UBC News Digest

Oct 31, 2002

The UBC News Digest is a weekly summary of news stories about UBC
people, research, learning, community, and internationalization
initiatives. News Digest past
issues are also available on-line.

Oct. 31, 2002

UBC remembers with Nov. 11 services

As global events continue to heighten our sensitivity to war and
its impact, the University of British Columbia will hold its annual
Remembrance Day Services on Nov. 11.

Services begin at 10:45 a.m. in the foyer of the War Memorial Gym.
All members of the community are invited to attend the memorial,
which commemorates the sacrifices of Canadians who have participated
in wars over the last century.

About 350 faculty, staff, students and members of the off-campus
community are expected to attend the services, held at the campus
landmark built as a memorial to British Columbia’s war dead.

During the First World War, 697 UBC students saw active military
service – 78 were killed. In the Second World War, 1,680 students
enlisted – 169 lost their lives.

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CIC gets CBIE money for on-line pre-departure
briefing program

UBC’s Centre for Intercultural Communication (CIC), in Continuing
Studies, was one of the winners in the first International Education
Innovation Grants competition held by the Canadian Bureau for International
Education (CBIE).

CIC was awarded the grant for its on-line pre-departure briefing
program, a Web-based initiative that offers participants in youth
internship programs the option of training from home via computer
when they don’t have the time or resources to attend a group pre-departure
program. The interactive site provides valuable cultural, communication
and practical information to prepare interns for living and working
overseas.

The UBC model was piloted on interns preparing to work in Shanghai,
Hong Kong, Austria, Mexico and El Salvador. The program is now available
for other institutions and individuals to use.

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UBC students off to international student summit

Two UBC students were selected to attend the World Students’ Summit
and World Students’ Peace Forum held in Japan Oct. 29-Nov. 2. Rebecca
Best is a fifth year honours student in Environmental Sciences,
and Siu-Kae Young is in her fifth year of a combined B.A.Sc and
B.A. program majoring in Engineering Physics and English Literature.

The Summit, co-hosted by the University for Peace, Ritsumeikan
University and Ritsumeikan Asia-Pacific University, brought together
youth from around the world to discuss the role of students and
youth and how they can help establish human security and sustainable
development worldwide.

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UBC faculty receive awards from Science Council
of B.C.

UBC faculty members have earned recognition in three categories
of the 2002 Science Council of B.C. Awards.

Jeff Young, professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of
the Engineering Physics program, was honoured in the New Frontiers
in Research category for his research in optics, microelectronics
and the study of planar photonic crystals.

For their work in AIDS/HIV research and clinical work, Dr. Julio
Montaner, Dr. Michael O’Shaughnessy and Dr. Martin Schechter were
given the Solutions Through Research Award. The team has made major
advances to the understanding of the virus and its treatment as
well as contributing to the development of the Centre for Excellence
in HIV/AIDS in B.C.

Prof. Emeritus Philip Hill of the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
was recognized with the Industrial Innovation Award. Currently Senior
Scientific Advisor at UBC spin-off company Westport Innovations
Inc., Hill has made significant research contributions in the search
to balance the problem of fuel emissions and the benefits of diesel
engines.