Alumni newsletter: January 2026
In this issue: Growing blueberries in winter, our alumni book club, mentorship opportunity, and more!
Blueberry research at SFU greenhouses
Thanks to research on off-season berry production, winter just got a whole lot sweeter. SFU researchers are developing innovative methods to grow fresh, local blueberries in Canada’s off‑season. With most fruit imported, and the blueberry season limited to July–September, this work aims to overcome Canada’s cold climate and make year‑round local berry production possible.
Ready to get lost in a great book?
Connect with fellow alumni and the SFU community through SFU Reads, our free virtual book club. Discover new titles, explore different genres, and join engaging discussions at your own pace. Grab the current book, follow the reading schedule, and join the conversation anytime, from anywhere.
We’re currently reading Etta and Otto and Russell and James.
2025: A social media recap
In 2025, we highlighted a range of updates, milestones, and community spotlights—here are a few of our posts to revisit:
- Our most liked post on Instagram was a video of the famous “Chemistree” (View on Instagram)
- We celebrated our newest alumni as they graduated in June and October (View on Instagram: June and October)
- In September, the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum opened on the Burnaby campus (View article on LinkedIn)
- Our charter alumni and students reflected on what SFU was like when it opened (View video on Instagram and LinkedIn)
- We enjoyed many events, including a fun reception in Toronto (View on LinkedIn and Instagram)
Be sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook to see what we are sharing in 2026!
Upcoming events
January 7 | Submission Deadline: Celebration of Authors (Online)
January 13 | Master of Engineering in Sustainable Engineering Info Session (Online)
January 13 | Editing Certificate Info Session (Online)
January 27 | A Novel Strategy to Repurpose Existing Antibiotics (Online)
January 30 | Starry Nights Live (Online)
January 31 | Graduate Liberal Studies: Sample Seminar (Online)
April 16 | Alumni Hockey Night in Edmonton—Oilers vs. Canucks (Edmonton)
World rankings survey coming soon!
FYI: Some alumni will receive an email next week (around January 12) with an invitation to participate in the QS Global Employer Survey, an important annual survey of employer opinions. It's legit!