CCRAH Research Seminars

Tentative schedule for the Fall 2025-2026 Term.

The Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health seminar is a biweekly lecture delivered by invited speakers on Tuesdays from 2:30-3:30 during the school term. Presentations are offered in-person and by Zoom.

Topics include current issues in agricultural and rural health research and practice. Seminar speakers include those affiliated with CCRAH, with other departments at U of S, and visitors to the university such as those from other institutions or government. We encourage presentations from students, researchers, CCRAH staff, and practitioners. The 30 to 40-min presentation format emphasizes discussion of topics and encourages participant interaction with speakers.


Before the Seminar

We are using Zoom Meetings platform for CCRAH Seminar. Test that you can join Zoom from your computer or device https://zoom.us/test

To join the Seminar on Tuesday at 2:30 pm

  • Contact brooke.thompson@usask.ca for zoom link information
  • Connect to audio.
  • You do not need your webcam unless you want to use it.
  • Participant microphones will be muted, by default. When the host asks for questions you can ‘raise your hand’ to unmute in turn to ask a question of the presenter. You may also post questions in the chat box.
  • CCRAH Seminar tends be about 1 hour long: 30-45 minute presentation and 15-20 minutes of question and answer.
  • Technical support will not be available during the seminar.

Please direct questions about your Zoom session capacity to Brooke at brooke.thompson@usask.ca  

DATE

 PRESENTER(S)

TOPIC
October 2 Dr. Vivian Onaemo

TBD
October 7 Amanda Dupperon

TBD
October 21 TBD

TBD

November 4

 TBD

TBD
November 18 TBD

TBD
December 2 TBD

TBD
January 13 TBD

TBD
January 27 TBD

TBD
February 10 TBD

TBD
February 24 TBD

TBD
March 10 TBD

TBD
March 24 TBD TBD
April 7 TBD TBD
April 21 TBD TBD

DATE

 PRESENTER(S)

TOPIC
October 1 Angelica Lang CCRAH Seminar Introduction
October 15 Dr. Kieran Steer An occupational medicine overview of pesticides and pesticide medical monitoring.
October 29 Heather Alford

Exploring family experiences of mealtimes in long-term care: A grounded theory study.
November 26 Leonardo Dutra de Salvo Mauad

Studies Abroad: Ergonomics Research in Brazil and Canada
December 10 Ulfat Khanam

Application of Machine Learning in Predicting and Validating Asthma and Asthma Phenotypes in Rural and Urban Children
January 21 Alejandra Castillo Toro

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Bioaerosols from Saskatchewan Livestock Operations
Postponed - Date TBD Dr. Amandeep Singh

Predictive Ergonomics: Practical Application of Machine Learning in Agriculture

March 4

11AM - 12PM

 Hailey Dunn

Family, Culture, Community: A Northern First Nations Community-Directed Needs Assessment for Pediatric Rehabilitation Care
March 18 Barada Mohanty

Do Genetic Factors Suppress the Effects of Occupational Exposure on Lung Function Decline? A Mediation-Based Investigation.
March 25 Dr. Steven Rayan

Quantum Computing: What Is It and What Will It Do For Us?
April 1 Dr. Greg Marchildon

Indigenous Health System Governance in Canada
April 8 Dr. Cara Spence

Understanding Witchcraft Beliefs and Practices in Translational Spaces
April 15 Kendra Usunier

Bridging Access to Physiotherapy Care Gaps for Saskatchewan Mothers
April 29 Brianna Wickett and Erin Fedusiak

Brianna's Title: What about Nutrition? An Exploration of Registered Dietitians in Community Dementia Care

Erin's Title: Implementation and Acceptability: An Evaluation of an Active Living Initiative

DATE

 PRESENTER(S)

TOPIC
October 3 Drs. Angelica Lang/Shelley Kirychuk

Introduction to the Seminar Series
October 17 Conference Schedule

CASA Virtual Conference 
October 31 Dr. Julie Kostinuk

RaDAR Primary Care Memory Clinics: Research Projects to Date
November 14 Alyson Kelvin

Team work makes the dream work: Tackling Long COVID in Saskatchewan with a multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians
Special Seminar - Thursday November 23 Irene Blackberry, La Trobe University Transforming aged care: innovations from down Under.
November 28 CCRAH Faculty Ask the Faculty Panel: A Student-Centric Seminar
January 9 Merle Massie Public Speaking Tips
January 23 Shiva Naseri Statistical Investigation of the Prevalence and Incidence of High Blood Pressure among Rural Residents of Saskatchewan
February 6 Niels Koehncke Radiation safety and lead exposure in Veterinary Medicine
March 5 Valerie Elliot Services for older adults living in four rural primary care memory clinic communities and surrounding areas: a multi-method qualitative study
March 19 Greg Guenther & Megan Tomilin

Greg's Title: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Natural Health Products for Oral Health.

Megan's Title: Using Mass Spectrometry for Biomarker Discovery: Stratifying STEMI Risk Groups.

DATE

 PRESENTER(S)

TOPIC
January 24 Aaron Kociolek

Developing a mechanistic framework to predict risk of work-related carpal tunnel syndrome 
February 7 Valerie Elliot

Interprofessional collaborative primary care for older adults living with age-related chronic disease in rural and remote areas: A scoping review (in progress) of implemented innovations and solutions.
February 20-24

Mid-term Break

No seminar
February 28 Shirmin Bintey Kader Association between impaired sleep and four domains of health based on the Indigenous Medicine Wheel. Findings from two Saskatchewan First Nation Communities
March 14 Megan Tomilin Archaeology and Mass Spectrometry: A Match Made in
Mesopotamia
March 28 William Pickett Social Norms and Risk-taking on Canadian Farms
April 4 Sharon Feng

Lead Toxicity
April 11 James A. Dosman A Tale of Three Projects: Addressing inequities in Health 2012-2028.
May 2 Gregory Kost Occupational sunlight exposure

May 16

 Dr. Jan Zejda The role of measurement of the fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in epidemiological studies on pediatric asthma

Oct 25

 Niels Koehncke Welcome to CCHSA & Seminar Series

Nov 1

 Julie Kosteniuk Health Service Utilization by Rural and Remote Memory Clinic Patients Before and After Diagnosis

Nov 15

 Josh Lawson The relationship between childhood asthma and mental
health conditions

Nov 29

 Kaitlin Merkowsky One of these things is not like the other – Sex Differential responses to agricultural exposures

Dec 13

 Muhammad Imran Identification and Quantification of Sperm Head Plasma Membrane Proteins Associated with Male Fertility

 2021-2022 Seminars

DATE

 PRESENTER(S)

TOPIC
Oct 12 Niels Koehncke CCHSA: Welcome and Orientation
Oct 26 Melanie Bayly The psychological and social wellbeing of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment
Nov 9 George S. Katselis Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Salivary Biomarkers using Mass Spectrometry-based Omics
Nov 23 Ulfat A. Khanam Application of machine learning in predicting and validating asthma phenotypes among rural and urban children
Dec 7 Shelley Kirychuk Occupational Hygiene Respiratory Exposures and Health: Anticipating, Recognizing, Assessing, and Controlling Physical, Chemical, Biological, and Ergonomic Stressors
Dec 21 J. A. Dosman, P. Pahwa & J. Seeseequasis Results from the First Nations Sleep Health Project
Jan 11 Cancelled The Agricultural Health & Safety Network Programs
Jan 25 Angelica lang Musculoskeletal disorders in farmers and functional task testing protocols: an Ergonomics Lab update
Feb 8 Debra Morgan Rural Dementia Action Research (RaDAR) Team: Overview and update
Feb 21-25 Mid-term Break
Mar 8 Juan Ianowski The contribution of pulmonary ionocytes to cystic fibrosis lung disease
Mar 22 Kaitlin Merkowsky Characterizing Lung Inflammation in Agricultural Respiratory Exposures Between the Sexes
Apr 5 Bisma Ikram Vision Problems Among Sleep Deprived Canadian Adults
Apr 19 Allison Cammer & Josh Lawson Nutrition Interventions & Dietitian Involvement in the Treatment of COPD: A Systematic Review