An unsuspected portrait of B.C.’s climate during the Eocene Era

Research recently published in the International Journal of Plant Sciences by Rolf Mathewes, professor of paleoecology and palynology at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and co-authors David Greenwood of Brandon University and Tammo Reichgelt of the University of Connecticut uncovered numerous clues that Metro-Vancouver’s climate was much warmer and more humid than it is now. The…

A slice of paradise worth protecting

Since 1985, Metro Vancouver’s population has increased by more than a million people. As a result much of the natural habitats in the area have been lost, including more than 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) of forest – equivalent in size to four Stanley Parks. “There is no ‘old growth forest’ left in the lower mainland,”…

Canadians want universal health care for mental health

Many Canadians believe the country is experiencing a mental health crisis and the government is not doing enough about it. Every May, since 1951, Canadians – in communities, schools, workplaces, and the House of Commons – have rallied around CMHA Mental Health Week. This year’s theme MY STORY aims to showcase the importance of securing…

Approaching climate action with a healthy dose of positivity

The only way to effectively tackle climate change and create lasting, sustainable outcomes, is to make sure people feel happy about the actions they are taking says behavioral scientist Jiaying Zhao, PhD, associate professor in UBC’s Department of Psychology, the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and Canada Research Chair. Eventually, everyone will experience the…

An African youth dialogue project

As youth transition into adulthood, to find their place and to contribute within society, they actively develop their ideals and personal values. The African Ancestry Project continues its Youth Dialogue series on May 6, and is open to the public. The Youth Dialogue, using the contents of the Worlds Within report, is a series of…

“Community Brain Art” – understanding and engaging with research findings

Many dream of breaking down barriers and making academic research more accessible. This is exactly what Lianne Cho and colleagues are doing at the University of British Columbia, with the ‘Community Brain Art’ programme. Cho is looking at depressive symptoms in the homeless and precariously housed populations of Vancouver’s Downtown East Side (DTES). The Community…

Queer love, marriage, friendship and modern motherhood

Written by emerging Vancouver playwright Bronwyn Carradine and directed by Zee Zee Theatre’s artistic and executive director Cameron Mackenzie, Unexpecting is a fully staged female-led comedy, will have its world premiere and run from May 5–21, 2023 at Studio 16. Set design is by Lachlan Johnston, costume design by Carmen Alatorre, lighting design by Sophie Tang, sound…

Storytelling and memory keeping as climate change activism

Buy locally, use LEDs, compost organic waste, sort recyclables from the trash, invest in an electric vehicle, or better yet, take public transportation – these are all well-known everyday strategies for combating climate change. But what about storytelling and memory keeping as instruments from the same toolbox? This is a question Nina Hewitt, a UBC…

Earth prefers to serve life in XXS and XXL sizes: UBC research

Life comes in all shapes and sizes, but some sizes are more popular than others, new research from the University of British Columbia has found. In the first study of its kind published today in PLOS ONE, Dr. Eden Tekwa, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow at UBC’s department of zoology, surveyed the…

Towards a greener future?

In today’s economic climate, cities represent the conjunction between technological evolution and society’s past – they provide a platform for which people, goods and profit can meet. If the majority of the world population will live in an urban environment by 2050, then the fight for climate revitalization and equity will inevitably take place in…

Local scientists win the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement

Rashid Sumaila, PhD, and Daniel Pauly, PhD, both of the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, have been named 50th laureates of the Tyler Prize, an international award that recognizes individuals who have made inspiring and notable contributions to the environmental science, health and energy domains. The award, established in…

Have an accent, will speak

“Have you ever felt nervous about speaking to someone or out loud in a classroom because of your accent? I have, and I still do. All the time. This annoying feeling has a name: it is called linguistic insecurity,” says Marie-Eve Bouchard, an assistant professor of sociolinguistics for the Department of French, Hispanic & Italian…