RDAR Professors

John is the RDAR Research Professor of Beef Cattle Genetics at the University of Alberta and has over 30 years experience in beef cattle production and management. His current areas of work include improving feed efficiency, delivering genomic and production technologies to the beef industry, and greenhouse gas mitigation in beef cattle. Work completed has included the development of one of the largest genotype-phenotype databases for beef cattle in Canada for genetic marker discovery, global collaborations, and validation of the genomic tools like EnVigour HXTM. He is CEO of Livestock Gentec, and past Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Animal Science. He is also the author or co-author of more than 300 scientific and extension articles, winner of the 2010 Canadian Animal Industries Award in Extension and Public Service and co-recipient of the 2023 ASTech Award for best in Agriculture. John received his Ph.D. degree in Animal Genetics and Biochemistry in 1981 from the University of Alberta.

Valerie Carney is a strategic extension leader dedicated to transforming the agricultural industry through practical, science-backed initiatives that empower producers and allied professionals. Throughout her career — spanning leadership in the breeding industry, at the University of Alberta and the Poultry Innovation Partnership — Valerie has built collaborative programs that bridge the gap between research and practice, helping the poultry sector make informed decisions, adopt innovations, and strengthen sustainability.

With a PhD from the University of Arkansas and an MSc in Agriculture from the University of Alberta, Valerie brings deep scientific expertise and hands-on knowledge to every project. Her leadership and influence are reflected in her role as President and Fellow of the Poultry Science Association (PSA), where she successfully championed the move to open-access publishing and enhanced the society’s outreach. Valerie has also been recognized as one of Canada’s Influential Women in Agriculture, celebrating her ongoing impact as a connector, educator, and visionary.

Whether driving knowledge mobilization, creating decision-support tools, or mentoring future agricultural professionals, Valerie is committed to helping the poultry industry thrive by delivering accessible, practical solutions grounded in the best available science.

Robyne Davidson is the RDAR Pulse and Special Crops Research Scientist with Lakeland College based in Lacombe, Alberta. She has many years of experience in the agricultural industry conducting research trials as a technician, agronomist, crop specialist and researcher on a wide variety of field crops with Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture, private industry companies, and now Lakeland College since 2021. She has been working with pulse crops for over 20 years leading and conducting pulse research trials across Alberta and western Canada. She has been heavily involved in the introduction of new pulse crops such as lentil, faba bean and lupin, the sustainability of current pulse management strategies, disease mitigation, variety development and the expansion of pulse crops across the prairies. She enjoys the extension piece of her research role and highly values the work she does with industry and farmers to support and grow the industry. She brings practical expertise to her research program, combining applied research data with her day-to-day experiences operating a 4000-acre grain farm with her husband near Red Deer, Alberta.

Dr. Shelley Hoover is an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge. Her research focuses on honey bee behaviour, health, and management, queen production and breeding, bee parasites and nutrition, and crop pollination. Previously, Shelley was the head of the Apiculture Program for the Province of Alberta and has held Research Associate positions at the Universities of Lethbridge, Canterbury (Christchurch, NZ) and British Columbia (Vancouver and Beaverlodge, Canada). She completed her PhD on honey bee worker ovary development, nutrition, and behaviour at Simon Fraser University.  Shelley is also the past President of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists and Entomological Society of Alberta.

Dr. Michele Konschuh is an Associate Professor in Irrigated Crop Science with the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge. Michele earned a Ph.D. from the University of Calgary in 1995 studying Developmental Plant Physiology in the Biological Sciences Department. Prior to joining the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Konschuh worked on potato and other irrigated crops with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry for over 20 years, first as a Research Scientist with the Cropping Systems section and more recently with the Irrigation Management section. The focus of her irrigated crop research will be maintaining competitive production of specialty crops, while increasing irrigation efficiency and sustainability, especially crops with value added processing in Alberta.

Dr. Susan Markus has over 30 years of extensive experience in beef cattle production and sheep nutrition being currently involved in a large cow/calf, backgrounding and feedlot operation with her husband and 4 children in east central Alberta. In addition, she has been a long time leader in her local 4H Beef Club. Having grown up on a large mixed farm (cow/calf and grain) in northern Manitoba, Susan developed a keen interest in cows that set the path for her future education.

She holds a PhD in Animal Behaviour from the University of Alberta, a Masters in Ruminant Nutrition from the University of Manitoba and a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan. Susan started her career as an agrologist in Manitoba and then worked for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry for 25 years, initially as a beef and forage specialist in Coronation, AB, then at the Ag Info Center in Stettler, and since 2006, as a Livestock Research Scientist. Currently, since 2021, she is an RDAR Livestock Research Scientist, Technology & Innovation, with Lakeland College with a focus on production efficiencies and utilizing new technologies where feasible.

Susan is also an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta, Dalhousie University, and regularly mentors students in various class projects and research.

Her background in extension and adult education allows her to bring the science of animal research and new technologies into the classrooms for students and onto the ranch for livestock producers. While Susan’s research involvement is varied from production, genomics, feed efficiency and nutrition to economics, she maintains a key interest in supporting practical ideas from the livestock industry that contribute to profitability.

Brenda Ralston, RDAR Research Scientist, Livestock Health with Lakeland College firmly believes that applied research is critically needed today more than ever, and Colleges are an excellent fit to carry this out in collaboration with Industry, Producer Groups, and most importantly, the Producers themselves. Her guiding principle for applied research is ultimately - if the outcome doesn’t provide a product or practice that the producer can implement in their operation to enhance their efficiency, sustainability, or profitability- then she is not doing the right research and not supporting the Agriculture Industry to her full potential.

Brenda Ralston, RDAR Research Scientist, Livestock Health with Lakeland College is a firm believer that applied research is critically needed today more than ever and that the Colleges are an excellent fit to carry this out in collaboration with Private Industry, Producer Groups, Universities, Government and most importantly the Producers themselves. Her guiding principle for applied research is ultimately if the outcome doesn’t provide a product or practice that the producer can implement in their operation to enhance their efficiency, sustainability or profitability then she is not doing the right research and not supporting the Agriculture Industry to her full potential. She has demonstrated this principle through her collaborative work with Industry to assist in bringing to market livestock pharmaceuticals that address animal welfare issues related to management procedures such as castration; supporting the development of an anti-bloat agent that can be used during grazing of alfalfa for enhanced gains; boluses to address metabolic disorders in ruminants; nutritional supplements to address vitamin and mineral deficiencies; alternatives to antibiotics for the treatment of non-bacterial scours; and biodegradable net wrap to address software disease and single use plastics in the forage and livestock industries. Brenda is also interested in practical solutions to address antimicrobial resistance at the farm level for the targeted selection of antibiotic groups for better animal outcomes and enhanced antibiotic stewardship.

After 35 years with Alberta Agriculture as a District Agriculturist, Beef Specialist, and most recently a Research Scientist, Brenda transitioned to Lakeland College in the fall of 2021. Brenda grew up on her family’s century farm northeast of Calgary, where she remains today helping with their commercial cow/calf, forage, and grain operation with her husband Phil and 19-year-old son Mark.

Brenda received a B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Alberta, M.Sc. in Veterinary Parasitology from the University of Calgary and a Ph.D. in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences from Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia.

Dr. Devin Serfas is an Assistant Professor and RDAR Chair in Applied Agricultural Economics and Risk Management at the University of Alberta. He grew up on a grain farm near Eston, Saskatchewan, where he developed a strong interest in agricultural policy, markets, and farm management. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis, where his research focused on the economics of cropping choice, carbon sequestration, and farm productivity in Saskatchewan. Dr. Serfas’s current work examines the trade-offs between agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship on Albertan farms, and he remains actively engaged with prairie producers while continuing to help on his family farm when possible.

Dr. Chandra B. Singh is an expert in agricultural engineering, specializing in post-harvest storage, handling, and processing of grains, sugar beets, and potatoes. As the RDAR Research Chair in Agricultural Engineering and Technology, and Advanced Postharvest Technology Centre (APHTC) Director at Lethbridge Polytechnic, Dr. Singh leads a diverse research program focused on reducing postharvest crop waste and minimizing quality losses through the application of advanced technologies. His work to reduce food waste integrates drying, aeration, sensing systems, automation, mathematical modelling, near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging, and artificial intelligence (AI) data manipulation.

With over 15 years of combined academic and industrial research experience, Dr. Singh is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.). He holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (India), a Master’s in Postharvest Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, and a PhD in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Manitoba.

Prior to joining Lethbridge Polytechnic in 2019 as Applied Research Chair in Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Dr. Singh served as an Associate Professor at the University of South Australia in a joint appointment with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). He also gained significant industry experience during his tenure at a Canadian grain management technology firm.

Over the past five years, Dr. Singh has secured over $10 million in research funding including a foundational $2.4 million grant to establish the Advanced Postharvest Technology Centre. Singh has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to 12 book chapters, and presented at over 50 national and international conferences. His research directly supports Alberta’s agri-food sector by reducing losses due to waste and adding value to locally grown crops through technological innovation, while enhancing food security and promoting sustainability.

Kim  has been interested in livestock since her early days on her family mixed farm in Spring Coulee AB. She attended the University of Alberta over a few different stretches and worked as a Research Scientist with Alberta Agriculture for 30 years specializing first with sheep, then with beef cattle.  More recently, she has become an RDAR Associate Professor at the University of Lethbridge, studying food and feed-borne pathogens. Her current RDAR-funded project investigates  inhibitors of communication among gram-negative bacteria that may be able to prevent biofilm production by pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and E. coli.