UBC This Week

As announced last week in UBC This Week, Prof. Stephen Toope is currently in India. As part of a delegation from 15 Canadian universities, Toope led an announcement of a $4 million program to support international students from India. 

The announcement included the Canada-India GlobalLink Fellowships program, a $3.5 million investment of eight Canadian Universities to support 50 Indian students pursuing graduate degrees in Canada: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6coInfYFuw&feature=player_embedded#!

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Prof. Philip Hieter from the Dept. of Medical Genetics, has been elected vice-president of the Genetics Society of America (GSA) for 2011, and will become president in 2012.

The GSA is a society that represents more than 4,000 geneticists and science educators.  Hieter is a long-time GSA member who served on the Board of Directors from 1995-97, and was co-organizer of the GSA-sponsored Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology Meeting in Vancouver this year.

For more information, visit http://www.med.ubc.ca/about_us/Awards_and_Honours.htm#Hieter

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In an upcoming UBC Town Hall, three UBC professors working at the interface of university research, international human rights and public life (law, education and journalism) will describe how they are responding to urgent international human rights issues. They argue that such forms of international scholarship are crucial to the public good of international communities and the expansion of global justice, as well as to the survival of the public university and the ethical ideal of the public intellectual. 

Speakers include Alfred Hermida, assistant professor at the UBC Graduate School of Journalism, Benjamin Perrin, assistant professor in the Faculty of Law, and Jo-Anne Dillabough, associate professor in the Dept. of Educational Studies.  Stephen Owen, Vice-President, External, Legal and Community Affairs, will moderate.

Date: Nov. 18
Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
Place: UBC Robson Square Theatre, 800 Robson St.
Info: Free admission.  For reservations call 604.822.1444.
http://www.cstudies.ubc.ca/community/courses.html#human_rights

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Nominations are being accepted for two outstanding volunteer awards in the UBC community:

•Slonecker Award for Outstanding Volunteer Contributions to UBC
•The Outstanding Student Award for Volunteer Contributions to UBC

For information on eligibility and to download nomination forms, visit http://www.ceremonies.ubc.ca/what-we-do/volunteer-contribution-awards/.  Deadline for nominations is Dec. 1, 2010.

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Global phosphate reserves are rapidly being depleted, threatening the world’s future food production. Civil engineering professor Don Mavinic, recent recipient of two national innovation awards, presents how a team of UBC environmental engineers has developed a sustainable and effective solution, with worldwide applications.

Date: Nov. 17
Time: 6 – 7 p.m.
Place: UBC Robson Square – C300 Theater, 800 Robson Street
Info: Reception 7- 8 p.m.
 www.civil.ubc.ca

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The BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) will hold a Community Cancer Forum where patients, supporters and caregivers can learn about the latest in new cancer treatments, integrative cancer care, nutrition, lifestyle, cancer survivorship, and pain and fatigue management.

Sessional instructor Gerry Kasten from UBC Faculty of Land and Foods will present Nutrition to feed the soul and nourish the spirit:  An Interactive Demo.  Assoc. Prof. Lynda Balneaves and Adjunct Prof. Tracy Truant from UBC School of Nursing will speak about complementary therapies. 

View the complete forum schedule at http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/HPI/ACC2010/communitycancerforum.htm

Date: Nov. 27
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Westin Bayshore, 1601 Bayshore Drive, Vancouver
Info: Registration not required.
             (604) 707-5900 ext. 674626 or conference@bccancer.bc.ca

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UBC’s Got Talent is in its founding year and is encouraging the UBC community to participate.  Alumni, students, faculty, staff and neighbourhood residents can submit online video auditions before Nov. 15th to share their musical, dancing, theatrical, spoken word, singing or other talents. 

The show will be held Jan. 14th at the Chan Centre. Tickets are available at no cost at the Chan Centre ticket office (limit six per person).  Donations to the United Way charity can be made at the door on the night of the event. 

UBC president Prof. Stephen Toope and AMS president Bijan Ahmadian have agreed to sing a duet if all seats are claimed (1,000+ tickets).

For more information on how to get tickets, submit auditions, and vote on the duet song, visit www.talent.ubc.ca or Facebook event http://ow.ly/34MXl

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UBC Library recently released its strategic plan for the next five years (http://strategicplan.library.ubc.ca/) in which technology and the digital agenda are key components.  In order to give better service, the Library invites users to participate in a brief online survey at http://fluidsurveys.com/s/ubclibtechusers/. Information from the survey will help the Library form a complementary plan for its IT department.  The survey runs from Nov. 10-24.

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