Life Raft Debate makes experts defend their fields to a live audience

What: Life Raft Debate
Who: UBC professors debate their expertise during fictional zombie apocalypse
When: Tuesday, January 14, beginning at 7 p.m.,
Where:  Room COM 201, The Commons building, 3297 University Way, UBC Okanagan, Kelowna

For many, the question of who to bring along in order to rebuild human civilization during a zombie apocalypse has gone unanswered for too long. Now, six UBC Okanagan professors, all from different fields of expertise, aim to settle the issue once and for all—or at least until next year—as they prepare for the second annual Life Raft Debate.

For event organizer and chemistry undergraduate student Jesse Lafontaine, the premise of the debate is simple. The audience is the last of humanity to survive a zombie apocalypse and there’s only one seat left in their life raft. Which UBC expert should they pick to join them and why?

“The concept is definitely absurd,” jokes Lafontaine. “But it’s also refreshing and entertaining to hear very accomplished UBC professors explain their expertise and argue how their work would help human civilization recover from such an unlikely disaster.”

Lafontaine adds that the lighthearted nature of the debate is what makes it so compelling while at the same time helps translate complex areas of study into something fun and accessible to everyone.

Stephen McNeil, chemistry professor and Life Raft Debate defending champion, agrees.

“As university professors, we’re used to speaking to students who are already interested in our fields of study,” says McNeil. “Defending the power of chemistry to a room full of people who probably aren’t as passionate as I am about organometallic reaction mechanisms is certainly humbling.”

He adds that offering this unique twist on academic debate is a great way to help people discover how different points of view and areas of expertise each make essential contributions to human society.

“Medicine keeps us healthy. Engineering builds the tools we need to survive. Anthropology understands how other cultures survive and thrive. Art is what makes us human in the first place,” he says. “It’s difficult to defend and advocate for just one.”

Lafontaine is quick to point out that the debate lineup is more than up to the task.

“We have heavy hitters from our campus this year,” says Lafontaine. “They include, among others, the director of the School of Engineering, who is a formidable engineer and researcher; the dean of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, whose eloquence is unmatched; and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UBCO, who has been in charge of our campus for the last eight years and definitely knows how to win an argument.”

The list of debate participants also includes the role of ‘devil’s advocate’, whose job is to argue that none of the experts deserve a spot on the life raft.

While the topic may be lighthearted, Lafontaine says the debate is classically structured and the participants will make their arguments in earnest, with the audience voting on the winner.

McNeil is returning to defend his title.  The key, he says, is communicating to as broad an audience as possible.

“I’ve been interested in science outreach for a long time,” he says. “But even with that experience, distilling the accomplishments and capabilities of the whole field of chemistry into a five-minute defense is no easy task.”

“My winning argument was that, as a chemist, I know how to take simple molecules and manipulate them into creating something new, like penicillin or steel. But now that we not only need to rebuild civilization but also survive a zombie hoard, I may need to up my game this year.”

The Life Raft Debate takes place on January 14, at 7 p.m. in the Commons lecture theatre at UBC Okanagan. The event is free and open to the public but registration is required at: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/life-raft-debate/

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in 2005 in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, in whose territory the campus resides. As part of UBC—ranked among the world’s top 20 public universities—the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

UBC, BCIT partner with private cannabis company to brew beverage ideas

A unique partnership between UBC Okanagan, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and a private company, Pacific Rim Brands, has opened the door for the research and development of cannabis-infused beverages.

Professor Susan Murch, who teaches chemistry at UBC Okanagan, and Paula Brown, director of BCIT’s Natural Health and Food Products Research Group and Canada Research Chair in Phytoanalytics have partnered with Pacific Rim Brands, a Kelowna-based integrated cannabis company to develop beverage formulas containing cannabis extracts.

“We are at the early stages of this research and are very excited about the potential for both interesting science and new products for consumers,” says Murch.

Susan Murch, professor of chemistry.

Murch’s research investigates the chemistry of plants and how plant chemistry affects human health. She’s interested in cannabis ingredients and how they can be used in beverages.

“We are seeing industry recalls in cannabis products because we really don’t know how to use the ingredients on a large scale,” she says. “Making stable products that can sit on store shelves for months or years requires innovation.”

BCIT’s Paula Brown also investigates plant chemistry and works with the natural products industry to develop new products, establish standards of quality and ensure regulatory compliance.

“Like any new sector, the science and formulation will be the most important element to ensure consistency, scalability and trust,” says Brown. “There is a lot of work to be done to develop stable, high-quality, consistent cannabis formulations that consumers can use with confidence.”

The partnership with Pacific Rim allows Murch and Brown to develop high-quality cannabis beverages for health, wellness and leisure, explains Kevin Letun, founder and chief strategy officer of Pacific Rim Brands.

“This is a very exciting time for research institutions and cannabis companies in the private sector,” says Letun. “The impeccable credentials of these professors and their on-going research will give industry partners and the consumer the quality assurance they require.”

The collaboration between BCIT, UBC Okanagan and Pacific Rim Brands provides the opportunity to conduct more research about the chemicals in cannabis and at the same time conduct research on products that can be brought to markets across Canada and globally,” says Kim Dotto, Dean of Applied Research at BCIT.

“This partnership reconfirms the ongoing commitment required to drive research nationally and internationally,” adds Dotto. “BCIT is committed to these collaborations and applauds the highly-skilled researchers involved with this exciting project.”

Phil Barker, vice-principal research at UBC’s Okanagan campus, says the university has a long history of innovation and commercializing new products. UBC was recently named one of the world’s most innovative universities on Reuters Top 100 list—one of only two Canadian universities to receive this distinction.

“Our campus has a growing reputation for embracing creativity and risk-taking, and this research partnership is no exception,” says Barker. “We’re excited to be at the forefront of responsible research that prioritizes the safe use of cannabis in our communities.”

For more information about UBC Okanagan cannabis research, visit: ok.ubc.ca/okanagan-stories/o-cannabis

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

About the British Columbia Institute of Technology

• With five campuses and more than 50,000 students, BCIT is one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutes.
• BCIT offers more than 300 programs—from certificates and diplomas, to bachelor’s and master’s degrees—in areas such as applied and natural sciences, business and media, computing, engineering, health sciences, and trades and apprenticeship.
• BCIT degree graduates have a 96 per cent employment rate.
• BCIT applied research creates innovative solutions to industry challenges and is critical to the growth and success of BC business. It is integral to the Institute’s unique education model – enhancing the student experience through hands-on learning opportunities that solve real-world problems.
• For more information: www.bcit.ca

About Pacific Rim Brands

• An integrated cannabis company developing proprietary beverage formulations for consumer trusted products and brands
• Scientific expertise through partnerships with UBC Okanagan and BCIT ensuring the highest standards of quality to ensure regulatory compliance
• Focused on the health, wellness and leisure markets across Canada and around the Globe
• For more information: pacificrimbrands.com

Study shows TEMPO is up to 100 times more powerful than vitamin E

Naturally-derived anti-oxidants have become the ‘it’ health ingredient to look for in food. But researchers from UBC Okanagan and the University of Bologna have discovered that TEMPO—a well-known artificial anti-oxidant—is up to 100 times more powerful than nature’s best and could help counteract everything from skin damage to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are naturally present in the body and are created during routine natural processes like breathing, according to UBC Okanagan Chemistry Professor Gino DiLabio and study co-author.

Gino DiLabio is a professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at UBC Okanagan

“Free radicals are a natural part of human metabolism. But when our bodies have too many, like when we’re exposed to UV radiation from the sun, when we smoke, or even when we drink alcohol, it can be a problem,” says DiLabio. “These extremely reactive molecules can damage cells or DNA and can contribute to many different diseases, like Alzheimer’s, and some researchers think they may even be responsible for aging.”

While the body already has its own chemical defenses against free radicals through vitamin C and vitamin E, DiLabio and his colleagues wanted to know how a human-made anti-oxidant called TEMPO would perform.

To explore the idea, the researchers used a mimicked cell environment to test how effective TEMPO was in converting free radicals to non-harmful molecules compared to vitamin E.

“We were surprised to learn that TEMPO was up to 100 times faster at converting free radicals than vitamin E in fatty environments,” says DiLabio. “That means that it could be a particularly effective means of protecting skin tissues or even the walls of cells from radical damage.”

Dilabio says that the study may lead to the development of a pharmaceutical therapy to help prevent free radical damage.

“I could see this leading to the development of a topical cream to protect your skin after exposure to the sun or even a pill that could protect your neurons from getting damaged. The possibilities are very exciting.”

The article was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society with funding from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the BC Knowledge Development Fund.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

New method to help meet increasing demand for cannabis potency testing

With the coming legalization of cannabis in Canada, producers are increasingly looking for quick and accurate means of determining the potency and quality of their products.

Researchers at UBC’s Okanagan campus have developed a new method of measuring phytocannabinoids—the primary bioactive molecules in cannabis—that will lead to faster, safer and more accurate information for producers, regulators and consumers alike.

“There is growing demand on testing labs from licensed cannabis growers across the US and Canada who are under pressure to perform potency testing on ever-increasing quantities of product,” says Matthew Noestheden, PhD chemistry student under Prof. Wesley Zandberg at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “Traditional tests can take upwards of 20 minutes to perform, where we can do it in under seven. It will save a great deal of time and money for producers with enormous greenhouses full of thousands of samples requiring testing.”

Noestheden says that not only can he test the substance in record time, but he can also test for a virtually limitless number of phytocannabinoid variants.

“Most people are familiar with THC as the primary bioactive compound in cannabis. But in reality, there are more than 100 different phytocannabinoid variants, many with their own unique biological effects,” says Noestheden. “The problem is that it’s very difficult to differentiate between them when testing cannabis potency.”

The research team overcame the problem by using high-pressure liquid chromatography—an instrument that isolates each phytocannabinoid to measure them independently. They were able to discern the potency of 11 unique phytocannabinoids in cannabis extracts, which is important for determining the safety and authenticity of cannabis products.

“We tested twice as many phytocannabinoids compared to what most labs are testing for now, and more than twice as fast,” says Noestheden. “We limited our tests to 11 variants because these were the only ones commercially available at the time. We could just as easily test for 50 or even all 100 variants, including some synthetic cannabinoids that can be added to products to increase potency.”

Noestheden says his method was designed to be rolled out in labs around the world. Having worked with Rob O’Brien, president of Supra Research and Development, a cannabis testing lab and industry partner of this study, Noestheden now hopes his new method can be put straight to good use by helping researchers connect variation in phytocannabinoids with the pharmacological effects of various cannabis products.

“It’s an elegant solution because any cannabis testing lab with the appropriate instrumentation should be able to adopt the new method with minimal additional investment, making the whole process cheaper and faster.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

UBC Okanagan prof. says the technique is a valuable new tool

Researchers from UBC’s Okanagan campus hope to make advances in tissue replacement and cancer research through a new technology that can produce living, 3D printed bio-tissues.

“One of the ultimate goals in biomedical engineering is to recreate viable, healthy and living tissues,” says engineering professor Keekyoung Kim. “The applications are staggering and could range from helping people suffering from ailments such as severe burns or organ failure to creating artificial tissues for research into diseases like cancer.”

Keekyoung Kim, associate professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering

Much like weaving a tapestry, Kim and his team devised a method of using an inexpensive laser diode to solidify a water-based gel into a complex cross-linked pattern. The engineered tissue provides not only strength but also a structure where living cells can live and thrive.

The new system, called direct laser bio-printing, is able to print artificial tissue at a much finer resolution than what’s currently possible and can support healthy, living cells with 95 per cent effectiveness.

“These findings show a promising future for tissue engineering and medical research,” says Kim. “We’re already looking at applying the technology to cancer research.”

According to Kim, there is considerable demand for biological models where researchers can grow cancer cells in three dimensions. He says that living cells are highly sensitive to chemical, mechanical, and biological conditions that are only present in a 3D environment.

Kim’s research, which was an interdisciplinary project from UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering and Department of Chemistry, tested the artificial tissue’s ability to support healthy cells by building a pattern that encapsulated a commonly used line of breast cancer cells.

“The tissue pattern, which has extremely fine features and high cell viability, firmly demonstrates that our system has real potential to create functional, engineered tissue,” he says. “I’m excited by what this could bring to biomedical research.”

Kim worked with fellow engineering professor Jonathan Holzman and chemistry professor Fred Menard along with graduate students Zongje Wang and Xian Jin to develop the new system.

According to Holzman, this field of research is perfectly suited to interdisciplinary research.

“Bio-tissue printing applies knowledge in biology, chemistry, and microfabrication toward the health sciences,” says Holzman. “I think our recent success in bio-tissue printing came about from the multidisciplinary nature of our team.”

The research, published recently in Advanced Healthcare Materials, was supported by Discovery Grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Opportunity Fund.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

Toxin found in Cyanobacteria during periods of bloom

A new study from UBC’s Okanagan campus has found that BMAA—a toxin linked to several neurodegenerative diseases—is present in high concentrations during cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Winnipeg.

“Cyanobacteria blooms have become increasingly common in Lake Winnipeg since the 1990s,” says Susan Murch, associate professor of chemistry at UBC Okanagan and study lead author. “These bacteria have also been known to produce BMAA under the right conditions and we wanted to establish whether this could be happening in one of Canada’s largest and most important freshwater lakes.”

Murch says BMAA has been associated with everything from Alzheimer’s to ALS and can have serious public health implications if it permeates food and water supplies.

“It’s very difficult to detect BMAA directly in water samples using current methods,” says Stephanie Bishop, a graduate student in chemistry at UBC Okanagan and study co-author. “We decided to look for its presence in the cyanobacteria itself using samples collected from across the lake with the help of our partners from the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium.”

Murch and Bishop analyzed samples collected in July and September of 2016 and found that BMAA was present in highest concentrations in the areas of the bloom that are impacted by pollution and farming.

“Agricultural and human activities along with factors like climate change are very likely behind the increased size and frequency of blooms,” Murch adds. “We now know that with these blooms comes the very real risk of increased exposure to BMAA and the public health impacts that follow.”

She warns that cyanobacterial blooms are not isolated to Lake Winnipeg and that she would expect to see similar results in other freshwater lakes.

“We’re seeing a greater number of blooms in lakes in both the US and Canada. Especially in the Great Lakes region,” she says. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see BMAA in cyanobacteria from lakes that serve a huge number of people.”

“We hope that an increased awareness of risks of BMAA along with a better understanding of the human impacts on algal blooms will help us better manage the potential consequences to public health.”

Susan Much is an associate professor of chemistry at UBC Okanagan.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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New, highly accurate test offers results in hours rather than in days

Wine producers and grape growers have a new, powerful tool at their disposal to help manage the impact of grapes exposed to smoke from forest fires.

Researchers from UBC’s Okanagan campus have devised a new analytical test to precisely and accurately measure the amount of volatile phenols–compounds absorbed by grapes when exposed to smoke that can impact wine flavour–that are present in the fruit prior to wine production.

“Until now, detecting these smoky compounds in grapes required fermenting a small sample over at least ten days and relying on subjective measures like taste and odour,” says Wesley Zandberg, assistant professor of chemistry at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “We’ve developed a test that detects the exact amount of volatile phenols present in the grape. There’s no need to ferment them first and we get results within a matter of hours.”

According to Zandberg, wine grapes that are exposed to smoke from wildfires absorb and metabolize volatile phenols in their skin, which may affect the taste of the wine later on. He says wine producers and grape growers utilizing subjective measures currently have to wait one or two weeks to find out if their grapes are suitable for wine-making. Meanwhile, costs and risk mount as their crops sit on the vine.

“By accurately and quickly measuring the presence of volatile phenols, we’re offering a much better tool to help vineyards and wineries manage the risk from smoke exposure,” says Zandberg. “By knowing precisely whether and by how much each crop has been impacted by smoke exposure, growers and winemakers alike can make informed decisions about whether the grapes should be used or abandoned altogether.”

Zandberg and his PhD student Matthew Noestheden, working in collaboration with several local vineyards and a Kelowna-based analytical company Supra Research and Development, have developed their test after a thorough review of all scientific literature on how Vitis vinifera–the plant that produces wine grapes–absorbs and metabolizes the smoky-flavoured compounds. They then used a series of chemical techniques to isolate the metabolized volatile phenols and measure them to a high degree of accuracy.

But Zandberg is also quick to point out that many wines are aged in smoked oak barrels that contain volatile phenols, so their presence is not necessarily a bad thing.

“We can also apply our technique after the grapes have been fermented and aged to measure phenol levels in the wine itself. This could be hugely beneficial in helping winemakers determine whether wines have enough smoky compounds to match their desired flavour profile after aging in smoked barrels.”

The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and was supported by funding from Mitacs, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council and the British Columbia Grape Council.

PhD student Matthew Noestheden.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Partnership with licenced industry grower expands research potential

Researchers at UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University have teamed up with an industry partner to investigate the many useful products that can be made from cannabis.

Dubbed the Cannabis Bio-products Toolbox, the collaborative research project will explore the vast range of bioproducts that can be made from the plant—these include pharmaceuticals, nutritional products, and industrial fibre.

“Cannabis is a source of many potentially valuable products,” says UBC Okanagan biology professor Michael Deyholos. “But because of its prohibition over the past decades, development of new products from cannabis has lagged behind other crops.”

Deyholos, whose research explores the potential of flax and hemp, says on the medicinal side of cannabis there are dozens of compounds in the plant that may have specific health benefits. The researchers want to breed strains that are enriched in various combinations of these compounds, tailored to needs of specific patients.

“Besides these pharmaceutical compounds, there are healthful oils and proteins in the seed that we would like to enrich,” he adds. “All of this requires a better understanding of the genes and chemicals already present in different strains of cannabis, and that is what this project is designed to do.”

Deyholos says while cannabis is best known as a source of THC—the principal psychoactive ingredient—the plant produces at least 90 other cannabinoids, many of which have potent biological activities. Some of these compounds are being examined for the treatment of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and other serious health conditions.

“Our team has experience in the characterization of a range of relevant biosynthetic pathways in cannabis stems, flax seeds, and terpenoid-producing tissues of lavender,” he adds.

Deyholos is joined by UBC Okanagan biology professor Soheil Mahmoud—who studies the potential of lavender, UBC chemistry professor Paul Shipley—whose lab examines the chemistry of medicinal plants, and Thompson Rivers University chemistry professor Bruno Cinel —a natural products chemist who specializes in the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for structural determination and chemical analysis. Together with a team of post-doctorate fellows and graduate students, they will work at the laboratories of industrial-based companies Valens AgriTech and Supra THC Services—both of which are fully licensed by Health Canada to conduct research and analysis on cannabis plants and byproducts.

Deyholos notes that neither university has a licence to grow or store cannabis on campus but the industrial partner has facilities and licenses to grow more than 4,000 plants for research purposes.

“The facilities available at Valens Agritech and the analytical capabilities of Supra THC Services are truly state-of-the-art,” he says. “Having access to properly licensed facilities within an industrial setting will enable our talented interns to gain critical skills in a rapidly growing industry.”

Work at the industrial site will be supervised by Rob O’Brien and Yasantha Athukorala.

“It is an honour to be associated with such a collection of accomplished scientists,” says Valens AgriTech President and Chief Science Officer O’Brien. “The research derived from this funding will provide insights into the complexity of gene expression in cannabis and will help produce new varieties that can have a greater health impact.”

The Cannabis Bio-products Toolbox was awarded a three-year $330,000 Mitacs research grant.

About Valens AgriTech, Supra THC Services and Valens GroWorks Corp.

Valens GroWorks Corp. is a CSE-listed company (VGW:CSE) with an aggressive buildout strategy in progress. The Company seeks to capture a broad spectrum of medical cannabis users and adult recreational users once legalized, as well as clinical trial and R&D clients, in pursuit of its ambitious seed-to-sale and farm-to-pharma objectives.

The Company has two wholly-owned subsidiaries based in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia: 1) Valens Agritech Ltd. (“VAL”) which holds a Health Canada Dealer’s License, enabling cultivation and R&D and 2) Supra THC Services Inc., a Health Canada licensed cannabis testing lab providing sector-leading analytical and proprietary services to Licensed Producers and ACMPR patients.  Supra has collaborated with Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc. to develop a “Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Medicine Analytics” centred in Kelowna, British Columbia.

For more information, visit:

• valensgroworks.com
• www.valensagritech.com
• www.suprathc.ca

About Thompson Rivers University

Thompson Rivers University is committed to participating in community partnerships that drive the knowledge and innovation economy in British Columbia’s Southern Interior.

Named after the view from its main Kamloops campus overlooking the junction of the North and South Thompson rivers, TRU is proud to support the nearly 26,000 students on its campuses in Kamloops and Williams Lake, and in online programming through TRU Open Learning.

With a 45-year history of excellence in education in the BC Interior, TRU prides itself on providing students with access to a research-informed education, and providing our communities with access to the benefits of scholarly, research, and creative activities that solve community problems and enrich community life.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley.

Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is a globally recognized research-intensive institution whose Okanagan campus was established in 2005.

The Okanagan campus emphasizes smaller class sizes, experiential learning, and research activity for students, combining a world-class UBC degree with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community.

As part of North America’s most international university, the campus is home to 9,000 students representing 98 countries.

The post UBC and TRU team up to explore useful bio-products found in cannabis appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

For many, it’s one of the biggest milestones of their lives—graduating from university. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, nearly 1,650 students will reach that milestone this week as the university gears up for six convocation ceremonies.

Convocation starts Thursday, with four ceremonies, and wraps up Friday with two additional ceremonies. During these two days, UBC will confer 33 doctoral degrees, 148 master degrees, 1,465 undergraduate degrees and an honorary degree to Canadian artist Alex Janvier.

This is the twelfth graduating class at UBC’s Okanagan campus and the number of graduates has more than tripled since 2006, when UBC Okanagan’s very first graduating class of 468 crossed the stage.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Okanagan campus Deborah Buszard says this year’s graduates join the more than 325,000 alumni who have successfully graduated from UBC and continue to be members of the UBC community.

“Members of this, our twelfth, graduating class have already shown themselves to be accomplished change-makers and innovators on campus and in the community,” says Buszard. “They are extraordinarily talented and I have no doubt they will be a force for positive change wherever they go.”

While Convocation is a time to celebrate students, UBC also recognizes outstanding faculty at the event. Ramon Lawrence, an associate professor in Computer Science and Christine Schreyer, an associate professor of anthropology, will be presented with the Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation. And Security Manager Michael Gesi will be presented with the President’s Service Award for Excellence.

Convocation ceremonies will be webcast live at: graduation.ok.ubc.ca/event/live-webcast

Thursday, June 8

8:30 a.m.—Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Freshwater Sciences, General Studies (Science), Interdisciplinary Studies (Sciences), Microbiology, Zoology

11 a.m.—Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences 
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in: Anthropology, Computer Science, Economics, Gender and Women’s Studies, General Studies (Arts), Geography, History, Indigenous Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies (BSAS – Arts), International Relations, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics

1:30 p.m.—Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences & Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in: Art History, Creative Writing, Cultural Studies, English, French, Interdisciplinary Performance, Interdisciplinary Studies (FCCS), Philosophy, PPE, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, Visual Arts

4 p.m.—Faculty of Applied Science: School Of Engineering
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Friday, June 9

8:30 a.m.—Faculty of Education; Faculty of Management
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Management

11 a.m.—Faculty of Health and Social Development: School of Health and Exercise Sciences; School of Nursing; School of Social Work
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for Human Kinetics, Interdisciplinary Studies, Nursing, and Social Work

—30—

The post More than 1,650 students graduate from UBC Okanagan this week appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

For many, it’s one of the biggest milestones of their lives—graduating from university. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, nearly 1,650 students will reach that milestone this week as the university gears up for six convocation ceremonies.

Convocation starts Thursday, with four ceremonies, and wraps up Friday with two additional ceremonies. During these two days, UBC will confer 33 doctoral degrees, 148 master degrees, 1,465 undergraduate degrees and an honorary degree to Canadian artist Alex Janvier.

This is the twelfth graduating class at UBC’s Okanagan campus and the number of graduates has more than tripled since 2006, when UBC Okanagan’s very first graduating class of 468 crossed the stage.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Okanagan campus Deborah Buszard says this year’s graduates join the more than 325,000 alumni who have successfully graduated from UBC and continue to be members of the UBC community.

“Members of this, our twelfth, graduating class have already shown themselves to be accomplished change-makers and innovators on campus and in the community,” says Buszard. “They are extraordinarily talented and I have no doubt they will be a force for positive change wherever they go.”

While Convocation is a time to celebrate students, UBC also recognizes outstanding faculty at the event. Ramon Lawrence, an associate professor in Computer Science and Christine Schreyer, an associate professor of anthropology, will be presented with the Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation. And Security Manager Michael Gesi will be presented with the President’s Service Award for Excellence.

Convocation ceremonies will be webcast live at: graduation.ok.ubc.ca/event/live-webcast

Thursday, June 8

8:30 a.m.—Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Freshwater Sciences, General Studies (Science), Interdisciplinary Studies (Sciences), Microbiology, Zoology

11 a.m.—Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences 
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in: Anthropology, Computer Science, Economics, Gender and Women’s Studies, General Studies (Arts), Geography, History, Indigenous Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies (BSAS – Arts), International Relations, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics

1:30 p.m.—Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences & Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in: Art History, Creative Writing, Cultural Studies, English, French, Interdisciplinary Performance, Interdisciplinary Studies (FCCS), Philosophy, PPE, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, Visual Arts

4 p.m.—Faculty of Applied Science: School Of Engineering
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for students in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Friday, June 9

8:30 a.m.—Faculty of Education; Faculty of Management
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Management

11 a.m.—Faculty of Health and Social Development: School of Health and Exercise Sciences; School of Nursing; School of Social Work
All Ph.D., master, or undergrad degrees for Human Kinetics, Interdisciplinary Studies, Nursing, and Social Work

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