In the Media - Archive 2017

Recent Posts

Technology can help breed better cattle

Producers can improve commercial herds by knowing the sires of calves and their ancestries, says cattle geneticist John Crowley

Alberta exporters hope NAFTA can be saved but ponder life without it

Scrapping dispute resolution mechanisms is a deal breaker, says agricultural economist Ellen Goddard

Some forests aren't growing back after wildfires, research finds

Shift from coniferous to deciduous trees could affect northern ecosystems, PhD student says

It's not just spraying water: How the pros fight wildfires

Wind is the most critical factor once the fire is going, says wildland fire expert Mike Flannigan

Two University of Alberta students named Rhodes Scholars

Baking with bugs

Scientists educated in Department of Renewable Resources launch baking business featuring cricket flour

Red meat has long had a black mark against it

In a balanced diet lean meat is healthful, especially if it is from grass-fed animals, says nutrition researcher Spencer Proctor

How artificial intelligence could help fight -- or even prevent -- another wine country wildfire

Researcher Mike Flannigan says that AI could produce a more accurate forecast, allowing more time to rally firefighters and evacuate victims

Experts talk about clubroot in region

Emergence of new pathotypes is making clubroot management more difficult, says researcher Stephen Strelkov

Soil sensors, drones and data analytics are the new tools for farmers

Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of ALES, comments on the agricultural data revolution

How will Canada manage its wildfires in the future?

Fire researcher Mike Flannigan argues that only by taking on more risk in some situations, can we reduce major losses in others

A new Golden Age of Canadian comics

Patti LaBoucane-Benson's graphic novel, The Outside Circle, is one of the acclaimed Canadian entries to the comic industry

Creating a gateway to a better life

With Sweet Moms, researcher Rhonda Bell is battling effects of sugar on pregnancy

Consider this: Making an impact across the years

Clothing and Textiles Collection renamed to honour founding curator Anne Lambert

New techniques may reduce spread of mountain pine beetle

ALES researcher Jennifer Klutsch finds that changes to bait and to the spacing of trees helps catch more of them

Heating Up

Climate change played a major role in BC's intense fire season, says researcher Mike Flannigan

The Catch-22 of oat production

Crop scientist Linda Hall is showing Alberta growers how to shift to high-value oat crops from lower-value oat feed

Water walkers group grows

William Shotyk has 25 years of data attesting to the water purity of an Ontario aquifer that farmers, First Nations and activists are trying to safeguard from industry

Into the fire

Wildfire expert Mike Flannigan accompanied a film crew from The Nature of Things to B.C.'s biggest blaze of 2017, to give viewers a riveting explanation of fire behaviour

Scientist grades water risks from wildfires; prairies at top of list

Burned areas more prone to floods, mudslides and water contamination, says study by PhD student in Department of Renewable Resources

Lost in the woods: why boreal caribou are in trouble and why that matters

ALES researcher Fiona Schmiegelow says caribou can no longer avoid such human-created disturbances as roads, logged areas or seismic lines.

CBC documentary to explain science behind BC wildfires

Wildfire scientist Mike Flannigan featured in Nature of Things film that airs Nov. 5

Carla Prado named a Top 40 Under 40

CAIP Chair in Nutrition, Food & Health and director of Human Nutrition Research Unit is celebrated for her internationally recognized nutrition guidelines for obese people with cancer

Mental health plays huge role in student success

Jim Bohun, ALES' assistant dean of academic and student programs, describes a pilot program that will see senior students pair up with new undergrads

Increasing wind speeds will stoke more Alberta wildfires

Climate change contributed to extreme nature of wildfires in Alberta, B.C.

Makes it more extreme - Prof says climate change added to historic fire season

The world ablaze

With wildfires now a deadly feature of a warmer planet, researcher Mike Flannigan says we need to adjust our understanding and response

Volunteer firefighter dies as winds help ignite, spread wildfires across Western Canada

Mike Flannigan comments on frequency of October wildfires.

Here's what we know about wildfires and climate change

Mike Flannigan reveals the few factors a raging inferno requires, and the vast stores of carbon it releases into our atmosphere

It's not an opinion: U of A integrates Indigenous knowledge for new climate change study

Impact on northern waterways observed through traditional knowledge and contemporary science

Riverworld: Indigenous knowledge reveals harm climate change causing Canada's largest watershed

Study led by environmental sociologist Brenda Parlee documented observations from 12 communities in Mackenzie River Basin

Attack of the clones: Sperm-stealing Prussian carp threaten to overwhelm Alberta waterways

Fisheries biologist Mark Poesch says voracious plant eaters can cause native species to fight for food and space

Stark Evidence A Warmer World Is Sparking More and Bigger Wildfires

The evidence is more and more overwhelming that climate change has increased risk of fire around the world, says wildfire expert Mike Flannigan.

Food waste unappetizing

The numbers are shocking, says Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of ALES -- the United Nations estimates that one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted.

Are lentils the new vegan and vegetarian superfood?

Food scientist Lingyun Chen and her team have developed a lentil protein powder that replaces eggs and milk in baked goods.

University of Alberta Botanic Garden parking lot part of $4.9 mllion makeover

Funding will also upgrade infrastructure items including sewage, power, water and gas, roadway, lighting and entrance

Some old ways aren't better, but…

Myles Dyck explains what eight decades of soil research at the U of A tells us about soil health

Women, doing all the household chores is bad for your relationship

Recent master's graduate Rebecca Horne discovered that women consistently perform more household chores than men, which another recent study shows can harm couples' relationships.

Waterton forest will take decades to regrow after Alta wildfire, experts say

Fires help maintain biodiversity and kill off diseases, says Mike Flannigan, wildland fire expert

Controlling traffic to improve your soil

Using a new method of measurement, Guillermo Hernandez and his graduate students found that limiting how heavy equipment moves through a field improves soil quality and water infiltration

Incentives could entice cattle producers into carbon storage: expert

It's hypocritical not to pay ranchers when farmers get incentives, says rangeland ecologist Edward Bork

Spud research looks at greenhouse gas emissions

Reducing nitrous oxide emissions could improve sustainability and market access

No end to pine beetle battle in Alberta, experts say

Forest entomologist Nadir Erbilgin says beetles now face an expanse of fresh territory without natural barriers

Tim Caulfield takes his medical myth-busting to television as host of new show

ALES researchers Carla Prado, Rhonda Bell and Matthew Johnson make appearances

Restoration ecologist receives Discovery Grants funding

Justine Karst is a scientist benefiting from Canada's billion-dollar investment in natural sciences and engineering, being announced today

U of A gets cash boost from feds

Restoration ecologist Justine Karst says the funding allows her the freedom to take necessary risks on the frontier of scientific discovery.

How artificial intelligence could help predict major forest fires

Mike Flannigan and his research team have trained a "self-organizing map" to identify high-risk days for fires

Restoring wetlands through market based solutions

With an economic incentive called a "reverse auction," developed in the Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, researchers convinced landowners to allow restoration of 10 wetlands

From oilsands mine to wetland: Is Syncrude's reclamation experiment working?

Wetlands researcher Lee Foote commends the efforts but doubts the wetlands can be fully reclaimed

Genomic tools for commercial cattle within sight

Researcher John Basarab is looking for ways to generate genetic information that works well in crossbred cattle

Artificial intelligence can better predict forest fires, says Alberta researcher

Sticky sap protects trees from mountain pine beetles, Edmonton study suggests

Discovery by researcher Nadir Erbilgin means that seedlings can be bred to survive beetle attacks

Artificial intelligence could be used to better predict extreme wildfire weather in northern Alberta

Researcher Mike Flannigan says self-organized maps (SOMs) can be trained to find patterns in data and model complex relationships

Industry still chafed five years after end of Canadian Wheat Board monopoly

Farmers are generally happy because they have the freedom to market their grain as they want, says train transportation expert Mohammad Torshizi.

Want a divorce? Why you should tell your spouse and give it time

Just because you are thinking about it doesn't mean it's inevitable, says researcher Adam Galovan.

Half of people contemplating divorce think differently a year later

Marriages ebb and flow, and many simply need time to rebalance, says family scientist Adam Galovan

Thinking about divorce? Think twice, researchers warn

Attitudes change quickly for about half of the people who have thoughts of divorce, says family scientist Adam Galovan

Watching forests recover after wildfire gives scientists new ideas for oilsands reclamation

Understanding how forests develop provides important information for forest mining areas says Simon Landhausser

Wildfires will only get more devastating if we don't make big changes

Allow more low-risk fires to burn, and free up resources for more imminent threats, says Mike Flannigan

Clubroot spreads as new pathogens develop

Its spread in canola is much faster than anticipated, says plant pathologist Steve Strelkov

Climate change has made devastating wildfires the new normal

We need to learn how to co-exist with them, says fire researcher Mike Flannigan

Get used to wildfire smoke, says forestry professor

August is BC's busiest month for fire, so brace for more, says Mike Flannigan

Elk Island National Park sees dramatic jump in visitors

Tourism pressure is starting to affect ecological integrity and visitor experience in some parks, says environmental science professor Glen Hvenegaard.

Will wildfires get too intense to fight?

It's the few, extreme fires that do most of the damage, says researcher Mike Flannigan

The science behind wildfires

The severity and length of wildfire seasons can be linked to climate change, says wildfire scientist Mike Flannigan

Scientists developing coding systems to read animals' facial expressions

Construction of $25-million Aga Khan garden reaches halfway point

Construction of a multimillion-dollar, Islamic-inspired garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden has officially reached the halfway point.

Uncontrollable wildfires could double in Canada due to climate change

Higher temperatures mean drier vegetation and more lightning, and that leads to more fires, says wildland fire professor Mike Flannigan.

Connecting The Dots

Dean Stan Blade talks to Grainswest magazine about the student experience and the impact our graduates have on food security and the bioeconomy.

Lightning storms predicted to spark more fires in North American boreal forests

Unless we change the way we do things, that won't change, says wildland fire expert Mike Flannigan.

'It could get much, much worse'

Weather could exacerbate B.C. wildfire situation, says Mike Flannigan, the University of Alberta's wildland fire expert.

Conditions fuelling wildfires

Wet winters can actually increase risk of fires because they promote biomass growth, says Mike Flannigan.

Wildfire readiness stepped up as heatwave drags on

Wildfire readiness stepped up as heatwave drags on

Southern Alberta heat wave raises wildfire concerns

Fire officials around southern Alberta are bracing themselves for hot, dry weather conditions that increase the risk of wildfires.

Lightning-Caused Fires on the Rise in the World's Largest Forest

New NASA study shows how lightning is driving fire and pushing it north, with a likely link to climate change.

National pulses competition yields some tasty winning foods

Pulse Canada held its annual national Mission: ImPULSEible food product development competition, giving students - and pulses - a chance to shine

You want pollinators to make their home on your range

There are scores of native pollinators in Alberta - and the more you have on your rangeland, the better

Why do women's clothes never seem to fit?

Women's clothing sizes are based on the corseted and girdled dress form of the 1940s, says Anne Bissonnette, co-curator of the student-built exhibit Misfits: Bodies, Dress and Sustainability.

Painted ladies fly by

Alberta should soon see a rare butterfly migration as weather pushes them north to Canada

Influx of painted lady butterflies expected in Alberta in July

Last mass migration this far north was in 2005

Can a high protein diet help cancer patients live longer?

Health reporter Su-Ling Goh interviews researcher Carla Prado about her study that gives colorectal cancer patients high-protein diets in order to boost their muscle mass and potentially improve survival rates.

Canada is using genetics to make cows less gassy

The Genome Canada project, co-led by Paul Stothard in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, is identifying cows that produce fewer greenhouse gases, with the goal of shipping their bull semen to regions that lack the resources to develop greener cows.

Your bicycle is your buddy, Edmonton research suggests

Bike riding allows people to express feelings about their personality and freedom, says Karly Coleman.

University of Alberta researcher studies cyclist identities

Cyclists feel their bike is an important part of who they are, much the way car owners do, says researcher Karly Coleman.

Green and Gold Community Garden Story

Professor Emerita Shirley Ross, a 2017 Community Connections Award-winner, explains how UAlberta's Green & Gold Community Garden teaches people with no prior experience how to garden, and is the core funder for a women's counselling and education group in rural Rwanda.

Bonding with your bike

Karly Coleman explains how and why people form connections with their bikes and how that enhances their relationships to their environment and their past.

Cyclists form bonds with bikes, University of Alberta researcher says

Karly Coleman discusses her master's thesis on how people's identities are connected to their bikes. Also reported in Cycling Weekly and Canadian Cycling Magazine.

University of Alberta exhibit highlights the absurd reality of women's clothing sizes

An exhibit by human ecology students says that standards more than 75 years out-of-date are still used in sizing women's wear, and that's detrimental to the environment.

Bananas: the fight is on but the banana we know may lose

The world's most popular banana species is under attack from a powerful fungus, but Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, explains the work being done to produce resistance and create diversity of choice.

Antibiotic-free Meat Unappetizing When it Comes to Animal Welfare

Ryan Jespersen Show: Agriculture economist Ellen Goddard talks about risks of antibiotic-free meat. Clip starts at 7:06.

University of Alberta food economist has a beef with 'antibiotic-free' label

Ellen Goddard says that misunderstandings of what the term 'antibiotic-free' means animal welfare could be threatened.

Test

I love the animals

Our Edmonton: Interview with Harold Lehman of the Dairy Research Technology Centre at South Campus

The jewel of our faculty

Our Edmonton: Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, explains the innovative research taking place on the University of Alberta's South Campus farm site.

Inside a unique agriculture museum in Edmonton

Our Edmonton: Jack Francis, curator of the Faculty of ALES Agricultural Museum, shares highlights of the collection.

Anne Bissonnette's full interview on Radio Active podcast, May 18, 2017

Anne Bissonnette discusses the historical reasons why women's garments are inaccurately sized.

Chaos When it comes to women's clothes that's about the size of it. expert says

CBC Radio, Radioactive: Material culture professor Anne Bissonnette says that many shoppers blame themselves when clothing doesn't fit, but the problem is with the industry. Story also aired in French on Radio Canada.

Misfits exhibit on CBC Edmonton News

CBC TV, Edmonton News: A profile of the Misfits exhibit in the Department of Human Ecology starts at 28:34 of this news show.

Edmonton researcher has theory about why women's clothing never fits quite right

Metro Edmonton: Fashion historian Anne Bissonnette explains what the new Misfits exhibition illustrates about sizing inconsistencies.

University of Alberta seeks colorectal cancer patients for nutrition study

Edmonton Journal: Carla Prado's ongoing study on the effect that high-protein diets have on the muscle mass of colorectal cancer patients is highlighted.

Alberta cattle industry isnt just beef -- milk cows give the province a dairy air

Edmonton Journal: Responding to President Trump's complaints about Canada's unfair competition in the dairy industry, agricultural economist Ellen Goddard says our national supply management system evolved over decades to help smooth out volatile prices for a highly perishable product.

Grappling with food inequality in food energy and water research

India Climate Dialogue: Environmental sociologist Debra Davidson says that a new field of research about food, water and energy security needs to involve social scientists who study how people make decisions and how those decisions are influenced by inequality.

Meat purchases linked to views on animal care

Western Producer: People have set ideas about how animals should be treated which do not change, and which influence their decisions to eat meat, said agricultural economist Ellen Goddard.

This is how the food industry is tricking you into making unhealthy choices

Global TV: Nutrition professor Rhonda Bell says that by emphasizing or de-emphasizing certain ingredients in snack foods and beverages on packaging or in advertising, manufacturers give the impression that the products are healthy despite a lack of evidence to back up the claims.

There's a fine line between average and excellent performing bison herds

Alberta Farmer: Students in Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology have created a multi-year benchmarking study that compares performance indicators in Alberta and Saskatchewan bison herds.

How pickin cans with my dad shaped my view of Canada

CBC Radio: Arlana Bennett, a graduate student in the Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, penned a powerful Canada 150 essay about racism, poverty and her father's dignity.

Aga Kahn drops $25 million gift on University of Alberta Botanic Garden

Edmonton Journal: North America's largest Islamic-inspired garden to open in summer of 2018

Curry flavoured granola bar wins Mission ImPULSEible

Alberta Farm Express: UAlberta students won first and second place in the food development competition sponsored by Alberta Pulse Growers, Pulse Canada, and the Leduc Food Processing Development Centre.

Preventing farmland from development comes with a price

Western Producer: Farmland is still being paved over between Edmonton and Calgary, says environmental economist Brent Swallow, because developers want to be near large cities and a major highway.

Bananas in good research hands

Edmonton AM, CBC Radio: Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of ALES, explains why the world's banana industry is once again at risk from a new strain of disease.

Made in Edmonton accessible clothing keeps winter adventurers warm

Metro Edmonton: Garments developed by Human Ecology design studies professor Megan Strickfaden allow people with mobility challenges to enjoy outdoor activities in extreme winter weather.

New clothing for people with mobility issues

Edmonton AM, CBC Radio: Audio interview with Megan Strickfaden, co-designer of clothing that lets people with mobility challenges enjoy the outdoors in cold weather.

Botanic garden in Devon renamed University of Alberta Botanic Garden

Edmonton Journal: The province's largest botanic garden was christened with a new name Tuesday to become the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.

Level of toxic metals found in Athabasca River is normal: University of Alberta studies

Edmonton Journal: Three studies show that the section of the Athabasca River that runs near the Fort McMurray oilsands does not contain higher-than-usual levels of toxic metals

Concerns over oilsands river contamination overstated scientist says

Globe and Mail/Canadian Press: New research from the University of Alberta suggests concerns about contaminants in the Athabasca River from the oilsands may be overstated.

Dry winter could lead to active wildfire season in Alberta

Global News Edmonton: Mike Flannigan, the director of the Western Partnership for Wildland Fire Science, said a fairly dry winter creates conditions similar to those that caused last year's blaze in Fort McMurray and the 2011 fire in Slave Lake.

Alberta's agri-food business is leaving money on the table committee hears

Edmonton Journal: Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, told a legislative committee this week that Alberta should aim to double agri-food production by 2025.

Caring for your partner boosts mental health in future

CBC News Network: Human Ecology professor Matt Johnson's study on couples' relationships and mental health was also covered by CBC's The World At Six, UK Daily Mail, Men's Fitness and 10 other international media outlets.

Some partners need extra loving this Valentines Day

WBRC, Fox 6 News: Birmingham TV station picks up on Matthew Johnson's research that shows providing a romantic partner with support when they are stressed is associated with improved self-esteem and lower risk of depression in the future.

University of Alberta researcher shares scientific formula for love

Edmonton Journal: Human Ecology professor Adam Galovan teamed up with researchers in the United States to identify five elements needed to keep an intimate relationship alive, happy and loving.

Love is the drug that can help a depressed partner, researchers say

Daily Mail: Study co-authored by Human Ecology professor Matthew Johnson finds that support provided to a stressed person by their romantic partner has an impact on their future feelings of self-worth and depression.

Fort McMurray seeing big spike in water treatment costs

CBC Radio: Video includes water researcher Uldis Silins who has worked with the province and the municipality to monitor the wildfire's impact on the Athabasca River.

Costing the Earth

BBC Radio 4: Mike Flannigan, professor of Wildland Fire in the Department of Renewable Resources, is interviewed in a half-hour radio documentary about how wildfires engulfed Fort McMurray in May 2016.

Precision feeding raises reproductive potential of hens

Western Producer: Poultry researcher Martin Zuidhof has helped develop the world's first system of feeding broiler-breeders at just the right time, so that the birds don't have to store nutrients.

Research suggests healthy gut bacteria guts can be transferred from pig to pig

Farmscape: Ben Willing's early research shows that microorganisms in the guts of pigs that help ward off disease can be transferred to other pigs to improve their health.

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