Meet the Team

Javad is an Associate Professor in the Agriculture Technology Department at UFV.

He grew up in a family farm where different vegetables, herbs, spices, and medicinal plants were grown. Javad pursued his studies in Horticultural Sciences and received his Ph.D. in 2008 from University of Tehran, Iran through a joint research program with Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany.

He worked as an Assistant (2008-2015) and Associate Professor (2015-2018) in the Department of Agriculture, Medicinal Plant and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, teaching horticulture courses and conducting research on herbs, spices, and medicinal plants variety evaluation, production practices, physiology and nutrition, natural pesticides, and pharmaceuticals.

Javad was a visitor scientist at the Plant Biology Research Group at UQTC (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières) in 2018. This experience was the impetus for him to pursue a career in the Canadian indoor horticulture industry (greenhouses and vertical farms). Javad was responsible to oversee the production of and IPM management of greenhouse vegetables. He also worked as an R&D scientist in an innovative vertical farm (Goodleaf Farms, Guelph, ON), implementing improvements in the growing conditions of leafy greens and microgreens.

Javad is excited about his new opportunity in training, and mentoring agriculture students in UFV. He has a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and education and will pursue that commitment via student contact at every level.