The University of the Fraser Valley has named Dr. Garry Fehr as the new director of its Agriculture Centre of Excellence (ACE).
Fehr, a faculty member of the geography and the environment department, will work with stakeholders in the agriculture sector to develop new opportunities, according to Dr. Adrienne Chan, associate vice-president of research, engagement, and graduate studies.
This is a three-year appointment in a newly established role.
“We are very committed to linking our activities and plans in the area of agricultural education, programming, and research to the priorities and needs of our communities and partners,” said Chan.
“Garry has the relevant experience in community outreach through his private sector experience and his time as a faculty member at UFV. We are very pleased to have him in this role.”
The Agriculture Centre of Excellence aims to promote and champion agricultural innovation in the areas of education, career development, research, and technology. It will be a hub for agriculture by bringing together expertise from the university, the agricultural industry, and industry stakeholders.
The multi-disciplinary approach aims to encourage participation in research and program development from a number of disciplines and academic departments.
There are five broad areas of focus for the Agriculture Centre of Excellence: agribusiness and technology; food ingredients and value-added foods; sustainable production practices; skilled labour development and industry change; and rural entrepreneurship and agritourism.
Fehr came to his academic career as a mature student, after having worked for 19 years in the construction and primary resources services sector throughout British Columbia. During this time, he also provided leadership for several humanitarian aid projects in Latin America and India.
He completed his bachelor of arts in geography at Thompson Rivers University in 2003 and his PhD at the University of Guelph in 2008.
He joined the Geography and the Environment department at UFV in 2007.