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“Climate change is the most important issue of our times,” says Indian writer Amitav Ghosh. Ghosh believes the stress associated with climate change has altered people’s mindset towards creativity and other issues. He also thinks that in literature, climate change has been simplified to a point where the intersectionality between other elements such as arts…
Amid the turmoil of a global pandemic, a deepening economic crisis, and a growing global awareness of the impacts of white supremacy, the challenges of becoming an organizational or community leader may seem insurmountable. Yet there is a pressing need for collaborative, adaptive leaders who can work across systems to navigate disruption and uncertainty. A…
The COVID-19 outbreak has brought changes to people’s lives in an unprecedented way, all over the world. Travel restrictions, stagnant commerce and overloaded hospitals have not been the world norm for generations. One of the first measures adopted by governments worldwide to fight the spread of the virus was the reduction in international air travel.…
The theme of International Women’s Day this year is #EachforEqual. It highlights the strength that comes when individuals with different lived experiences come together for a greater purpose. When we all work together, we can achieve anything. As senators, we are particularly privileged because we hold some power. As women, we draw on our own…
According to various news media, social media and other sources, women in some parts of the world are denied basic rights. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017), there is an average difference of at least $170 between the pay of women and men of all races. These differences exist in most industries,…
Kıvanç Tatar, a newly minted Doctor of Philosophy from SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology, has developed an innovative interactive AI music agent named MASOM for live performances during his Ph.D. research. Trained with musical styles from famed electroacoustic composers of the past, MASOM has been jamming alongside human performers in an audio-visual performance…
Sina Fazelpour, a Ph.D. candidate of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia (UBC), spoke about his research and his unusual path to philosophy. Before coming to UBC’s Ph.D. program in Philosophy, Fazelpour studied biomedical modeling and medical biophysics. Currently a philosopher, he works on philosophy of science where his previous training in engineering has carved…
Srijana (a.k.a. Jana) Sunuwar was born in Janakpur, Nepal. She spent her early childhood in Japan but immigrated with her parents to Vancouver in grade 9. The move from the East to the West changed her life in multiple ways, but Sunuwar believes that it was a positive transition and that she changed for the…
With strong family ties, a mixed ethnic and cultural background, and an extremely protective father, Vivan Kayeg El Jamal never really dreamt of moving abroad for education. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil to a Lebanese and Italian immigrant family, El Jamal experienced all the challenges of a kid living among three different cultures. She was intensely…
In Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, Alim Fakirani met with a local teacher during his work at the Aga Khan University-Institute for Educational Development. Although from different cultural backgrounds, a sense of understanding gradually sparked between them. “Even though we came from different contexts, we were still able to relate to one another’s…
The Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC) will be having their 38th annual conference at the University of British Columbia (UBC) from June 3–6. One of the speakers who will be giving sessions this year is Matthew Etherington, PhD, professor and director of the Institute of Indigenous Issues and Perspectives at…
Crises and movement are changing the lives of people, both locally and internationally. There is now a need for simple and easy access to pertinent information, and a Vancouver-based, non-profit organization seeks to answer this need. Founded in 2011, PeaceGeeks has sought to connect and inform diverse people globally over the years and will now…
A trio of philosophers, all members of The American Philosophical Association (APA), will be discussing The Philosophy of Fake News, at the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Public Square as part of the 2019 Community Summit. Endre Begby, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at SFU, will hold a discussion with Regina Rini, Ph.D., Canada Research Chair in Moral…
