- Stanford Blade
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Dr. Stanford Blade 
Born Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada Residence Edmonton, Alberta Occupation scientist, CEO, author, public speaker Spouse Linda Children Daniel, Savanna Website bio.albertainnovates.ca Dr. Stan Blade currently serves as CEO of the new Alberta Innovates - Bio Solutions Corporation Alberta Innovates. Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions is a Government of Alberta corporation dedicated to investing in research and innovation for the benefit of the province's agriculture, food and forestry sectors. These industries contribute $25+ billion to the Alberta economy every year. Listen to a short interview given by Dr. Blade about AI-Bio on Innovation Anthology.He was formerly the Executive Director (2006–2009) of the Alberta Agricultural Research Institute (Government of Alberta).He was previously employed as the Deputy Director General (Research) for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) which is a research organization that is part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. Dr. Blade is an Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta.
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Early life and education
Dr. Blade was born in Alberta where he was raised on a dairy and grain farm. He attended the University of Alberta for his first degree (B.Sc.) in genetics. He obtained his M.Sc. (Crop Science) from the University of Saskatchewan for a breeding/physiology study on wheat. Dr. Blade’s doctorate was awarded by McGill University in Montreal for work done at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture on a Canadian International Development Agency Ph.D. Scholarship. The thesis topic was a plant breeding/farming systems approach to improving an indigenous grain legume (Vigna unguiculata L.) for use within the complex cereal-legume cropping systems of the West African savanna.
Career
Dr. Blade has served in a number of leadership roles in Canada, such as the Director of the Crop Division of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD), and Research Director of the Alberta Barley Commission. Dr. Blade provided direction for 200 staff people and four major research centers, as well as working with universities and the private sector to develop innovative technologies. Dr. Blade has also worked in the private sector as Research Director for the Alberta Barley Commission.
Stan has had significant success with resource mobilization, including a $35 million allocation by the Government of Alberta to be used by a consortium of research organizations to deliver on the vision of agricultural innovation in the Province of Alberta. Stan served as the Alberta Agricutlure Food and Rural Development leader on the initiative. Stan has also played a role in the sourcing of approximately $20 million for his various research groups over the past ten years.
Research
Dr. Blade’s own research successes have included the development and release of the high-performing Cutlass field pea. Dr. Blade has participated in the release of several field pea, lentil, cowpea and fenugreek lines. In addition, his research activities in crop diversification, such as his pioneering work on several new crops (low-THC hemp, medicinal plants, industrial crops, grain legumes) has created demand for Dr. Blade to serve as a global consultant and speaker. Dr. Blade has been invited to write and speak on crop diversification across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Poland, Sri Lanka, Australia, Libya and several other countries. Dr. Blade currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Agronomy Journal.
Publications
Dr. Blade has published 70+ research articles (Cropping Systems), ten book chapters (Research for Development), 120+ conference abstracts (Bioeconomy Opportunities) and has edited four books (Alberta Hemp Symposium). He has been the winner of several awards from the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. Dr. Blade is a member of several professional societies and international committees. He has served on evaluation committees for the European Union, Canadian Foundation for Innovation and Food and Agriculture Organization. Dr. Blade published an article on his interaction with Nobel Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug in The Globe and Mail-Canada's national newspaper.
Family
Stan is married to Dr. Linda Blade (Ph.D. Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University). They have two children - Daniel and Savanna.
Travels
His work and travel have taken him to 80+ countries and territories:
North America - Canada, United States, Mexico Caribbean and Latin America - Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru Europe - England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Germany (including former East Germany), Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Yugoslavia (present Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina), Italy, Greece, Vatican, Portugal, Spain Asia - Turkey, Syria, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Abu Dhabi, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan Oceania - Australia, New Zealand Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
Dr. Blade has completed his term as a Trustee of the Edmonton Public Library. Dr. Blade has served as an elected member of the University of Alberta Senate, and participated as a senior judge at both the Canadian and Alberta Science Fairs. He also serves on the Board of the international non-governmental organization CHF - Partners in Rural Development.
Categories:- Living people
- Canadian biologists
- Businesspeople from Alberta
- Canadian agronomists
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