PARC’s team at the top
Quality work and a positive working environment are what three-site research centre’s brass is striving for.
By Susan McIver T
he science director and two research managers at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) are responsible for the overall leadership and co- ordination of research, plus ensuring smooth operations and a good working environment.
One of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s national network of 19 research centres, PARC consists of separate laboratories at Summerland, Agassiz and Kamloops.
Barry Grace, science director at PARC, is responsible for regional, national and international research programs.
“It’s exciting to work with world class scientists. Every day brings new issues, new ideas,” Grace said. The day-to-day operations at Summerland are co-ordinated by research manager Kenna MacKenzie, who assumed her duties in June. Antonet Svircev is acting research manager at Agassiz until a permanent manager is appointed. Svircev divides her time between Agassiz and the Vineland, Ontario, station, where she is a scientist specializing in tree fruit pathology. “It is very much a team effort,” Grace said.
Scientists at Summerland work to support local tree fruit, grape and wine industries.
“We also have excellent programs in food science and biotechnology,” Grace said.
Research emphasis at Agassiz is on field and greenhouse vegetables and berries, in addition to welfare and production of dairy cattle and poultry.
At Kamloops, work is focused on forage and livestock production.
12 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Fall 2010 SUSAN MCIVER
Barry Grace, science director, and Kenna MacKenzie, research manager, at the Pacific Agri-food Research Centre in Summerland.
The Summerland centre is the largest of the facilities, with approximately 120 full-time employees engaged in research and about 60 graduate students, post- doctoral fellows and visiting scientists from around the world. The scientists at all sites depend on field and maintenance crews, technicians and the support of computer, administrative and library staff.
Raised on an Ontario farm, Grace earned a PhD with a speciality in agro-meteorology from the University of Guelph in 1980.
He subsequently worked as a scientist on development projects in South America and Africa and for Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge. This was followed by a
management position in national coordination of environmental projects in Ottawa.
Grace assumed the duties as assistant director of PARC in 1998. He accepted several special assignments before competing in a national competition in 2005 that resulted in appointment to his current position as science director. “Instead of doing science myself, I
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