The world population is expected to grow by over a third, or 2.3 billion people by 2050. Food security is a real issue and made that much more apparent since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020.

In this episode of Open Dialogue Live, you will hear from Dalhousie alumni and researchers on the importance of a sustainable and healthy food production system, the complexity of our food and agricultural industry and the socioeconomic considerations that contribute to food insecurity and inequity. Join the conversation!

Our presenters:

• Dr. Paul Manning's (BSc'13) research aims to better understand the importance of biodiversity (specifically insects) to the health and functioning of agricultural ecosystems. His research interests are focused on: agroecology, entomology, citizen science, and natural history.
• Peter Tyedmers is a professor in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University. His research explores understanding and improving the biophysical sustainability of food production systems - seafood production systems in particular.
• Ashley J. MacDonald (BSc'14, MSc'19) is in her third year of the PhD in Agricultural Science program at Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture. Her research area is agricultural business with a particular interest in sustainability and data-driven decision-making.
• Dr. Gianfranco Mazzanti is an associate professor with Dalhousie's Faculty of Engineering. Gianfranco's research centers around crystallization of lipids, especially tryacylglycerols used in industrial food and cosmetic processing.

Read more about the panelists on the Alumni & Friends website.

Register to receive event reminders and the link to join the event.

The event will be livestreamed on Dalhousie Alumni and Friends Facebook Live and Dalhousie YouTube. Viewers will have an opportunity to engage during the Q&A portion following the discussion. Although we hope you can watch live, you will also be provided access to the recording following the event.

Open Dialogue Live was created as a complement to the Open Dialogue program and launched in spring 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic through virtual events. The programming offers an opportunity to collaborate, discuss and otherwise engage in meaningful and thoughtful discussions.