Kathleen Johnson, a new student under the supervision of Dr. Beth Parker, was recently awarded one of five Arrell Scholarships from the University of Guelph.
The Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph provides scholarships for emerging graduate-level scholars who are not only academically outstanding
but also passionately committed to ensuring that future generations are well fed, that diets are
nutritious and equitable, and that agriculture is sustainable.
Scholarship criteria are based on:
- Outstanding academic achievement;
- Relevance of proposed research and personal motivation to the vision of the Arrell Food Institute;
- Demonstration of commitment to public engagement, as evidenced in the CV; and an
- Interview with the scholarship selection committee for those applicants that are shortlisted.
Originally from Embro, Ont., an hour’s drive southwest of Guelph, Kathleen Johnson had these thoughts about her research and it’s relevance to the Arrell Scholarship requirements:
“My research will focus on understanding the flow and fate of agricultural and industrial contaminants in the fractured bedrock aquifer beneath the city of Guelph,” she says.
“This research will improve our understanding of the source and fate of the contaminants in these aquifers. Second, this knowledge will allow us to better prepare and ultimately manage agricultural operations to limit or mitigate contaminant occurrence, which will lead to improved water quality for growing food in a safe and sustainable manner in the future.”
Kathleen believes food production will be sustainable only within the limits of local and global water systems.
“Food research is not just about being able to produce enough food for our population but also ensuring everyone has access to affordable, high-quality food,” Johnson says.
“Going forward, we need to shape our food systems to reduce inequalities and be more sustainable. More research is needed before this can become a reality.”
Read about other 2017 Arrell Scholars at the University of Guelph website