At UBC Okanagan, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, Faculty of Health and Social Development, and the School of Engineering established a joint-funding initiative with counterparts at the University of Exeter to increase the impact of research and education collaboration activities across the UK, North America and further afield. Through partnering in this way, both institutions can tackle challenges that could not be as effectively carried out by one partner on its own.

Fellowship awards, intended to seed new research opportunities, received a maximum of $5,000 / £3,000 allowing for travel between the University of Exeter and the University of British Columbia. Project Grants received a maximum of $20,000 / £12,500 to deliver a workshop, symposium, or collaborative project. Award recipients and projects are summarized below by Faculty.

Faculty of Health and Social Development

Fellowships

Ali McManus, UBC Okanagan
This fellowship aims to expand an existing research collaboration between Professors’ McManus, Barker and Bond exploring the impact of sitting and exercise on vascular and cardiometabolic outcomes in childhood and adolescence.  The long-term objectives are to create a dedicated Pediatric Inactivity Physiology Graduate Training Hub and to secure specific Canadian/UK research funding.

Greg duManoir, UBC Okanagan
This fellowship will help facilitate the development of an undergraduate student exchange between UBC and the University of Exeter. In the first instance, this Fellowship will provide the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the undergraduate programs at each institution with a specific focus on lab-based courses and competency-based learning.

Project Grants

Dominic Farris, University of Exeter, Brian Dalton and Chris McNeil, UBC Okanagan
Sensorimotor control of adaptation to wearable robotics (‘exoskeletons’) for assisting human movement and balance

Jonathan Little, UBC Okanagan and Francis Stephens, University of Exeter
The effect of ketone monoester supplementation on liver glucose output in patients with type 2 diabetes

Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies and Okanagan School of Education

Fellowships

Denise Kenney, FCCS and Michael Peace, University of Exeter
This collaboration will support the development of a practical book for performance training and accompanying online digital resource.

Charlotte Tupman, University of Exeter and Francisco Pena Fernandez, FCCS
This collaboration is related to ongoing research in religious cultures in medieval Spanish Historiography expanding on research in the Digital Humanities.

Melissa Jacques, FCCS and Laura Salisbury, University of Exeter
The purpose of this collaboration is to develop two courses in the Medical Humanities at UBC Okanagan through connecting with faculty members at the University of Exeter offering similar programs through the University of Exeter Welcome Centre leading to curriculum development and collaborative research.

Michael Treschow, FCCS and Paul Young, University of Exeter
This collaboration will extend joint capacity in the field of public humanities by developing a project to identify successful engagement and knowledge mobilization strategies.

Bryony Onciul, University of Exeter, Greg Garrard and Virginie Magnat, FCCS and Karen Ragoonaden, School of Education
This collaboration will further develop the ongoing Culture, Creativity, Health and Wellbeing project and will, among other opportunities, allow for Professor Onciul to engage with community sites in the Okanagan regarding TRC commitments and to contribute to course delivery with the Okanagan School of Education.

Project Grant

Bryony Onciul and Marisa Lazzari, University of Exeter; Greg Garrard and Virginie Magnat, FCCS and Karen Ragoonaden, School of Education
Connecting strands on current Indigenous realities in the Americas: an interdisciplinary workshop on traditional territories, extractivism and narratives of reconciliation in North and South America

School of Engineering

Fellowships

Lukas Bichler, UBC Okanagan and Shaowei Zhang, University of Exeter
Exploring common areas of interest related to graphene-based application in light alloys, this fellowship brings together the pioneering work at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering in graphene-based materials and the surface-science research expertise at the University of Exeter with the intent to develop collaborations for application in theoretical and industrial projects.

Joshua Brinkerhoff, UBC Okanagan and David Moxey, University of Exeter
This collaboration will explore the use of liquid Hydrogen and other complex fuels as green aviation fuel. This collaboration involves co-supervision of a UBC Okanagan doctoral student and Prof. Moxey from the University of Exeter contributing to a directed studies course at UBC Okanagan.

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The total raised for this year’s UBC Okanagan campus United Way Campaign was $37,751.87. This number is the result of our campus community’s spirit of giving to make a difference in our valley and all funds raised went to the United Way of the Southern Interior BC.

Special thanks to the many groups who raised funds through special events, including the UBC Okanagan Library, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, Ceremonies and Events, Food Services, JDC West, the Engineering Society, Nourishing Futures and UBC Students’ Union Okanagan. More special thanks to campaign volunteers Amanda Hancock, Rosemary Thompson, Rob Giardino, Neeta Hundle, Sherry Petkau, Lois Marshall, Kim Buschert, Paula Verholen and Bud Mortenson, and co-chairs Cara Kirkey and Suann Brown.

Payroll donors were entered into draws for annual passes donated by Athletics and Recreation and Parking Services. Congratulations to Christine Zeindler and Andrew Jirasek.

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UBC has established Public Humanities Hubs (PHH) on each campus to support collaborative research among humanists. The PHH initiative was developed to complement existing research cluster competitions and provide support fitting the nature of collaboration within the humanities.

The Public Humanities Hubs are the result of wide consultation with UBC humanities researchers on both campuses, including the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Education, the Peter A. Allard School of Law, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies and the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences with support from the Offices of the President, the Provost and VP Academic, and the VP Research and Innovation.

Supported by UBC Excellence Funds, the three-year pilot project will highlight and develop public-facing research in the humanities. Planned activities at the UBC Okanagan campus include:

• Hosting a major public humanities conference in Kelowna (July 8-11, 2020).
• Launching a joint-fellowship competition that will enable UBC Okanagan scholars to collaborate with fellows at other institutions on a year-long humanities project with clear potential for impact in the Okanagan Valley (application deadline: November 30, 2019).
• Implementing and adjudicating an annual research funding competition to support groups pursuing thematic research interests.
• Supporting a graduate research assistant to organize exchanges and explore the successes of other campuses that have achieved high international rankings in the humanities.
• Building new interdisciplinary research connections.
• Identifying best practices in international capacity-building within the humanities.
• Providing opportunities to promote and mobilize humanities research.

For more information, visit public-humanities.ok.ubc.ca or contact Dr. Brigitte Le Normand, academic director of the Public Humanities Hub at UBC Okanagan.

The Public Humanities Hub at UBC’s Vancouver campus operates under the leadership of Dr. Mary Chapman.

Sincerely,

Ananya Mukherjee Reed
Provost and Vice-President, Academic

Phil Barker
Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation

Bryce Traister
Dean, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

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Do you love to sing? Do you want to polish your voice and share it with others?

The Minds and Music Concert Series and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies are collaborating to create a University Chorus.

University Chorus will be directed by Frances Chiasson, it will rehearse at noon on Tuesdays starting January 8, 2019, in the Creative and Critical Studies building (room CCS 144) and is open to all students, faculty and staff.

No auditions are required and all voice types are welcome. Just bring your voice and your enthusiasm for making music.

To find out more, contact Manuela Ungureanu, Minds and Music program coordinator and associate professor of philosophy, at manuela.ungureanu@ubc.ca or 250 807 9375, or Frances Chiasson at fchiasson@choral-music.com or 250 869 6817.

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UBC Copanagan was made up of 19 cyclists on campus, ranging from student services staff, to FCCS faculty and IKBSAS grad students.

Congratulations to UBC Copanagan, who logged 1,896 km from during this year’s Bike to Work Week (BTWW) from May 28 to June 3. They were one of six teams representing UBC Okanagan for BTWW.

A total of 44 faculty and staff participated from Student Services, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, the UBC Okanagan Library, the Provost’s Office, Okanagan Planning and Institutional Research, Student Housing & Hospitality Services, and Human Resources.

Team UBC Copanagan had 19 riders and its name is a combination of Okanagan and Copenhagen, the most urban-cycling friendly city in the world. It was organized by Equity Facilitator Jenica Frisque and Disability Resource Centre Exam Coordinator Stephen Atherton.

BTWW was a fantastic few days of exercise, bonding and community building for participants. UBC Copanagan collectively burned 56 870 calories — the equivalent of 187 cheeseburgers or 10 cheeseburgers each. English Foundation Program Manager Kirsten Bennett commuted from West Kelowna each day, cycling an impressive 224.8 km over the week.

The team members are looking to continue the activity and bonds created during this year’s BTWW, including group rides throughout the year. Anyone interested in joining in on group rides or simply trying out biking to campus with another cyclist can contact jenica.frisque@ubc.ca or stephen.atherton@ubc.ca.

Bike to Work Week 2018 metrics from each UBC Okanagan team.

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Faculty and staff recognized at this year’s Long Service Awards included (from left): Dixon Sookraj, Rose Cresswell, Robert Lalonde, Blythe Nilson, Mike Gesi and Robert Campbell.

Each year UBC Okanagan celebrates the many years of dedicated service from faculty and staff. This year, 12 people reached milestones of working at UBC or Okanagan University College for 25, 30 and 40 years.

Those who received recognition for 25 years of service this year are:

• Martin Blum, associate professor of English
• Robert Campbell, associate professor in the Faculty of Education
• Paramjit Gill, associate professor of statistics
• Christopher Gordon, associate professor of French
• Marvin Krank, professor of psychology
• Robert Lalonde, associate professor of biology
• Dixon Sookraj, associate professor in the School of Social Work
• Diane Stoliker, library technician
• Bonnie Taylor, administrator in the AVP Students office

Both Security Manager Mike Gesi and Associate Professor of Biology Blythe Nilson were recognized for 30 years of service. And Library Technician Rose Cresswell was recognized for reaching the milestone of 40 years.

The reception was hosted by Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal Deborah Buszard and each recipient was presented with a small gift and a certificate of appreciation.

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A new home for curious students, faculty and staff to come together to dream, design, prototype and create is open for business. makerspace UBCO— a collaborative project months in the making—officially launches with an open house on Thursday, May 3 from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in room EME 1256.

The innovative design space, up and running since November 2017, features everything from duct tape to state-of-the-art equipment like 3D printers, digital cutters, soldering stations and an automatic sewing machine. Faculty, students and staff are welcome to book time in the space, free of charge.

Faculty, students and staff are also invited to drop by the space on May 3. Professors Ray Taheri-Ardebili and Miles Thorogood will give live demos using some of the equipment that makes this space so unique.

makerspace UBCO was made possible through the collaborative efforts of faculty and students within the School of Engineering, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, Faculty of Management and the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences.

Funding and equipment for the space have come from an anonymous donor, the Faculty of Education, School of Engineering and Okanagan College – Women in Trades Trading (WiTT).

To find out more, visit: makerspace.ok.ubc.ca

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