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Bonnie Johnson
November 05, 2025
Media ArticleResearchers at the University of Guelph (U of G) have earned two prestigious national honors from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), highlighting their outstanding contributions to science and innovation.
Dr. Beth Parker, a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering and director of the Morwick 360 Groundwater Research Institute, has been awarded the NSERC Donna Strickland Prize for Societal Impact of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research. She is one of only two recipients across Canada to receive the award this year.
Dr. Mike Dixon, professor emeritus in the School of Environmental Sciences, along with colleagues Dr. Youbin Zheng and Dr. Thomas Graham, has been recognized with the NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation. Their collaborative research focuses on advancing vertical farming and sustainable agriculture, offering solutions to pressing global food challenges.
The University of Guelph is the only Canadian institution to receive two NSERC prizes in 2025. This marks the first time a U of G researcher has earned the Donna Strickland Prize and the fifth Synergy Award for Innovation since 2018.
“I am incredibly proud of our researchers for being recognized with these prestigious NSERC awards,” says Dr. Shayan Sharif, interim vice-president research & innovation. “These honors not only celebrate individual excellence but also reflect the collaborative spirit and dedication to societal impact that define our research community here at U of G.”
“The University of Guelph continues to innovate and deliver effective solutions by leading research into real-world challenges,” says Guelph MP Dominique O’Rourke. “The research of Dr. Beth Parker in the field of groundwater and the research of Drs. Dixon, Zheng and Graham around vertical farming and sustainable agriculture are guiding solutions for some of the most pressing issues for Canada and beyond.”
These awards were part of the 2025 NSERC Prizes announcement by Alejandro Adem, president of NSERC, honoring 28 individuals and partners with a total of $4.05 million in prizes. Recipients will be recognized at a ceremony in Ottawa on Nov. 5, 2025.
Photo by: www.uoguelph.ca
