Ian Potter, PhD

President and CEO

EXPERTISE

• Corporate strategy development
• Leadership development
• Industry network development
• Expertise developing innovative business models 

Tania Humphrey, PhD

Vice President, Research & Development

EXPERTISE

• Research strategy and priority-setting
• Organizational development
• Strategic planning for results and impact
• Government relations

Chris McQueen, MBA

Vice President, Operations

EXPERTISE

• Financial sustainability planning
• Performance management
• Organizational development
• Building collaborative networks

Phillip Stephan, MBT

Vice President, Business & Client Development

EXPERTISE

• Relationship and partnership development
• Technology development/commercialization
• Intellectual property management

Hussam Haroun, M.Eng., M.E.E.I., P.Eng.

Director, Automation

EXPERTISE

• Power systems
• Cooling systems
• IT infrastructure
• Commercialization-driven research

Leen Alawieh, PhD

Research Scientist, Data Science

EXPERTISE

• Data analytics
• Machine learning
• Modeling and simulation
• Uncertainty quantification

Kyle Crawford

Senior Research Engineer, Systems Integration

EXPERTISE

• Mobile robotics
• Robotic manipulators
• Efficient production systems

Brian Lynch, PhD

Research Scientist, Robotics & Automation

EXPERTISE

• Guidance, navigation and control
• Computer vision
• Mobile robotics
• Adaptive systems
• Robotic manipulators

Rose Buitenhuis, PhD

Research Scientist, Biological Control

EXPERTISE

• Biological control
• Entomology
• Greenhouse pests
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

CROSS APPOINTMENTS

• Adjunct Faculty, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph

Ana Maria Pastrana Leon, PhD

Research Scientist, Plant Pathology

EXPERTISE

• Disease resistance
• Biostimulants and biocontrol agents
• Etiology, epidemiology and detection of plant pathogens
• Plant disease management

Amy Bowen, PhD

Research Director, Consumer Insights

EXPERTISE

• Consumer insights
• Consumer science
• Sensory evaluation
• Sensory panels (trained and untrained)
• Using consumer data to build marketing programs
• Certified sommelier

CROSS APPOINTMENTS

• Associated Graduate Faculty, Food Science, University of Guelph

Alexandra Grygorczyk, PhD

Research Scientist, Sensory & Consumer Services

EXPERTISE

• Consumer insights and sensory evaluation for ornamentals
• Edible garden plants
• Landscape roses
• Food science
• Best practices for ag-tech communication

CROSS APPOINTMENTS

• Adjunct Faculty & Special Graduate Faculty, Food Science, University of Guelph
• Associated Graduate Faculty, Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Guelph

Darby McGrath, PhD

Research Scientist, Environmental Horticulture

EXPERTISE

• Ecological restoration to increase urban tree survival
• Fertilization practices
• Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign consultation/plantings
• Greening the Canadian Landscape
• Soil remediation
• RootSmart propagation tray

CROSS APPOINTMENTS

• Adjunct Lecturer, Environment & Resource Studies, University of Waterloo
• Adjunct Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University

Qinglu Ying, PhD

Research Scientist, Plant Production

EXPERTISE

• Controlled environment plant production
• LED light application
• Plant physiology
• Nutrition
• Secondary metabolism

Travis Banks, MSc

Director, Plant Variety Development

EXPERTISE

• Bioinformatics
• DNA sequence analysis
• Genetic mapping
• Trait development in horticulture products

CROSS-APPOINTMENTS

• Special Graduate Faculty, Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph

Rachael LeBlanc, MSc

Apple Breeder

EXPERTISE

• Apple breeding
• Disease resistance
• Improved flavour
• Increased production efficiencies
• Trait development

David Liscombe, PhD

Research Scientist, Biochemistry

EXPERTISE

• Analytical chemistry
• Biochemical profiles for horticulture products
• Metabolites
• Plant biochemistry

CROSS-APPOINTMENTS

• Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biology, McMaster University
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Brock University

Michael Pautler, PhD

Head of Genomics Services,
Platform Genetics Inc.

EXPERTISE

• Applied genomics
• Trait development and increased production efficiencies
• Induced variation
• Reverse genetics
• Platformgenetics.ca

Valerio Primomo, PhD

Research Scientist, Vegetable Breeding

EXPERTISE

• Breeding locally-adapted greenhouse tomatoes
• Breeding sweet potatoes for early maturity
• Genetic mapping
• Marker-assisted selection
• Plant genetics