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MS CELIA ACEAE

MS CELIA ACEAE
MS CELIA ACEAE
MS CELIA ACEAE

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School of Biological Sciences
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Biography

Celia Aceae began her career as a Park Ranger in Alberta, Canada, after finishing her undergraduate studies in Natural Resource Compliance at Lethbridge College. She quickly realised that her favourite part of the job was working with plants, so she decided to pursue a degree in Ornamental Horticulture at the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture in Ontario. As part of her studies, Celia completed an internship in Japan focused on tea, microgreens, and arboriculture. This prompted her to pursue further education in tea, earning certification as a tea sommelier. 

Having studied the art and science of tea tasting, she worked in tea research and development in Montreal, Quebec, for the next five years. Throughout this time, Celia continued to run her own horticulture consultation business, specialising in edible landscape design, and became the official Horticulture Consultant for CBC Radio, Montreal. She also completed a BASc degree specialising in Horticultural Innovation through Olds College.

In the never-ending pursuit of botanical knowledge, Celia left Montreal in 2022. She moved to Edinburgh, where she completed her MSc in the Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants. Focusing her research on herbarium curation methods in the genus Camellia, she completed a novel survey of herbarium curators worldwide. Since graduating, Celia has been working in conifer conservation and is currently the International Conifer Conservation Programme's safe sites manager. 

Combining her botanical enthusiasm and her love for tea, Celia is now pursuing a PhD entitled Tea and People: Past, Present, Future with the University of Aberdeen and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. She is asking questions about the genetic and chemical identity of the genus Camellia.

Assessing current curation, identification and digitisation practices in herbaria

This research aimed to assess the current practices and standards in place within institutions of different sizes around the world, in order to develop more effective methods in curation, specimen identification and digitisation. A detailed survey was created and sent to herbaria around the world. The survey comprised five parts: (1) general herbarium framework, (2) curation and collections, (3) specimens without determinations, (4) digitisation and (5) scenario question.

Results from a Global Survey

Qualifications

  • MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants 
    2023 - University of Edinburgh 
  • BASc Horticulture Innovation 
    2022 - Olds College 
  • Dip Ornamental Horticulture 
    2017 - Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture 
  • Dip Natural Resource Compliance 
    2013 - Lethbridge College 

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships

Member of the Society of Agriculture

External Memberships

Member of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy

Secretary of the Ethics Committee for Botanical Nomenclature 

Member of the International Camellia Society

Prizes and Awards

Date Issued Award Name Issuer Description
Nov 2023 MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants Programme Prize University of Edinburgh Awarded to the top student in the class of 2023.
Sep 2023 MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants Top Student Award Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Awarded to the top student in the class of 2023.
Aug 2023 Edinburgh Award University of Edinburgh Recognizes students taking part in non-academic activities while studying at the University. Encourages skill development.
Jun 2022 Grant MacEwan & Wade Hartwell Award Wade & Charonne Hartwell with Olds College Awarded to a fourth-year student dedicated to conservation and innovation in the Bachelor of Applied Science, Horticulture program.
Apr 2017 Beatrice Catharine Martin Award President of the School of Horticulture Alumni Foundation Awarded to a third year student with the highest combined mark in Commercial Greenhouse Production and Tropical Plants.
Apr 2017 C.H. Henning Award School of Horticulture Student Association Awarded to the graduating student with the highest total cumulative mark in PID I, II, III, IV, V, and VI.
Apr 2017 Edward J. Hill NPD '48 Memorial Award President of the School of Horticulture Alumni Foundation Awarded to the graduating student who achieved the highest combined mark in Theory of Arboriculture Practice, Urban Arboriculture, and PID V, VI.
Apr 2017 G. C. Duke Equipment Award for Turfgrass G.C. Duke Equipment Awarded to the graduating student who achieved the highest mark in Principles of Turfgrass Management.
Apr 2017 Knut Mattais Broman Award President of the School of Horticulture Alumni Foundation Awarded to the graduating student with the highest total combined mark in the third-year academic and practical training programs.
Apr 2017 Niagara Park Commission Landscape Design Award Niagara Parks Commission Awarded to the graduating student who achieved the highest total cumulative mark in Landscape Design Process, Landscape Design Fundamentals, Advanced Landscape Design, and Landscape Master Planning.
Apr 2017 Niagara Parks Commission Botany Award Niagara Parks Commission Awarded to the graduating student who achieved the highest total cumulative mark in Botany, PID I, II, III, IV, V, VI and Plant Propagation.
Apr 2017 Randy Lidkea, NPD '67 Tree Award Canadian Tree Fund Awarded to the graduating student who achieved the highest combined marks in Theory of Arboriculture Practices and Urban Arboriculture, Tree Climbing & Operations, Principles of Soils and Advanced Horticultural Soils, and Plant Identification IV, V, and VI.
Apr 2017 Seymour Howard Schott Memorial Award President of the School of Horticulture Alumni Foundation Awarded to the graduating student who achieved the highest mark in the Integrated Project.
Apr 2017 Western Ontario Golf Superintendents Award Western Ontario Golf Superintendents' Association Awarded to the graduating student with the highest total combined mark in the third-year academic and practical training programs.
Mar 2017 Husqvarna Professional Products Award National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation Platinum award for National Association of Landscape Professionals students.
Mar 2016 Gravely Landscape Maintenance Award National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation Awarded to a high-performing landscape student.
Jan 2016 Master Gardeners of Niagara Award (Yr 2) Master Gardeners of Niagara Awarded to the second-year student who achieved the highest mark in Fruit and Vegetable Culture and Applied Vegetable Production.
Jan 2016 Second Year General Proficiency Award School of Horticulture Alumni Association Awarded for the highest total cumulative mark in the second-year academic and practical training programs.
Jan 2016 William Holmes Award School of Horticulture Alumni Association Awarded to the second-year student who achieved the highest total combined mark in Theory of Arboriculture Practices and Urban Arboriculture.
Jan 2016 William J. L. Snowden NPD '58 Award School of Horticulture Alumni Foundation Awarded to the second-year student who achieved the highest combined mark in the first and second-year academic and practical training program.
Jan 2015

G. C. Duke Award for Insect Biology & Plant Pathology

 G. C. Duke Equipment Awarded to the first-year student who achieves the highest total combined mark in Biology of Insects and Introduction to Plant Pathology.
Jan 2015 Leonard G. Riley Memorial First Year Practical Award School of Horticulture Alumni Association Awarded for the highest total mark in the first-year practical training program.
Jan 2015 Leonard G. Riley Memorial First Year Theoretical Award School of Horticulture Alumni Association Awarded for the highest total cumulative mark in all first-year academic courses.
Jan 2015 Master Gardeners of Niagara 1st Year Student Award Master Gardeners of Niagara Awarded to a deserving student finishing their first year of studies to support their horticultural education.
Jan 2015 Niagara Falls Horticultural Society Award Niagara Falls Horticulture Society Awarded to the first-year student who achieved the highest combined mark in the first-year academic and practical training program.
Jul 2015 Perennial Plant Association Award Perennial Plant Association Awarded to six outstanding horticulture students from around the world.
Sep 2012 Student Association Super Student Award Lethbridge College Student Association Awarded for outstanding college or community service with a GPA of at least 2.5.
Jun 2011 Brock Myrol Memorial Scholarship Red Deer Public School District Awarded to a student who is currently involved in martial arts, and entering a law enforcement programme.
Publications

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  • Assessing current curation, identification and digitisation practices in herbaria: Results from a global survey

    Aceae, C. C., Drinkwater, R., Gladitsch, H., Haston, E.
    Plants people planet
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
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