Digvir Jayas

Distinguished Professor Dr. Digvir S. Jayas was educated at the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, India; the University of Manitoba, and the University of Saskatchewan. Before assuming the position of Vice-President (Research and International), he held the position of Vice-President (Research) for two years and Associate Vice-President (Research) for eight years. Prior to his appointment as Associate Vice-President (Research), he was Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Department Head of Biosystems Engineering, and Interim Director of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. He is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Registered Professional Agrologist. Dr. Jayas is a former Tier I (Senior) Canada Research Chair in Stored-Grain Ecosystems. He conducts research related to drying, handling and storing grains and oilseeds and digital image processing for grading and processing operations in the Agri-Food industry. He has authored or co-authored over 900 technical articles in scientific journals, conference proceedings and books dealing with issues of storing, drying, handling and quality monitoring of grains. He has collaborated with researchers in several countries but has had significant impact on the development of efficient grain storage, handling and drying systems in Canada, China, India, Ukraine and USA. Dr. Jayas has received awards from several organizations in recognition of his research and professional contributions. He is the recipient of the 2017 Sukup Global Food Security Award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and the 2008 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Brockhouse Canada Prize. In 2009, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He has received professional awards from the Agriculture Institute of Canada, Applied Zoologists Research Association (India), American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba, Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, Canadian Academy of Engineering, Canadian Society for Bioengineering, Engineers Canada, Engineering Institute of Canada, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (India), National Academy of Sciences (India) and Sigma Xi. Dr. Jayas serves on the boards or committees of many organizations including: ArcticNet, Cancer Care Manitoba Projects Grants and Awards Committee, Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO), Composite Innovation Centre, Engineers Canada, Centre for Innovative Sensing of Structures (SIMTReC), Genome Prairie, GlycoNet, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, National Coordinating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID), North Forge Technology Exchange, NSERC Council, Oceans Research in Canada Alliance Council, Research Manitoba, Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology, RITHIM Steering Committee, and TRIUMF. He has served as the President of Agriculture Institute of Canada, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba (Engineers and Geoscientists Manitoba), Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, Canadian Society for Bioengineering, Engineers Canada, and Manitoba Institute of Agrologists. He currently chairs the board of directors of RESOLVE, a prairie research network on family violence; TRIUMF, and Smartpark Advisory Committee.