Dean’s Community Engagement Series
Join Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem, UBC Faculty of Education, for the third annual speaker series putting a spotlight on important questions and significant priorities that are engaging educators today.
This virtual session will feature Dr. Sofia Noori of UBC’s Faculty of Education, secondary educator and non-profit leader Karbir Qurban, and recent BC high school graduate Asma Howba.
Together they will explore approaches and practices that aim to support K – 12 educators in meeting the academic and psychosocial needs of newcomer students originating from war zones and/or with refugee experiences. They will share research, resources and perspectives to shed light on the experiences of refugee youth navigating the school systems in Canada.
Event Details
Date: February 27, 2024
Time: 4:30-6:00pm PT
Format: Online via Zoom
Watch the recording
Learn more about the 2023-2024 Dean’s Community Engagement Series
About Dr. Sofia Noori
Dr. Sofia Noori became an Assistant Professor at UBC’s Faculty of Education, Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, here in K’emk’emeláy̓ in 2022. She completed her PhD in 2020. Before coming to UBC, Dr. Noori taught classes ranging from K-12, college courses, undergraduate classes, and professional teacher training courses across the Greater Tkarón:to Area. She received the prestigious President’s University-Wide Teaching Award at York University in 2021.
Dr. Noori’s research and writing focuses on how refugee youth navigate schooling systems, in the aftermath of living in civil unrest or war, migration, transitory states, or refugee camps, and resettlement. Her work is informed by postcolonial theory and developmental psychology. She is working with educators from across the country to develop resources, materials, and strategies to help meet the academic and psychosocial needs of newcomer students from war zones.
Her recent publications are “Decolonizing Forced Displacement” in a UBC press peer reviewed book collection of refugee stories entitled Geographies of the Heart and “From a Shattered Self to an Integrated Self: Analysing Autobiographies of People who Experienced Refugee Situations” in Citizenship Education Research Journal.
Dr. Noori currently teaches preservice teachers two courses: “Biology Methods of Teaching” and “Refugee Education.” Her course “Contemporary Research in Critical Refugee Education” is offered to graduate students.
About Kabir Qurban
Kabir Qurban is a Secondary School teacher, an acclaimed Human Rights Advocate, and a non-profit Executive. He currently serves as a Program Coordinator at Muslim Food Bank & Community Services, the Executive Director with Free Uyghur Now and a lead member at Afghan Diaspora of Vancouver. Qurban is committed to supporting the Uyghur people and advocating their human rights as part of a broader commitment to youth education and human rights for all. In addition, Qurban is an award-winning film producer and authors his own blog, sharing reflections about his work and life.
About Asma Howba
Asma Howba is nineteen years old. She is originally from Syria, Aleppo. She came to Canada in 2016, after living in Lebanon for some time. She graduated from a Surrey high school in 2023. She currently has a part time job and is saving money for her post-secondary education fees. She aspires to be a UBC student soon!
