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Eric Pace

A little berry with big popularity

Faculty of Ag student driven by a desire to make a difference

Eric Pace is studying a little berry with big popularity on grocery store shelves.

Set to graduate this spring, Eric Pace wasnā€™t always sure what he wanted to do after high school but his love of animals led him to the Faculty of Agriculture.

Ericā€™s time on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus began as a student in the pre-veterinary science program, but after a year he realized his true calling was in animal science. A native of Truro, Eric has taken his education in animal science and applied it to his research in human health science, which, as he explains, wasnā€™t a big jump.

ā€œOnce you have a vertebral column thereā€™s not a big difference between animal science and human health science. A cowā€™s nerve works in the same way as a humanā€™s. Itā€™s all the same.ā€

Eric is specifically focusing his research on the super fruit that has been gaining in popularity on grocery store shelves ā€“ the Haskap berry. Driven by his desire to make a difference in peopleā€™s lives and supported by an undergraduate student research award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Eric is exploring how to protect a key bioactive molecule in this up-and-coming iconic Canadian berry during the juice pasteurization process. Ā Itā€™s a key molecule that unlocks significant health benefits and is one of the key reasons why people are drawn to the Haskap.

Eric is a key contributor to the Universityā€™s research team.Ā Ā  Working under Dr. Vasantha Rupasinghe, Canada Research Chair in Fruit Bioactives and BioProducts Eric is helping to explore all of the health benefits of Haskap.

ā€œPeople have time for you here at Dal and youā€™re never just a number. They take the time to listen and to help you out ā€“ you canā€™t do it by yourself. Hundreds of people have had a part in my pilipiliĀž»­ and Iā€™m very grateful,ā€ he said.

Building on his passion for animal and human science, Eric is weighing his options after he completes his degree, which may include medical school or a Masterā€™s degree. He confidently asserts that an education in animal science is opening up an endless amount of opportunities and that thereā€™s no better time to pursue a career in agriculture.

ā€œAgriculture and farming, for that matter, are scientific pursuits. If someone asked me why I came to the Faculty of Agriculture to study animal science, Iā€™d say, ā€˜why not?ā€™ This degree will prepare me to work in an industry that is continually growing and needs young, bright people to advance it scientifically. Iā€™m advancing an industry that directly influences the food we eat. Itā€™s incredibly rewarding to have that kind of impact.ā€

Weā€™d have to agree.

Interested in making your mark on this exciting industry?

Learn more about our Animal Science program at the Faculty of Agriculture.