The action plan was unveiled this fall by president Charlotte Yates. It includes and builds on recommendations made by students, faculty, staff and community members who have advocated for change, especially in recent months.

“Their hard work and calls for action were the impetus for our action plan,” Yates says. “The goal is to build on their efforts and bring together U of G’s Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) communities to advise and guide us in advancing real change on our campuses and beyond.”

Working collaboratively, the President’s Advisory Committee on Anti-Racism will develop a policy to address racism on campus and promote anti-racism efforts. This includes identifying and addressing systemic barriers to full and equal participation on U of G campuses and in the University’s policies, procedures and practices.

“U of G has a long-standing commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion on our campuses, but we have not done enough,” Yates says.

THERE IS SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE — AT U OF G, IN CANADA, AROUND THE WORLD – TO HELP END THE CYCLE OF RACIAL INJUSTICE.

Referencing the rise and increased visibility of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in Canada and around the world, Yates adds: “The University of Guelph, like other public institutions, has an obligation to pay attention to historical and ongoing injustice and racism.”

The President’s Advisory Committee on Anti-Racism will advise the senior leadership team about how to address racism and discrimination in the University community.

The committee will comprise students, staff, faculty and community members, with at least 70 per cent representation from the BIPOC community.

It will be co-chaired by Yates and Prof. Lawrence Hill, a renowned author, advocate of racial equality and analyst of racial identity and discrimination.

“We have an obligation to act, and to do so as quickly as possible,” says Hill. “There is so much work to be done — at U of G, in Canada, around the world – to help end the cycle of racial injustice.”

The anti-racism action plan will also support and build upon successful Indigenous measures and actions that have improved student support, teaching and curriculum, research and scholarship, governance and the campus environment.

“Working together, we aim to build a campus community where every member belongs, and is able to learn, live and work in an environment free of racism and discrimination,” says Indira Naidoo-Harris, AVP (diversity and human rights).

“It’s time to take the lessons we’ve learned from recent events and use them to bring about action and positive change in our community.”

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Offering green space and seating, the plaza will revitalize the entrance of MacDonald Hall, home of the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.

The 3,400-square-metre space will feature a remote-controlled fire pit, a bio-infiltration garden and a water fountain named for Julia Christensen Hughes, former dean of the Lang School. A new ramp to the main entrance will improve access to the building.

“The design of Lang Plaza reflects the importance of well-being and connection to nature,” says interim dean Sara Mann. “When students return to campus, Lang Plaza will offer a natural space to relax and learn.”

The plaza is part of a $21-million gift in 2019 from Stu and Kim Lang – the largest in U of G history – to elevate the University’s business school. The gift has also helped establish scholarships, faculty chairs and an innovation fund.

Lang Plaza at Macdonald Hall

Naming Opportunities within Lang Plaza

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A new annual scholarship supported by a University of Guelph alumnus aims to boost opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) students in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.

Jide Atilola, B.Comm. ’08, launched the Atilola Real Estate Scholarship in Business for BIPOC students in the bachelor of commerce program.

The student will receive a $1,000 scholarship, as well as mentorship from Atilola.

“These students are the future leaders of this world and to empower them with mentorship and a scholarship is a dream come true,” he says. “It’s important for students to know that the University and the community are supporting them.”

The first recipient of this scholarship, B. Comm. student Bila Souza, says the experience has been “incredibly meaningful.” Souza immigrated to Canada from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2015 and enrolled in Lang’s accounting program in 2017. During their meeting, Atilola shared his experiences of being a Black aspiring business professional.

“His generosity has inspired me to help others and serve our community,” Souza says. “I hope that I will be on the list of future donors to help future generations to accomplish their dreams just as Jide has done with us.”

Atilola’s family immigrated to Canada from Nigeria in 1981. After graduating from U of G, he later returned to the Guelph area and now works as a real estate broker.

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The gift comes from Michel Eric Fournelle, who graduated from the former hotel and food administration program in 1992.

“My experience as a student at the University of Guelph was wonderful and has had a big impact on my life. I wanted to give something back,” says Fournelle.

The new Anita Stewart Alumni Food Laboratory – named for Anita Stewart, the University’s food laureate and founder of Food Day Canada – will enable hospitality and nutrition students to learn innovative practices in food preparation, production, safety and food science.

Fournelle’s gift kicks off a fundraising campaign – Legacy 50 – to support transformational learning opportunities and facility upgrades.

“The gift will have such positive and broad impacts on students’ connection with and understanding of food and its importance to health and society,” says HFTM director Statia Elliot.

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Tyler Sharp is an international disease detective with a profound respect for the viruses he investigates. He also harbours a fairly virulent loathing for them.

The curious, meticulous scientist is intrigued by the tiny, potentially deadly organisms – by their elegance, simplicity and potency. But he is driven to combat and eliminate them, to prevent the harm they wreak on individuals and communities.

While an undergraduate at the University of Guelph, Sharp picked up a fascination for viruses that went viral. The American epidemiologist was rst exposed to the science of virology here in the early 2000s. Ever since, he has been compelled to learn as much as possible about the pathogenic mechanisms of the organisms.

“You’ve got to respect your enemy,” says Sharp, 35, who leads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Zika outbreak response in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. He is stationed at CDC’s dengue branch in San Juan. The outbreak began in late 2015 and o cially ended this June.

As the team leader in Puerto Rico, Sharp was in charge of detecting human Zika cases through- out the island. As viral hot spots emerged, he dispersed vector control teams to eliminate mosquitoes, and deployed community educators to raise awareness of the virus and how to prevent its spread. Those efforts reduced transmission rates.

“Viruses are very simple, but obviously they can have such catastrophic consequences,” he says during a telephone conversation.

Sharp completed his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and genetics at U of G, and a doctorate in molecular virology and microbiology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

But he also possesses skills acquired during post-graduate training in CDC’s epidemic intelligence service that place him at the tip of the spear of outbreak responses around the world.

Zika typically involves fairly mild, u-like symptoms, and treatment is similar to that used for in uenza. But the virus is especially worrisome because of its links to birth defects. Infected pregnant women can give birth to babies with microcephaly, characterized by an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Zika, but I also have a very strong loathing for it,” Sharp says. “When you see rst-hand the e ects of this virus on newborn kids, it’s something that you don’t forget.”

Sharp’s scienti c and career trajectory took a dramatic turn as an undergraduate at U of G. Still a teenager, and looking for adventure, he moved to Guelph in 2000 from his hometown of Bowling Green, Ohio.

Inspired by the 1997 futuristic lm Gattaca, which is all about the genetic engineering of human beings, Sharp enrolled at the University determined to become a geneticist. But he had his scienti c mind altered and his professional path reoriented after “literally two lectures” in Peter Krell’s microbiology class in the Depart- ment of Molecular and Cellular Biology.

“His class really inspired me to go the virology route,” Sharp says. “He was an early mentor of mine.”

Sharp calls his time at Guelph formative.

“The four years at U of G really did shape the rest of my life, both personally and professional- ly. I am so indebted to Guelph for providing the education that it did, especially on the scienti c front. I feel very lucky to have gone there.”

TOP 5 ZIKA FACTS

1. Zika virus is primarily spread through infected mosquitoes or sex.
2. The best way to prevent Zika is to avoid mosquito bites.
3. Zika is linked to birth defects.
4. Pregnant women should not travel to areas at risk of Zika.
5. Returning travellers infected with Zika can spread the virus through mosquito bites and sex.

– Rob O’Flanagan

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The migration of young people out of agriculture, and the seeming lack of allure the sector has for the younger generation, is oft-studied.

Now Srinivasan wants to turn the inquiry around, as she begins a $285,000, four-year, four-country study on young farmers.

She and her team are eager to understand why young people stay in agriculture, or why they are attracted to it enough to want to start farming – the pull toward rather than the push away from agriculture.

They will explore the subject in Canada, China, India and Indonesia, countries where, Srinivasan says, similar patterns define young people’s pathways to and from farming.

Finding out why young people want to be on the land rather than leave it may help governments and agricultural colleges and universities formulate better approaches to encouraging the next generation of farmers, says Srinivasan, a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Studying young farmers is somewhat of a departure for Srinivasan, known for her expertise in gender-based discrimination and violence. Her new research was inspired by observations she made a few years ago while studying the so-called bride shortage in southern India, an outcome of the shrinking ratio of women to men. There, Srinivasan met young men who loved farming even though their occupation might have impeded their search for a wife.

“On the one hand, I’m seeing literature that’s telling me that young people don’t want to stay in the countryside, that they’re all leaving and there’s a crisis,” she says. “And here I am meeting these young men who are passionate about farming.”

She saw a need for deeper understanding of why many young people are attracted to farming – an issue she has explored since joining U of G in 2013.

“That’s when it occurred to me that we should actually be talking about young people who are in farming, rather than talking about those who are moving away from farming,” Srinivasan says. “This research looks at young people who are already engaged in farming, who are trying their hands at farming and aspiring to be farmers.”

The exodus from farming is a significant problem, one that sows uncertainty over who will own and tend land in the future, and who will grow food for an expanding human population.

The odds are often stacked against young people who love farming and want to pursue it. Farming is financially challenging. Weather is a relentless source of anxiety in the sector, and acquiring land is a challenge for young people who want to farm, Srinivasan says.

Educational and cultural impediments discourage young people from pursuing agriculture, including a fairly entrenched feeling that the occupation is less prestigious than other fields or less desirable than urban life.

“The education system has a strong urban bias,” she says. “These are factors that push people out of farming.”

While many young people want to farm despite the deterrents, strategies to retain or attract them to a life on the farm are largely absent in all four countries in the study.

“First and foremost, the outcome of this research is most certainly policy- driven.” Srinivasan says the problem of out-migration won’t be addressed until agriculture becomes a top government priority.

While good jobs in large urban settings can be difficult to find for young people, opportunities in farming may be more plentiful.

“Agriculture has huge levels of untapped potential with regard to employment. In the long run, I think the biggest policy implication is how to actually put a positive spin to agriculture and farming as a career option.”

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Raizada, along with his research associate Tejendra Chapagain, has been involved in the creation of emergency sustainable agriculture kits, or eSAKS. The kits are especially designed to aid in the disaster recovery of farm families in developing countries. Those families are often perilously neglected during emergency relief measures that primarily focus on urban centers.

A package that can be widely and cheaply distributed, the kits are packed with disaster recovery essentials, including low-cost tools, temporary shelter and first-aid supplies, as well as seeds and fertilizer for rapidly maturing grains, legumes and vegetables.

During the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, Raizada and his U of G team worked with external partners to distribute components of the ePAKS, which can be assembled for about $40.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, a non-emergency SAK was made available. It is estimated that some 40,000 SAK components will have been purchased by Nepalese households by early 2018, benefiting more than 100,000 people.

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Frema Osei-Opare was named to the position in early 2017 by newly elected President Nana Akufo-Addo. As chief of staff, Osei-Opare’s role is to coordinate the supporting staff of the presidency and serve as the primary aide to the president.

A labour and manpower expert, she was a two-term member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, and served from 2005 to 2008 as deputy minister in the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment while in the government of former president John Agyekum Kufuor.

Osei-Opare received her M.Sc. in the Department of Food Science from U of G in 1976. She entered graduate studies at the University after completing a bachelor of science degree in Home Science from the University of Ghana.

Upon returning to her homeland, she became a lecturer and department head of Home Science at the University of Ghana. She also served as director of ActionAid Ghana, an organization that supports the basic needs and rights of the poor.

Ghana’s seat of government and administrative center is in the capital, Accra, a city of roughly 1.6 million.

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Jerry Ennett could put the puck in the net as a junior hockey player. But it is in the arena of affordable prosthetic devices that the biomedical engineering co-op student is becoming a different kind of impact player.

The low-cost prosthetic hand he produced on a 3D printer made him a winner in the 2016 World Vision Social Innovation Challenge. The hand project, which aims to provide prosthetics to those around the world who cannot afford them, took him on a medical humanitarian mission to India in the fall.

“The first time I heard about prosthetics was when a friend on my hockey team was diagnosed with leg cancer,” Ennett says.

“It was found as a result of a fracture he received on the ice. He ended up having to get an above-knee amputation.”

Ennett began crafting prosthetic hands on a 3D printer about three years ago, using open-source designs that he adapted for different wearers.

He started a 3D printing company, Taurus 3D, with a summer business grant from his hometown of Stratford, Ont. While taking printing jobs that paid the bills, he explored altruistic uses of 3D technology, landing on the idea of prosthetic devices that can be easily and cheaply made.

He has enhanced his skills during co-op placements at 3D4MD, a 3D printable medical supplies company in Toronto, and biomedical engineering firm Starfish Medical in Victoria, B.C.

Ennett’s affordable prosthetic hand, which uses tension cables to activate the fingers, earned him an invitation to a rehabilitation centre in southern India this year to train workers in 3D tech. The Canadian charity Handi-Care International helped sponsor the effort.

Using his process, a prosthetic hand can be made from durable plastic or nylon for about $25 worth of materials, he said. The hand takes about a day to print and two hours to assemble.

“With 3D printing, once the design is done, it basically comes down to the cost of the plastic,” he said.

This fall, Ennett will visit Amar Seva Sangam, an organization in southern India. It provides home care, special education and rehabilitation services for hundreds of disabled children.

The centre sees as many as 20 amputees each month, but cannot provide patients with prosthetic devices. And the costs associated with obtaining those devices through conventional channels are prohibitive.

Ennett offers a sustainable solution to the problem, providing needed training for clinicians to make prosthetics in-house.

“I like using cutting-edge tech to help people,” Ennett said. “That’s one of the coolest combinations.”

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