Updates, news and stories

Christina Hendricks appointed Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning, pro tem, at UBC Vancouver

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Christina Hendricks has accepted the role of Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (AVP), Teaching and Learning, pro tem, for the term July 4, 2023 – June 29, 2024. The Vice-Provost and AVP, Teaching and Learning is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership in areas related to teaching and learning, including continuing education and lifelong learning.

Cutting breakfast carbs can benefit people with Type 2 diabetes

Reconciliation, one keystroke at a time

A new font to typeset Salish languages is the result of a unique collaboration between UBC, Musqueam and Syilx What does reconciliation actually look like in practice? It’s often seen through policies, ceremonies or strategic plans. But in practice, it’s a process that unfolds slowly, through a whole lot of emails, phone calls, knowledge sharing and taking the time to get the small things right.

UBC announces membership of inaugural Accessibility Committee

How lab-grown ‘mini-brains’ could reveal the inner workings of dementia — and point to a cure

Over the past 20 years, Alzheimer’s researchers have conducted more than 200 clinical trials of promising candidate therapies, with little success. An effective treatment for the devastating neurodegenerative disease remains elusive. Using 3D bioprinting technology, UBC researchers Dr. Haakon Nygaard and Dr. Brian MacVicar are working to grow tissue models of patients’ own brains. Their work could revolutionize Alzheimer’s treatments.

Apply to the Students as Partners fund by June 16

The Students as Partners fund provides grants to encourage faculty-student partnerships in undergraduate course design at UBC Vancouver. Faculty and undergraduate student partners may receive up to $7,100 to design or revise existing undergraduate courses, as well as dedicated support from an assigned Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology staff member, and access to a learning community. Submit an application by 3pm on June 16.

UBC Vancouver – Call for proposals for the 2023 Winter Session Work Learn program

The Work Learn program funds approximately 3,500 part-time hourly appointments each year, subsidizing meaningful work experiences for current UBC Vancouver students.  If you're looking to build capacity in your team to advance departmental priorities or are in need of additional support, submit a proposal to hire temporary student employees through UBC Vancouver’s Work Learn program. Proposals for the winter 2023 employment opportunities (September 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024) will be accepted until June 19.

Apply for a Climate and Wellbeing Education Grant by June 12

Climate and Wellbeing Education Grants provide up to $6,000 to UBC faculty members to incorporate climate change and wellbeing content and approaches into existing undergraduate and graduate courses. 

Chancellor search – open for candidate recommendations

This message is from Ross Langford, Chair, Chancellor Search Committee; Fred Withers, Chair, alumni UBC Board of Directors

Preparing for wildfires: UBC experts share their tips

From science fiction to classroom reality: How UBC professors are using AI as a teaching tool

Hiring a new teaching assistant usually means reading stacks of resumes, conducting interviews, and checking references—but what if they aren’t human? Meet ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot, two new artificial intelligence-powered teaching assistants (created by OpenAI and Microsoft, respectively) that are ready and available to help third-year engineering physics students at UBC who might be looking for help with their homework or assignments.