University of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Ikkayiinnii (Fast Buffalo) Dr. Digvir Jayas, will be invested into the Order of Manitoba this summer, recognizing his significant contributions to the Manitoba agri-food industry.

A distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Biosystems Engineering at the University of Manitoba, Jayas received multiple awards for his 30-year research and teaching career. As an engineer and agrologist, he conducts research related to the drying, handling and storing of grains and oilseeds and digital image processing for grading and processing operations in the agri-food industry.

He spent more than a decade in academic leadership roles at the University of Manitoba, including as its vice-president (research and international) for nearly 14 years. He served as president, chair and board member of many organizations in fields including food science, health policy, bioengineering, marine, arctic research and many more. He also acted as interim president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC). He was appointed to the National Research Council of Canada in March of 2022.

Jayas has received multiple awards recognizing his research and professional contributions to agriculture in Canada, India and the United States, including the Sukup Global Food Security Award in 2017 and the Brockhouse Canada Prize (NSERC) in 2008. For his important contributions of knowledge in multiple domains, he received the Sir John William Dawson Medal from the Royal Society of Canada in 2009. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, an inductee to both the Manitoba and the Canadian Agricultural Halls of Fame and an Officer of the Order of Canada. He has authored or co-authored over 1,000 technical articles in scientific journals, conference proceedings and books.

Jayas came to the University of Lethbridge in July 2023 when he was named the University's seventh president and vice-chancellor.