Amanda MacDonald is the Proposal Writer for the Research & Innovation division at Niagara College. She joined the division in fall 2023 with a background in community and government relations. Amanda’s key responsibilities include supporting the development team in proposal writing, identifying external funding, and fostering relationships with external funding stakeholders. Prior to this role, Amanda held the title of Executive Director or Director at … Continue reading Amanda MacDonald »
Scott Golem is the research lead for the Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC). He leads and supports the success of applied research projects mainly for the Greenhouse Technology Network (GTN), a Niagara College-led initiative that brings together research institutions and greenhouse and technology businesses to accelerate the development, commercialization, and adoption of new technologies. Research projects focus on validating novel products and/or technology … Continue reading Scott Golem »
Gabriela Torrens is a Research Associate who focuses on cannabis projects for the Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC). She is responsible for supporting cannabis research projects at the Cannabis Indoor Cultivation Research Labs (Cannabunker) and developing research trials. She also assists with HESIC projects carried out in the Niagara College Teaching Greenhouse. Gabriela first joined HESIC as a student in the role of … Continue reading Gabriela Torrens »
Alberto Hardt is a Research Associate focusing on greenhouse projects at the Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC). He supports with planning of new projects for the team while also assisting day-to-day activities required for trials. This includes general crop maintenance, fertigation, data gathering, and various plant-related tasks such as propagation, cultivation, and harvesting. Alberto studied at Niagara College, completing the Horticultural Technician program, … Continue reading Alberto Hardt »
Olga Safonova is the Research Laboratory Technologist of the Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC). In her role, she manages the daily activities related to on-going trials, assists with experimental design, and collects data. She also looks after the cannabis growing facilities and greenhouse horticulture laboratory. For the past 13 years, Olga has been working in horticulture in various roles from Propagation Technician, Lead … Continue reading Olga Safonova »
Cassandra Austin is the Network Project Assistant for the Greenhouse Technology Network (GTN), a Niagara College-led consortium of academic research institutions supporting the research needs of greenhouse and related technology businesses through applied projects. Cassie supports two network teams, concentrating most of her time on the reporting and administrative responsibilities of GTN. She also supports the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI) during … Continue reading Cassandra Austin »
