BCRC announces mentorship program participants

(Kara Oosterhuis/RealAgriculture)

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has announced the participants in the 2021-22 Beef Researcher Mentorship program.

Following an open application process, four researchers from across Canada were selected:

  • Dr. Gleise Medeiros da Silva, who recently joined the faculty at the Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta as an assistant professor and is also the BCRC Hays Chair in Beef Production Systems. Dr. da Silva’s mentors are Fred Lozeman, mixed farmer at Claresholm, Alta. and Darren Bevans, general manager of Deseret Ranches, near Raymond, Alta.
  • Dr. Hari Prasad Poudel, forage breeding research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge Research and Development Centre. Dr. Poudel’s mentors are Doug Wray, co-owner and operator at Wray Ranch, and Graeme Finn of Southern Cross Livestock Ranch, near Madden, Alta.
  • Dr. Maria Ceballos Betancourt, assistant professor in beef cattle welfare and behaviour at the W.A. Ranches at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Betancourt’s mentors are Joyce Van Donkersgoed, DVM and feedlot owner/operator at Coaldale, Alta., and Jake Bueckert, managing owner of Driland Feeders at Warner, Alta.
  • Dr. Stephanie Terry, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre. Dr. Terry’s mentors are Dr. Christine Rosser, ruminant nutritionist at Coaldale Veterinary Clinic, and Ryan Kasko, general manager of Kasko Cattle Co.

The program provides opportunity for new researchers to be paired with two mentors, one who is a producer, and one from industry, that are relevant matches to their career goals, as well as a travel budget to attend industry events.

Researchers are critical for the industry, says BCRC and engaging researchers who study cattle, beef, genetics, feed or forage production with the Canadian beef cattle industry is mutually beneficial. It allows researchers to be better informed of what the industry needs are, and are then more likely to share their findings with a practical, solution-based focus.

More information on the program can be found here.

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