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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…
Mother still knows best. A recent study published in Human Nature Behavior has found that a mother’s educational status – the highest level of education that she has attained – plays an increasingly important role in shaping her children’s educational status. The importance of the father’s educational status has declined. The study was conducted by…
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…
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 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…
Learning a new language can be a daunting task for many, but a recent study by University of British Columbia (UBC) English professor James Stratton, suggests that understanding language history may hold the key to more effective language learning. Stratton, a historical linguist who works on second language acquisition, is not alone in finding language…
I grew up in Peru, and often visited my grandparents in the Andes mountains. My grandmother was a wise woman. She didn’t know how to read or write, but she was rich with traditional knowledge. We hiked together to find medicinal plants. I helped her deliver babies. She impressed upon me the power of nature and…
There is little doubt that society is politically polarized over many dimensions of environmental protection. There has been a widening gap in recent years between conservative and liberal voter support for government spending on environmental protection, belief in climate change and support for climate policy. Research suggests conservatives tend to be more enamored of capitalism…
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly touching every facet of our society, including transportation, the stock market, dating, and health care (where I focus my work). As AI makes its way into medical devices, hospital readmission algorithms, iPhone apps that scan moles to determine if you should see a dermatologist, etc., the public is being increasingly…
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Governor General appointed Dr. Margo Greenwood as an independent senator to fill a vacancy for British Columbia. Dr. Greenwood is an internationally recognized and highly respected Indigenous scholar of Cree ancestry. She is a researcher and author with over 30 years of experience in health fields.…
Older women can come to the table to tackle inclusive climate change solutions. Recent heat waves around the world are reminders of global warming and its detrimental impact on our health and well-being. At the same time, Canada is on track to become a super-aged society with older adults constituting 20 per cent of the…
Canada’s Forest Trust (CFT) and Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP), part of Dexterra Community Initiatives (DCI), have drawn up a partnership in order to build powerful relationships with Indigenous communities and youth in Canada. Through this partnership, CFT and OYEP will collaborate on their shared goals of supporting Indigenous youth through engagement, leadership opportunities and…
Using therapeutic robots to support people’s needs is a rising field of research in healthcare. Designing them for best results, however, is more than an engineering problem according to Paul Bucci, a Computer Science PhD student at UBC. A variety of robots are currently available for assistive care. PARO, a white baby seal robot from…
