UBC This Week 02-Feb-2012

 

Recent UBC Media Releases

Jan. 31 Student invention first to secure seed money from new UBC entrepreneurship fund
Jan. 30 UBC releases additional information on animal research
   
 

Upcoming Event Highlights

Feb. 3 UBC Reads Sustainability Talk: Captain Charles Moore
Feb. 3 Women’s Volleyball vs. Brandon Bobcats
Feb. 4 A Night of Music and Storytelling with Joy Harjo and Larry Mitchell
Feb. 4 Tailgater Football Tournament
Feb. 5 BrassFest!
Feb. 6 Forum on Global Health
Feb. 6 CiTR Radio Volunteer Orientation
Feb. 7 Interdisciplinary Roundtable on Diversity Events
Feb. 7 Exploring the Influence of Interracial Friendship on Interracial Intimacy
Feb. 7 Tech Tuesdays by Apple
Feb. 8 Aboriginal Oral Histories in the Courtroom More Than a Matter of Evidence
Feb. 8 The UBC Player’s Club presents The Drawer Boy
Feb. 9  Dvorak: Rusalka (opera)
Feb. 9 Practical Wisdom and Its Enemies: Nurturing Good Character in an Age of Rules and Incentives
   
  Find out what else is happening at UBC this week. For sports events, visit the UBC Athletics site at http://www.gothunderbirds.ca/calendar.aspx.

 

UBC People


UBC People

UBC Faculty Research Awards

The Killam Faculty Research Fellowships are awarded to assist promising faculty members, who wish to devote full time to research and study in their field during a recognized study leave. The 2011 awardees are:

Junior Category
• Keith Adams, Botany
• Hugh Davies, School of Population and Public Health
• Leonard Foster, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Gaston Gordillo, Anthropology
• Mark Jellinek, Earth & Ocean Sciences
• David Jones, Physics and Astronomy
• Steve Morgan, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research
• Edward Slingerland, Asian Studies
• Sabrina Wong, Nursing, School of Population and Public Health

Senior Category
• Nicholas Coops, Forest Resources Management

The Killam Research Prizes are awarded to full-time faculty members in recognition of outstanding research and scholarly contributions.

Arts, Humanities, Business, Education – Junior Category
• Neil Safier, History
• Jessica Tracy, Psychology

Arts, Humanities, Business, Education – Senior Category
• Barbara Dancygier, English
• Dominic Lopes, Philosophy

Science, Applied Science, Forestry – Junior Category
• Mark MacLachan, Chemistry

Science, Applied Science, Forestry – Senior Category
• Nemkumar Banthia, Civil Engineering
• Randy Gascoyne, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• David Huntsman, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Victor Leung, Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Jacob Biely Research Prize is awarded to an active faculty researcher for a distinguished record of published research. The Biely Prize is considered UBC’s premier research honour.
• Julio Montaner, Medicine

The Charles A. McDowell Award for Excellence in Research is presented to an outstanding young faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in pure or applied scientific research.
• Wolfgang Heidrich, Computer Science

The President’s Award for Public Education through Media is presented to a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding service to the University and the community by sharing research expertise via the news media.
• Alfred Hermida, School of Journalism

For more information on Faculty of Medicine winners, visit: http://www.med.ubc.ca/about_us/Awards_and_Honours/2011_UBC_Faculty_Research_Awards.htm

For more information on Computer Science winner, Wolfgang Heindrich, visit: https://www.cs.ubc.ca/news/2012/01/wolfgang-heidrich-receives-charles-mcdowell-award

Winners will be recognized at the Celebrate Research Awards Gala on March 8, 2012.

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UBC men's basketball coach wins his 300th game

UBC men’s basketball coach Kevin Hanson recorded his 300th win with the Thunderbirds on Jan. 27 as his team defeated the UBC Okanagan Heat team by a score of 77-43 in front of 1,126 fans at War Memorial Gymnasium. The game also marked the first time the Thunderbirds played the Heat in men’s basketball. After beating the Heat again on Jan. 28, Hanson improved his UBC record to 301 wins against 121 losses.

Hanson has coached UBC to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport final twice and has a bronze medal at the national championships. He has been named the national coach of the year twice and has won the conference’s coach of the year award five times.

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Computer science professor receives Charles McDowell Award

Wolfgang Heidrich, associate head of Graduate Affairs and professor and Dolby Research Chair in the Dept. of Computer Science, is the recipient of the 2011 Charles McDowell Award for Excellence in Research. The Award, presented by the UBC Office of the Vice President Research and International, is a prestigious UBC research prize.

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UBC researchers receive awards from Society for Technology in Anesthesia

Members of the UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering in Medicine team received two awards at the annual meeting of the Society for Technology in Anesthesia.

First prize in the Computers in Anesthesia Engineering competition was awarded to Srinivas Raman, Chris Brouse, Walter Karlen, Mark Ansermino and Guy Dumont for their work entitled “A Data Fusion Approach for RR Estimation from PPG.”

Best Clinical Application of Technology Award went to Chris Brouse, Walter Karlen, Guy Dumont, Dorothy Myers, Erin Cooke, Jonathan Stinson, Joanne Lim and Mark Ansermino for their work entitled “Measuring Adequacy of Analgesia with Cardiorespiratory Coherence.”

For more information, visit: http://www.ece.ubc.ca/news/201201/awards-brought-home-society-technology-anesthesia-agm

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Engineers help disaster responders make better decisions

The Disaster Response Network Enabled Platform (DR-NEP), led by electrical and computer engineering professor Jose Marti, can help to save lives around the world by modeling a community’s response to a natural disaster. The platform simulates multiple systems such as the power network, electrical network and telecommunications network. The software can be used to train people in a multitude of disaster scenarios or can used in dealing with a real event.

For more information, visit: http://www.ece.ubc.ca/news/201201/dr-nep-helping-disaster-responders-make-better-decisions

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Canada Foundation for Innovation, Dialogues at UBC Robson Square

Canadian researchers are world leaders in helping parents understand how to reduce the number of diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cut school dropout rates and slash the incidence of crime and drug addiction. By better understanding the dynamics of early childhood development, researchers hope to boost academic achievement and prevent children from experiencing serious problems later in life.

Adele Diamond and Clyde Hertzman, two of Canada’s top thinkers in the area of child development, will present their latest work and discuss what parents, families and caregivers can learn from current, cutting-edge research in this area.

This is the third of four presentations in the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Dialogues at UBC Robson Square lecture series.

Title: Early child development — setting them up for life with Adele Diamond and Clyde Hertzman
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 8
Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Place: UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street.
Info: This event is free and open to the public, no registration required.
Q&A and refreshments to follow. http://www.calendar.events.ubc.ca/s/3pV

Upcoming public dialogue:
• Feb. 15: The state of quantum computing in Canada with Prof. Ray Laflamme

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Victor Dzau gives two public lectures

Renowned cardiac researcher and educator Dr. Victor Dzau will visit Vancouver on Feb. 6 to participate in two public lectures. Dzau is chancellor for Health Affairs at Duke University, and president and CEO of the Duke University Health System. He is a leading authority in the fields of global health policy and regenerative medicine in cardiac care.

• Forum on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine for Cardiac Care, 12-1:30 p.m., St. Paul’s Hospital
• Forum on Global Health, 4 – 6 p.m. at the UBC Life Sciences Centre, 2350 Health Sciences Mall

To register for each event and for more information, visit: http://research.ubc.ca/dzau

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Pink Viagra: UBC, UVIC experts to discuss the medicalization of sex

Increasingly women are being told they need a medical boost to fully enjoy sex. Leading researchers at UBC and the University of Victoria will explore issues raised by Orgasm Inc, the hit documentary by Liz Canner about the drive for profits and the medicalization of sex. A film screening and panel discussion will be held on Feb. 9 at UBC.

To view a trailer of Orgasm Inc., visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUY-iTf2T1A

Date:  Feb. 9
Time:  7 – 9 p.m.
Place: Royal Bank Cinema, Chan Centre, UBC. Map and parking: http://maps.ubc.ca?130
Info: To register, visit: http://bit.ly/xU2ckA

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Love! In the Library?

Rare Books and Special Collections is sending a valentine in the form of an exhibition – entitled Love! In the Library? – that examines how lovers speak to each other through books. The show also explores how love is expressed through poetry, erotic books and illustrations. And for the jaded at heart, we highlight some hazards of love. Samples include the Old Testament’s Song of Solomon, Leonard Cohen‘s poetry and erotica from B.C. publisher Arsenal Pulp Press.

 Date: Feb. 1 – 19
 Place: UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections, Level one, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, back of the Chung Collection Room

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E-Week: Feb. 5-11

This coming week, UBC engineers will participate in various activities and demonstrations of ingenuity. The occasional marching band or six-foot rubber ball bounding down the street followed by leagues of red-clothed students will indicate it is E-Week. The community is invited to support the students as they engage in extracurricular learning opportunities during the week.

For more information, visit: http://www.ubcengineers.ca/events/e-week/

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UNICEF launches first national Student Challenge

UNICEF Canada is launching the first national Student Challenge, a challenge for college and university students to become water champions by bringing sustainable water sources closer to those who need them most. Working in teams of two, students will educate their friends, family members and classmates on the importance of UNICEF’s work providing safe drinking water for children and their families in more than 100 countries. Teams will then raise funds to purchase water pumps. Each pump, which costs $500, provides an entire community with access to safe water.

Each time a team raises enough money to purchase a water pump they also receive one ballot in a draw to win a trip to New York City. The Challenge ends on World Water Day on March 22. Winners will travel to New York in the spring.

Post-secondary students aged 18 to 25 can sign up to take the Challenge at: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/LoginRegister.aspx?EventID=85902&LangPref=en-CA&Referrer=direct%2fnone.

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Aboriginal Oral Histories in the Courtroom: More Than a Matter of Evidence

A panel of experts in anthropology, law, literature, and indigenous studies will discuss critical questions relating to Aboriginal oral narratives as they are used in the courts, and reflect on the extent to which scholarship can transform the process of Aboriginal rights litigation.

Panellists include:

Bruce Granville Miller, UBC professor of anthropology and author of Oral History on Trial: Recognizing Aboriginal Narratives in the Courts; Sophie McCall, associate professor of English at Simon Fraser University and author of First Person Plural: Aboriginal Storytelling and the Ethics of Collaborative Authorship; and Darlene Johnston, UBC associate professor, Faculty of Law, who was awarded the designation of Indigenous People’s Counsel from the Indigenous Bar Association of Canada in 2008.

The discussion will be moderated by Linc Kesler, chair of the First Nations Studies Program at UBC, director of the UBC First Nations House of Learning, and senior advisor to the president of Aboriginal Affairs.

Date: Feb. 8, 2012
Time:  2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Place: Multipurpose Room, Liu Institute for Global Issues, 6476 NW Marine Drive (map)
Free tickets: http://oralhistorypanel.eventbrite.com/?ebtv=C&ebtv=C
  www.bit.ly/UBCOralHistory Follow @UBCPress, #UBCOralHistory.

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2012 Presidents Service Awards for Excellence: invitation for nominations

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to nominate UBC staff for the 2012 Presidents Service Awards for Excellence. The Awards are presented to UBC staff in recognition of excellence in personal achievements and contributions to UBC and to the vision and goals of the University.

Nominations are being accepted until Feb. 29, 2012, at 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit: http://www.focusonpeople.ubc.ca/making-it-happen/awards/presidents-service-award-for-excellence/

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Tom Bennett Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser

Friends and family of Tom Bennett, BASc 2007 (1983-2010), will be holding a fundraiser for the scholarship in his memory. A silent auction, door prizes, 50/50 draw and raffle while watching the Canucks game will all be part of this event.

All proceeds will go towards the endowment for the Thomas Bennett Memorial Scholarship, which will support students with high academic achievement, leadership, and a demonstrated concern for the environment. To make a donation through UBC, visit: http://www.supporting.ubc.ca/thomasbennett or contact oliver.zihlmann@ubc.ca

Date: Feb. 18
Time: 3 – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Mahoney & Sons Public House at 5990 University Blvd.
Info: Contact Mary Kenny at 604-989-3255 or email mary@marylkenny.com 
http://tomspirit.com/

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Help UBC name the new Learning Management System

UBC’s current Learning Management System (LMS), WebCT Vista has reached the end of its lifecycle. LMS is used for distance or campus-based courses to discuss course topics with other students and instructors, access notes and other course resources, submit assignments or take online tests. UBC is transitioning to Blackboard Learn, which will provide additional features and serve as the main classroom environment for UBC’s digital learning and as an integrated and collaborative online learning space.

UBC is asking for help naming the new system. To enter the contest, visit the LMS website at http://pilot.lms.ubc.ca/name-ubcs-new-lms by Feb. 10, 2012. Participants can win a $50 gift certificate to the UBC Bookstore.

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Asia Pacific Memo update – South Korean Immigration / Malaysian Private Tutoring

Short text memos or video interviews on current issues in Asia and across the Pacific are published twice-weekly at http://www.asiapacificmemo.ca/

• Jan 31 – South Korea’s Immigrant Incorporation Strategy, by Nora Kim
• Jan 26 – Private Tutoring in Malaysia: Regulating for Quality, by Husaina Kenayathulla

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Rumana Monzur Songs Unsung fundraising concert

On Feb. 9, an evening of song will be held in honour of UBC graduate student Rumana Monzur. Last summer, Monzur was attacked and blinded by her former husband.

The concert will feature performances by the Lungs and Limbs Ensemble, with songs composed especially for the event by the Composers’ Collective. Songs Unsung commemorates all victims of violence against women and honours Monzur’s courage.

Tickets can be purchased by donation (suggested $15). All proceeds will be donated to the Rumana Monzur fund.

Date:  Feb. 9
Time:  8 p.m. Reception: 6:30 in Graduate Student Society Ballroom
Place:  Roy Barnett Hall, UBC School of Music Building, 6361 Memorial Road
Info:  Tickets: GSS office, 225-6371 Crescent Road or online (PayPal charge $0.79)
 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/285781044813579/
 We Can BC: http://wecanbc.ca/

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