Lauren Erland, the director of berry horticulture research at the University of the Fraser Valley, was recently appointed a Canada Research Chair.
For the next five years Erland will study climate resilience of berry horticultural systems and ecosystems. Erland will be conducting her research in a renovated space on the UFV Chilliwack campus at Canada Education Park. The Berry Environmental Resilience Research and Innovation (BERRI) lab will provide state-of-the-art technology where Erland can examine plants and berries down to a single molecule.
“I’m excited to do this, and I’m particularly excited to do this at UFV,” Erland says. “The agriculture program is one of our flagship programs, and to be able to help that program grow is a great opportunity.”
The news is finally out! Allow me to introduce myself as Canada Research Chair, Berry Horticulture (Tier II) & with the support of @InnovationCA JELF funding the shiny new BERRI Lab will be open Summer 2024! https://t.co/A3vaQZ4o3f pic.twitter.com/ZfTNfnHaH7
— Lauren Erland (@plantdrlauren) March 13, 2024
Erland is a tier-two chair. For each researcher the institution receives $100,000 annually for five years, with an additional $20,000 annual research stipend for first-term tier-two chairs like Erland.
Erland explains that the research will help answer questions about why some plant varieties perform well under climate change and why some suffer. Very little is known about environmental adaptions of berry species.
Erland’s research has the potential to develop field-level interventions, such as a new product or introducing a variety that is more resilient.
“UFV is very pleased to receive the support and funding from the Canada Research Chair Program, which enables the university to support sustainable economic development of the agriculture sector and enhance the region’s food security,” says Garry Fehr, associate vice-president of research and graduate studies. “This wouldn’t be possible without the funding and dedicated time for research that these programs support.”
The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program is part of a national initiative to make Canada a top country in research and development. It funds ground-breaking research that has an effect on the lives of Canadians. Erland is the third current UFV professor to become part of the CRC program, along with Keith Carlson and Cindy Jardine.
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