OAC GSC: Cross Campus Conference 2019

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are available, contact Erin

Massender (emassend@uoguelph.ca) about

any remaining tickets.

The 2019 OAC GSC Cross Campus Conference will be held from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 3rd at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. Join your fellow OAC Graduate Students for a fun day of networking and industry tours! Lunch will be provided and transportation arranged for this FREE event!

Event Highlights:

Keynote Speaker: "Data Visualization"

Dr. Mina Kaviani, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph

Dr. Mina Kaviani, a Research Associate in the Department of Plant Agriculture, will discuss strategies for effectively visualizing and presenting data.

Case Study Competition: "Climate Change: Challenge Accepted"

The changing climate poses many challenges in the agricultural sector, but it also creates many new opportunities. In this case study competition, small groups will work together to identify and propose a solution to a climate change challenge. Solutions might include business ideas, education programs, research proposals or more. Groups will then have 3 minutes to give a Dragon's Den style pitch describing their challenge and proposed solution. Pitches will be scored based on the creativity and feasibility of the proposal, presentation style, and incorporation of data visualization. Prizes will be awarded to the winning teams!

Ridgetown Campus Research and Biodigester Tour

Learn more about the research and sustainability initiatives at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. We'll start by touring the renewable energy infrastructure on campus, including the 250 kW anaerobic digester (aka "mechanical stomach") that is used to produce continuous and renewable energy for the local electrical grid. Time allowing, we will also tour the campus research plots, greenhouses, and sheep barn to learn about current research and extension activities on campus.

Additional details will be announced as they are confirmed!

Buis Beef Farm Tour

Buis Beef Farm is a third-generation family farm south of Chatham, Ontario. They have a mixed farming operation with vegetable crops (sweet-corn, green beans) and field crops (corn and beans & wheat) as well as a herd of 350 beef cows. The Buis Family is known for being innovative in their farming practices, they utilize cover crop grazing, vegetable by-product feeding, ultrasound scanning for fat and marbling content to determine optimal harvest dates, and every animal can be fully traced with an individual ID tag. The Buis Family raises, finishes and sells their beef in their retail store or in special premium markets without the use of hormones or antibiotics.