UBC experts on all things holiday-related

The festive season is upon us and researchers at the University of British Columbia are available to shed light on:

HAPPINESS AND STRESS

Mark Holder, Psychology
Tel: 250.807.8728 (Only available until Dec. 12)
Email: mark.holder@ubc.ca

  • Enhancing happiness over the holidays
  • Children and happiness

Maxine Crawford, PhD student – Psychology
Tel: 778.475.1801
Email: maxcrawford@shaw.ca

CHRISTMAS TREES

Steve Mitchell, Faculty of Forestry
Tel: 604.822.4591
Email: stephen.mitchell@ubc.ca

SHOPPING, MARKETING, AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

Katherine White, Sauder School of Business
Tel: 604.827.3711
Email: katherine.white@sauder.ubc.ca

  • Eating and the holidays: People eat more when they are offered multiple smaller portions than if they are given larger portions
  • Why fashionistas steer clear of copycats
  • Consumer psychology – what makes us choose certain items

JoAndrea (Joey) Hoegg, Sauder School of Business
Tel: 604.827.4541
Email: joey.hoegg@sauder.ubc.ca

  • What triggers our senses when we’re shopping
  • Impact of product design

Darren Dahl, Sauder School of Business
Tel: 604.822.8346
Email: darren.dahl@sauder.ubc.ca

Juliet Zhu, Sauder School of Business
Email: juliet.zhu@sauder.ubc.ca (Only available by email)

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE HOLIDAYS

Christopher Schneider, Sociology
Tel: 250.807.8094
Email: christopher.schneider@ubc.ca (best method of contact)
Web: http://www.chrisschneider.org/

  • Social media do’s and don’ts for Christmas parties
  • How social media is changing social expectations around global holidays and events
  • Pope Benedict XVI begins using Twitter on December 12 – what does this mean for Christmas?

FOOD, FEASTING, HEALTH

Gwen Chapman, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Tel:604.822.6874 (only available until Dec. 19)
Email: gwen.chapman@ubc.ca

Kevin Allen, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Tel: 604.822.4427
Email: kevin.allen@ubc.ca

CHRISTIANITY AND CHRISTMAS

John Stackhouse Jr.
Regent College at UBC
Email: jgs@regent-college.edu
Blog: http://www.johnstackhouse.com/weblog/

  • Is “Buy Nothing Christmas” a Christian idea, or an anti-Christian one?
  • Should Christmas be a statutory holiday?
  • What does Santa Claus have to do with Jesus?
  • What is the true meaning of Christmas?
  • What is the role of Jesus in Christianity?
  • Why do the birth narratives in the Gospels not agree with each other?


TRAVEL

David Gillen, Sauder School of Business
Tel: 604. 822.8352 (Only available until Dec. 16)
Email: david.gillen@sauder.ubc.ca

  • Increased cost of flights during the holidays
  • Travel trips and risk planning for holiday travel, i.e. choose flights that depart from hub airports

WORKPLACE DYNAMICS

Karl Aquino, Sauder School of Business
Tel: 604.822.8378 or 604.786.9384
Email: karl.aquino@sauder.ubc.ca

DECEMBER 2012 APOCALYPSE AND THE MAYAN CALENDAR

Marvin Cohodas,  Art history and Visual Art
Email: mcohodas@mail.ubc.ca (available after December 11)

  • Ancient Maya history, arts and rituals
  • Contemporary Maya ritual arts

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Contact

Heather Amos
UBC Public Affairs
Tel: 604-822-3213
Email: heather.amos@ubc.ca