reporting on “what the U.S. media said” about Blue Jays’ victories, as though that matters.

The Blue Jays 2025 success — realizing the promise of a new generation of star prospects headlined by Vladimir Guererro Jr. and Bo Bichette — has rekindled memories of these past glories: the first winning teams of the 1980s, the back-to-back champions in 1992-93 and the bravado of the Bautista-Encarnacion-Josh Donaldson teams from a decade ago.

Lost in this pantheon of star players and dramatic moments, however, is the two decades of mediocrity that followed the heights of the Carter home run.

Changes in corporate ownership

The Blue Jays core aged or moved on and Labatt’s was purchased by the Belgian conglomerate, Interbrew SA.

A more dispassionate, bottom-line ownership led to teams that failed to reap the talents of Hall of Famers like Roy Halladay and major stars like Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green.

Rogers Communications purchased 80 per cent of the Blue Jays in 2000, with Interbrew retaining 20 per cent. The on-field performance changed little, but the business model evolved significantly.

Rogers acquired the remaining 20 per cent of the team in July 2004. Before the year was out, it had gained control of SkyDome for $25 million, a fraction of the $600 million that the stadium has cost to build only 15 years earlier. Now fully privately owned, it was renamed the Rogers Centre.

Today, the Blue Jays reflect the vertical integration of modern commercial sports. The team is the primary tenant in a stadium operated by their owners. Their games are broadcast on television channels, radio stations and streaming services owned and operated by Rogers Communications. These channels market other Rogers-owned content during Blue Jays games.

Meanwhile, fans consume this content on cable subscriptions and internet services that are Rogers’ core businesses. The newest extension of this revenue-generation model is the increasing prominence of sports betting, which is integrated fully into broadcasts by on-screen commentators providing odds as though delivering sports “news,” not paid advertising

Canada’s team

The production and circulation of dominant narratives is a consequence of such a structure, what sociologist David Whitson termed “circuits of promotion.”

One of the most powerful is that the support for the Blue Jays is nationwide. They are Canada’s team. There is an element of truth to this. The Blue Jays’ fan base is considerable, particularly when they are winning.

Toronto Blue Jays’ George Springer connects for a three-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, on Oct. 20, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

But this is also a marketing construct — one that benefits from the Blue Jays being the only remaining Canadian-based team in a U.S.-operated professional sports league. This would be a much harder narrative to sell if the Montreal Expos were not now the Washington Nationals, and it is not entirely novel.

Basketball’s Toronto Raptors, themselves the beneficiaries of the relocation of the Vancouver Grizzlies, capitalized on both the team’s appeal as well as its monopoly on Canadian markets with its wildly popular 2019 marketing campaign, “We The North.”

Come Friday night, when Trey Yesavage throws the first pitch of the 2025 World Series, the absence of other Canadian-based teams and the centralization of media outlets in Toronto will ensure there will be a ready (and passionate) audience across the country all ready to chant: “Let’s go, Blue Jays!”

The event awards cash prizes totaling $6,400 across five categories in two streams of competition, oral presentations and research poster displays. Ninety subject-matter experts joined the event as judges, representing 10 UM faculties.

As part of the day, students had the opportunity to explore their “entrepreneurial tooth” at the IDEA START booth to learn how to move ideas and innovation toward impact, using the many resources available at UM.

“This event rewards achievements in experiential learning throughout the many areas of student research and scholarly work at UM and highlights the innovation and creative power at the heart of our university,” said Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, associate vice-president (partnerships, knowledge mobilization and innovation).

“Such hand-on experiences at the undergraduate level expand our horizons, build networks and can open doors to new career opportunities. I congratulate all student participants in the showcase.”

Undergraduate Research Showcase 2025 winners

Applied Sciences

Poster format

1st– Loic Lambert, Quantifying skin subtraction performance in microwave breast imaging
Research Supervisor: Stephen Pistorius, Faculty of Science

2nd– Shirley Morris, Syncytia from scratch: generating placental organoids from human stem cells
Research Supervisor: Lei Xing, Faculty of Science

3rd– Khoi Nguyen, Electronics-Printed MEMS Lorentz Actuator Released by RIE with Integrated Electrostatic Hold-Down
Research Supervisor: Cyrus Shafai, Price Faculty of Engineering

Oral format

1st– Juliann Chan, Decoding the Behavioural Cues of Dairy Cattle: Automating Ear Position Identification Using a Convolutional Neural Network Model
Research Supervisor: Gabriel Dallago, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

Creative Works

Poster format

1st– Cecilia Thompson, We Are The Canvas: A/R/Tography and the Power of Collective Art Education
Research Supervisor: Bruno De Oliveira Jayme, Faculty of Education

Health Sciences

Poster format

1st– Quinn Derksen, Exploiting RBX1 deficiency to identify novel therapeutic targets in tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma

Research Supervisor: Dr. Kirk McManus, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

2nd– David Ben, Reduced SKP2 Expression Induces Centrosome Overduplication in Tubo-Ovarian Cells

Research Supervisor: Dr. Kirk McManus, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

3rd– Hans Sanchez, Extracellular vesicle release with acute electrical pulse stimulation in skeletal muscle is AMPK-dependent
Research Supervisor: Dr. Ayesha Saleem, Centre on Aging

Oral format

1st– Khushleen Chaddha, Investigating the Effects of a Potential Chemotherapeutic

Research Supervisor: Dr. Mark Nachtigal, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

2nd– Lauren Castagna, The role of Empagliflozin in the prevention of chemotherapy mediated cardiotoxicity
Research Supervisor: Dr. Davinder Jassal, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

3rd– Jewel Paskaruk, SIRT3 Deficiency in the Liver Results in Hepatic Steatosis and Elevated Circulating Lipids in Gestational Diabetes
Research Supervisor: Dr. Vernon Dolinsky, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Natural Sciences

Poster format

1st– Sion Yi, CRISPR-Associated Transposase Reveals a Key Gene for Bioplastic Degradation in Burkholderia vietnamiensis LMG16232
Research Supervisor: Silvia T. Cardona, Faculty of Science

2^nd (tied)– Hargun Uppal, The influence of membrane phospholipid interactions with MgCl2 on antimicrobial susceptibility in E. coli
Research Supervisor: Denice Bay, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

2^nd (tied)– Danika Harland, The long-term effects of wetland salinization on emergent insect communities
Research Supervisor: Mark Hanson, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources

Oral format

1st– Erica Wong, Dach1 promotes basal radial glia proliferation in the developing mouse neocortex
Research Supervisor: Lei Xing, Faculty of Science

Social Sciences and Humanities

Poster format

1st– Kyla Sarmiento, Drawing Privacy: How Children Conceptualize Regulation and Content Across
Research Supervisor: Shaylene Nancekivell, Faculty of Arts

2nd– Charlotte Gill, Exploring geoscience methods for archaeological stone-tool fingerprinting, Oldupai Gorge, Tanzania
Research Supervisor: Paul Durkin, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources

3rd– Stella Kraft, Gender Differences in Alcohol Research
Research Supervisor: Natalie Riediger, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

Oral format

1st– Justine Ramos, Countering Reductionism: Racial/Ethnic Minority Experiences and Preferences of End of Life Care at Home
Research Supervisor: Laura Funk, Faculty of Arts

2nd– Ainsley Brennan, In the Garden of the Beguines: Reinventing a Medieval Religious Movement in the 21st Century

Research Supervisor: Danielle Dubois, Faculty of Arts

The Undergraduate Research Showcase is hosted annually by the office of the vice-president (research and international). Check the Undergraduate Research Showcase website for entry and prize details.

UM researchers are drilling deep into Earth’s surface to produce core samples that date back as far as the Jurassic era. These rock samples contain a well-preserved timeline that researchers can use to pinpoint the exact timing of major environmental shifts and how they affected surface sedimentary organic matter at the time. Understanding the effects of historic environmental events can help predict future impacts of climate change on Canada’s unique ecosystems.  

New state-of-the-art equipment 

UM has a powerful new tool to analyze ancient rock core samples, thanks to funding from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) awarded to Dr. Ricardo Silva, assistant professor, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources.  

Dr. Ricardo Silva

The new equipment heats small amounts of sediment and rock to identify the type of organic materials inside—the only one of its kind at a Canadian post-secondary institution. It allows researchers to quickly and cost-effectively measure the amount and type of organic matter in a wide variety of materials.  

Silva will use the new equipment to study ancient marine rocks from several geological periods, which will help him, and researchers worldwide, understand how past climate events have changed our planet. He leads a global network of researchers including the Middle Jurassic Earth System and Timescale or M-JET, which is supported by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program.

Their goal is to uncover crucial insights into Earth’s distant past, dating back to when the continents began to take their current shape. By collecting rock samples from deep underground, they are building a timeline that shows significant climate events that happened about 150 million years ago. This exciting research helps us learn more about our planet’s past and how it has evolved over time. 

“These core samples serve as a vital record, preserving evidence of ancient environmental conditions,” says Silva. “We carefully remove small fragments of rock material and distribute them to researchers worldwide. This allows for a broad range of experiments aimed at reconstructing Earth’s prehistoric climate, ecosystems and environmental change.” 

Providing evidence-based data for future policymaking 

Silva’s research showcases UM’s commitment to tackling climate change and supporting studies on sustainability. This work is important for ongoing governmental efforts at both the provincial and federal levels, focusing on how issues like melting permafrost and other environmental changes impact Canada’s ecosystems and carbon cycling processes.

By studying how organic carbon moves between rocks and surface sediments, Silva aims to contribute to practical strategies for adapting to and reducing the effects of climate change. This kind of research is particularly relevant for the Arctic region and will shed light on how climate change affects wildlife, natural resources and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. 

Using Silva’s new testing equipment, researchers can gather important information about soil quality that will impact agricultural producers as they develop more sustainable land management strategies. By looking at the organic matter in the soil, they can learn more about what affects the growth of crops. The insights will be helpful in creating management practices that enhance the types of crops grown and their production, especially considering the changing climate in the Canadian prairies. 

Silva’s work will provide valuable insights that promote responsible resource extraction while also aiming to lessen the impact on the environment.  

“Our research aims to improve how resources like oil, gas and critical minerals are extracted in Manitoba,” says Silva. “For 2024-25, the province’s mining and oil and gas industries are expected to generate about $3.4 billion in production value. These sectors play a key role in northern communities by creating jobs, supporting local businesses and contributing to economic develop.” 

Atlantic Sedimentary Basin research site, Portugal

With their groundbreaking research into past climate events, UM researchers are positioning themselves at the forefront of global efforts to understand and prepare for future environmental challenges and opportunities. Their work will play a vital role in shaping policies that balance resource management with sustainability, ensuring that decisions are guided by data and focused on protecting the environment.  

2024-25 John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) funding at UM:

Hooman Derakhshani (Applied Animal Microbiology) Microbiome solutions for mitigating environmental impacts of the livestock industry, $159,999

Renée Douville, Henry Dunn (Pharmacology and Therapeutics) Subcellular Protein Assembly (SPA) platforms for investigating mechanisms of neurological disease, $344,169

Julia Gamble (Anthropology), Kirstin Brink, Michael Schindler (Earth Sciences) Multimodal imaging and digital applications to deep time biorhythms and developmental biology, $513,071

Peng Hu, (Electrical and Computer Engineering) Infrastructure to advance the study of space-air-ground integrated network systems and applications, $160,000

Savino Longo, (Physics and Astronomy) Sub, atomic particle detector innovation laboratory, $159,872

Barbara Porto (Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) The respiratory infections modelling lab: Enhancing capacity for aerosol exposure and lung mechanics studies, $155,600

Ricardo Sliva, (Earth and Resources) Sedimentary organic matter research facility, $156, 670

Cedric Tremblay, (Immunology), Samantha Pauls (Pharmacy) ImmunoMetabolism Suite (IMS) for translational research, $345,000

Chengjin Wang, (Civil Engineering) Triple quadrupole liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry for micropollutant control investigation, $159,753