Thursday, 7 May 2020

Meet our 2020 crop of IPM Students!

The Beaverlodge Research Farm employs continuing high school and post-secondary students to support research and train new agricultural professionals.  In the IPM Program, we are very pleased to have five students join us for the 2020 growing season!  Read more about them...

Isaac Hudson Foy
Tia Malloff
Maiya Sears
Donovan Bosnich
Aarika Harpe

Meet our Students - Introducting Aarika!

Figure 1. Aarika in her farmyard in Valhalla Centre AB this spring.

Hello! My name is Aarika (Fig. 1) and I am one of the new student assistants in the IPM program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm during the summer months.

I am entering my third year of my Bachelor of Science degree with specialization in Psychology at the University of Alberta! I was raised on a farm in Valhalla Centre and look forward to becoming more aware and learning about entomology. I am so excited to be able to gain valuable experience in this program and to do field work/research.

I can’t wait to learn, contribute, and see what the next 4 months hold!

Meet our students - Introducing Donovan!

Hi there! I’m Donovan Bosnich (Fig. 1), one of the new Co-op studentsworking for the Beaverlodge Research Farm this Summer!

I am a third year student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Past jobs involved working with a lot of dead insects so I am very excited to be given the chance to work with live ones this time!

My passion for entomology started when I worked at a grape vineyard during one of my field courses. After fending off numerous crop pests in vines, I became fascinated with the diversity and life cycles of insects and decided to direct my studies towards learning more about these creepy crawlies!

Figure 1. Donovan holding a coconut in the Hawaiian Islands.

Meet our Students - Introducing Maiya!

Hello! My name is Maiya and I am a new student assistant in the IPM program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I will be working in the program for the next 4 months.

I am entering my third year of a Bachelor of Science at the University of Alberta, with a double major in Biological Sciences and Psychology. I am especially interested in ecology and evolutionary biology. I am eager to learn how these topics relate to the work of the IPM program.

Growing up on a grain farm, I developed a strong appreciation for agriculture and learned some basic information about crops in the Peace River region. I look forward to gaining further knowledge in this subject as I study the insects influencing crop growth and yield this summer.

Figure 1. Maiya scouting her family's field near Sexsmith AB.