Grainswest Tech 2021

Tech 2021 grainswest.com 15 BY ELLEN COTTEE • ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY CHU Agricultural engineer recognized for her exceptional work in research, education How to nurture an innovation ecosystem GrainsWest: You selected your career path in a rather unconventional way. Did you ever expect to play such as important role in the agriculture technology sector? Joy Agnew: Not at all. I’m lucky is all I keep saying because I never really had a plan. I remember my dad asking me what I was going to do as an engineer in agriculture after my bachelor’s degree at the University of Saskatchewan. I didn’t really know at the time. Even when I decided to do a master’s degree, I didn’t know what area to do it in. I literally threw a dart at a map, it was closest to the University of Alberta, so I decided to see what programs it had to offer. That started my career in waste and manure management and composting science, which accidentally led into my first job as a researcher, which then rolled into a PhD project. None of it was planned, but as my career has evolved, I realized my place is to help producers understand how technology, equipment and practices can apply to their operations. I love it. GW: When did you realize you could help farmers identify and use new technologies? JA: I was invited to a field day to talk about the grain storage project I was working on at the time with the Prairie T he associate vice-president of applied research at Olds College, Joy Agnew co-leads the development of the school’s Smart Ag Ecosystem, a collection of programs and resources that includes its Smart Farm. She describes the school’s farm program as a “one-stop-shop innovation ecosystem.” While it is comprised of academic programs that provide students with practical, hands-on experience at the cutting edge of con- temporary farming, the Smart Ag Ecosystem is also a vibrant research department. In recognition of her industry research and leadership of the college’s programming, Agnew was recently recognized as a Top 50 Innovator in Canadian Agriculture by Canadian Western Agribition. Agricultural Machinery Institute. The way I was able to explain it made some attendees realize farmers needed to hear more about this and how it can work for them. It evolved over time to creating presentations, myth busting and creating those tools for farmers. It was all about helping the producers understand the science as much as possible so they can make their own decisions based on the information. GW: How did you react when you received your recent industry award? JA: I was honoured to even be nominated, and it’s wild that I was selected. As I was reflecting on it; I’ve been fortunate to work with the people I have worked with and be mentored by the men- tors I’ve had in my career to allow me to get to this point. I feel like I’ve been standing on the shoulders of giants. I am so grateful to everyone I’ve been able to work with over the last 20 years. GW: In 2019, you joined Olds College as associate vice-presi- dent of applied research. What interested you in the role? JA: Before I joined Olds College, I had heard mutterings in Saskatchewan about how farmers need a place to get inde- pendent, third-party information about these technologies and