Dr. Jan Slaski

Professional Bio

M.Sc. in Plant Physiology | Warsaw Agricultural University, Warsaw, Poland 
Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Agronomy | Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, Poland  

Professional Credentials

P. Agrologist | Alberta Institute of Agrology  

Plant Breeder | Canadian Seed Growers’ Association 

 Membership of Professional Organizations

Canadian Society of Plant Biologists 

Association of Polish Engineers in Canada, Edmonton Chapter 

During the last 19 years, Jan Slaski has been leading research aimed at the introduction and breeding of hemp varieties that suit the needs of industries utilizing fibre, grain and cannabinoids-laden crop parts. Jan has been also conducting extensive studies focused on the development of best management practices permitting sustainable hemp and cannabis production under changing conditions.  

Jan has worked as a Research Scientist for the ISOPlexis Genebank at the University of Maderia, Funchal, Portugal since 2007. Beginning in 2012, Jan has served the hemp industry as the Director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, and he has also been an instructor for the Bachelor of Technology program at NAIT since that time. Since June 2021, he’s been the Director of Research and Academia for the Alberta Hemp Alliance. 

To fully realize the potential residing within these crops and to assure whole crop utilization, Jan has assembled at InnoTech Alberta a program offering solutions from “seed to final product” that includes three domains: breeding/agronomy, analyses/processing, and product development. Jan’s research also focuses on the development of best management practices permitting sustainable production of staple (cereals, pulses, canola) and novel (flax, quinoa, Jerusalem artichoke) prairie crops under changing environmental conditions. 

Jan enjoys his work at InnoTech Alberta because it is an applied research organization and the outcomes of his research have direct effects on the well-being of the Alberta agriculture industry. He also appreciates that he is able to interact with our clients and hear their immediate feedback on his work and how it addresses their needs. Jan loves the working environment and describes his colleagues as extraordinary.  

Jan is an avid traveler. He loves the opportunity to travel globally for leisure to learn about new cultures and languages, or even for work to present research. When Jan is not working you will also find him gardening tomato plants, reading books, or downhill skiing in the winter.