Congratulations to Jacynthe Masse, a PRSSS director, who is the 2015 recipient of the AICF Ivarson Soils Scholarship!
Press Release from the Agricultural Institute of Canada Foundation:
OTTAWA, 2 June, 2015 – The Agricultural Institute of Canada Foundation (AICF) is pleased to announce that Ms. Jacynthe Masse is the 2015 recipient of the Karl C. Ivarson Scholarship for graduate students in soil science and related studies.
Ms. Masse is completing her PhD program in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her doctoral research is on nitrogen cycling processes and microbial communities to establish links between soil functions and soil microbial activity in reconstructed oil sands soils and in naturally-disturbed soils in Alberta. She believes the oil sands will be Canada’s environmental legacy and that a deep understanding of soil formation and soil functioning is one of the keys to successfully restoring ecosystems.
Passionate about soil science and encouraging children to become interested in the topic, Ms. Masse started a long-term partnership with an organization that offers summer camps for children in Evans Lake, BC. Together they have been developing activities to introduce children to soil science. She introduces local school children to soils at the UBC botanical garden and is a Director on the executive board of the Pacific Regional Society of Soil Science. She is also on the pedology sub-committee in charge of developing and testing the new soil order of Canada for the upcoming 4 th edition of the Canadian soil classification system.
Ms. Masse is currently translating and developing learning activities in French for an award-winning virtuallearning website on soil science developed at UBC and will be presenting this at the Soil Science Education and Outreach session at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Soil Science in Montreal in July 2015. She is alsoco-chairing a session called “Microbial provision of essential services across managed and natural ecosystems” to be presented at the same meeting.
Ms. Masse hopes to become a university professor, to continue doing research to discover more about how soils work while teaching their importance to students. This scholarship was created by Dr. Karl C. Ivarson through a gift to the Agricultural Institute of Canada Foundation. Dr. Ivarson’s wish was to provide financial support to a student(s) entering second or subsequent year of graduate studies in soil science (in areas of agriculture, agro-ecology, resource management, environment, geology or other related disciplines) at a recognized Canadian university.
The award recipients are recognized for their academic achievements, areas of study, leadership and career interests.
The Agricultural Institute of Canada Foundation is a federally registered charitable organization with a long record of inspiring knowledge and understanding of the importance of sustainable agriculture.
For further information contact:
Frances Rodenburg
Manager, Agricultural Institute of Canada Foundation
manager@aicfoundation.ca
www.aicfoundation.ca