The University of Windsor, well-known for superb engineering research programs, is using its strengths to take more of a position in agriculture.
The university is increasingly finding a niche in greenhouse research and studies with industry, driven by a branded program called Agriculture at University of Windsor…or as it’s popularly known, AgUWin.
AgUWin, launched in 2023, was created in response to the region’s rapidly expanding agri-food and greenhouse sector — more than 4,500 acres locally, second only to the Netherlands, and expected to double. Dr. Shanthi Johnson, the university’s vice-president of research, describes AgUWin as an initiative aimed at developing the basic and applied research that will advance agriculture technologies and the growing systems to support national food security.
Johnson says agriculture and food represents about five per cent of the university’s overall research activity, double the amount since AgUWin was created. Drs. Rupp Carriveau from Civil and Environmental Engineering and Isabelle Barrette-Ng from the Department of Integrative Biology co-lead the strategy, supported by a group of 25–30 faculty members whose research interests and work align with agriculture, food and related innovation areas.