Events
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Feb 10
Black Excellence in STEM: Swimming to UBC Like a Fish by Dr. Rashid Sumaila
5:30pm - 7:00pm | 6250 Applied Science Lane
This event is the second offering of the student-led Black Excellence in STEM (BEST) Speaker Series, organized by the Faculty of Applied Science and supported by the UBC stEAR (Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism) Enhancement Fund. 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 honors, including the Volvo Environment Prize (2017), election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and the 2023 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.In “Swimming to UBC Like a Fish,” Dr. Sumaila will recount the twists and turns of his academic journey, discuss how his work connects science, economics, and policy, and reflect on what it means to build impact at UBC. Following the talk, attendees will have the opportunity to ask Dr. Sumaila questions and connect with him during a networking session. Register now to join the conversation and be inspired!
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Feb 23
Black Excellence in STEM - How Learning Works: Living Sober in a Time of Excess by Dr. Kemi Ola
5:30pm - 7:00pm | 6250 Applied Science Lane
This event is the third offering of the student-led Black Excellence in STEM (BEST) Speaker Series, organized by the Faculty of Applied Science and supported by the UBC stEAR (Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism) Enhancement Fund. Dr. Ola describes herself as a storyteller and community builder, drawing inspiration from her parents, and places this at the heart of 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.In this talk, Dr. Ola draws on her research and teaching experience to explore how students learn, thrive, and navigate a world suffering from excess. Following the talk, attendees will have an opportunity to ask Dr. Ola questions and engage with her during the networking session.
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Feb 26
Black Excellence in STEM: Microbiome of ‘Success’: Cultivating Resilience from Roots to Ecosystems by Dr. Zelalem Taye
5:30pm - 7:00pm | 6250 Applied Science Lane
This event is the fourth and last offering of the student-led Black Excellence in STEM (BEST) Speaker Series, organized by the Faculty of Applied Science and supported by the UBC stEAR (Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism) Enhancement Fund. Dr. Taye 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.In his talk, Dr. Taye will share his academic journey, the lessons he has learned along the way, and an overview of the research directions his lab is pursuing, akin to how resilience develops from soil microbes to entire ecosystems. Following this talk, attendees will have the opportunity to ask Dr. Taye questions and connect with him during a networking session. Register now to join the conversation and be inspired!