UBC This Week

UBC Civil Engineering Prof. Tarek Sayed received the 2011 Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Wilbur S. Smith Distinguished Transportation Educator Award for his contribution to the transportation profession by relating academic studies to the practice of transportation.

Prof. Sayed received the award on Aug. 15, 2011 at ITE’s annual meeting in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Dr. Sayed is an inspiring educator and mentor on the cutting edge of the transportation profession and he is a strong supporter of the University of British Columbia’s ITE student chapter,” said ITE International President Robert C. Wunderlich in presenting the award. “Not only does he bring traffic operations knowledge to his students, he also instils in them the desire to become leaders in addressing the complex transportation issues of the 21st century.”

The honour recognizes Prof. Sayed’s achievements as professor, distinguished university scholar, transportation group leader and graduate advisor in educating and mentoring students in the field of transportation. Within his 15-year academic career, Sayed has overseen 61 graduate students enrolled and completing their MEng, MASc and PhD degrees.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/r6vBPx

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Ingrid Parent, UBC’s University Librarian, last week became the President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) for a two-year term.

She is the first Canadian to head an organization that has been the global voice of the library and information profession for more than eight decades.

A UBC graduate, Parent first became involved with IFLA in 1993 while working at the National Library of Canada. She has held many roles at IFLA since then and has served as the President-elect for the past two years.

IFLA, founded in 1927 and headquartered in The Hague (Parent will remain based in Vancouver during her presidency), features more than 1,600 members from 120 countries. It is the only organization that speaks for library associations, institutions and librarians around the world.

“I believe that libraries have the power to change people’s lives and thus change communities and society,” Parent said. “And it often starts with one person, one book, one helping hand in a library or a drop-in centre.”

For more, visit http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/2011/08/23/ubc%E2%80%99s-university-librarian-first-canadian-to-head-global-group/

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On June 27, 2011, the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences signed a Statement of Cooperation with the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.

The Statement of Cooperation represents the first step in a long-term joint venture between both faculties.

For more information, visit http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/aboutus/faculty-news#Copenhagen

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Prof. Erik Eberhardt has been appointed as the Director of the Geological Engineering Program from August 16, 2011 to June 30, 2014. Prof. Eberhardt obtained his MSc and PhD in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1995 and 1998. He joined the UBC Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences in 2004 and was promoted to associate professor in 2006 and to full professor in 2011.
 
The Geological Engineering program is an interdisciplinary program offered through the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Applied Science.

To read more, visit http://blogs.apsc.ubc.ca/engineeringnews/2011/08/24/ubc-geological-engineering-program-welcomes-new-director/

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UBC’s Collaborative Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory (CARIS), led by Prof. Elizabeth Croft in the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, has acquired a new human-friendly robot.

Dubbed Charlie by the CARIS team, the advanced robot research system navigates indoors at walking speed, handles customary workplace and home obstacles, lifts a 10 kilogram load in each hand, and reaches from the floor to a two-metre high shelf.

Charlie also has a “soft touch,” ideal for Croft’s research on robot assistant behaviours for manufacturing assembly and home healthcare assistance.

UBC is the first Canadian university to work with the PR2 model from Willow Garage, a U.S.-based developer of personal robot open source software and hardware.

For more, visit: http://caris-ubc.blogspot.com/2011/08/pr2-arrives-at-caris-and-lcicrl-labs-in.html

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Zahra Ahmadian, a PhD candidate working with Prof. Lutz Lampe in the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering recently received the Google Anita Borg Scholarship. The award is given to encourage women to excel in computing and technology and become active role models and leaders.

For more information, visit http://www.ece.ubc.ca/news/201108/zahra-ahmadian-2011-google-anita-borg-scholar

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Derek Desrosiers, BSc(Pharm) ’82 recently received the 2011 Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy Pillar of Pharmacy Award in recognition of his lifelong contributions to pharmacy in Canada.

Desrosiers is one of Canada’s foremost authorities in the economic and professional practice issues of pharmacy.  He spent 13 years working in community pharmacy as a pharmacy manager and owner. In 2004, he became the chief executive officer of uniPHARM Wholesale Drugs Ltd.

He also served six terms as president of the British Columbia Pharmacy Association’s board of directors.

For more details, visit http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/aboutus/faculty-news#DDesrosiers

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RES’EAU WaterNET invites seasoned and new water professionals to a two-day workshop that will highlight solutions to the challenges of delivering drinking water in small systems.

The workshop will be held on Oct. 5-6, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver Downtown.

RES’EAU WaterNET is Canada’s first and only research network devoted exclusively to developing innovative, affordable technologies for providing clean drinking water to small and rural communities. Its 88 research projects involve 14 professors and collaborators from seven Canadian universities. The network is hosted by UBC and funded via the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

For more information, visit http://blogs.apsc.ubc.ca/chbenews/2011/08/23/reseau-waternet-workshop/

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