Prof. Jack Saddler, head of the Dept. of Wood Science, has been
appointed dean of the Faculty of Forestry effective Dec. 1. “I think
UBC’s Faculty of Forestry is one of the strongest in the world,”
says Saddler. “We have to build on the university’s commitment to
enriching the already high quality of our research and scholarly
activity.
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United — the only way to go

You are never too busy to take part in the United Way, say organizers
of UBC’s campus campaign. And it’s never been easier to get involved.
“The main campaign will run from Oct. 16-27,” says Bill McMichael,
program co-ordinator with the UBC-Ritsumeikan Academic Exchange
Program and UBC campaign chair. “But there will be a number of related
events occurring before and after, including car washes, contests
and competitions, pancake breakfasts and bake sales. And many more
events like these are in the works.”
more…

Biologists earn top U.S. awards

Major epidemics like bubonic plague may be wiped out, but have
we really won the war on deadly bacterial diseases? Brett Finlay
and Natalie Strynadka don’t think so. The two UBC molecular biologists
were recently granted prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute
(HHMI) International Research Scholar awards for their work in the
area of infectious and parasitic diseases.
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Health research seeks B.C. boost

B.C. ranks second to last in Canada when it comes to providing
funds to build and maintain health research capacity, say local
organizers of Health Research Awareness Week (HRAW). The group aims
to improve that ranking with an awareness-raising campaign that
takes place Oct. 10-13 and is part of a nationwide effort to build
support for health research.
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Scholar scans the comic side

“You’re wasting your time with that trash,” every kid with a comic
book has been told. So almost everyone is intrigued by Bonny Norton’s
research, including national media such as CBC’s As It Happens and
Newsworld, major newspapers and radio stations from Edmonton to
Montreal.
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Students share jubilee program

UBC medical and dental undergraduates will be taking notes
alongside faculty members when the Faculty of Medicine Jubilee scientific
conference gets underway Friday, Nov. 3 and continues Nov. 4. “Regularly
scheduled teaching sessions will not meet on Friday to allow students
to attend the scientific conference,” says Assoc. Dean, Undergraduate
Medical Education, Wes Schreiber. “We’ve made special arrangements
so that students have a chance to hear these outstanding speakers
who come from virtually every department in the faculty.”
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New procedure a cut above

The surgical invasion associated with kidney donation will be
sharply reduced thanks to a new procedure being launched in B.C.
by two UBC transplant surgeons. “We hope to attract more donors
with this less invasive technique,” says Dr. Mark Meloche, an associate
professor of Surgery.
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Engineers aim to build data bridges

The building industry contributes about 12 per cent to Canada’s
national economy and employs more than 850,000 workers, but it is
fragmented by the use of diverse, incompatible data standards and
protocols. UBC researchers are doing something about it. Current
industry practice has designers, architects, engineers and building
contractors employing computer-based tools that require information
to be translated by humans before it can be used in each of the
different computer platforms.
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