An evening with UBC’s newest University Killam Professors

By Paula Sabti

Join UBC’s six newest University Killam Professors for a unique glimpse into the future of their research and learn why the questions they are asking are important for us all. Discover what is inspiring these leading thinkers in diverse areas spanning physical rehabilitation, history, biomonitoring and age dating, multilingual literacy, ocean sustainability and evolutionary biology.

Recognized for their outstanding research and teaching careers to date with the highest honour that UBC can bestow on its faculty, the University Killam Professors will address compelling questions, including:

Will new technologies and digital health approaches adopted during the pandemic transform how patients recover from stroke?
Can we understand the emotions behind the past decisions of our bureaucrats, and should it change how we assess the history of government activities?
How can a global storytelling initiative contribute to decolonization?
Which new species are rapidly arising? And why do they sometimes disappear in an instant?
Can we reset how we interact with our oceans to advance economic equity and social justice in harmony with nature?
What knowledge can we unlock from microscopic samples of chemical elements? What can they reveal about the earth’s formation, our current environment and human social interaction?

Date

Monday, May 2, 2022

In-person event

6:30 to 8:00 pm – Program
8:00 to 8:30 pm – Reception
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, 6163 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1

Virtual event

6:30 to 8:00 pm

Tickets are free of charge for both in-person and online attendees.

Presenters

Prof. Janice Eng, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Prof. Tina Loo, Department of History, Faculty of Arts
Prof. Bonny Norton, Department of Language & Literacy Education, Faculty of Education
Prof. Dolph Schluter, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science
Prof. Rashid Sumaila, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Faculty of Science, and School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, Faculty of Arts
Prof. Dominique Weis, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science

Hosts

Prof. Gail C. Murphy, Vice-President, Research & Innovation
Prof. Gage Averill, Provost and Vice-President Academic pro tem for UBC Vancouver

Speaker information and presentation details

For information on the speakers and their presentation topics, please visit the official event page.

Registration

Faculty Meeting | May 5, 2022

By Paula Sabti

Chair

Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem

Date

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Time

10:00 am to 12:00 pm PDT

Location

The Faculty Meeting will take place in a hybrid format. Faculty and staff are invited to attend in person; those who are unable to attend in person are invited to watch the live stream. Coffee and tea will be served.

Marine Drive Ballroom
2205 Lower Mall, UBC

RSVP

Registration Form for the presentation of the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Palmes Académiques

By Paula Sabti

Registration for this event is now closed. Thank you for your interest.

If you have any questions, please contact info.educ@ubc.ca.

Dr. Jillianne Code and Dr. Robert VanWynsberghe receive 2021-22 Killam Teaching Prizes

By Paula Sabti

April 13, 2022

Dr. Jillianne Code is a researcher, educator, and learning scientist specializing in learner agency, online learning technologies, and the impact of social media on student success and wellbeing. As the Director of UBC’s Agency and Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments (ALIVE) Research Lab, she furthers understandings of learner agency unbundled from formal education, including video games, virtual reality, and social media communities. As co-founder of the HeartLife Foundation of Canada, Canada’s first and only national patient-led heart failure organization, she helps raise public awareness of heart failure; promotes awareness and understanding of the patient journey; engages patients, families and caregivers to provide education and support; facilitates access to the latest research, innovations, and treatments; and advocates better care for all.

To learn more about Dr. Code’s work, visit her website and read her profile.

Dr. Robert VanWynsberghe’s classrooms reflect a space in which teaching, learning and research are informed by community engagement and democratic problem-solving. As co-author of “Adaptive Education: An Inquiry-based Institution,” he incorporates innovative teaching and student engagement approaches and generates knowledge that can be mobilized to create healthy and sustainable communities. Dr. VanWynsberghe’s research and educational interests are interdisciplinary, participatory, and sensitive to local problems. Focusing on sustainability education, sport mega-events, and green economy, he employs diverse strategies and tools to study these areas, such as indicator-based measurements, multi-stakeholder engagement, cultural models, cross-case analysis, and simulation technology.

To learn more about Dr. VanWynsberghe’s work, visit his website and read his profile.

As one of six Killam institutions, UBC offers yearly awards from the Killam Endowment Fund to faculty and teaching assistants who demonstrate excellence in teaching.

Killam Teaching Prizes are awarded annually to faculty nominated by students, colleagues and alumni in recognition of excellence in teaching. The Killam Teaching Prize is adjudicated within each faculty at the UBC Vancouver campus, and within the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic at the UBC Okanagan campus.

To learn more about Killam Teaching Prizes, visit the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic’s teaching awards page.

Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez receives a 2022-23 Killam Doctoral Scholarship

By Paula Sabti

April 12, 2022

Killam Doctoral Scholarships are the most prestigious awards available to UBC graduate students

Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez is a Kinesiology doctoral student whose work is grounded in an intersectional and anti-colonial feminist praxis that recognizes the importance of relationship-building, relational accountability, and centring the voices of those made most marginalized.

In collaboration with Dr. Vicky Bungay, Naomi will undertake a community-based research project that explores accessible and sustainable approaches to health promotion and physical activity for women experiencing gender-based violence. To help ensure the project’s success, she will attend to how individuals already care for their health and recognize the systemic inequities that negatively impact their opportunities for participation. Through identifying the physical activity barriers and recognizing the community’s needs and strengths, Naomi will help program leaders design and implement relevant, sustainable, and beneficial programs for their members.

“I chose to pursue my doctoral studies in Kinesiology at the UBC Faculty of Education because of its emphasis on interdisciplinary research and collaboration. I believe this program will provide a dynamic and rich learning environment that will allow me to explore my interests and build a robust understanding of the mixed methodologies and knowledge translation strategies underpinning health promotion research.” – Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez

After completing her PhD, Naomi plans to pursue an academic career focusing on examining and dismantling systemic inequities impacting health and supporting community-based health promotion efforts.

The UBC Killam Doctoral Scholarships are awarded annually from the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies. Their primary purpose is to support advanced education and research at five Canadian universities and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Approximately 15 to 20 Killam Doctoral Scholarships, the most prestigious graduate awards available at UBC, are awarded each year to the top doctoral candidates in the annual tri-agency Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D) program and the UBC Affiliated Fellowships competition. Killam Doctoral Scholarships awardees on the UBC-Vancouver campus also become Four Year Fellowship holders.

To learn more about the Killam Doctoral Scholarship, visit UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies’ Killam Doctoral Scholarships page.

To learn more about the full range of Killam prizes at UBC, visit the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic’s Killam Awards and Fellowships page.

Congratulations Graduate Teaching Assistant Award recipients

By Ayla Collins

April 12, 2022

Congratulations to the Faculty of Education Teaching Assistants who received Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards in recognition of their exceptional work.

The Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards and Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards are conferred annually in recognition of the valuable role that teaching assistants play in graduate and undergraduate programs across UBC Vancouver. Recipients are selected based on knowledge of their field, application of new teaching methods, ethics and more.

2022 Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award Recipients

Lisa Trainor

Lisa Trainor is a Kinesiology doctoral student who focuses on creating inclusive classrooms. In her teaching, she challenges students to think about topics on a deeper level.

Jonathan Feitosa Ferreira

Jonathan Feitosa Ferreira, a doctoral student in Department of Language and Literacy Education, incorporates anti-racist pedagogy and the First Peoples Principles of Learning into classroom practices and assignments.

2022 Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Award Recipients

Daniel Bagnall

Daniel Bagnall is a Master of Arts student in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education. Daniel consistently models support for equity and diversity in the classroom and encourages students through constructive feedback.

Shalaya Kipp

Shalaya Kipp is a Kinesiology doctoral candidate who demonstrates enthusiasm, patience and commitment to student success.

To learn more about the Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards, visit the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic’s 2021-22 Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards page.

Dr. Karen Ragoonaden appointed Associate Dean, Teacher Education

By Paula Sabti

April 8, 2022

Dr. Karen Ragoonaden will assume the role of Associate Dean, Teacher Education, for a three-year term commencing September 1, 2022

Dr. Ragoonaden joined UBCO in 2005, was promoted to Senior Instructor with tenure in 2012 and to Professor of Teaching in 2018. As a university teacher and researcher, her focus and commitment to educational leadership and curricular innovation have been recognized by virtue of her on-campus, professional and community work relating to equity, diversity and inclusion.

In 2020, in recognition of her significant impact on the culture of teaching and learning, Dr. Ragoonaden received the Provost Office’s Teaching Excellence and Innovation Award. In 2021, she received the Killam Teaching Prize in recognition of her excellence in teaching. She served on the Faculty of Education’s Task Force on Race, Indigeneity, and Social Justice and as Senior Faculty Advisor to President Ono. Dr. Ragoonaden is currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba.

As an active researcher, Dr. Ragoonaden’s scholarly interests lie in the area of mindfulness and well-being, culturally responsive pedagogy and conceptions of teaching and learning. Her current SSRHC grant (2021–24) is entitled “Mindfulness and Antiracist Education: Developing Critical Reflection.”

Thank you to Dr. Marianne McTavish, who has served as Associate Dean, Teacher Education since 2018. In her role, Dr. McTavish provided academic and operational leadership for all undergraduate and diploma programs in the Faculty of Education. Over the course of her time as Associate Dean, Teacher Education, Dr. McTavish interacted with numerous external groups and partners, including schools, school districts, the Ministry of Education and Childcare, and the Association of BC Deans of Education (ABCDE), which recognized Dr. McTavish’s contributions through the 2021 ABCDE Teacher Educator Award.

2022 Alumni Builder Award Reception

By anshnoor kaur

Thank you for joining us at the 2022 Alumni Builder Award Reception!

We hope you enjoyed the event. Click here to access the photos.

The Alumni Builder Award recognizes a cross-section of alumni representing both campuses who have significantly contributed to the university and enriched the lives of others, and in doing so, have supported alumni UBC’s mission of realizing the promise of a global community with a shared ambition for a better world and an exceptional UBC.

Performances

The reception will feature the Magee String Orchestra and the Magee Chamber Choir.

Presenter

Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem, will present the Alumni Builder Award.

Recipient

Greg Quan, BEd’98, MEd’04

Through volunteerism and philanthropy, Greg’s support of the UBC Faculty of Education has helped lift one of the Faculty’s key commitments–mental health literacy and wellbeing.

Date

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Time

7:00 – 8:30 pm PDT

Location

Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre

2022 UBC Okanagan Social Sciences and Humanities Researcher of the Year

By Paula Sabti

April 7, 2022

Dr. Margaret Macintyre Latta, Professor and Director, Okanagan School of Education, is the 2022 UBC Okanagan Social Sciences and Humanities Researcher of the Year

Dr. Margaret Macintyre Latta is a prominent researcher transforming traditional approaches to education. A champion of interdisciplinary and community-based research, her focus is to advance curriculum as a shared participatory learning experience that inspires reconciliation. Her practice-engaged research with Indigenous, school district and community partners supports educators in decolonizing their curriculum and teaching practices.

Over her career, she has received significant research funding over her career and has demonstrated a distinguished record of research. Notably, her current SSHRC Partnership Grant, Co-Curricular-Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture, and the Relational Self, is connecting researchers, practitioners, and community members to inquire into, provoke, confront and challenge the colonizing practices that influence education, while also seeking respectful ways for educators to embody and orient their curricular practices toward productively contributing to reconciliation efforts.

Her research contributes to reorienting understandings of the roles and place of knowledge towards individual and collective growth and well-being, alongside reorienting understandings of curriculum as shared participatory learning experiences.

To learn more about her research, read Dr. Macintyre Latta’s profile.

Award Celebration

A special celebration to honour the 2022 Researcher of the Year award recipients will be hosted online and in-person on May 6, 2022 from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Innovation Centre in Kelowna. Hosts Phil Barker, Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Lesley Cormack, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal, will lead the awards ceremony which will feature video profile screenings, followed by an outdoor rooftop reception with live music. All are welcome to join. Registration is required.

About the Award

The Researcher of the Year awards were established in 2009 to recognize excellence in research and creative scholarly activity at UBC Okanagan.

To learn more about all four 2022 Researchers of the Year recipients, visit the UBCO Research and Innovation award page.

Practicing Anti-racism in (Language) Teaching Through Genre Analysis and Remixing

By Ayla Collins

Project Name

Practicing Anti-racism in (Language) Teaching Through Genre Analysis and Remixing

Team Members

Dr. Kathryn Accurso
Dr. Margaret Early

Project Summary

As part of their studies, Elementary Bachelor of Education students take a mandatory course in teaching English as an additional language. In 2021, the project team began piloting three new modules and one major course assignment on the topic of “anti-racist genre pedagogy”. This approach involves teaching language through the analysis of community counter-texts from racialized authors alongside canonical texts typically found in school curricula.

In order to refine and enhance this curriculum, the project explores: how elementary teacher candidates interacted with this curriculum; affordances and challenges for instructors; and what additional or refined materials are needed to better support teacher candidates’ and instructors’ knowledge, beliefs and practices of anti-racist language teaching.