UBC This Week 20-Sep-2012

This year, nine UBC staff members are recognized for their contributions of excellence for enhancing the UBC experience, leadership and creativity, global citizenship, emerging leadership, and advancing diversity and inclusion, as part of the University’s awards and recognition program.

The President’s Staff Awards (Vancouver campus) recognize the personal achievements and contributions of staff to UBC and to the vision and goals of the university.

Enhancing the UBC Experience:
Jennifer Bendl, Development and Alumni Engagement
Shannon Sterling, Student Development
Martin Dee, Public Affairs

Leadership and Creativity:
Andrew Collins, Project Services
Cate Morrison, Student Housing and Hospitality Services

Global Citizenship:
Jenny Reilly, Faculty of Applied Science

Emerging Leadership:
Jae Lee, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries

Advancing Diversity and Inclusion:
Erin Biddlecombe, Student Involvement and Careers
Ruth Warick, Access and Diversity

Read the award citations on the Focus on People website at http://www.focusonpeople.ubc.ca/blog/2012/2012-presidents-staff-awards-recipients/

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Celebrate Learning Week is a showcase to celebrate teaching and learning opportunities at UBC. Now in its fifth year, the Oct. 27 – Nov. 4 celebration highlights and honours the work of faculty, students and staff to create exceptional learning environments at UBC.

The week-long showcase includes open lectures, informational sessions, student advising activities, poster sessions, workshops and more. Many of the events are free and open to UBC faculty, staff, students and the community.

To host an event, submit an application at http://celebratelearning.ubc.ca/how-to-participate/event-form/.

Submission deadline is Sept. 28, 2012. For more information and a complete list of all the events, visit http://www.celebratelearning.ubc.ca/. Follow the events on Twitter @CelebrateLearn #CLW2012.

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Juliana Parreira was recipient of the 2012 Iqbal Ahmad Intelligent Processing and Manufacturing of Materials (IPMM) Best Student Paper Award for her presentation “Simulation of Autonomous Mine Haulage Trucks.” The selection took place at IPMM 2012 held in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil from Sept. 2-5, 2012. For more information, visit http://mining.ubc.ca/news.php?action=fullnews&id=153

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As one of the darkest materials on earth, a “carbon nanotube forest” can absorb the entire visible range of electromagnetic waves more efficiently than any other known black material. A research team in the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering led by Kenichi Takahata and Alireza Nojeh, with Tanveer Saleh, Mehran Vahdani Moghaddam, Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Ali, Masoud Dahmardeh, and Charles Alden Foell has transformed areas of this very dark forest into micro mirrors.

Read more at http://www.ece.ubc.ca/news/201209/darkest-absorber-reflective-mirror.

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The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) has announced its newest series of PD ExpertBriefings, free interactive seminars presented by leaders in Parkinson’s disease research and care. Designed for people living with Parkinson’s disease, care partners, family members and health care professionals, the series of six seminars can be accessed online or by phone at www.pdf.org/parkinsononline.

The series will begin Sept. 25 with UBC’s Prof. Matthew Farrer of the Dept. of Medical Genetics, who will present “What is New in Genetics and Parkinson’s Disease?”

Date: Sept. 25, 2012
Time: 10 – 11 a.m.
Info: Call 1 (800) 457-6676 or visit www.pdf.org/parkinsononline or email info@pdf.org.
Pre-registration recommended. Phone participants will receive an event-specific phone number (different from one above).

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Alumna Sarah Rodgers directs this irreverent and ribald tale of the American divorcee for whom Edward Vlll abdicated his throne. Through a combination of naturalism and theatrical magic, Canadian playwright Linda Griffiths’ work illuminates a part of history that, despite its widespread coverage in the world press, remains shrouded in mystery.

The Duchess features 10 final-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) acting students, playing twenty-five characters: Georgia Beaty, Alen Dominguez, Joel Garner, Emma Johnson, Pippa Johnstone, Alexander Keurvorst, Kenton Klassen, Matt Reznek, Tracy Schut and Courtney Shields. The creative team includes recent BFA Design graduate Michael Bock (set) with BFA design students Alia Stephen (lighting), Miriam Thom (costumes) and Scott Zechner (sound), as well as BFA production student Yeon Kyeom (Jenny) Kim (stage management).

UBC staff and faculty will receive two for one pricing for all shows. Tickets for UBC alumni are $5 on Alumni Night on Sept. 26.

Date: Sept. 20 – Oct. 6
Place: Telus Studio Theatre – Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Info:  http://www.theatre.ubc.ca/duchess

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To help connect campus food consumers to campus providers and B.C. food producers, UBC Food Services presents “Meet Your Maker – Look before you eat!”, an event that encourages people to look at where food and other goods come from.

The event will include free samples and tastings, a chef demo by Chef Steve Golob and information booths from Fair Trade Vancouver, Ethical Bean, Milano Coffee Roasters, Starbucks Coffee, Zhena’s Gypsy Tea, B.C. Blueberry Farmer from Country Village Market, Engineers without Borders, Social Conscience Fair Trade Sports Balls, UBC Sprouts, Land and Food Systems Orchard Garden, Happy Planet and UBC Farm.

Date: Sept. 26
Time: 11 – 1:30 p.m.
Place: outside the Triple-O’s patio on Main Mall and Agricultural Road

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Asia Pacific Memo (APM) series publishes short text memos or video interviews on current issues in Asia and across the Pacific at http://www.asiapacificmemo.ca/.

Most recent memos:
• Mobilizing the Chinese Education Movement in Malaysia, by Penang Institute’s Ming-Chee Ang
• Mongolia Remains Key to U.S. Strategy in Asia, by Center for Strategic and International Studies Pacific Forum’s Jonathan Miller

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