UBC This Week | Nov. 20, 2008

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UBC This Week is a weekly summary of UBC people in the news, recent media releases and upcoming event highlights. UBC This Week past issues are also available on-line.

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Recent UBC Media Releases

Upcoming Event Highlights

Visit UBCevents, UBC’s new campus-wide calendar: www.events.ubc.ca

Find out what else is happening at UBC this week. For sports events, visit the UBC Athletics site at www.gothunderbirds.ca/schedule.asp.

UBC People


UBC People

UBC professor named Researcher of the Year

Prof. Michael Hayden, Director of the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, has been named Canada’s 2008 “Health Researcher of the Year” in the field of biomedical and clinical research.

Hayden is honoured for his discoveries into the way gene mutations can cause diseases such as diabetes and Huntington disease.  He discovered the gene involved in the development of type 2 diabetes.  He has also identified genes responsible for eight other disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and pain.

Hayden receives his medal at a ceremony at the National Gallery in Ottawa on Nov. 19.

For more information, visit www.cfri.ca.

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Blusson Spinal Cord Centre opens

The Blusson Spinal Cord Centre was opened Nov. 18 by Premier Gordon Campbell, Rick Hansen and members of the health care and spinal cord research community including UBC.

The six-storey, $45-million centre is the world’s largest, most advanced and most comprehensive facility devoted to spinal cord injury research and patient care.  It is home to International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), a partnership of UBC, The Rick Hansen Foundation, the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

“Interdisciplinary collaboration is one of the exciting features the new Blusson Spinal Cord Centre offers to attract and retain outstanding researchers from around the world,” said UBC president Stephen Toope. “UBC is proud to be a partner in spinal cord injury research. This new world-class centre also provides a unique opportunity to train the next generation of spinal cord researchers.”

For more information visit http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2008OTP0274-001748.htm.

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UBC community supports annual United Way Campaign

As the 2008 UBC United Way Campaign enters its final weeks, campus donors and volunteers continue to support this expression of Trek 2010’s commitment to global citizenship and to building a sustainable and civil society.

Thanks to the generous contributions of staff, faculty and students, UBC’s campaign team has raised 66 per cent of its $500,000 target through donations and departmental initiatives. Donation pledge forms will be accepted until the end of the tax year, Dec. 31, but please note that only those received before Dec. 5 will be eligible for the grand prize draw of two Air Canada tickets to anywhere in North America, plus other great prizes.

Individuals and departments can support the campaign by organizing a fundraising event, or increasing your area’s awareness of the United Way and its many UBC connections with a presentation by UBC Loaned Representative Kevis Morris.

To see 2008 campaign video clips or for more information on donating or upcoming events such as the Housing and Conferences Garage Sale and the Campus Security Surplus Lost & Found Sale, visit www.unitedway.ubc.ca or contact Andrie Tseng at 604-822-8929.

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Inaugural prison-academic-community conference held at UBC

UBC’s Division of Prison Health and Education, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and Simon Fraser University are organizing the 2008 Inaugural Canadian Collaborative Prison-Academic-Community Conference. 

The first of its kind in Canada, the conference will bring together policy makers, researchers, prison members and community members to exchange knowledge on efforts and initiatives for improving prison health and education. 

            Date:    Dec. 4 – 5
            Place:   Sty-Wet-Tan, UBC First Nations Longhouse
            Info:     http://www.familymed.ubc.ca/dph/Events/Conference.htm

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UBC commemorates a century of South Asian presence in Canada

UBC’s College for Interdisciplinary Studies and Langara College will sponsor a series of talks, lectures, and performances to commemorate a century of South Asian presence in Canada – the struggles, achievements, and challenges in building alliances for the 21st century.

            Date:    Nov. 17 – 23
            Info:     All events are free.  www.southasianevents.blogspot.com

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Theatre and film department presents award-winning writer and director

UBC Department of Theatre and Film will present A Talk with Peter Howitt, featuring Artist-in-Residence Peter Howitt and hosted by department head and film actor Prof. Jerry Wasserman.

Howitt is the award-winning writer and director of films Sliding Doors starring Gwyneth Paltrow, and Johnny English with Rowan Atkinson and John Malkovich.  He also directed Antitrust starring Tim Robbins and the romantic comedy Laws of Attraction starring Julianne Moore and Pierce Brosnan. His most recent film Dangerous Parking, stars him in the leading role and won the Best Director Award at the 2007 Tokyo International Film Festival.

Prior to writing and directing films, Howitt was a well-known actor in Britain, with appearances in Irish dramas In The Name Of the Father starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Some Mother’s Son with Helen Mirren.

For more information visit: www.film.ubc.ca or contact Erin Macdonald at 604-827-5022.

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Green College presents film and theatre poet

Tony Harrison, leading film and theatre poet in Britain, will be in residence at Green College as a Cecil H. and Ida Green Visiting Professor from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1.

From his translation of The Misanthrope, to his most recent play Fram, Harrison has written nearly a dozen plays for London’s National Theatre, is the author of translations for The Royal Shakespeare Company, libretto for the New York Metropolitan Opera, and plays for production in Nigeria, Greece, and Austria.

Harrison will host a series of free workshops, readings, and presentations:

Tony Harrison: Poetry Reading
Date:    Nov. 25
Time:    5 – 6:30 p.m.
Place:   Green College Coach House, 6201 Cecil Green Park Road
(Space limited)

Workshop on Speaking Verse
Date:    Nov. 26
Time:    2 – 4 p.m.
Place:   Lillooet Room, Irving K Barber Learning Centre
Info:     Hallie Marshall at halliem@interchange.ubc.ca

Tony Harrison Presents film/poem Black Daisies for the Bride
Date:    Nov. 27
Time:    2 – 4 p.m.
Place:   Royal Bank Cinema, The Chan Centre

Tony Harrison and Company
Date:    Dec. 1
Time:    5 -7 p.m.
Place:   Frederic Wood Theatre, 6354 Crescent Road

For more information, visit http://www.greencollege.ubc.ca/Academic/Tony%20Harrison%202008.pdf or contact gc.events@ubc.ca or 604-822-0676.

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Clean Energy Research Centre seminar series

Prof. Madjid Mohseni, UBC Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, will speak on biohydrogen and biofuel cells at the upcoming Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC) seminar.

Date: Nov. 26
Time: 3 – 4 p.m.
Place: Room 103, 2360 East Mall Vancouver
Info: http://www.calendar.events.ubc.ca/cal/main/showMain.rdo

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Film Production Alumni hosts film screening

As part of the 2008 UBC Centenary Screening Series, the UBC Film Production Alumni Association is hosting a screening of Lynne Stopkewich’s Kissed preceded by a short film Regarding Sarah directed by Michelle Porter.

Date: Nov. 24
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street
Info: Reception at 6 p.m., Q & A after screening
After party at Chapel Arts, 30r Dunlevy St.
Contact 604-822-6037

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Engineers Without Borders serves double-header breakfast

Due to the success from its early November breakfast, Engineers Without Borders will be giving a second –  Fair Trade banana-chocolate chip pancakes will be served as a pre-exam morning brightener.

Date: Nov. 25 & Nov. 26
Time: 7:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Place: Nov. 25 – Kaiser Foyer, 2332 Main Mall
Nov. 26 – MASS (Meekson Arts Student Space), Buchanan D
Info: Please bring your own plate/cutlery.

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Photography exhibition at Koerner Library

There will be an exhibition of photographic work entitled Facts and Fictions  from the intermediate and advanced photography classes from the Visual Art program in the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory.

Date:    Nov. 19 – 21
Time:    12 – 5 p.m.
Place:   Sultan and Sultana Vicwood Kee Ting Chong
Room #112, Koerner Library, 1958 Main Mal
Info:     Opening Nov. 18,  6 – 8 p.m

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Reminder: UBC Library Vault at the holiday gift fair

Just a reminder that UBC Library Vault is offering its line of greeting cards, matted prints and art print umbrellas for a ‘Buy Two Get One Free’ price at the annual holiday gift fair held at the Student Union Building (SUB).

            Date:    now until Nov. 28 (Mon – Fri)
            Time:    10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
            Place:   Student Union Building