UBC This Week | July 16, 2009
UBC This Week is a weekly summary of UBC people in the news, recent media releases and upcoming event highlights. UBC This Week past issues are also available on-line.
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Recent UBC Media Releases
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UBC People
UBC People
In memory of William C. Gibson
Green College Foundation Fellow and former advisory board member William C. Gibson passed away on July 5 at the age of 95. From 1950 to 1978, Gibson was a UBC professor of neurological research and a professor of history of medicine and science. He served as chancellor at the University of Victoria from 1985 to 1990.
Last year, Gibson told Times Colonist columnist Jim Hume that one of his proudest achievements was the establishment of the Woodward Biomedical Library at UBC.
Gibson was awarded with the BC Centennial Medal (1967), the Queen’s Jubilee Medal (1977), an honorary doctorate from University of Victoria (1991), an honorary degree (D.Sc) from UBC (1993), and the Order of Canada (2002).
For more information, visit the Faculty of Medicine or www.greencollege.ubc.ca.
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Barack Obama honours UBC alumna
UBC Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education graduate Nonie K. Lesaux has received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from U.S. President Barack Obama. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Government on young professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers
Lesaux is the Marie and Max Kargman Associate Professor in Human Development and Urban Education Advancement at Harvard University. Her research focuses on the reading development of children who are at risk for learning difficulties, including children from language-minority and low socioeconomic backgrounds, and children with language impairments.
"These extraordinarily gifted young scientists and engineers represent the best in our country," President Obama said. "With their talent, creativity, and dedication, I am confident that they will lead their fields in new breakthroughs and discoveries and help us use science and technology to lift up our nation and our world."
To view the White House press release, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/PRESIDENT-HONORS-OUTSTANDING-EARLY-CAREER-SCIENTISTS/
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UBC engineers appointed NSERC Chair in Design Engineering
Prof. Philippe Kruchten, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been appointed as a Senior Chairholder of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Chair in Design Engineering program. Prof. Antony Hodgson, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, has been named an Associate Chairholder.
The Chair will initially focus on interdisciplinary design of innovative intelligent equipment to improve treatment and quality of life for people with debilitating diseases or disabilities.
For more information, visit www.engineering.ubc.ca/news/2009/jul9.html
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UBC engineers inducted as CAE Fellows
Prof. Peter Englezos, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Prof. André Ivanov and Prof. Resve Saleh from Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, have been inducted as Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) in recognition of their achievements and career-long service to engineering.
For more information, visit www.engineering.ubc.ca/news/2009/jul14.html.
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Applied Science member receives IT Innovation award
Jim Sibley, Manager of the Centre for Instructional Support, was awarded the 2009 UBC Spencer Award for IT Innovation in recognition of his outstanding IT innovation and leadership at UBC.
Sibley’s work includes iPeer, an open source, online peer evaluation service that allows students to evaluate their team mates, and is now being used at UBC and many other institutions around the world.
The award and $1,000 prize is presented annually at the e-Strategy Town Hall.
For more information, visit www.apsc.ubc.ca/news/2009/jul8.html.
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Thunderbird Robotics teams place in racing competition
UBC Thunderbird Robotics placed second through sixth at the 2009 Robot Racing Challenge in Waterloo. Six UBC teams competed in a drag race, a beauty contest, and a road race with obstacles.
Thunderbird Robotics is a group of student teams from different faculties who build robots from scratch for learning and competing.
For more information, visit http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~rracing/main.html
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Tourism Vancouver highlights Nitobe Memorial Garden as one of five top Zen spots
The Tourism Vancouver website has named UBC’s Nitobe Memorial Garden among its five top Zen spots in the province. Other Zen sites include Spanish Banks at low tide and Okanagan wine country.
The Nitobe Garden – visited earlier this week by the Emporer and Empress of Japan – is a traditional Japanese Tea and Stroll garden, and is considered to be the one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America and among the top five Japanese gardens outside of Japan.
For more information, visit http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/things_to_do/five_places_to_find_zen
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Irving K. Barber Learning Centre presents exhibit of Antarctica
A photo exhibit entitled Antarctica: Passion and Obsession is on view at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. The exhibit features the work of Pat and Rosemarie Keough, a self-taught husband-and-wife team who have shared their experiences and imagery with audiences around the world.
Date: Present – Sept. 15
Place: Level two, left of the circulation desk, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
Info: http://blogs.ubc.ca/ikblc/2009/07/antarctica-passion-and-obsession-photo-exhibit-gallery-in-ikblc-posted-july-13-2009/.
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