It’s not too late to submit your abstract for the NABEC-CSBE/SCGAB 2012 conference in Orillia, Ontario, July 15-18! The deadline for submission has been extended to Friday, 10 February 2012.

Come join your friends and colleagues on the new campus of Lakehead University!

ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE School of Environmental Sciences

Assistant Professor Position — Tenure Track

Environmental Management of Agricultural Resources School of Environmental Sciences Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph

The School of Environmental Sciences of the University of Guelph invites applications from outstanding candidates for a full-time, tenure track, position at the Assistant Professor level in the area of environmental management of agricultural resources. The successful candidate will be located at the Ridgetown Campus and have the responsibility for developing an independent research program addressing environmental issues relevant to the Canadian/Ontario Agri-food system. Minimum qualifications are a Ph.D. in agricultural engineering, or agricultural or environmental sciences. Applicants must have clear potential for securing research funding, teaching diploma and undergraduate degree courses, and a strong interest in extension of research to key stakeholders. The start date is negotiable, but it is hoped that the incumbent will take up the post not later than May, 2012.
The successful applicant will engage in: research (40%); extension and service (20%); and diploma and degree program teaching and supervising graduate students (40%). Applicants should be able to teach courses at the degree and diploma level in some or all of these areas: agricultural engineering, agricultural resource management and environmental science. Research specialization should be focused on environmental issues relevant to agriculture in Ontario/Canada and could include but is not limited to: agricultural waste/nutrient management, biofuel/biomass crop use, or agricultural water use management.

The position resides at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph -200 km southwest of Guelph, in the heart of one of the most productive and diverse agricultural regions of Canada. The campus has recognized strengths in applied agriculture, economics, bio-resource management, and environmental sciences. Further information can be obtained at www.ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca. Although resident at Ridgetown, the incumbent will hold a faculty position within the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph. Further information can be obtained at www.ses.uoguelph.ca.

The University of Guelph is committed to an employment equity program that includes special measures to achieve diversity among its faculty and staff. We therefore particularly encourage applications from qualified Aboriginal Canadians, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and women. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Salary is negotiable and commensurate with qualifications. Consideration of applications will begin on February 15, 2012 and will continue until the position is filled.

Candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement and full contact details for three professional references, directly to: Ms. Jo-Anne Scarrow Secretary to the Director School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph Guelph, ON N1G 2M7 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

The Society reminds members to send award nominations to the Award Committee by JANUARY 31.

Eligibility for the Award

Only CSBE/SCGAB  members in good standing may nominate or co-nominate candidates for the Society's awards. The recipient shall be a member of CSAE/SCGR except for nominees for the Industrial Award. The recipient shall have made noteworthy contributions of achievement as described above in "The Award". SEE AWARDS AVAILABLE.

Instructions for Preparing a Nomination

Please use the nomination form for submitting a nomination. The nominator of the candidate for the Award shall submit a nomination to the Chair of the CSAE/SCGR Awards Committee by January 31. Any signed letters of support can be included with the nomination or emailed to the attention of Chair, Awards Committee by the January 31 due date. Prior notification, to the Chair of the committee, of intent to submit a nomination would be appreciated. An e-mail or FAX when the nomination process is started would suffice.

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Attn: Awards Committee Chair
Mail: CSBE/SCGAB,  2028 Calico Crescent, Orleans, ON, K4A 4L7 , Attn: Awards Committee Chair

The Northeast Agricultural and Biological Conference (NABEC) and the Canadian Society for Bioengineering (CSBE/SCGAB) are pleased to invite your participation in the workshops preceding the joint annual meeting in Orillia, ON, Canada, 15 July, 2011. These stimulating and informative half-day workshops will be presented by leading experts, and geared toward practicing professionals, government and industry representatives, and students in programs related to bioengineering. Participants in the workshops will be will be eligible to receive Continuing Professional Development credit from their professional engineering associations.

• Biogas: Technical Approaches to Farm-Based Systems. This workshop will provide participants with a detailed understanding of the systems and equipment, and operational considerations for farm-based biogas systems.  The workshop will be run by Jake DeBruyn, Engineer for New Technology Integration with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  
• Composting Facilities: Design Challenges and Solutions. This workshop will review current design practices and technologies for municipal and agricultural composting facilities for organic waste recycling. The workshop will be coordinated by the Canada Composting Council.
• Energy Crop Production. This workshop will provide an analysis and understanding of the issues involved in production of biomass energy crops. The workshop will be run by Tim Rennie, professor of agricultural engineering at the Kemptville Campus of the University of Guelph.
• Nanotechnology: Practical Solutions in Agriculture, Food and Biological Systems. This workshop is focused on the development, advancement, and deployment of nanotechnology in the agricultural and food industry. The workshop will be run by Suresh Neethirajan (University of Guelph).

Further information about the workshops will be made available on the conference website: http://www.bioeng.ca/events . NABEC and CSBE/SCGAB gratefully acknowledge the support and involvement of the participating the organizations.

The web site has a new section to promote NABEC – CSBE / SCGAB Joint Meeting and Technical Conference (http://www.bioeng.ca/nabec-csbe2012) that will be held in Orillia (ON) in July 2012. This event portal also provides a papers submission system and an online registration system for both organizations.

The Perspectives Newsletter has been published traditionally in PDF format and since 1 year in HTML format (http://www.bioeng.ca/perspectives-news/latest-news). Statistics show that only few people downloaded the last PDF Newsletter (about 3%). If members prefer HTML, we will probably stop publishing the PDF format. So we would like to know your preference: PDF or HTML? Please vote here: http://www.bioeng.ca/members/surveys.

On August 2010, our online community was launched. Since then, about 180 CSBE members and people from outside the Society have subscribed. But the community activities remain very low according to publications on the wall, group discussions, and profile updates. Considering this, we would like to know if the actual website-based community should be maintained or should we use popular social network such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. We want to hear you: http://www.bioeng.ca/members/surveys. Thanks for your opinion!

I would like to invite member to publish relevant content for our members by joining us on Facebook. Also, one of our objective is to have by June 2012 at least 5 active bloggers (on www.bioeng.ca/members/blogs) to publish original content in their domain or field of interest related to bioengineering. This could make the Society a great source of up-to-date original content along with others traditional publications.

Fall Convocation at the University of Saskatchewan

Fall Convocation at the University of Saskatchewan was held on October 22, 2011 at TCU Place in downtown Saskatoon. Phani K. Adapa (Thesis: Densification of Selected Agricultural Crop Residues as Feedstock for the Biofuel Industry) and Eric E. Veikle (Thesis: Modeling the Power Requirements of a Rotary Feeding and Cutting System) were awarded Ph.D. degrees. Awarded M.Sc. degree were: 1) Alvin C. Alvarado (Thesis: Control of Hydrogen Sulphide, Amonia and Odour Emissions from Swine Barns using Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles; 2) Patricia D. Lung (Thesis: Anaerobic Digestion for Integrated Ethanol Production); and Crystal D. Rinas (Thesis: Simulated Plume Development and Decommissioning Using the Breakthrough Curves of Five Cations). During this convocation, Chelsey A. Bartlett received her Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree in Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering. Congratulations to all graduates!

Update from the University of Saskatchewan Biological Engineering Task Force

The Task Force has started meeting again with representation from within the department, the College of Engineering, and other units on campus. The committee will develop a proposed program based on desired graduate characteristics and attributes and the activities and learning experiences that can help produce those attributes. From there, potential courses will be listed and gaps determined between what is available on campus and what would be proposed. The proposed timeline is to have the "ideal" list of course topics by February, gap analysis between "ideal" and existing in March, and a proposal ready to be distributed to the College in April with a vote by Faculty Council in May.

The executive summary of the Task Force’s Phase One report is below. The recommendations have been received by the Dean, but have not been accepted nor widely discussed in the College at this time.

Ross Welford

Chair Biological Engineering Task Force

Executive Summary of Phase One Report by Task Force (May, 2011)

The Task Force was asked to determine if or how an undergraduate Biological Engineering (“BLE”) program could fit in the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. BLE is a unique discipline that has a foundation in biology in addition to the core analytical tools that are common to all engineering disciplines. This foundation would prepare students to contribute to society in a wide range of applications. After seeking input from a number of sources including within the College, from other engineering programs, from alumni, and through a set of independent market research interviews, the committee recommends that a flexible BLE program with a base of Biology be developed to meet future needs.

With major research institutions and a unique suite of professional academic programs already in place, a BLE program would have a natural fit at the University of Saskatchewan. Within the College, a BLE program could complement all of the existing programs and serve as an effective pathway into post-graduate programs in Biomedical Engineering. Trends are recognized that our energy-based society will become increasingly reliant on bio-based solutions. With predictions that the bioeconomy will continue to grow, the College could be a leader in preparing engineers with a background in biology to benefit society. In order to develop and maintain a critical mass of expertise in BLE, the committee recommends that the Biology base be delivered via a program rather than as a collection of options in other programs.

The vision for an accredited engineering program is based on integrating biology into engineering to produce graduates that will lead in the emerging bio-economy and related fields. Guiding principles for the program have been outlined and intended learning outcomes are described based on the graduate attributes as required by accrediting bodies (Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, 2010). A concept for the program is described that has Living Systems at its core which refers to the interactions within living systems and the interactions with living systems. The program would not have specific options or streams but would have a broad base that could prepare students to specialize with further study in areas such as Food Availability and Security, Animal and Human Health, Bioresource Production and Utilization, and Sustainable Development within Ecosystems.

In looking toward the future, the Task Force recommends that the College proceed in the development of a BLE program by further defining the curriculum for a BLE program, producing a resource budget for delivering the program, and to consider alternate processes for admitting students into BLE and its other programs to ensure full intake of students. By acting on these recommendations, the College could take a proactive role in preparing future leaders for the upcoming challenges to be solved for society.

The University of Saskatchewan Sled Dogs ¼ Scale Tractor Team is on a roll!

For a second consecutive year, the University of Saskatchewan Sled Dogs have come in 4th place at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International ¼ Scale Tractor Student Design Competition, held annually in Peoria, Illinois. Every year, the Sled Dogs design and build a ¼ scale pulling tractor, following rules outlined by the competition and building on past experiences. While at competition, the Sled Dogs compete against other student teams from across North America, in events ranging from manoeuvrability and sound testing, to static design judging and marketing presentation to the main event; the tractor pulls.

The University of Saskatchewan team, founded in 2002, is composed of students at the U of S in agricultural, mechanical and electrical engineering. All years and disciplines are welcome, and an agricultural background is not required. Senior members design and build a new model to compete with in the A-Team class. Junior members of the team compete with the X-Team tractor; the previous year’s model with at least three major modifications.

The 2011 University of Saskatchewan Sled Dog ¼ Scale Tractor Team with
A-team tractor (left) and X-Team tractor (right)

The 2011 tractor featured a single 31 hp Briggs and Stratton Big Block engine, CVT and transaxle from a John Deere Gator, reduced weight and a bold new look. Its most innovative features included data logging capabilities, which won the team the Campbell Scientific Award at competition, and a dynamic ballast system. The team was able to fine-tune some driveline components to finish 4th in the pulls, an improvement from 6th in 2010. The team also enhanced their writing skills to finish 3rd in the written design report.

The first ever X-team to come from the U of S competed in 2011, and finished 3rd place overall. They modified the 2010 tractor, adding a roll-over protection system (ROPS), electric assist steering and actually improved pulling performance by reducing the number of engines from three 16 hp Briggs and Stratton Vanguards to two. They also blew the competition away with their oral presentation to finish 1st in the category.

The 2012 season is now well underway. The A-Team has a preliminary design nailed down, with plans to start building in the new year. The 2012 tractor will have a lower profile with more stylized body work. Following in the 2011 tractor’s footsteps, power will be coming from a 31 hp Briggs and Stratton engine to feed a CVT/transaxle combination. The X-Team has run a fine-toothed comb over the 2011 tractor looking for ways to improve it and take it to the next level. They have plans to lower the operator platform and hood, relocate the exhaust and air intake, as well as creating the next generation of dynamic ballast.

The ASABE competition has been an annual event for 15 years. It was created by members of the equipment industry who realized that when students graduate, they are lacking many hands-on skills. The competition remains judged by representatives from major industry players including John Deere, Case-New Holland, Caterpillar, AGCO and Briggs and Stratton. The 2012 competition will again be held in Peoria, running form May 31 to June 3, 2012.

For more information on the U of S Sled Dogs, please visit www.quarterscale.usask.ca, or email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and for more information on the competition, please visit www.asabe.org and search “¼ scale tractor”.

July 15-18, 2012

LakeheadUniversity,

July 15-18, 2012LakeheadUniversity,Orillia, Ontario

For the first time since 2001, the Canadian Society for Bioengineering (CSBE/SCGAB) will join together with the Northeast Agricultural & Biological Engineering Conference (NABEC) for our annual technical conference. It will be held from July 15th through the 18th, 2012.

NABEC is a community of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and invited CSBE/SCGAB to join them as we were planning to meet in Eastern Canada. There is considerable membership overlap as CSBE/SCGAB members resident in Eastern Canadian provinces are also members of NABEC. Members of both organizations are also members of ASABE.

NABEC has traditionally had an emphasis on student presentations both graduate and undergraduate and a delightful mix of 10 minute presentations by members and students. Their term for this is to "relax professionally".

CSBE/SCGAB has had more emphasis on 15 to 20 minute presentations in "themed" technical sessions. This organization also encourages student participation and, as well, supports undergraduate students through awards to each teaching institution for the best undergraduate design project and best undergraduate thesis.

With the joint nature of this conference, presentations could be made in either the long or the short format.

The Technical Conference includes the plenary sessions, technical papers, student poster sessions, a banquet, an evening barbeque, preconference workshops and post conference tours.

The Site

The conference will be held at the Orillia campus of Lakehead University located on the edge of the town in a rural setting. The brand new facilities, which opened only last year, are built to a LEEDS standard utilizing both geothermal heating and green roof technology. Accommodations will be available on this site in the student residence, as well as at the Best Western Hotel and Comfort Inn less than 3 km away into Orillia.

Preconference Workshops

A number of preconference workshops will be offered on Sunday. These stimulating and informative half-day workshops will be presented by leading experts, and geared toward practicing professionals, government and industry representatives, and students in programs related to bioengineering. Participants in the workshops will be will be eligible to receive Continuing Professional Development credit from their professional engineering associations.

• Biogas: Technical Approaches to Farm-Based Systems. This workshop will provide participants with a detailed understanding of the systems and equipment, and operational considerations for farm-based biogas systems.  The workshop will be run by Jake DeBruyn, Engineer for New Technology Integration with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  
• Composting Facilities: Design Challenges and Solutions. This workshop will review current design practices and technologies for municipal and agricultural composting facilities for organic waste recycling. The workshop will be coordinated by the Canada Composting Council.
• Energy Crop Production. This workshop will provide an analysis and understanding of the issues involved in production of biomass energy crops. The workshop will be run by Tim Rennie, professor of agricultural engineering at the Kemptville Campus of the University of Guelph.
• Nanotechnology: Practical Solutions in Agriculture, Food and Biological Systems. This workshop is focused on the development, advancement, and deployment of nanotechnology in the agricultural and food industry. The workshop will be run by Suresh Neethirajan (University of Guelph).

Further information about the workshops will be made available on the conference website: www.bioeng.ca/events. NABEC and CSBE/SCGAB gratefully acknowledge the support and involvement of the participating the organizations.

Post Conference Tours

A post conference tour is planned for Wednesday to the Holland Marsh, a 3000 hectare area of muck land which has been supplying Ontario with vegetable crops for 100 years. On the tour we will see the reclaimed muck land, the $25 million reworking of the drainage works, the muck crops research station, the greenhouse hydroponics projects and winery.

The Area

Orillia is located in the heart of Ontario’s vacation country 90 minutes north of Toronto in an area known as the Muskokas. It is famous for its beautiful lakes and rivers and its summer activities – boating, fishing, hiking and camping. The wooden pleasure boat industry was and is centred in nearby Gravenhurst. Consider extending time at the conference into a summer family vacation to explore the area.

Visit the CSBE/SCGAB website and follow the links on the front page to the NABEC - CSBE/SCGAB Technical Conference for more information on the conference including the technical programs, area attractions, vacation ideas and registration information as it becomes available. It is updated regularly. Registration and room reservations will open on February 15th.

Come join us in Orillia. We look forward to hosting you in 2012!

Last months, I received a couple of calls about available technologies to artificially dry agricultural products, more specifically hay (for dairy or horses) and wood chip from short rotation woody crop. I have some information from our own experiements and visits but I'm sure that I missed a lot. So I would like to start a database project to list commercial and home-made drying technologies.

If you own, develop or intend to acquire a comercial dryer, fell free to contact me to discuss about it ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). I will send you a spreadsheet to fill in technical information.

Thanks for your interest and cooperation!

The Canadian Society for Bioengineering Foundation offers funding to eligible student teams that participate in a recognized bioengineering competition. The Foundation thereby encourages students to gain team work experience and to learn by comparing their efforts and ideas with others. Such projects also provide visibility for engineering and its role in improving agriculture, the food system and the environment.

Learn more about this program