University of Alberta announces BCRC-Hays Chair

The University of Alberta, supported by the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) and the Hays family, has announced Dr. Gleise Medeiros da Silva as the newly appointed BCRC-Hays Chair in Beef Production Systems.

Born in Brazil, Silva received her Animal Science degree at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE). In her first year, she received a scholarship to conduct research in non-ruminant and ruminant nutrition. She also attended Texas A&M University for six months, where she developed studies in beef cattle nutrition. In 2014, she conducted her final undergraduate internship at University of Florida –NFREC, Marianna.

Gleise M. Silva grew up in Recife, Brazil—a city perched on the turquoise edge of the Atlantic, home to lush forests, stunning beaches and 17th-century architecture. And yet, while living and studying in the “Brazilian Venice,” Silva found herself overwhelmingly drawn towards a subject she would never encounter in her hometown...

By Anna Holtby, University of Alberta
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Silva’s international experiences led her to taking both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Florida. For her M.Sc., she examined the effects of frequency of supplementation, and vaccination timing on preconditioning beef calves. Her Ph.D. looked into polyclonal antibody preparations, and management strategies, to reduce stress and improve performance in beef cattle through different stages of production.

The BCRC-Hays Chair is a full-time tenure-track appointment in Beef Production Systems, with 25% teaching, 50% research, and 25% service in leadership and extension.

“The U of A is a leader in both beef genomics and rangeland research. This chair will complement and connect those programs to improve the whole cow-calf production system,” said Matt Bowman, BCRC chair.

As Chair, Silva will develop an internationally-recognized innovative research and extension program and contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching, and work closely with other research institutions and beef producers to improve the competitiveness, sustainability, and profitability of the beef and forage sectors.

Silva says she will work collaboratively across sectors to deliver feasible, science-based solutions to producers. She also hopes to hear from producers, and to contribute to enhanced communication in the industry.

“[Producers] are the ones working hard for us from Monday to Sunday. So I want to help them get the most out of their production systems. … I want my research to actually reach the people who need it the most,” says Silva.

The 10-year position is funded by a $3 Million investment by BCRC and the Hays family, and further supported by McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada and Cargill.