Congratulations to Dr. Amy Newman, Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph, for receiving the 2020 Weston Family Research Innovation Award
The 2020 Weston Family Ecosystem Innovation Award, worth $10,000, is presented to Dr. Amy Newman, Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph, for excellence and innovation in scientific research on ecosystem services produced on farmland for the broader public good.
The 2020 Weston Family Research Innovation Award has been presented to Dr. Amy Newman, Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph.
The Weston Family Ecosystem Innovation Award recognizes researchers or ALUS Canada partners for excellence and innovation in scientific research on ecosystem services produced on farmland for the broader public good.
“Our Foundation is delighted to recognize Dr. Newman for her outstanding research on the potential of ecosystem services on Canadian farmland,” said Eliza Mitchell, Director, Weston Family Foundation. “This independent research on ALUS projects continues to highlight the important role farmers and ranchers play to restore biodiversity and habitat capacity on agricultural lands. As long-time supporters of ALUS Canada, we’re excited to see the success of this program and its positive effects on Canadian landscapes.”
Dr. Newman has spent the last decade investigating the impact of changes in the natural world and how those changes put stress on the physiology and behaviour of living creatures. She has investigated how environmental stressors affect brain development, reproduction and general fitness in a wide range of butterfly, bird and small mammal species, resulting in nearly 60 peer-reviewed papers published in academic journals.
What makes her research unique is that it takes traditional laboratory techniques and deploys them in the field, providing a dynamic field of research with a particular focus on how agricultural practices affect these biodiverse populations and the intricate web of life in the natural world.
“It is an honour to be recognized with the Weston Family Ecosystem Innovation Award,” said Dr. Newman. “I love ALUS so much. I feel like it’s the right place to be: it is fundamentally important to increase and protect biodiversity as an ecosystem service. I love being out in the field and actually chatting with producers who are excited about the interface between restoration, preservation and agricultural production. I can’t imagine how else you would develop those relationships in a meaningful way.”
The Weston Family Ecosystem Innovation Award has previously been presented to Dr. Wanhong Yang in 2018, and Dr. Andrew MacDougall in 2016.
The 2020 Dave Reid Award, which recognizes producers of ecosystem services on Canadian farms and ranches, was also presented today. For details follow this link.
