October 2026 | published once each term
Message from Dean Hare
Dear community members,
Another exciting season of teaching, learning, research and engagement is well underway this fall, with much to celebrate and look forward to across our Faculty.
I am inspired by this year’s record enrolment in our teacher education programs at both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. This growth reflects our ongoing efforts to make the teaching profession more accessible and culturally responsive throughout British Columbia.
Recent initiatives include our 11-month Okanagan BEd, shortened from 16 months; an Indigenous Land- and Place-Based Diploma in Early Years Education for rural and remote regions; a Community-Based BEd in partnership with the Interior Salish Languages Program in the Okanagan; and a new Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP) Field Centre in Chilliwack. Together, these initiatives expand opportunities for aspiring educators while strengthening their connections to the people and places they will serve.
As we move forward, we must also remain mindful of our responsibilities to those around us. This fall, our Faculty marked Truth and Reconciliation Week with opportunities for dialogue, reflection and shared learning.
A highlight was a thoughtful conversation about reconciliation, equity and pathways forward with Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii), co-authors of the national bestseller Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. The evening also featured guided tours of Indigenous art installations. You can view photos capturing moments from this dynamic gathering.
We also created an online hub that brings together Faculty resources, events and stories to support continued engagement with Truth and Reconciliation. The hub includes a reading list curated by Kayla Lar-Son, Head Librarian at UBC’s X̱wi7x̱wa Library, highlighting Indigenous literature that deepens our understanding. I encourage you to explore these resources and consider how each of us can contribute to this ongoing work.
We are also celebrating a milestone for our Faculty’s School of Kinesiology, which has moved into the brand-new MacIsaac Health Building (formerly the Gateway Health Building). This state-of-the-art facility creates opportunities for interdisciplinary research, teaching and collaboration with related disciplines, including the MacIsaac School of Nursing and Student Health and Wellbeing programs and services.
On November 17, we will welcome our community into this space for the 2026–27 Dean’s Distinguished Lecture, featuring Canadian Olympic gold medallist Adam Kreek. Drawing on his experience in high-performance sport and extreme environments, Adam will share insights on leadership, resilience, performance and teamwork—and how these learnings apply beyond sport. I invite you to register now for what promises to be an inspiring evening.
I am also pleased to share a significant new investment in interdisciplinary research at UBC: the Dr. Yosef Wosk Prize in Interdisciplinary Research, established through a generous $350,000 gift from Dr. Yosef Wosk, OC, OBC. Launching through our Faculty before expanding across UBC, the annual $25,000 award will honour scholars who cross disciplinary boundaries to address complex challenges and advance new ways of thinking. Congratulations to inaugural recipient Dr. Eli Puterman for his work bridging health psychology, exercise science, cellular biology, epidemiology, clinical medicine and neuroscience to investigate how life stress affects aging and long-term health.
As the academic year unfolds, I invite you to learn more about the people and initiatives shaping our Faculty. I look forward to all that we will achieve together, at UBC and beyond.
Miigwech—thank you,
Jan
Teaching and Learning
Research Story: AI in education: How UBC’s Faculty of Education is navigating opportunity and risk on shifting ground
As artificial intelligence reshapes education, Faculty researchers, educators and students are examining its implications for ethics, equity, learner agency and the future of teaching.
Research Story: Behind closed doors: The heightened risk of extreme heat for people living with schizophrenia
Following BC’s devastating 2021 heat dome, Dr. Liv Yoon examines why people living with schizophrenia face disproportionate risks during extreme heat, and how climate strategies can better address social and health inequities.
Research Story: Why limiting screen time won’t solve cyberbullying—and what actually helps
Beyond screen time limits, Dr. Johanna Sam considers how relationships, trust and digital resilience can help young people navigate online harm, and what parents and teachers can do to support them.
Research Story: On stage and in their own words
Dr. Leyton Schnellert examines how disability theatre empowers people with intellectual disabilities to share their lived experiences and spark conversations about inclusive, affordable housing.
Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education
Registration is open for this free, six-week Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), inviting participants to explore Indigenous perspectives and consider how education can meaningfully advance reconciliation.
Refreshed AI Corner
Discover updated resources, guidance and perspectives in the Faculty’s AI Corner to support thoughtful and responsible engagement with artificial intelligence in education.
Awards and Accolades
2026 Canada Research Chairs
Drs. Jessica Chan, Jillianne Code and Nadena Doharty have been named new Canada Research Chairs. Their research addresses critical issues in education, including language and literacy development among diverse learners, human agency in AI-driven environments and Black students’ mental health and wellbeing.
2025–26 Killam Teaching Prize
Drs. Anwar Ahmed, Jasmin Ma and Leyton Schnellert received the Killam Teaching Prize for excellence in teaching and educational leadership. Their work spans language and literacy education, kinesiology and curriculum and pedagogy, enriching student learning across the Faculty.
2026 NSERC Discovery Grants
Drs. Jean-Sébastien Blouin, Robert Boushel and Romeo Chua received NSERC Discovery Grants to advance our understanding of motor control, stability and the body’s response to physical demands.
2026 Climate Change and Wellbeing Education Grants
Drs. Stephen McGinley, LeAnne Petherick, Shawn Forde and Robert VanWynsberghe received funding for two projects that will equip future educators with practical approaches to addressing climate change and wellbeing in K–12 classrooms.
2026 Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund
The Faculty of Education received funding for three projects to strengthen university-community partnerships. Led by Drs. Jillianne Code, Danielle Lamb and Leyton Schnellert, the projects focus on heart health education, Indigenous land-based learning and sharing a Métis foodways storywork.
2025–26 Dean’s Awards for Staff Excellence
Gladys Ling and Kristin Schuppener were honoured for their dedication and service to the Faculty. Gladys was recognized for her exceptional student support in the Teacher Education Office, while Kristin was celebrated for fostering a collaborative and inclusive workplace at the Okanagan School of Education.
Community Events and Engagements
Shih [Interconnectedness] | Film Screening | October 22, 2026 | UBC Vancouver
Examine the intersections of environmentalism, Indigenous ways of knowing and our relationship with the Earth through a film screening followed by a discussion with Dr. Shannon Leddy and other experts.
Diplômé·es et ami·es: Échanges et conversations | Alumni & Friends: Conversations and Connections | October 22, 2026 | Surrey, BC
Reconnect with Faculty of Education alumni and colleagues for an evening celebrating shared interests in French education, featuring remarks from Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, Associate Dean, Teacher Education.
Dean’s Distinguished Lecture, featuring Canadian Olympian Adam Kreek | November 17, 2026 | UBC Vancouver and Virtual
Drawing on his experiences in elite sport, endurance challenges and leadership development, Adam will share what it takes to achieve at the highest level while protecting physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Book Launch: Drawing from History: Central Technical School and the Roots of Canadian Art Education | November 19, 2026 | UBC Vancouver
Join Dr. Dustin Garnet for the launch of his new book, which traces the history of Toronto’s Central Technical School Art Department and its lasting influence on Canadian artists and art education.
Latest Faculty of Education News
Visit our news and events page for an in-depth look at the latest developments in our Faculty, including new leadership appointments, groundbreaking research initiatives and stories, recent funding successes and prestigious recognitions.
