Weekly Update, May 7, 2021: Asian Heritage Month
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. This is Asian Heritage Month; an opportunity for all Canadians to learn more about the many achievements and contributions of Canadians of Asian descent who, […]
Episode 21: Species at Risk
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/blue-and-gold-21-species-at-risk UBC’s Vancouver campus sits at the tip of one of the most important estuaries in the province, the Fraser River. In this estuary alone, there are 102 species at risk of extinction. My guest today, Tara Martin of the Faculty of Forestry, studies this area, as well as how to best save species at […]
Weekly Update, April 30, 2021: Let’s Bring SkyTrain to UBC
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Thanks to an unprecedented global effort, including leading work by UBC researchers to develop vaccines and strategies to combat COVID-19, the end of the pandemic […]
Universities Must Do More to Address the Climate Emergency
I was honoured to co-write the op-ed on universities, youth and climate change with Grace Nosek of the UBC Climate Hub. The original appeared on the Inside Higher Education website on April 26, 2021 (link). Universities Must Do More to Address the Climate Emergency Younger generations have been deeply impacted by the intersecting crises […]
Weekly Update, April 23, 2021: UBC and Global Engagement
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Earlier this month, UBC launched its new global engagement strategy, called In Service. We are unveiling this new strategy at a time of great change […]
Weekly Update, April 20, 2021: Planning for Fall 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. Last month UBC confirmed that we are planning for a return to on-campus activity for Winter Session, Term 1, with the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and the public health teams in the health authorities. Dr. Henry has been clear that post-secondary institutions, such as […]
April 2021
Welcome Welcome to the April 2021 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to members of the UBC community. Highlights Spring Graduation Takes Place June 2 UBC to Award 18 Honourary Degrees Over $210 million raised for UBC priorities Anti-Racism Update UBC Okanagan to Offer Degree in Indigenous Language Fluency UBC Launches Global […]
April 2021
Welcome Welcome to the April 2021 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. Highlights Spring Graduation Takes Place June 2 UBC to Award 18 Honourary Degrees Over $210 million raised for UBC priorities Planning for Fall 2021 Anti-Racism Update UBC Okanagan to Offer Degree […]
Episode 20: Thunderbikes are Go!
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-20-ubc-thunderbikes-are-go Bhargav Thoom and Daniel Zhao are both mechanical engineering students at our Vancouver campus. They’re also the leads of the UBC Thunderbikes, a student design team working on electric bikes. In this episode of the Blue & Goldcast they talk to Santa about the Thunderbikes electrical bike project. Download the transcript here.
UBC and the Overdose Crisis
Five years ago, on April 14, 2016, the overdose crisis in British Columbia was declared a public health emergency. Today, on the anniversary of that declaration, the crisis is still very much with us, and indeed, is worse than ever. Its effects are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and it impacts all communities in the […]
Weekly Update, April 9, 2021: Vaccination Clinic at UBC
Dear members of the UBC community. As you know, the vaccination drive against COVID-19 is well underway here in BC, across Canada and around the world. Both the federal and provincial governments have committed to widespread vaccine availability. BC is now in Phase 3 of the vaccine roll-out plan. Anyone, 18 or over, who wishes […]
Launching UBC’s Global Engagement Strategy
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) The world is grappling with immense challenges. Climate change, environmental degradation, poverty and inequality and racial injustice are just some of the issues we face. Here at UBC, we’re ready to help face those challenges. We have a research infrastructure […]
Episode 19: Kevin Golovin’s Cool COVID Protection
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-19-cool-covid-19-protection In this episode, Santa talks to UBC Okanagan professor Kevin Golovin about his anti-fouling and anti-fogging face shields and his “cool” research. Download the transcript here.
Statement on Anti-Asian Racism
It is with sadness that I write, in my capacity as President of the University of British Columbia, to mourn the deaths of eight people murdered in an act of senseless violence in Atlanta, Georgia: Soon Chung Park, age 74 Suncha Kim, age 69 Yong Ae Yue, age 63 Paul Andre Michels, age 54 Hyun […]
Episode 18: Everything You Wanted to Know About UBC’s Senates!
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-18-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-ubcs-senates UBC Okanagan professors Jan Cioe and Jannick Eikenaar talk to Santa about the university’s senates and why they matter. Download the transcript here.
Weekly Update, March 12, 2021: Planning for the Fall
Dear members of the UBC community. Earlier this week, Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, provided information for B.C. public post-secondary institutions to guide planning for a return to on-campus activity this fall. Based on current immunization timelines and vaccine approvals, and with strong and effective safety plans in place, I can confirm that UBC […]
UBC and UTokyo – A Relationship Forged Through Baseball, Quantum Materials and Mutual Esteem
reprinted, with permission, from the University of Tokyo Alumni Magazine I first met Dr. Makoto Gonokami when I travelled to Tokyo in 2017. For me, it was somewhat of a homecoming, and I enjoyed spending time with my Japanese relatives and experiencing the great food and city life of Tokyo. But the highlight of the […]
Weekly Update, March 5, 2021: International Women’s Day
Dear members of the UBC community. On Monday, we will be celebrating International Women’s Day. (See what’s happening at UBC: https://events.ubc.ca/international-womens-day/) But I believe that every day should be International Women’s Day. Everything we do as a society depends upon the skills, talents and contributions of women around the world. I wouldn’t have achieved anything […]
Episode 17: Introducing the CanMask!
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-17-compostable-masks I’m joined by UBC engineering professors Johan Foster and Orlando Rojas who have been working with a multidisciplinary team of researchers and scientists to design what may be the world’s first fully compostable and biodegradable medical mask—the CanMask. Download the transcript here.
QS World University Subject Rankings Demonstrate UBC’s Breadth of Excellence
The prestigious QS World University Subject Rankings for 2021 have been released and I’m proud to say that the University of British Columbia continues to place among the best universities in the world. We placed among the top 10 universities in the world in four subjects and among the top 50 in 46 subjects (see […]