The Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series is a student-led initiative hosted by UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science that celebrates and amplifies the contributions of Black leaders across STEM. Through four hybrid sessions, the series brings together students, researchers, and professionals for mentorship, connection, and learning. For those who attend in-person, there will be an opportunity to network with our guest speakers and student organizers while enjoying delicious catering by Elbo Patties!
Please note: these events are open to all Students, Faculty, Staff and Alumni at UBC.
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| Date | Time | Location | Panelist | Presentation Title |
| Tues, Feb 03, 2026 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | CEME 2202 | Coralie Tcheune | How to Build Cool Things, Break the Rules and Stay Audacious |
| Tues, Feb 10, 2026 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | CEME 2202 | Dr. Rashid Sumaila | Swimming to UBC Like a Fish |
| Mon, Feb 23, 2025 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | CEME 2202 | Dr. Kemi Ola | How Learning Works: Living Sober in a Time of Excess. |
| Thurs, Feb 26, 2025 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | CEME 2202 | Dr. Zelalem Taye | Microbiome of ‘Success’: Cultivating Resilience from Roots to Ecosystems. |
Our 2026 Speakers
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Coralie received her BASC in Biomedical Engineering from UBC and is currently a MD Candidate in the Faculty of Medicine. She bridges her passion for patient-centric medicine with her enthusiasm for creating technology. She is naturally drawn to a space of innovation and challenge where she can foster her fascination with robotics, medicine, software, and neurotech. In 2023, she received the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s Undergraduate Student Research Award. This allowed her to intern as a research assistant in UBC’s Molecular Mechatronics Lab where she fabricated soft, capacitive pressure sensors and integrate them into a robotic hand.
Source: Coralie Tcheune | LinkedIn
Dr. Rashid Sumaila is a Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.
His research examines how economics can be used to protect marine ecosystems, with a focus on fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil spills. Through this work, Dr. Sumaila bridges science, economics, and policy to address some of the most urgent environmental challenges facing our oceans.
Internationally recognized for his impact, Dr. Sumaila regularly advises global institutions including the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. His contributions have been recognized with numerous honours, including the Volvo Environment Prize (2017), election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and the 2023 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.
Dr. Ola is Associate Professor of Teaching at the Department of Computer Science. She describes herself as a storyteller and a community builder which was prominently shaped by her parents and reflected in her work as an educator and researcher at UBC.
She teaches introductory programming and data visualization, supporting students as they build confidence and fluency in computing. As a researcher, her work focuses on removing barriers to learning, developing support structures that address common misconceptions, and examining the socio-emotional factors that influence learning.
At the heart of her work is a commitment to creating inclusive and supportive teaching and learning communities in computing. To advance this goal, Dr. Ola coordinates teaching assistant training programs, organizes conferences, workshops, and faculty support groups, conducts education research, explores inclusive pedagogy and most importantly, she continues to tell stories that bring people together.
Source: Kemi Ola
Dr. Taye is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Forest and Conservation Science in Land and Food Systems. He leads an interdisciplinary research group studying agricultural, forest, and urban ecosystems, with a focus on ecosystem productivity, sustainability, and resilience under global change.
His team collaborates closely with experts in soil science, plant science, plant pathology, plant breeding, computer science, and statistics, among other fields. Their work combines wet-lab and field research with computational and data-driven approaches to better understand and support climate-resilient ecosystems.
The Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series is organized by Areeba Asif (APSC EDI.I Lead) and APSC student leaders Enoch Tamale, Adeola Desalu, and James Awinyo from the Faculty of Applied Science. The series is made possible through supported from the UBC stEAR (Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism) Enhancement Fund.