What I do
I'm a research scientist focused on horticultural automation and technology at an Ontario agtech research organization. I work alongside engineers, bringing a biologist's perspective to how new systems interact with living, growing things — helping ground new technology in biological reality rather than treating it as a purely mechanical problem.
Technology roadmapping
Much of my work has involved building technology roadmaps for the horticulture sector — interviewing growers and stakeholders, running industry surveys, and identifying where new tools like robotics, sensing, and controlled-environment systems could have the most impact. That's included looking at regions like northern Ontario, where labour, climate, and distance make horticulture especially difficult, and thinking through how technology can help close that gap.
Field validation
I'm also actively in Ontario's growing hub for agricultural technology development, and about the importance of independent, field-based validation before growers invest in new equipment — new tools need to prove themselves under real growing conditions, not just in a lab.
What keeps me engaged
What keeps me interested is a mix of fast-moving technology — particularly AI and new sensing methods — and tangible impact, whether that's supporting Ontario's horticulture industry or contributing to projects that strengthen food security in remote communities, including Indigenous communities in the north.