Eric Pace is studying a little berry with big popularity on grocery store shelves.
Set to graduate this spring, Eric Pace wasnât always sure what he wanted to do after high school but his love of animals led him to the Faculty of Agriculture.
Ericâs time on the ±«Óătv 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 â which, as he explains, wasnât a big jump.
âOnce you have a vertebral column thereâs not a big difference between animal science and human health science. A cowâs nerve works in the same way as a humanâs. Itâs all the same.â
Berry business
Eric is specifically focusing his research on the super fruit that has been gaining in popularity on grocery store shelves â the Haskap berry. Driven by his desire to make a difference in peopleâs 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. Itâs 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 Universityâs research team. Working under Vasantha Rupasinghe, Canada Research Chair in Fruit Bioactives and BioProducts, Eric is helping to explore all of the health benefits of Haskap.
âPeople have time for you here at Dal and youâre never just a number. They take the time to listen and to help you out â you canât do it by yourself. Hundreds of people have had a part in my success and Iâm very grateful,â he said.
Exploring his options
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 masterâs degree. Heâs confident his education in animal science is opening up new opportunities and that thereâs no better time to pursue a career in agriculture.
âAgriculture and farming, for that matter, are scientific pursuits. If someone asked me why I came to the Faculty of Agriculture to study animal science, Iâd say, âWhy not?â This degree will prepare me to work in an industry that is continually growing and needs young, bright people to advance it scientifically. Iâm advancing an industry that directly influences the food we eat. Itâs incredibly rewarding to have that kind of impact.â