UBC News Digest

Jul 30, 2004

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.

Jul. 30, 2004

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Festival Vancouver Plays at UBC

Nearly one third of Festival Vancouver performances will play at
either UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts or the First
Nations Longhouse. The festival showcases classical, world and jazz
music and this year spotlights the music and musicians of France.

Chan Centre concerts

  1. National Youth Orchestra of Canada
    Tuesday, August 3 at 8pm
  2. Great Works of Haydn
    Sunday, August 8 at 8pm
  3. Baroque Masterworks — Charpentier Anniversary Concert
    Wednesday, August 11 at 8pm

First Nations Longhouse concerts

  • Accordion Day
    Saturday, August 7 – 11am, 1pm and 3pm
  • French Chamber Music Day
    Sunday, August 8 – 11am, 1pm and 3pm
  • Debussy Piano Day with Philippe Cassard
    Saturday, August 14 – 11am, 1pm and 3pm
  • French Connections Day
    Sunday, August 15 – 11am, 1pm and 3pm

Tickets at Ticketmaster: 604.280.3311 or www.ticketmaster.ca

For more information, go to: www.festivalvancouver.bc.ca

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Finlay Recognized by Infectious Diseases Society
of America

UBC’s Peter Wall Distinguished Professor Brett Finlay has
been awarded the prestigious 2004 Squibb Award by the Infectious
Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

The Squibb Award recognizes outstanding overall achievement in
an area of infectious diseases by an individual member or fellow
of IDSA who is 45 or younger. Finlay will be presented with the
award at the beginning of the Special Plenary Session of the 2004
IDSA Annual Meeting in Boston, on Thursday, September 30.

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Neuroscientist Honoured for Alzheimer’s
Research

Neuroscientist Dr. Patrick L. McGeer has been given the Henry Wisniewski
Award by the Alzheimer’s Association for extraordinary contributions
to Alzheimer’s research.

McGeer is a professor emeritus in UBC’s Faculty of Medicine.
He began to focus on Alzheimer disease in the early 1980s, and was
a pioneer in using the newly developed techniques of PET and MRI
to show brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease. McGeer later
tested the hypothesis that inflammation might be contributing to
disease progression and that anti-inflammatory agents would have
a preventative effect.

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Human-powered Helicopter Team Set to Make History

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 10th, the UBC human-powered helicopter
student team will be making a first test flight of their human-powered
helicopter, christened "Thunderbird," in the Thunderbird
Stadium after four patient years of building and design work.

Since the (hover-for-one-minute-peaking-at-three-metres) challenge
and US$20,000 prize was first offered in 1980 by the American Helicopter
Society, no one has claimed the prize. UBC has the only team from
Canada attempting to win this competition.

All are welcome to witness the event and support the team.For more
information, visit the team’s website at: http://batman.mech.ubc.ca/~hph/
or contact Team Leader Mike Georgallis (galli@mech.ubc.ca).

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Grad Student Receives DC Memorial Graduate Award

Gerry Kasten, RDN has been selected as the 2004 recipient of the
$2,500.00 DC Graduate Award sponsored by the Dietitians of Canada
Memorial Fund. A UBC Master of Science student researching human
nutrition, Gerry has worked as a public health nutritionist since
1990 and works for the Fraser Health Authority.

Kasten is conducting qualitative research on the food choice processes
of gay men. His research utilizes grounded theory methods to develop
hypotheses on this topic. The results will be of use to dietitians
working with gay men, particularly those working in the fields of
diabetes, obesity, eating disorders and immune-deficiency disease.
They will support the delivery of culturally competent care, sensitive
to the particular issues faced by gay men when making food choices.

The Memorial Fund Graduate Scholarship was established by Dietitians
of Canada in 1966. The annual award of $2,500 assists a current
DC member engaged in graduate study in any aspect of dietetics.
Selection is based on scholarship, experience and professional potential.