Features

Writing poetry or short stories might seem an unlikely way to tackle climate change or biodiversity loss. But addressing the world’s environmental problems starts with changing lives and minds, says one University of Guelph professor, whose new creative writing course for budding environmental scientists aims to do just that.

The new offering, called “Creative Writing for Environmental Science,” will encourage students to read and write short stories, poetry and essays on environmental science themes or topics.

Presenting findings in a consumable way is an important aspect of any research. Renée Garant, a graduate student in the Department of Animal Biosciences, prides herself on her research extension efforts.

University of Guelph food science students are returning fire with two new homemade CannonFire hot sauces that went on sale online this week.

CannonFire is a spicy hot sauce grown, brewed and bottled by students in the Department of Food Science. The sauce has been such a hit since its launch three years ago, students decided to develop a sweeter sister sauce dubbed Hot Tropic.

Rebecca Lawson, a graduate student in the Department of Animal Biosciences, is studying animal nutrition by investigating the effects of diet and nutrition on the gut microbiome of lake whitefish. 

Her passion for studying aquatic environments started at a young age and she decided to pursue a B.Sc. in marine biology at Dalhousie University.

Like setting off alarms in a beehive, Asian honeybees use complex signals to alert nest mates about giant hornet attacks, according to a new study co-led by University of Guelph researchers.

The study shows that honeybees recognize and respond to different types of hornets using several signals, a kind of alert system that is better known among social mammals and birds, said Dr. Gard Otis, professor emeritus in the School of Environmental Sciences within U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College.

The announcement that dairy prices are set to rise eight percent on Feb. 1, has made headlines and even prompted calls for more transparency on how prices are set, but a University of Guelph food economist says other foods could rise even further; we just won’t be warned.

Dan Borges' passion for insects and entomology started at a young age. He continues to make a positive impact on the lives of beekeepers, farmers, and other industry partners working with the Ontario Beekeepers' Association (OBA). We recently chatted with him to learn more about his role and experience at the University of Guelph.

Jared Stoochnoff is a graduate student in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES). His research takes place in the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF) under the supervision of Dr. Mike Dixon and Dr. Thomas Graham, professors in SES.

More than 100 world leaders attending the COP26 climate summit have promised to end deforestation by 2030 — a goal that one University of Guelph ecologist says is promising but one that will be challenging to achieve.

Dr. Madhur Anand is an environmental science in the Ontario Agriculture College and the director of the Guelph Institute for Environmental Research (GIER). She says the goal of halting forest destruction will be difficult given that what drives it is a growing global population, agriculture and increasing per capita food consumption.

A new University of Guelph-designed material for surgical mask filters could offer a more breathable and sustainable alternative to traditional surgical masks.

Dr. Loong-Tak Lim , a food science professor in the Ontario Agricultural College, and graduate student Singam Suranjoy Singh have made a non-woven surgical mask filter from plant cellulose. The mask’s biodegradable filter was designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.