“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.”

Meet the challengers who will take the stage on April 1 at the Robert B. Schultz Theatre:

Anne Manson
Human Nutritional Sciences, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Harold Aukema

Thesis Title: Using oxylipins to inform dietary omega-3 fat intake and heart drug development

Anne is a passionate researcher exploring the role of oxylipins in optimizing omega-3 intake for health and aiding in heart medication development. Fascinated by these powerful molecules that regulate numerous body functions, she investigates how diet, sex, and drugs influence oxylipin production—insights that can shape nutrition guidelines and therapeutic advancements. Holding a Bachelor of Science from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, and a 2021 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship recipient, Anne will expand her research into epidemiology and human health during postdoctoral training. Her long-term goal is to become an independent researcher, leveraging oxylipin data to assess disease risk, inform treatments, and improve health outcomes.

Megan Crooks
Psychology, M.A.
Advisor: Dr. Renee El-Gabalawy

Thesis Title: Preventing invisible pain with the power of virtual reality

Megan is passionate about bridging psychological research and clinical practice. In the final year of her master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Manitoba, she has been able to do just that by working with real patients who try out the virtual reality treatment developed by her lab. Her ultimate goal is to become a clinical psychologist, using evidence-based interventions approved by her patients to improve mental health care.

Sanjana Grover
Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Ph.D
Advisor: Dr. Benjamen Lindsey

Thesis Title: Cracking the code of human brain repair using zebrafish as a model

Sanjana is a neuroscience researcher and a second year PhD student studying unique stem cells in the zebrafish brain that generate new neurons and enable brain repair, a process mammals cannot naturally achieve. Fascinated by the brain’s limited ability to regenerate, she uses zebrafish as a model to uncover insights into why brain repair fails in mammals. Sanjana holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Research from the University of Bristol, UK and has earned multiple research awards, including the Research Manitoba Master’s Studentship (2024). Actively involved in science outreach, she led a zebrafish workshop for MNN Brain Awareness Week 2024 & 2025 and currently serves as the Vice-President Internal for the HSGSA. She was also invited by the Canadian Association of Neuroscience (CAN) to represent as a neuroadvocate at the Parliament Hill, where she advocated for increased research funding. Sanjana plans to continue her research through postdoctoral studies.

Lam Nguyen
Education, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Martha Koch

Thesis Title: Graph theory for children – an inclusive approach to developing mathematical identity in the classroom

Lam is a mathematics educator and school administrator exploring how school math experiences shape mathematical identities and how introducing advanced topics early can impact student perceptions. Their research examines the widespread negative attitudes toward mathematics and self-identified negative math identities, such as “I am not a math person.” With a Master of Education in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the University of Manitoba, he is passionate about improving math education and fostering confidence in learners. With a strong background in teaching and administration, his future goals are to work with prospective teachers and graduate students, helping future educators transform the way math is taught and perceived in schools.

Andy Van Domelen
Biochemistry and Medical genetics, m.sc.
Advisor: Dr. Britt Drögemöller

Thesis Title: The colour of risk: using genetics to predict hearing loss and dementia

Andy is using genetics to improve healthcare for aging populations. As a researcher analyzing genetic data from thousands of older Canadians, he develops predictive models for hearing loss and dementia, enabling early intervention. With a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Andy is driven by a deep curiosity about the genetic connections between diseases and their impact on aging. His goal is to bridge the gap between lab discoveries and clinical applications, ensuring that research translates into real-world benefits. He looks forward to collaborating with clinicians, policymakers, and the community, and aims to contribute to innovative, genetics-based solutions for age-related conditions in Canada.

Hayley Smith
Pharmacology and Therapeutics, M.Sc.
Advisor: Dr. Renée Douville

Thesis Title: It all started with a mouse….model to study neurodegeneration

Hayley is a Master’s student researching how DNA damage caused by a viral protein may contribute to ALS, and exploring antiviral therapies as a potential treatment. With a B.Sc. in Genetics from UM, her passion for neurodegenerative disease research stems from a personal family connection. After discovering the fascinating world of endogenous retroviruses, she joined Dr. Renee Douville’s lab and is enjoying the topics she studies. She is open to various career paths in health sciences, including considering medicine or furthering her current research with a PhD. Grateful for her lab and mentorship, she is focused on making meaningful contributions to neurodegenerative disease research while taking her career in science one step at a time.

Mia-May Grabovac
Biological Sciences, M.Sc.
Advisors: Dr. Patricia Ramey-Balci and Dr. Andrea Niemi

Thesis Title: Larval invertebrates in a changing Arctic ecosystem

Mia- May is a Master’s student researching seafloor invertebrate larvae and the impacts of Arctic climate change on their communities. Her interest in Arctic ecosystems began during an 8-month co-op at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where she studied zooplankton abundance and later led zooplankton sampling in the Western Canadian Arctic (2023-2024). With a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (Evolution & Biodiversity) from the University of Manitoba, she focusses on meroplankton, an understudied group with key ecological roles. As a Biological Sciences Graduate Students Association representative, Mia-May is dedicated to Arctic conservation and will continue studying invertebrates, their environmental interactions, and the effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems.

Taylor Orchard
Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Jason Peeler

Thesis Title: Musculosketal education – the more a doctor knows, the better they treat

Taylor is a medical education researcher focused on enhancing musculoskeletal medicine training for Canadian doctors. With a passion for anatomy education and healthcare, she found the perfect fit in medical education research within the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences. Holding a B.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, she has earned prestigious awards, including the Canada Graduate Studentship – Masters (2023) and the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship – PhD (2024). Actively engaged in academia, she serves as Vice-President of the Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences Student Council and a student representative for the Max Rady College of Medicine Council. Her goal is to secure an academic appointment in postsecondary and continue to advance clinical learning and knowledge retention among healthcare providers in Canada.

Rachele Molyneaux
Physiology and Pathophysiology, M.Sc.
Advisor: Dr Jeremy Chopek

Thesis Title: The Spinal Symphony: How V3 Neurons Help Orchestrate the Rhythm of Movement

Rachele is a researcher studying spinal V3 neurons using patch-clamp electrophysiology to understand their role in locomotion and spinal cord injury recovery. With a B.Sc. in Exercise Science from the University of Winnipeg, she combines her knowledge of movement and physiology through both research and hands-on experience. As a personal trainer, she focuses on functional fitness for older adults and aims to expand their practice by deepening their understanding of human physiology and spinal cord injuries. Rachele has worked as a sports director for immigrant and refugee girls, studying the relationship between early exposure to sports and increased self-confidence and overall wellbeing later in life. Her goal is to create a more inclusive, movement-focused approach to fitness and rehabilitation.

Adewunmi Giwa
Food Science, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Rotimi Aluko

Thesis Title: Stripping cancer’s armor: how pea bioactive peptides trigger cancer self-destruction

Adewunmi is a passionate food scientist and Ph.D. student investigating how pea-derived bioactive peptides inhibit Glutathione Peroxidase IV (GPX4), triggering ferroptosis in cancer cells. Her interest in plant-based functional foods and nutraceuticals stems from a blend of scientific curiosity and personal experiences, including her mother’s use of herbal remedies and her father’s struggle with diabetes. These influences inspired her to explore how natural food components can contribute to disease prevention and treatment. Committed to sustainable and innovative therapies, Adewunmi aims to improve cancer treatment by developing solutions that are effective, sustainable, accessible, and safe.

Hannah Zhang
Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Amir Ravandi

Thesis Title: Lipids as early markers of cardiogenic shock

Hannah is an MD/PhD student passionate about cardiovascular disease and metabolism. Despite being a leading cause of mortality worldwide, heart disease still requires deeper exploration, especially through a precision medicine lens. Fascinated by translational research for its direct clinical impact, she chose cardiovascular lipidomics—a field that merges all of her interests. Her work focuses on using lipids to detect cardiogenic shock in heart attack patients, utilizing advanced lipidomic technology with both human patients and animal models. With a Master of Science in Cell Biology from McGill University, she has earned multiple accolades, including the Martin Morad Young Investigator Exchange Award (2024). Her goal is to become a clinician-scientist, advancing heart disease treatment and precision medicine.

Madhushani Ariyadasa
Civil Engineering, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. M.T. Bassuoni

Thesis Title: Nano-based coatings: a way to make Canadian concrete last longer

Madhushani is a researcher in materials engineering whose work explores how the inclusion of nanoparticles in coatings can be tailored to combat different concrete durability problems—a crucial advancement to increase the service life of old and new concrete. She previously achieved a Master of Science in Materials Engineering and worked several years as a full-time researcher at National Building Research Organization in Sri Lanka where her keen interest on construction materials started. She believes novel materials as a key enabling technology in construction. Dedicated to both research and education, she aspires to become a university professor, shaping future engineers and advancing the field of materials science and to contribute to the development of stronger, more resilient infrastructure through cutting-edge materials research.

With an exciting lineup of finalists and a distinguished panel of judges, the 2025 3MT® final promises to be an inspiring showcase of graduate research at the University of Manitoba. Colleen Bready, CTV News weather specialist and host of Spotlight Entertainment, will return as emcee, guiding the evening with her signature energy. Judges Loren Oschipok, Moses (Moe) Levy, and Renée Cable will determine the winners of the top cash prizes, while the audience—both in-person and online—will cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award. Prizes for Dr. Archie McNicoll Prize for first place $2000, UM Retirees Association Prize for second place $1250 and Blenham & Associates prize for third place $500.

Don’t miss this exciting event on Tuesday April 1 at 7 p.m., at the Robert B. Shultz Theatre in St John’s College at the Fort Garry campus.

Register to attend in person at or watch online live.

“Sometimes the materials are not available, sometimes the crews are not available, sometimes the equipment is not available,” explained Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, a University of Manitoba civil engineering professor specializing in pavement design. “We have a limited capacity.”

To read the entire article, please visit the link here with the Winnipeg Free Press.

Construction robots are set to help with tasks on the job site as the industry is in a major flux and the engineering students are preparing for the industry’s technological shift.

Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering, Gursans Guven Isin, showcased how our engineering students are using VR to gain hands-on experience with construction processes and project management in a simulated environment.

To view this story on CTV National News, please follow the link here.

Traditionally, the industry relied on pen-and-paper design before being introduced to Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) for easier drafting and design visualization. While BIM shares many similarities with CAD, it goes far beyond, serving as more of a process for creating and managing information rather than just a software to build it. The technology keeps entire teams of designers, contractors, consultants, and clients updated in real time. Reducing the need for constant back-and-forth communication, as the design can be accessed and modified instantaneously by the team. The cloud-based nature of BIM also promotes virtual collaboration, allowing team members from around the globe to contribute, thus reducing costs and increasing the possibility for collaboration. BIM’s capabilities extend beyond 2D and 3D modelling into the 4D, 5D, and more, and this allows for dynamic tracking of variables such as time, cost, sustainability and safety as designs are updated. As BIM adoption increases, future engineers and architects will be called upon to understand new means of coordination and collaboration of design and construction, and new project delivery systems and technologies for integrated practice in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.

BIM has been changing the way construction projects are designed, built and managed. To keep up with these impressive advances in technology and the shift happening within the AEC industry, a pioneering Virtual Reality integrated BIM course has been recently introduced in the Civil Engineering program at the University of Manitoba. The new technical elective course “CIVL 4028 – Building Information Modeling in Construction” introduces students to cutting-edge immersive technologies and their applications in the AEC industry. Taught by Dr. Gursans Guven Isin, the course aims to equip the next generation of civil engineers with essential skills for using BIM in construction projects as well as for performing VR-assisted construction model coordination and digital model reviews. She recognized the need for this course as one of the most important barriers to BIM adoption is the lack of knowledge and training in BIM and this elective course helps to fill this critical knowledge gap, addressing this lack of training. Dr. Guven Isin hopes to enable her students with the necessary skills to be leaders in the change from 2D drawings towards 3D digital models. As more emerging engineers enter the field with foundational BIM knowledge, companies will hopefully increasingly welcome this transformation. The Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets utilized in this course were acquired through the support of the Price Faculty of Engineering endowment fund and the Department of Civil Engineering. Dr. Guven Isin has also recently purchased Microsoft HoloLens AR headsets, again through the support of the endowment fund and will start introducing the students to the AR technology this upcoming Winter term.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Management certificate program
You can also learn about BIM project management processes and earn a UM certificate to add to your resume with Extended Education’s Certificate in Building Information Modeling (BIM) Management.  It’s focused on the process, not the software. Learn BIM concepts, principles and processes to effectively manage your part of a project’s lifecycle.

The civil engineer worked as part of a diverse workforce at Manitoba Hydro, which took him to different locations all over Manitoba throughout his career.

Kevin found this fulfilling work at Manitoba Hydro to be positive yet challenging, as he was a minority in the work he did. 

“Being a visible minority in the workplace was uncommon in those days. I was lucky to work at Manitoba Hydro, but I had to work much harder to prove I was equal, if not better, than the others.”

Prior to working at Hydro, Kevin moved to Canada from Hong Kong, where he stayed at St John’s Residence from 1974 to 1978 where he referred to it as, one big family. 

“I never felt out of place; I always felt at home living in the residence. There were lots of fun things to do, events to attend, and diverse places to be; it was easy not to feel out of place.”

While having this one big family on campus throughout his five years, Kevin points to the lessons he’s learned at St John’s College that have helped him shape into the person he is today. Whether it be making connections with new students, taking on new responsibilities, or building the foundational skills he has used throughout this life, he expresses gratitude for the lessons he’s learned and the friends he continues to stay connected with today. 

Kevin concludes his twenty-eight years of service as an engineer by continuing his work in volunteerism as the Chair of the Volunteer Education Committee at the Manitoba Electrical Museum and Education Centre.

“Definitely, through the 100 years, there will be excessive amount of deterioration,” said Cha.

He noted the assessment would likely include testing the integrity, safety and remaining lifespan of the structure. He estimates the repairs would cost in the millions.

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Listen here

“In my view, it’s a temporary pause until we have more information,” Shalaby told 680 CJOB’s The Start.

“All of these decisions are going to be based on information and close examination of the bridge itself and what it can handle.

Read here

That was just some of the trash a team from an environmental non-profit removed from the river as part of their annual summer cleanup. There was also a suitcase so heavy and full of water it tipped their canoe, three knives and children’s toys. Plus, oil drums, a rollerblade, and an old projector.

Shawn Clark, a professor serving as head of the University of Manitoba’s civil engineering department commented on the lower water levels in the Seine River this season.

Read here