UBC This Week

Tennis Canada announced Tuesday that the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre at UBC will be the host site for the upcoming Davis Cup, a first-round tournament elimination between Canada and France. The event will take place from Feb. 10-12, 2012.

Davis Cup is the largest annual international team competition in sport with more than 130 nations competing. The winner of the tournament between France and Canada in February will move on to the World Group quarter-finals. France is the seeded team with a Davis Cup world ranking of No. 4. Canada is ranked No. 14 in the world. Tickets will go on sale Dec. 1, and will be available through Ticketmaster.

For more information, visit: http://gothunderbirds.ca/news/2011/11/15/GEN_1115115146.aspx

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The Wilson Institute for Canadian History at McMaster University has awarded UBC Press the annual $10,000 Wilson Prize for Publishing Canadian History.

In the letter from the Institute, UBC Press is cited for “invigorating and broadening the field of Canadian History with its distinguished list of publications.”

The $10,000 prize is awarded on the condition that the money is used towards supporting the publication of books in the field of Canadian history. UBC Press plans to use the $10,000 to establish a fund for first-time authors. Its use will be earmarked specifically for works in Canadian history that require financial support for additional visuals or other production elements, enhancing the content and inherent value of the work for the widest possible audience.

The prize will be presented by H.V. Nelles, L.R. Wilson Professor of Canadian History at McMaster University, in Vancouver on Nov.17 and in Ottawa on Nov. 29.

For more, visit: http://www.ubcpress.ubc.ca/

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UBC civil engineering professor Don Mavinic received the Meritorious Achievement Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. (APEGBC) at their annual awards ceremony.

Mavinic was instrumental in the development of the Pearl Nutrient Recovery Process, which recovers nutrients from wastewater for use in environmentally friendly fertilizer, transforming a costly problem into a valuable product.

For more information, visit http://blogs.apsc.ubc.ca/engineeringnews/2011/10/17/ubc-civil-engineer-recognized-for-excellence/

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Dr. Judy Illes, professor of Neurology in the Department of Medicine, was awarded the Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award for her efforts in advancing women’s careers in neuroscience.

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

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Samantha Grist has been awarded the Killam Doctoral Fellowship by UBC’s Faculty of Graduate Studies. The Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Doctoral Fellowships are awarded every year to exceptional doctoral degree candidates at UBC. The fellowships are the University’s most prestigious merit-based graduate award.

Grist is pursuing her doctoral degree under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Karen Cheung and Asst. Prof. Lukas Chrostowski in the area of microsystems and nanotechnoloy. Her research centers on optical oxygen sensors and their ability as a powerful tool to calculate the effects of oxygen concentrations on cell behavior, cell viability and drug effectiveness. Since the presence and concentration of oxygen has a large impact in biological systems, this research is crucial for research in areas such as differentiation of stem cells or growth of tumor cells.

For more information, visit http://www.ece.ubc.ca

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November is Osteoporosis Month in Canada. On Oct. 30, Dr. Alan Low from UBC Pharmaceutical Sciences was interviewed on Global TV News with respect to osteoporosis and The Osteoporosis Book. To read more, visit http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/aboutus/faculty-news#ALowGlobal

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Six hundred second-year psychology majors will showcase their research projects at the second Psychology 217 Research Methods Poster Session. Small teams have worked throughout the term to plan their research study, collect data on their classmates and analyze results.

Thirteen Teaching Fellows who have guided the undergraduates throughout their research process will evaluate the posters. For these psychology graduate students, this research methods course serves as prominent teaching experience before they graduate.

 Date: Nov. 25
 Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
 Place: East Atrium of the Life Sciences Institute, 2329 West Mall, UBC
 Info: http://www.psych.ubc.ca/news_events.psy#111511131052

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Twice-weekly, Asia Pacific Memo publishes short text memos or video interviews about current issues in Asia and across the Pacific. To read the memos or to subscribe, visit http://www.asiapacificmemo.ca/

• Nov. 15 – The Disappearing Rivers of India
• Nov. 10 – Interview with Ezra Vogel on writing Deng Xiaoping’s biography (Part 1/3)

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The British Columbia Achievement Foundation is accepting nominations for its Community Achievement Awards. These awards honour people who have made a significant contribution to their community through a unique achievement or outstanding service – either as a volunteer or in the course of their work – in areas such as sports and recreation, arts and culture, environment, multiculturalism, environment, healthcare, education, civic duty, business innovation, community volunteerism, and youth or seniors’ leadership.

Deadline for nominations is Nov. 30. To fill out the nomination form or for more information, visit http://www.bcachievement.com

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Built from the successful Summer Institute China Program at UBC, China Links was developed with the encouragement of government and business leaders across Canada who expressed a need for intensive training on practical problem-solving for professionals, executives and officials working in or with China. Participants leave with a firm understanding of important Chinese policy and regulatory issues, the cultural factors of doing business in China, and the decision-making approaches that create successful outcomes.

The first module of the China Links Program will be held at UBC Point Grey campus from April 12-14, 2012 followed by one week in Shanghai from May 7-11. At the three day workshop at UBC, participants will receive a comprehensive overview of the current Chinese operating environment and the various risks and opportunities that are prevalent. Experiential exercises will allow them to understand problem-solving approaches by working through situations that are commonly encountered in China.

The Shanghai segment is week-long and continues the emphasis on expert instruction and experiential learning through role-playing and simulations. Site visits in Shanghai include a foreign-invested enterprise and a Chinese government agency.

For more information, visit http://www.chinalinks.ubc.ca/cl-core-program/

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