From Canada to the Cosmos: The 2 Black Holes of Controlled Environment Plant Research

Mike Dixon, Director of the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility at U of G and Bioenterprise SIAC Advisor takes us on an agricultural odyssey – from the precision sensor technology necessary for biological life support and the transfer of knowledge to the agri-food sector, to a celebratory toast with Scotch whiskey on the Moon

By Tabitha Caswell for Bioenterprise

Mike Dixon’s arrival to this point in time can be equally attributed to chance fortuity and relentless determination. With a tenure spanning over 38 years in plant research and controlled environments, his unparalleled expertise underscores the role he plays as a thought leader, not only here in Canada, but around the world.

From the forests of New Brunswick to the infinite expanse of space, Mike has accumulated a payload of knowledge too hefty to unpack in one sitting. Here, however, this visionary takes us on a flyby, just close enough to probe the surface of his work.

Terrestrial Teachings from Trees

Deep within the dense woodlands of northern New Brunswick, young Mike Dixon was born into the business of forestry. Working alongside his father and brothers, from pulp cutting to fire surveillance, he took many of his early life lessons from trees. This impactful immersion made him a student of nature, chasing an insatiable curiosity that would span continents and beyond.

Dixon blazed an impressive academic trail, beginning at Mount Allison University, where he received a “peerless” master’s degree, as the sole graduate student in the entire institution. He then earned a PhD through the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, before completing a post-doc at the University of Toronto. Lured by the Horticultural Science department at the University of Guelph (U of G) Mike finally landed in Ontario.

Years of studying plant physiology and biophysics, enhanced by a keen knack for technical tinkering, contributed to Mike’s unique skill set – one geared naturally for his next pivotal step.

In the 1980s, when the newly minted Canadian Space Agency (CSA) hosted an open call for experts, Mike seized the opportunity. Pitching plants as the linchpin for interstellar life support, he soon found himself designing and building the first controlled environment greenhouse facility on the U of G campus. Here, as the pursuit of celestial travel became a global focus, Mike’s research began to orbit around solving the fundamental problems of growing plants in space, while also illuminating the terrestrial applications in earthly agriculture.

As a long-time and key member of the Science and Innovation Advisory Committee (SIAC) with Bioenterprise and Director of the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF) in Guelph, Ontario, Dixon continues to guide the next generation of innovators toward not only commercialization, but to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.