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The United Nations’ designated World Refugee Day on June 20th will be a day observedto celebrate and honour “the strength and courage of people who have been forced toflee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.” Last year, Immigration,Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reported over 90,000 asylum claims, includingnearly 4000 from claimants seeking refuge…
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…
Asian Heritage Month was officially designated in 2002, after the Honourable Vivienne Poy – the first Chinese-Canadian senator – introduced a motion in the Senate to create the commemorative month and celebrate the contributions of Canadians of Asian descent. As Canada marks Asian Heritage Month in 2023, eight senators share their reflections on what this…
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,”…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Speaking with Veronika Kotyk about her recent work, A Nest in the North, revealed the kindness, unexpected support and welcoming hospitality of Canadians to new immigrants, refugees and displaced people. It is immediately apparent that Koytk is both surprised and grateful for the welcoming support and assistance she received when arriving in Canada and every day…
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…
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…
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…
