University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee was named today as the executive director of a new fellowship designed to address global food security issues.
He will take on this new role with the Kirchner Food Fellowship while remaining on faculty at Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College. Summerlee completes his term as U of G president this summer.
The Kirchner Food Fellowship is designed to attract students from top North American universities and provide them with academic training, business mentors and financial capital to help address food security.
The fellowship program was created through a partnership of the Kirchner Group, The Hunger Solutions Institute and Universities Fighting World Hunger, of which Guelph is a member.
The program funds entrepreneurial agri-businesses to develop groundbreaking technologies that are environmentally and economically sustainable.
“This new initiative is exciting. By linking academic training, business acumen and exposure to real-life investment, students will have the opportunities to fund global food security issues in a meaningful way,” said Summerlee.
“I am keen to be involved in this innovative effort, and look forward to working with the fellows chosen for the program.”
For more details on the fellowship program, visit fundthefood.com.