Vancouver Police Department Mess Dinner Keynote Address
The Vancouver Club Thank you very much for that generous introduction, Colleen – I’d love to meet that guy! We often hear speakers say that they stand between you and dinner so they’d better be brief – but luckily, we have already had dinner so the sky’s the limit! As you know, academics can talk, […]
UBC and Surrey: Moving Together into the Future
Surrey Board of Trade, Sheraton Guilford Inn, Surrey B.C. Many thanks for that generous introduction, Anita – I only hope I can live up to it! As this is my first time addressing a Surrey audience, I too would like to acknowledge that we are in the traditional territory of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Qayqayt, […]
This is What Hope Looks Like
Third Space Life Charity Willowstone Academy, Kelowna Thank you everybody for being here this evening in support of an issue that is close to my heart: student mental health and wellbeing. This conversation is timely; as you may know, yesterday was Bell Let’s Talk Day. UBC participates in this program, which raises funds for […]
Students as Partners: Leveraging Human Capital to Advance Digital Innovation
6th Annual Conference on Educational Innovation (CIIE 2019) Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico Thank you. Coming all the way from the west coast of Canada where things are considerably colder and darker at the moment, it’s a treat for me to be able to join you here in Mexico, especially at Tecnologico de Monterrey. UBC […]
Humanizing Leadership and Harmonizing Learning
BC School Superintendents Association, Vancouver Thank you, Sue-Ellen. It is truly an honour to join you here today. It is always a privilege to be able to join fellow educators for robust conversation around matters of teaching, learning and leadership. It’s good to be able to step out of that fast-moving river of responsibility now […]
Building New Bridges
Vancouver/UBC Opera Summit, Old Auditorium, UBC Thank you, Nancy. What a privilege to welcome you all to our beautiful UBC campus… we are deeply honored to have you here and trust you have enjoyed your first day of this national summit. It’s an important conversation you’re having here, on topics that resonate deeply in our […]
Faith in the Academy
Ismaili Centre, Toronto Good evening and thank you everyone! It’s an honour and a privilege to be here. It was my absolute pleasure to have our generous hosts take me on a tour of the Ismaili Centre, the Aga Khan Museum, and the Aga Khan Park. The architecture of the Ismaili Centre must be a […]
The Liberal Arts in the 21st Century: More Important Than Ever
Carr Lecture St. Mark’s College, Vancouver Thank you, Dr. Meehan. It’s an honour to be here. I’m proud that UBC and St. Mark’s have been associated for over 60 years, while we’ve partnered with Corpus Christi almost 25 years. We not only share scholarship and resources, students and faculty, we share a common commitment to […]
UBC Medicine: Looking to the Next 70 Years
Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture, Vancouver, BC (PDF: 2019 02 08 Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture) Good morning and thank you. It is an honour to be invited to give the Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture. Bernstein was the founding president of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and Executive Director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise. In […]
School Community Mental Health Conference 2019 Remarks
Vancouver, BC Thank you, Minister. Happy to be here and to discuss this important topic; one that is important to our country, to UBC, and to me personally. Mental health is a significant issue: one in five Canadians will have a mental health problem or illness this year. It’s a world-wide problem too, with growing […]
Well-being: Giving the next generation the support they need to thrive
Council of Ministers of Education, Convention Centre, Vancouver BC Thank you, Minister Mark. I would like to acknowledge some of the other post-secondary education leaders from across B.C. in the room today, including Kathy Kinloch from BCIT and Ken Tourand from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. I would also like to acknowledge Karen Ranalleta, […]
Government Investment in Research and Innovation – will it pay off?
MP Breakfast Connections, Enigma Urban Eatery, Vancouver BC Thank you, Joyce, and good morning everybody! I am so happy to be here. Joyce, UBC values your support as our local MP. We also value the support we receive from your government for our research and teaching activities. As one of Canada’s leading research universities – […]
Rotary Club of Vancouver and UBC’s Next Century of Service
The Rotary Club of Vancouver, Terminal City Club, Vancouver BC Good afternoon, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you today. I have spoken to Rotary Clubs in Cincinnati when I was President of the University of Cincinnati, and I’m thrilled to have a chance to address the Rotary […]
Science and Faith: Servant Leadership and the Secular University
Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation (CSCA) Conference 2018, Langley BC Good morning, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you today. I often receive invitations to speak at both public and private schools within Canada and beyond our borders, and I’m thrilled to have a chance to engage with […]
Overcoming the stigma
Men in Nursing Conference, Mt. St. Joseph University, Cincinnati Today, I’d like to talk to you about a subject very close to me – the need to overcome the stigma around mental health, especially for young men. I’ll discuss some of the struggles I’ve faced and how – with the help of faith, family and friends […]
Working Together for Successful Student Transition
BC School Trustees Association, Richmond Thank you, Gordon, for your kind introduction. Good evening, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you this evening. Perhaps I should say right off the top that I have as much to learn from you as you will learn from me. Though I […]
Inspire: Building a Strategic Plan for UBC
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver Thank you, Robert, for your kind introduction. Good afternoon, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour to be with you today. I’d like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish people, the Musqueam, the Squamish […]
Lunar New Year 2018
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre Thank you everyone, and thank you especially to Iggy Chong. We are so lucky at UBC to have alumni – and friends – like Iggy, who works so hard on our behalf as Chair of our Hong Kong Alumni UBC Leadership Council. And now, as if we needed further proof […]
Imagine UBC 2017
Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, UBC Vancouver (Click here to see a video of the speech) Thank you! Well, I’ve been waiting for today for several months. People have been working really hard trying to choose you. As you probably know, there are about 30,000 people who applied to this institution to have the privilege […]
Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference
Sage Bistro, Vancouver, BC, June 5, 2017 Thank you, Angela, for the introduction and thank you all for coming out tonight Honoured that you, Canada’s future leaders, have chosen to visit UBC today. Welcome to UBC and to Sage! Hope you are enjoying your visit to Vancouver and to our beautiful campus. Looking forward to […]