UBC Okanagan

Dr. Shahria Alam’s exemplary contributions to the field have earned him not one, but two impressive accomplishments this year. In June, Dr. Alam was named a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) and in November he was awarded the designation of Fellow by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), one of the highest professional distinctions within the field. “These honours are profoundly motivating," Dr. Alam explains. "They remind me of the responsibility I have to continue pushing boundaries, not just in research but also in supporting the next generation of engineers." Learn more: https://bit.ly/4gfB5D3 UBC Engineering | Canadian Society for Civil Engineering / La Société canadienne de génie civil | American Society of Civil Engineers

We're thrilled to congratulate Dr. Wendy H. Wong on winning the prestigious Balsillie Prize for Public Policy for her book We, The Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age.   Dr. Wong is a Professor of Political Science in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and a Principal’s Research Chair in Datafication.   The Writers' Trust of Canada Balsillie Prize for Public Policy is awarded annually, and recognizes a nonfiction book that "advances and influences policy debates on a range of social, political, economic, or cultural topics relevant to Canadians.”   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gkUDiAbt The MIT Press

You know winter is coming when the snow starts making its way down the mountains. ❄️🏔️

Gut health research moves from the lab to the real world. Dr. Deanna Gibson's groundbreaking technology is paving the path for a new class of therapeutics to treat inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and mood disorders. Read more: https://bit.ly/49pTY4h Melius MicroBiomics

Are electric or hydrogen buses the future? UBC Okanagan’s Lifecycle Management Lab is partnering with the City of Kelowna to research sustainable solutions for our public transit. The team uses lifecycle thinking to help communities find practical solutions to global-scale challenges; you’ll find them at the intersection of climate change, wise resource management and resilient infrastructure. “This approach considers every stage: material extraction to build the bus, production, transportation to the buyers, maintenance and eventual disposal; and also, the related battery charging infrastructure," explains Dr. Kasun Hewage. "We want to ensure sustainable choices benefit the environment, the economy and society.” Read more about this collaboration: https://bit.ly/4ijCI4L Bhuwan Paudel Sachindra Wijayasekera, MASc, EIT BC Transit UBC Engineering

Fall leaves today, snowflakes tomorrow? 🍂➡️❄️ Snow is in the forecast this week. Learn more about winter weather safety: https://lnkd.in/gDxV3PBk

Enjoying the stillness of midterm break before campus life picks up again. Can't wait to see you back next week!

It was a pleasure to host elected officials, community partners and economic development staff for a tour of campus this week! The tour was part of a larger education familiarization tour hosted by Regional District of Central Okanagan, Tourism Kelowna and Accelerate Okanagan to showcase the thriving education ecosystem in the Central Okanagan. Participants gained insights into academic updates, strategic priorities and celebrated the successes of community integration efforts that are fueling our region's economic growth. Dale Mullings, Maryse Harvey, Laura Thurnheer, MBA, CPHR, Krista Mallory,  Blair Ireland, Kevin Kraft, Nicole Udzenija, Hon. Ron Cannan P.C., ICD.D., Carol Zanon, Andrea Alexander, Bill Wang, Dr. Samantha Lenci, Mohana Rambe, Sascha Lesack, Lesley Cormack, Eva Weston, Leslie Louie, Chris A., Jenn Goodwin BJ, MEB, APR, Neta Raz, Marten Youssef

STEM Engagement Day at UBC Okanagan! Yesterday, we welcomed close to 800 young students to explore the exciting world of STEM. Facilitated by students, faculty and staff, this annual event aims to spark curiosity and inspire the innovators of tomorrow. Thank you to everyone involved in making this incredible day of learning possible.

UBC Okanagan is taking steps to address a gap in primary health care. Canada’s provincial health-care systems have been moving towards team-based care. In anticipation of the pivotal role of nurses in this transformation, UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing has launched a post-baccalaureate certificate in primary care nursing. “The certificate is unique in Canada in that it is open to registered nurses across all provinces,” says Dr. Clare Harvey, Director of UBCO’s School of Nursing. “This new post-baccalaureate certificate, in combination with our school’s primary care practice essentials micro-credentials, sets UBC Okanagan up as an education hub for primary care nursing.”