Rene Van Acker is dean of the Ontario Agriculture College at the University of Guelph, and a professor in the department of Plant Agriculture. His research focuses on weed management, a constant challenge in crop production systems worldwide. Biosafety in cropped plants is another area of focus for Van Acker. The researcher earned his BSc and MSc at the University of Guelph, and his PhD at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.