Salwa Karboune, who became the new dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in August, has spent half of her life working at Macdonald Campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.
That wasn’t originally the plan.
“I did my PhD in France, and I was interested in coming to an English-speaking university [for a post-doctoral fellowship],” explains Karboune. “I thought I would be here for two, three years.”
She wasn’t really eyeing a career in teaching at the time, but when a teaching slot opened up because of a professor’s sabbatical, “I thought, ‘okay, this could be an interesting challenge.’ And it was a challenge. But I loved it. From that moment, I knew I wanted to go down this path.”
She has been at Macdonald Campus ever since. “Anyone who comes to Mac, they feel comfortable here. This is a very welcoming place,” says Karboune.
A professor in the Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, her lab focuses on improving the quality and functionality of food products using environmentally friendly methods.
The Faculty has a long history of nurturing close ties with the Quebec agricultural community and Karboune has contributed to that herself as the founder and scientific director of the Consortium for Research, Innovation and Transformation of Agri-Food (Consortium RITA), an initiative involving several Quebec universities and more than 250 agri-food businesses in support of the province’s food processing sector.
“When we talk about the environment, or sustainable water and land use, or feeding the world, or nutrition, or food safety, we can’t live without those things, right?”
Dean of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Salwa Karboune
Over the years, researchers at Macdonald Campus have also contributed often to international efforts to build resilient, sustainable agri-food systems and to improve access to safe, nutritious food around the world. “We have a long history here of having an impact both locally and globally,” says Karboune.
“One of my top priorities as dean will be to continue supporting our diverse and stimulating research community, so it remains open to the world, continues to share the knowledge it generates, and strengthens collaborations with institutions and partners.”
Before taking on her current position as dean, Karboune served two terms as the Faculty’s associate dean (research). She led a strategic planning process that resulted in new research priorities for the Faculty, and the research dollars flowing into Mac grew significantly on her watch. In that role, she developed an even keener appreciation for the quality of the work done by her colleagues.
Karboune says her Faculty’s professors perform exceptionally well by any measure. A high percentage of them hold chairs – Canada Research Chairs, endowed chairs and internal McGill chairs (James McGill Professors and William Dawson Scholars). They are also among McGill’s top performers in attracting research funding.
“I know [my colleagues] well, and I know how bold they are in their aspirations and how committed they are to this Faculty,” says Karboune. “My challenge is the infrastructure. It needs to be upgraded, it needs to be adapted, and it needs to be aligned with the ambitions of the people here.”
Karboune believes that the work being done at Macdonald Campus has never been more relevant.
“When we talk about the environment, or sustainable water and land use, or feeding the world, or nutrition, or food safety, we can’t live without those things, right?” The expertise of Mac’s researchers is in demand – and that might be something that can be leveraged.
“There could be opportunities to bring the users of our ecosystem, our research collaborators, and create new partnerships that would benefit us all,” Karboune says. “We wouldn’t be the first to do that. I know of agricultural faculties in Europe that have established a vibrant campus hub where students, researchers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, SMEs [small- and medium-sized enterprises], and R&D centres of international companies work together to collaborate and share knowledge. These vibrant ecosystems inspire innovation and accelerate the co-creation of solutions to pressing global challenges.”
Karboune also hopes to forge new alliances closer to home.
Her Faculty will be very involved in the new interdisciplinary McGill Sustainability Park being developed at the former site of the Royal Victoria Hospital.
“Almost everything we do in this Faculty touches on sustainability,” says Karboune. “So, we are quite excited about the Sustainability Park. It will be something unique in the world. I am very confident that my Faculty will play an important role in the Sustainability Park. And I am interested in fostering that interdisciplinarity in a way that benefits both of McGill’s campuses.”
Karboune believes that researchers at the Mac and main campuses would prosper from closer ties – and that partnerships involving the two don’t necessarily have to be headquartered downtown.
“We have one thing here that downtown doesn’t have,” says Karboune. “We have space for building new infrastructure. We have enough room here for more than one Faculty. I want to create stronger bonds between our campuses and one way to do that is by sharing infrastructure.” Karboune believes that closer ties between the downtown and Macdonald campuses could also pay dividends for students at both places.
“I think the new REM station in Saint-Anne [scheduled to open next spring] is going to be very helpful,” adds Karboune. “It will make [this campus] more accessible.”
Karboune says the job market looks promising for current Mac students.
“If you look at employment projections, jobs in agriculture and food sciences are expected to grow by eight per cent this decade, faster than most professions. So, we may need to train more agronomists, animal specialists, food scientists, bioresource engineers and nutritionists.”
The time is ripe, says Karboune, to reexamine how that training takes place.
“One of my top priorities as dean will be to take a careful look at our academic programs. We need to rethink the way we teach. With AI, information is becoming so accessible. It is quick and easy [to find it]. Our role [as teachers] is shifting. We need to focus more on teaching our students how to ask the right questions and how to filter through all the information they come across.
“I also want to think about how we can make the learning experience more transformative for our students,” adds the dean. “One thing that I want to focus on is experiential learning, hands-on learning. Can we create more opportunities for learning outside the classroom?
“The Macdonald Campus Farm, for example, already functions as a living laboratory and a core research facility. The Arboretum at Macdonald Campus is much more than a forest. It is a living classroom, a research and outreach hub, and a beloved green sanctuary that connects generations of students, researchers, and community members through education, science, and stewardship. I believe we can build on this strength and offer even richer, more meaningful learning experiences for our students.”
