UBC News Digest

Sep 26, 2003

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.

Sep. 26, 2003

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Frank McKenna to speak at UBC at Robson Square

Former premier Frank McKenna will speak at UBC at Robson Square
on Oct. 8 on the subject, How do government and business relate
in a rapidly changing world?

McKenna, widely recognized for his leadership in restoring fiscal
responsibility and reforming social programs during three terms
as premiere in New Brunswick, comes to UBC as part of John V. Clyne
Lecture Program, and in conjunction with the Centre for the Study
of Government and Business at the Sauder School of Business.

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 8
Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: UBC at Robson Square, 800 Robson Street

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American Association for Artificial Intelligence
Chooses UBC Professor as President-Elect

UBC computer science professor Alan Mackworth, holder of a Canada
Research Chair in artificial intelligence, has become the first
non-American to be elected to the position of president-elect of
the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).

As one of Canada’s top experts in artificial intelligence, Mackworth’s
work is based on understanding principles that make intelligent
behaviour possible. His research has illuminated the areas of pattern
recognition, vision systems for navigation, knowledge representation,
and problem solving.

AAAI’s president-elect role covers the period 2003-05 after which
Mackworth will assume the president’s position from 2005-07. AAAI
is the world’s most active AI society with over 6,000 members.

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UBC Microbiologist Earns Society’s Premier Award

Bob Hancock, professor of microbiology and immunology, has been
given the American Society of Microbiology’s top honour in antimicrobial
research, the Laureate of the 2003 Aventis Pharmaceuticals Award.
The award honours accomplishments in research toward the development
of new antimicrobial agents, the investigation of action or resistance,
and the clinical use of those agents.

Hancock’s research examines the way antibiotics work and how micro-organisms
are able to resist drugs. He also co-leads Canada’s largest genomics
project ever, the Genome Prairie/Genome B.C.’s Pathogenomics project,
that looks at how genes influence immunity to infectious disease
in humans.

Co-founder of Inimex Pharmaceuticals, a UBC spin-off company, Hancock
is an Officer of the Order of Canada and Canada Research Chair in
microbiology/genomics and health.

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Researcher to Study Ergonomics in B.C. Dental
Offices

Assoc. Prof. Lance Rucker, of the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, has
earned a grant from the Workers’ Compensation Board to assess the
best methods for encouraging B.C. dental professionals to improve
their musculoskeletal health, quality of life and productivity.

Along with Susanne Sunell of Vancouver Community College and Carl
Cramer Jr., a clinician dentistry instructor, Rucker will develop
ergonomics health promotion guidelines for dentists, dental hygienists
and assistants and determine if they help reduce or eliminate high-risk
practices.

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Student Receives American Archivists Award

The Society of American Archivists’ 2003 Theodore Calvin Pease
Award was presented to UBC student Glen Dingwall for his paper,
Trusting Archivists: The Role of Archival Ethics Codes in Establishing
Public Faith.

Established in 1987, the award recognizes superior writing achievement
by a student enrolled in archival administration classes or engaged
in formal archival internship programs. A cash prize and forthcoming
publication of Dingwall’s paper in the American Archivist are part
of the award, which was presented in Los Angeles on August 22. Dingwall
is the fourth UBC student to win the award.