T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A V O L U M E 4 8 | N U M B E R 7 | M AY 2 , 2 0 0 2

SPECIAL ISSUE : UBC CONGREGATION 2002

LeadershipMakes a DifferenceStudent leader leaves UBCbetter than she found it.BY MICHELLE CO O K

Political Science major Dea Lloyd isan Arts student who knows how todo her math. When she and fellowmembers of the Arts Undergrad-uate Society (AUS) calculated thelimited amount of social spaceavailable to the university’s 10,000Arts undergraduates, they saw aproblem.

The group led an initiative tofind more space, and Lloyd tookcharge of organizing a referendumon the plan. It attracted 1,500 vot-ers who agreed to a student feeincrease to help fund the project.Now, 6,000 sq. ft. of ‘dead’ spacein Buchanan D Block is beingtransformed into a place for Artsstudents.

“It was a project I really believedin, that I thought we could do andget students behind it,” Lloyd says.“Here was something they couldbenefit from tangibly, and Ithought it would be exciting to co-ordinate something that would bea lasting contribution to UBC.”

L l o y d ’s push for more spacereflects a larger drive to make a dif-ference through politics and com-munity service. In addition to herwork with the AUS, she served twoyears on the AMS council as Artsfaculty representative. For the lasttwo years, she has overseen logis-tics and security on the day of theArts County Fair, a student-runcharity event that attracted 16,000participants this year.

Lloyd, 25, likes to be where theaction is, and her passion for poli-tics earned her a coveted spot onthe UBC team that took part in aprestigious mock NATO confer-ence held in Washington, D.C. ear-lier this year. Although they werethe only Canadian team participat-ing, the UBC team was assigned therole of the United States. Theyplayed the role so well that theywalked away with title of BestDelegation.

Technologyfor the Artof TalkingScience grad makes computer learning fun. BY H E L EN L E W I S

When 10-year-old James Dai

a rrived in Canada, he couldn’tspeak a word of English. Ten yearslater, the BSc graduate is set to usetechnology to teach literacy to kidsthrough MIT Media Lab’s Gestureand Narrative Language Group.

Born in tiny Qin Huang Dao,where the Great Wall of Chinabegins, Dai moved to Vancouver in1990. Within five years he hadcompleted elementary school andhigh school and enrolled at UBC.

Studying Computer Science fromage 15, Dai broadened his horizonsby joining a touring musical, tak-ing UBC fine arts courses and per-forming with theatre groups.

Dai, 20, hopes to use his passionfor the arts to “bridge the gap be-tween the raw power of computersand their human audience.”

Through UBC’s Co-op programDai worked at Microsoft on X-BoxNBA Inside Drive 2002, PanasonicResearch Labs in Japan, and UBC’sElectronic Games for Education inMath and Science (E-GEMS) lab.

With fellow student MichaelWu, Dai designed and researchedPrimeClimb, a collaborative educa-tional computer game to be exhib-ited at the prestigious SIGGRAPH2002 Conference in Texas. Dai andWu were also invited to present atED-MEDIA 2002 and CSCL 2002.

In PrimeClimb, two playerswork together to climb a mountainof numbers. It is notable amonghuman-computer interaction re -search for its focus on social ratherthan digital aspects of the interac-tion. Dai and Wu used sociologymethodology to develop the gameand analyse resulting social inter-actions in classroom studies.

“We’re proud we built a gamethat gets kids to talk to each otherexcitedly in a mathematical con-text. Technology should help peo-ple to interact with each other, oth-erwise it’s just bells and whistles.”

Dai starts at MIT this summer. ■

Since 1916, UBC graduates have gathered to celebrate their success as students inCongregation ceremonies that bring together faculty, staff, alumni, families and friends. ❡ FromMay 22-29 more than 5,000 graduates will cross the stage at UBC’s Chan Centre for thePerforming Arts to receive their degrees from UBC Chancellor William Sauder. In 22 separate cer-emonies, degrees from 12 faculties as well as 12 honorary degrees will be conferred. ❡ This year’sUBC graduates, whose ideas and innovation are creating new approaches to local and globalissues, will join the more than 200,000 alumni now living and working in countries around theworld.❡For more information about UBC’s Congregation ceremonies visit www.graduation.ubc.ca

co n ti n u e d o n p ag e 12

Among UBC’s newest graduates are James Dai, whotakes an unconventional approach to computer science,using art, theatre and sociology, and Dea Lloyd (right)who channels her passion for politics into improvingstudent life on campus.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTIN DEE

U B C R E P O RTS

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Medical BreakthroughA team of scientists headed byUBC’s Prof. Keith Humphries hasmade a stem cell “breakthrough”that could one day lead to powerfulnew treatments for leukemia andother blood diseases and eliminatethe need for bone marrow trans-plants.

The researchers discovered howto “supercharge” adult stem cellstaken from the blood and mass-pro-duce them in the lab. Theresearchers destroyed the blood sys-tems in mice by radiation and thenrebuilt them using blood stem cellsgrown in the lab.

“They’re now perfectly healthy,”Humphries told the National Post.

Geeks are Usually BoysUBC Computer Science Prof. AnneCondon told the Edmonton Sunthat part of the reason we don’t seemany female computer “geeks” isthat the things you can do with acomputer are n ’t as appealing togirls as they are to boys.

“Computers seem confining andboring, using a computer seems likeglorified typing or something likethat,” she says. “But really they’reintegral to all fields of arts and sci-ences and instruments of creativityin so many ways – the potential isreally exciting for people who divein and get involved, and very differ-ent from what their images are.”

Social WorkCommenting on the Liberal govern-ment’s legislation to make it easierfor grandparents and other extend-ed family members to take custodyof children when the province takesthem away from their parents, UBCSocial Work Prof. Richard Sullivansays that social workers already tryfirst to place children in the homesof relatives, but since they remain inthe legal custody of the province,the province remains re s p o n s i b l efor providing them with financialand other support.

“This is a fiscal bid. It is not achange in terms of the actual place-ment options,” Sullivan told theVancouver Sun.

Another UBC Social Work Prof.Margaret Wright says it’s still neces-sary for the province to providesupport to people who take on chil-dren.

“Just because it’s an extendedfamily member doesn’t mean theydon’t need the financial support tobe able to cope with an additionalmouth or a couple of mouths tofeed,” she adds.

Highlights of UBC Media Coverage in April 2002. COMPILED BY BRIAN LIN

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Questionable LanguageIn an editorial in the VancouverSun, UBC’s Liu Centre for theStudy of Global Issues SeniorFellow Angus Reid explains thesignificance of the use of languagein a poll such as the aboriginal ref-erendum.

“ T h i rty years in the pollingbusiness have taught me that eventhe most seemingly insignificantchoices of wording can produce ahuge difference in response,” saidReid.

“In this context the BritishColumbia aboriginal referendumis one of the most amateurish,one-sided attempts to gauge thepublic will that I have seen in myp rofessional care e r. Though wecan be justifiably concerned aboutthe cost of this initiative, its deep-er harm comes in the false pictureit will give of the true state of atti-tudes on this complex questionand, even worse, its pretense thatthis kind of flimsy exercise is alegitimate way to divine the publicwill,” Reid added.

New TextbookUBC’s Faculty of Asian Studiesand Beijing Language Universityhave published a Chinese lan-guage textbook that will be usedby UBC and McGill Universitystarting this September.

UBC Asian Studies Pro f e s s o rRobert Chen told Sing Tao Dailythat 41 years ago, there were only30 students studying Chinese atUBC, now more than 2,000 stu-

Angus Reid

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dents are taking Chinese as a for-eign language at UBC. This fallthe Faculty of Asian Studies willoffer as many as 60 Chinese lan-guage sessions.

PMO Under Fire UBC Law Professor and Nemetzchair in legal history Wesley Puesays the failure of the PrimeMinister’s Office to either rebukeJean Carle or admit that itendorsed his disputed actions atthe 1997 APEC conference inVancouver is unacceptable and a“prescription for prime ministeri-al lawlessness.”

Pue told the National Post thatit is wrong for Jean Chretien’soffice to simply reject findingsagainst Carle, the PMO’s formerd i rector of operations, by theCommission for PublicComplaints Against the RCMP.

“It is unbecoming of the high-est office in the land, having beenfound acting improperly by theonly formal inquiry charged withinvestigating these matters, tosimply announce that it ‘rejects’the findings,” he stated in a com-m e n t a ry published in theOsgoode Law Journal of YorkUniversity.

Science NewsThree articles in the latest issue ofthe prestigious journal S c i e n c efeatured UBC faculty members,including a profile of FisheriesProf. Daniel Pauly, calling him“arguably the world’s most prolif-ic and widely cited living fisheriesscientist, with recent headline-grabbing papers in Science andNature.”

A second article feature sP rofessor Emeritus DonaldCalne’s research on the cause ofP a r k i n s o n ’s Disease. Calne ist reating three patients, all ofwhom worked with actorMichael J. Fox on a CBC sitcomin the 1970s. Calne argues that abrief environmental exposure, or“event,” may kill some neurons inthe substantia nigra and damagemany others.

F i n a l l y, Pathologist MariaVictoria Monsalve is ru n n i n gDNA tests on the Canadian ice-man discovered just south of theYoukon and dated to about 550years ago. Monsalve says the ice-man is tied to far-flung livingnative people, including theHaida off the British Columbiacoast, the Quecha of Guatemala,and the Amerindians of Brazil. ■

ubc reports | may 2, 2002 | 3

Genetic testing is one of today’shottest news topics. Still, it is sur-prising to hear bioethicist BrynWilliams-Jones reveal that hisre s e a rch into the contro v e r s i a lissue began with a TV show.

Williams-Jones, who will gradu-ate with a PhD in InterdisciplinaryStudies, remembers watching a TVdocumentary on bio-piracy whenhe was a Philosophy undergradu-ate at McGill University.

“What got me going was anutter sense of outrage atre s e a rchers travelling to re m o t eareas to take blood samples fromtribal people, and then companiespatenting their findings and profit-ing without giving anythingback,” he recalls.

The budding philosopher’s newinterest in genetics issues led himinto a master’s degree in Bioethicsat McGill. He then headed to UBCto work with leading Canadiangenetics and ethics expert, Prof.Michael Burgess of the Centre forApplied Ethics.

The Individual InterdisciplinaryStudies Graduate Program, in theGraduate Studies Faculty, gaveWilliams-Jones the freedom ando p p o rtunity to reach into therealms of law, health policy andthe social sciences to bring togeth-er the empirical and theoreticaltools he needed for his thesisresearch on the social, ethical andpolicy implications of commercialgenetic testing in Canada.

"These are complex problemsyou can't answer with one lens,"

Bio-Pirates Anger EthicistExploring the pros and cons of genetic testing. BY MIC HEL LE CO O K

Williams-Jones explains. "Yo uneed multiple lenses to bring outdifferent bits of information andwhen you put all that informationtogether, you get a much morecomplex, rich description of theissue."

S p e c i f i c a l l y, Wi l l i a m s - J o n e slooked at the case of MyriadGenetics, an American companywith patents on the two genesassociated with hereditary breastcancer.

“The patents allow Myriad tocontrol access to testing and totell health care institutions like theB.C. Cancer Agency to stop theirin-house testing and send the sam-ples to Myriad for testing - attriple the price,” Williams-Jonesexplains.

As the first in a potentially longline of gene patents, he says, thecase offered a practical way toe x p l o re larg e r, more complexsocial, ethical and legal questionssuch as access to health care andgene patenting.

The topic also complementedhis research goal of producing histhesis as a series of articles thatcould be quickly published tocontribute to the education anddebate on genetic testing.

Williams-Jones’ next stop isCambridge University where ,with the help of a Social Sciencesand Humanities Research Councilfellowship, he will study thebeliefs and values that are drivinggenomics and biotech researchersto commercialize their research. ■

In their struggle to build new lives,scores of Afghani refugee womenin Pakistan are relying on UBCC o m m e rce valedictorian SalimaRawji and her colleagues.

One World Projects (OWP), thenon-profit young entrepreneurialorganization Rawji co-founded in2000, is helping these women gen-erate their own income by build-ing a market for the intricate, tra-ditional hand-embroidered shawlsthey create.

Under its Embroidering ToEmpower (E2E) program, OWP isimporting the shawls to create asteady stream of income for thewomen, while giving its studentvolunteers invaluable experiencein the business world. The pro-gram has raised more than$30,000 for the women over thepast year.

“ I t ’s a lot of re s p o n s i b i l i t ybecause you’re working with realpeople who are counting on you,”2 2 - y e a r-old Rawji says. “Thesewomen are doctors and lawyers –they have more education than I’llprobably ever have – but becauseof political and social unre s tthey’ve been forced out of theircountry, they’re living in tents andcan’t do their usual work.

“Doing this project feels greatbecause we’re helping people - notjust giving charity but making realuse of a skill they have.”

Rawji says OWP aims to createa sense of global community, giv-ing young people the chance tohelp less fortunate people around

Embroidering to EmpowerBusiness student gives new hope to Afghani refugees. BY H E L EN L E W I S

the world through creative busi-ness strategies.

OWP’s four directors, all under25, oversee everything from trans-portation logistics to legal and taxissues to advertising and businessdevelopment for the enterprise.Rawji, a human resources man-agement major, has written theOWP marketing plan, developedthe web site, and poured countlesshours into running the organiza-tion.

“It’s been hugely beneficial -OWP has helped me as much as ithelps the women we’re workingwith. I’m much more aware ofinternational issues and the chal-lenges of running a non-pro f i ts o c i e t y. Through OWP, I’velearned about working with peo-ple effectively and applying whatI’ve learned in school,” she says.

While working as one of OWP’sd i rectors, Rawji juggled herresponsibilities as president of theHuman Resource ManagementClub and co-director of theCommerce Mentor Program. Shehas also been completing aninternship at gold mining giantPlacer Dome.

The shawls are currently soldthrough Global Village Store andInterface Global Justice. For moreinformation on OWP or to see theshawls, visit www.oneworldpro-jects.org. ■

UBC’s Interdisciplinary Studies program gave bioethicist Bryn Williams-Jones the freedom to tackle some tough questions about genetic testing.

Commerse Valedictorian SalimaRawji developed business skillshelping refugee women.

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From the local dog pound to thecoast of Africa, Animal Sciencemajor Michelle Nelson has a habitof adopting strays wherever shegoes.

G rommit, the gre g a r i o u sChinese pug at her feet, is oneexample. He’s a foster pet from theB.C. SPCA. Nelson, who is gradu-ating with a Bachelor of Sciencef rom the Agricultural SciencesF a c u l t y, has two foster cats athome, and she cared for severalhomeless felines during field stud-ies in Kenya last year.

“Seeing the homeless cats anddogs in Africa, hungry and dis-eased, just broke my heart , ”Nelson says. “For me, even just afew weeks of interaction madetheir life better because someoneloved them.”

Nelson has been passionateabout animal welfare since she wasfive years old, and has volunteeredwith animals since she was 12. Sheand the attention-loving Grommiteven strutted their stuff on the cat-walk recently at a dog fashionshow fundraiser for the VancouverCity Pound.

When she arrived at UBC in1997, Nelson was eager to getinvolved in and outside of class.She was active in the AgriculturalSciences Undergraduate Society,serving in various positions includ-ing vice-president and newslettereditor. She also focused her consid-erable energy and enthusiasm ono rganizing an underg r a d u a t ecareer fair, recruiting high schoolstudents to study agricultural sci-ences, getting fellow students

A Pal forPoochesEverywhereHomeless animals find achampion in AgriculturalScience graduate.BY M IC HE LLE CO O K

involved in the UBC Farm initia-tive, and volunteering for theImagine UBC first-year student ori-entation.

“Agriculture is an applied sci-ence, so I think it’s important to getthe practical experience,” Nelsonsays. “Also, for a well-ro u n d e deducation, you really have to getinvolved outside your academicdiscipline.”

Nelson relished the challenge of

her undergraduate honours thesiswith the Animal Welfare Programat UBC, as well as a research proj-ect with the B.C. SPCA. Next year,she wants to pursue graduateresearch focusing on the control,c a re and rehabilitation of feralcats.

Then, Nelson is off to veterinaryschool to gain a background in themedical care of companion ani-mals. Eventually she would like todevelop a traveling Trap, Neuterand Release program for treatingferal animals in developingnations, with a strong local con-sultation-education component. ■

When colleagues say they canalmost see Evan Kwong’s wheelsturning they’re not talking abouthis mountain bike.

They’re talking about his workas a researcher.

Kwong, who will graduate witha Bachelor of Science in Pharmacythis month, has already shownhimself to be a skilled investigatorwith an impressive list of publica-tions and research awards to hiscredit.

“Evan is a perfect match forresearch,” says Assoc. Prof. KishorWasan who directs the faculty’ssummer student research program.“He is an intellectual with an abili-ty to examine a problem from allangles and think it through. As are s e a rc h e r, that’s what it’s allabout.”

Kwong’s interest in research wassparked in high school, while com-pleting co-op work experience pro-grams at UBC’s Zoology Dept. andat Kinetek Pharmaceuticals Inc., aUBC spin-off company.

“I like research because the workis all new and exciting, plus I canexplore by myself.”

After studying with Wasan as astudent re s e a rch scientist duringfirst- and second-year Pharmacy,Kwong spent a summer at theUniversity of Wisconsin at EauClaire working in the lab of one ofWasan’s colleagues, who mistookthe then 19-year-old for a talentedgrad student.

A lecture on pharmacogenetics –the study of how individual geneticdifferences affect the body’s abilityto accept and process drugs – got

Pharmacist hasPrescription for SuccessResearcher applies investigative solutions. BY HIL A RY TH OMSO N

him interested in clinical researchbeing done by faculty membersProf. Marc Levine and Assoc. Prof.Thomas Chang. They are lookingat how children’s genetic differ-ences affect the pain-killing capac-ity of codeine prescribed for dentalpain.

Kwong has been developinggenotyping assays to identify dif-ferent gene types among partici-pants in the clinical study.

His affinity for bench science ismatched by a desire to counselpatients and do clinical research.As a student pharmacist at aVancouver Island hospital, he wasincluded in an interpro f e s s i o n a lteam that provided comprehensivepatient care.

“ Working in pharmacies hasgiven me a chance to develop myskills,” he says. “Getting familiarwith the drugs and having contactwith patients has tested and builtmy knowledge.”

Although research projects arehis passion, Kwong points to anengineering feat as one of the high-lights of his undergraduate years.He worked with students from avariety of faculties to create UBC’sfirst solar car – the Raven – anddrove the vehicle in a preliminaryqualifying event in Michigan.

Under his own power, he is amountain-biker and has served ast re a s u rer of the Alma MaterSociety Bike Co-op and as a volun-teer, building and fixing bicycles.

Kwong is the recipient of manya w a rds for scholarship andre s e a rch and recently earned aMichael Smith Foundation forHealth Research Masters TraineeAward. He returns to UBC this fallto continue his re s e a rch worktoward a master’s degree. ■

Evan Kwong is gearing up for acareer in Pharmacy research.

Michelle Nelson, with foster petGrommit, hopes to make the world a better place for companionanimals.

ubc reports | may 2, 2002 | 5

The ink is barely dry on her Bachelorof Education degree, but new ele-mentary school teacher Lori-LynnChin already has one professionaldevelopment activity planned:learning to play golf.

Chin believes in continually tak-ing up different activities - volley-ball, guitar, and now golf - toremind her what it’s like to enter aclassroom for the first time, andlearn new things. A commitment togrowth and new ideas is the foun-dation of her teaching philosophy.

Chin’s first foray into educationwas teaching children piano whileshe was in high school.

After graduating, the FortM c M u rr a y, AB native went toVictoria but she ended up earning ascience degree at UBC. She trav-elled around Australia and theSouth Pacific for a year beforestarting her Education degree, spe-cializing in special needs.

Chin says the lure of the specialneeds field was that she didn’tknow a lot about it. Her interestwas sparked when she volunteeredat a hospital, working with physi-cally and mentally challenged chil-dren.

“In the beginning, I really wasn’tsure of my competence and com-f o rt level,” Chin re m e m b e r s .“Eventually, I was able to look

Never Stop LearningThe key to growth is new ideas. BY MI CH EL LE CO O K

beyond that, and that made methink about working with thesechildren.”

The experience left Chin with afirm belief that special needs stu-dents should be included in regularclasses. She hopes her specializa-tion will help her to reach each stu-dent in her classroom.

While at UBC, Chin continuallysought out additional opportuni-ties for professional development,attending numerous teachers’ con-ferences and an autism workshop.She says working with UBC teach-ers who shared their own personalinsights and imparted their passionfor teaching was also a “phenome-nal” learning experience.

Her enthusiasm and dedicationto developing every child’s academ-ic, personal and social potentialearned her a Dean of EducationScholarship, and high praise for herpracticum work at Queen MaryE l e m e n t a ry School, where shetaught 21 Grade 1and 2 students.

This month Chin moves toKelowna, where she will substituteteach. She says her ideal schoolwould have lots of caring, compe-tent teachers and parental involve-ment, and special needs studentswould be fully included. Maybethere will be a golf course nearby,too. ■

What started as a career path forAchala Bhalla turned into a 15-year odyssey spanning three conti-nents.

The 33-year-old graduates thismonth with a Doctor of DentalMedicine degree, marking a finalmilestone in an academic journeythat began in India in 1987.

Encouraged by her pathologistfather to pursue a pro f e s s i o n ,Bhalla completed an undergradu-ate degree in dental surgery in NewDelhi in 1991. She then obtained aMaster of Dental Surgery at theUniversity of Calcutta in 1996.

While completing her graduatework she met her husband Barry –also a dental student – and at thatpoint her academic itineraryassumed global proportions.

The couple applied to emigrateto Canada. While the bureaucraticwheels turned, they moved toEngland to build their skills inwestern dentistry. Bhalla found ajob as a hospital dentist inDoncaster in northeast England.

“My first impression was –where is everybody?”

Her life in India had been pro-tected – trips outside the homewere accompanied by male familymembers. When she arrived inEngland, she did not know a singleperson in the country except herhusband, who had found work inanother northeastern town.

The couple lived and workedseparately for about a year and ahalf. In 2000, Bhalla came to

Canada while her husband stayedbehind to finance their further edu-cation. Once again, she did notknow a single person in the coun-try.

She was attracted to UBCbecause of the two-yearI n t e rnational Dental Degre eCompletion Program that offers adegree as well as qualification towork in Canada.

“I thought it might be boring todo my training all over again but Iwas wrong,” she says. “The NorthAmerican approach to patient careis much different and the skillsstandard is higher.”

Taking time to talk to patientsand treating the whole personmakes the job more meaningfuland enjoyable, she says. In Indiathe high volume of patients withpoor dental health often meant aproduction line of extractions. Itwas rare to find patients in their50s with all their teeth.

Her husband joined her last yearand is also completing his dentaldegree at UBC. They have beenimpressed with the work ethic offellow students and are gratefuland pleased with the friendlinessand welcoming attitude ofVancouverites.

Although she misses the Indiansun, Bhalla looks forward to work-ing in Canada. The next step is toacquire business skills so that sheand her husband can start anotherjourney – working together in ashared practice. ■

Graduation Last Stop on International TrekDental grad’s academic path circles globe. BY H IL A RY THOM SO N

Newly qualified Canadian dentist AchalaBhalla completes an academic odyssey.

From guitar to golf lessons, new teacher Lori-Lynn Chin’s approach toteaching includes challenging herself to try new things.

6 | ubc reports | may 2, 2002

Studying law is tough at the best oftimes, but Natasha Edgar’s path toa UBC law degree has been evenharder than most.

Quadriplegic since a spinal cordinjury at 17, Edgar has overcome ahost of challenges, throwing herenergies into study, sport, workand community service with greatsuccess.

After completing a Diploma inCanadian Studies at LangaraCollege and a Bachelor of Arts atUBC, Edgar took up half-timestudies for the Bachelor of Laws atUBC in 1997.

“It seemed like a practicalchoice that would give me flexibil-ity and enable me to work on dis-ability issues from a legal perspec-tive,” she says.

U B C ’s Disability Resourc eC e n t re (DRC) helped her dealwith many obstacles by providingnote-takers, re s e a rch assistants,exam scribes and special computerspace.

In 1998 Edgar started workingfor the DRC as a DisabilityAw a reness Tr a i n e r. She alsoworked for the Crane library as astudent re a d e r, helping visuallyimpaired students. Since 1997 shehas been president of the TetraDevelopment Society of Nort hAmerica, a non-profit society thatfocuses on the development of spe-cial adaptive devices for peoplewith disabilities.

In her spare time, Edgar lovessailing around Jericho cove. Amember of the Disabled SailingAssociation at Jericho SailingC e n t re, Edgar sails a specially

Edgar for the DefenseOvercoming obstacles to give others a hand up.

BY HEL EN LEWIS

modified sailboat with a volunteerinstructor.

“I like the feeling of freedom andbeing able to actually move with-out being attached to a wheel-chair,” she says. “For a while, itmakes me feel as though I don’treally have a disability and I’ve leftthat all on land. However, I have tostore my wheelchair in a securelocation as our organization hashad a few calls of concern overempty wheelchairs at the end of thedock!”

After graduating and writing theBar Exam, Edgar will work as anarticling student for the BC PublicInterest Advocacy Centre, whichrepresents the interests of underrep-resented and disadvantaged groups.

Edgar credits the DisabilityResource Centre, the support ofuniversity staff, and her friends andfamily with giving her the strengthand means to “persevere in the faceof obstacles.”

She says it has been particularlyhelpful to have her sister Melissa, arecent classical studies graduate,with her at UBC. “It’s been greathaving her companionship ... hersense of humour and wit havehelped to lift my spirits.”

Vancouver City Councillor andTetra Development Society CEOSam Sullivan has also been a rolemodel and mentor for her. “He haso v e rcome the challenges of hisquadriplegia ... his example hasencouraged and inspired me, andhas shown me that it is possible tolive with a disability and stillaccomplish your goals,” Edgarsays. ■

Natasha Edgar balanced her law studies with community service, work experience and sport.

Check out www.liveat.ubc.ca for theUBC calendar of events for May 2002

ubc reports | may 2, 2002 | 7

In May, Iulia Litman will completea journey that began 13 years agoand 9,200 km away whenRomania’s communists gave herlittle choice but to enroll in af o re s t ry program.When IuliaLitman enrolled at the Universityof Transilvania in Brasov under thecommunist-dominated educationsystem, her family background wasconsidered “too intellectual” forher to be accepted into her firstchoice.

“I always wanted to be a historyteacher when I grew up, but thingswere bad in communist Romania,”Litman says. “One of my grand-p a rents was a history teacher,another was a priest, and that did-n’t fit with the way the communistswanted to mould their people. Iwas part of the ‘intellectual’ kindof family and they didn’t want towork with us – they wanted peoplefrom the village to be the newpower in the country.”

Desperately disappointed butd e t e rmined to attend university,Litman decided in 1989 to enterthe Wood Industry Faculty where“they didn’t ask you the place ofbirth of your grandparents”. Shecompleted three years of thedemanding five-year pro g r a m ,which required students to take sixcourses per semester and attendcompulsory classes up to 12 hoursa day.

Litman left her studies and herhome in 1994 when her highschool sweetheart, who had leftRomania immediately after therevolution in 1989, convinced herto join him in Canada.

“I was 18 when John leftRomania and I knew I would neversee him again because I had no

chance to leave,” Litman says.“But things changed and he didn’tgive up – he said he loved me andwanted to marry me.”

The move was very difficult forLitman, then 22, who had to leaveher family and friends, and strug-gle with a language she knew onlyfrom American TV soaps.

“I remember watching D a l l a swith a notebook and pen in myhand – it was on TV after the rev-olution and everybody in Romaniaknew about J.R. and Sue-Ellen andBobby. I watched it and learned alot of English.”

In Canada, Litman helped makeends meet by working in a hard-ware store, but her desire to com-plete the journey she started inRomania eventually led her toUBC.

She juggled her studies withfamily life with her husband anddaughter Hannah, who was twowhen Litman went back to school.She also had to devote time tolearning English and to her sum-mer jobs with UBC’s Centre ofAdvanced Wood Processing andmanufacturing company UnisonWindows Inc.

It took her three years of studyat UBC to complete the Bachelorof Wood Science.

“The best thing is the support Igot both from faculty and my col-leagues at UBC,” Litman says.“Sometimes I didn’t even have toask them for help – they’ve beenthere step by step and that’s whyI’m here.”

She is considering Mastersresearch in a wood science-relatedarea at UBC, and has no plans toreturn to Romania. “I feel Canadais my home now,” she says. ■

Fo rced into Fo r e st ryBut Learns to Love itNew life for student from Romania. B Y H E L E N L E W I S

Imagine making childhood plans toone day be an astronaut or a fight-er pilot, and then imagine what itwas like for Bachelor of Sciencestudent Sam Kohen to be invited towork at NASA.

“When I went there it was betterthan being a kid in a candy shop. Itwas amazing – it was everything I’dspent so much time reading aboutand dreaming about,” he says. “Ididn’t want to be there just as atourist – I wanted to be a part ofit.”

Having to wear glasses put anend to Kohen’s early dreams of fly-ing but he found an alternate routeto NASA, spending last summeremployed there as a researcher.

He plans to enter medical schoollater this year and is now thinkingof pursuing space medicine. “Thisjob taught me so much aboutNASA and what happens in spacewith medicine. It opened my eyesto great opportunities to tre a tastronauts and do research.”

Next Best Thing to a Trip to the StarsScience student lands dream job. B Y H EL E N L E W I S

Working with NASA employeesat the Kennedy Space CenterEcology and Nature Reserve atCape Canaveral, Kohen conductedecological fieldwork and helpedwith a medical research project onblood pressure in astronauts.

“Our ecological research focus-ed on the tremendous mosquitop roblem at the re s e rve. Onemethod they use to control themosquitoes is to raise the waterlevels in areas around the SpaceC e n t e r, to stop the mosquitoesfrom laying their eggs. We werelooking at the effects of raising thewater levels and trying to work outwhich strategies would be best forthe ecosystem,” he says.

Kohen’s work on the medicalresearch project focused on bloodpressure problems that can causeastronauts to faint when returningto earth from space-normal condi-tions.

The stint at NASA wasn’tKohen’s first foray into research,

nor into the medical field. Over theprevious two summers, he workedat Mount Sinai Hospital in Torontoon three-month grants.

The first project, with ChiefPathologist Dr. Sylvia Asa, was inpathology and molecular geneticsresearch on pituitary differentiationin fetuses. The next project, withHematology Prof. Dr. Gre gDenomme, looked at Rhesus dis-ease in fetuses.

But Kohen doesn’t spend all histime in the lab. A keen athlete, hehas represented UBC in triathlonsand cro s s - c o u n t ry running, andmade the Ontario Pro v i n c i a lTriathlon team. He was offered atraining spot with the JuniorNational Team, but turned it downto take the position at Mount SinaiHospital.

His busy schedule also includesworking as an adviser in UBC’sGage Residence, and teaching theMedical College Admission Te s t(MCAT) courses. ■

Iulia Litman dreamed of being a history teacher but fell in love with fore s t ry.

Sam Kohen rose before dawn to watch a shuttle launch during his time at NASA.

8 | ubc reports | may 2, 2002

❦ UBC’s first Congregation ceremony took placeon May 4, 1916 in the Hotel Vancouver ballroom.There were 41 graduates.

❦ UBC’s first graduate degrees were conferred in1919. The first degrees in Agriculture were con-ferred in 1921. The first Bachelor of AppliedScience in Nursing and Forestry degrees wereawarded at the eighth Congregation in 1923.

❦ The first Congregation ceremony on the presentday campus was held in 1927.

❦ UBC students now graduate from 12 faculties:Agricultural Sciences, Applied Science, Art s ,Commerce and Business Administration, Dentistry,Education, Fore s t ry, Graduate Studies, Law,Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Science.

❦ Each year since 1919 the graduating class hasplanted a tree to mark Congregation. The firstgroup of 12 trees is a row of oaks and basswoodsplanted along the east side of the GeorgraphyBuilding. The class of ‘02 recently planted a zelko-va tree near the Chan Centre for the PerformingArts.

❦ The Ladner Clock Tower in front of MainLibrary houses a 330-bell carillon, which is playedduring special occasions, including Congregation.The 40-metre tower was built in 1968 in memoryof B.C. pioneers, especially members of the Ladnerfamily who founded the town of the same name.

❦ The wooden mace carried into the ceremoniesand placed on stage symbolizes authority. It wasdesigned by George Norris and First Nations artistBill Reid and carved by Norris.

❦ When graduating students are presented to the chancellor he or she says “I admit you,”

welcoming them to convocation, the body of graduates that elects the chancellor and some uni-versity senators.

❦ More than 5,000 gowns and mortar boards areused for Congregation.

❦ Hoods and gowns worn by graduates are linedwith colours that indicate the degree to be con-ferred. Members of the Congregation processionswear colourful academic regalia from around theworld signifying their university of graduation andhighest degree awarded.

❦ The gowns, hoods and mortarboards worn bygraduating students evolved from clothes worn byEuropean scholars in the Middle Ages.

❦ UBC has presented more than 500 honorarydegrees in its history. In 1958, John Diefenbaker,Lester Pearson and W.A.C. Bennett re c e i v e ddegrees the same day. Other notable degree recipi-ents: Pierre Trudeau, Louis St. Laurent, JoeySmallwood, Princess Margaret, Oscar Peterson,Ken Dryden, J.V. Clyne, Adlai Stevenson, FieldMarshall Bernard Montgomery, Robertson Davies,Tommy Douglas, Karen Kain, and Raymond Burr.

❦ UBC alumni include Senator Pat Carney, formerB.C. premier Mike Harcourt, journalists AllanFotheringham and Joe Schlesinger, former primeministers Kim Campbell and John Turner, operasingers Ben Heppner and Judith Forst, authorPierre Berton, and Rick Hansen, advocate for thedisabled.

❦ During the receptions following Congregationceremonies UBC Food Services serve almost 2,000cinnamon buns, 6,000 cups of tea and coffee,2,500 dozen pastry squares and 245 gallons ofpunch.

E n g i n e e ri n g was Marn i eWilliston’s first love but her sec-ond career choice.

Originally from Hastings, EastSussex in England where she lefthigh school after Grade 10,Williston came to Vancouver in1994 and took on a series of jobsin social services, working with theelderly as well as women and chil-dren in crisis.

Williston enjoyed helping peo-ple, but craved more challenge, soshe took the advice of a closefriend and returned to school topursue her passion for quantumchemistry and “fixing things.”

Today those passions, and a lotof hard work, have earned theChemical and Biological Engineer-ing/Honours Chemistry studentthe title of Wesbrook Scholar andnine other major scholarships.Williston, who graduates with a

Engineering a Caring SolutionScholar hopes her skills will benefit people.BY L AUR IE DAW K I N S

Bachelor of Applied Science, hass e rved as president of theChemical and BiologicalEngineering Student Club, actedas a keynote speaker forEngineers without Borders, andworked tirelessly to encourageother young people, men andwomen alike, to explore careersin engineering.

As a co-op student, Willistontraveled more than 6,000 miles tobecome the first foreign employeeof a Japanese cement company,where she acted as an intermedi-a ry to the United Nations.Another highlight was leading200 people in an Japanese rendi-tion of Rudolph the Reindeer atthe company Christmas party.

Last spring, she trekked threedays by bus to Houston, Texas toattend the world’s largest oil andgas convention, to hand outresumes and UBC co-opbrochures and get the “word onthe street” about the best compa-nies to work for after graduation.She set her sights on BP CanadaEnergy, and starts work as a plantengineer at their Medicine Hat,AB location this month.

Williston may still get to com-bine her first career with her sec-ond. Because BP operates exten-sively in developing countries, shehopes to work overseas and applyher engineering skills to benefitpeople who really need them.

At 28, Williston radiates enthu-siasm, sincerity and above all,confidence.

“I’ve had so many opportuni-ties, but the amazing thing is thatI didn’t have to look for them,”she says. “I just had to be awareand always willing to say ‘yes’ atthe right moment!” ■

GRADUATION FACTS

Singing Japanese Christmas carolsis all part of a day’s work for newengineer Marnie Williston.

UBC’s 18kg mace dates back to 1957 when President Norman Mackenzie commissioned its design.Carved from B.C. yew, it celebrates Native West Coast artistic traditions.

ubc reports | may 2, 2002 | 9

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When Shannon Wa te rs e n t e re dUBC’s medical school she alwaysexpected that one day she wouldgraduate as a doctor, but she neverexpected the experience wouldunite her with a family she neverthought she would ever meet.

It happened last summer whenthe 25-year-old from ChemainusFirst Nation was interning inDuncan, B.C. She was workingwith Dr. Stephen Faulkner, whohas worked in the community for15 years.

“One day we went to the nativeelder’s centre for lunch and Dr.Faulkner mentioned my mother’schildhood name, and a half-cousinof mine recognized it and cameover to meet me,” recalls Waters,who ended up meeting her cousinsand great aunts. “They didn’tknow what had happened to mymother, and there I was. It wasamazing.”

“My mom was adopted off areserve near Duncan when she wasseven years old, but she didn’t havemuch contact with [her birth fami-ly],” Waters explains.

The experience was just one of afew firsts for Waters since she isamong three aboriginal medicalstudents graduating this year andone of only two successful candi-dates across Canada to be admit-ted to the inaugural year of UBC’sFirst Nations Family PracticeResidency Program.

At a time when rural medicine issuffering from a shortage of doc-tors, Waters is eager to move tocommunities with large aboriginalpopulations, where her skills and

Medical Education DeliversUnexpected BenefitsRoutine visit reveals long lost family. BY BRIAN LIN

passion are desperately needed. “In these areas there is often only

one resident doctor, and you’remanaging what comes in the door,”Waters says. “In First Nations com-munities in particular, you forge areally close sense of family with theentire community.”

Waters recalls when she workedin the Queen Charlotte Islands anda patient passed away. “Half thevillage came to the hospital,” shesaid. “It really brings the humanityback to medicine.”

Eventually, Waters wants to playa role in affecting health-care poli-cy changes that will benefit ruraland aboriginal communities, butnot before making use of her med-ical knowledge to help patientsachieve better health.

“It still amazes me to have thehonour to be part of their lives,”she says. “But I know that even if Ic a n ’t cure them, the way Iapproach them will make a differ-ence in how they live out the rest oftheir lives.” ■

Shannon Waters brings a First Nations perspective to family practice.

For more UBC news

coverage and media

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10 | ubc reports | may 2, 2002

A week before 5,000 UBC studentsstep on stage to receive theirdegrees, a small and unique groupof grads will be recognized for theircommitment to learning.

They are the 22 participants – thelargest class ever – in the UBCFaculty Certificate Program onTeaching and Learning in HigherEducation who will receive theirc e rtificates from UBC Pre s i d e n tMartha Piper at a ceremony to beheld May 15.

The program, sponsored by theCentre for Teaching and AcademicGrowth (TAG), is designed to helpfaculty members and graduate stu-dents develop a scholarly approachto university teaching.

“The best thing about this pro-gram is that it has depth,” saysGary Poole, director of TAG. “Itreminds us that good teachingre q u i res a considerable commit-ment.”

P reparing faculty members tofunction effectively in a learner-cen-t red environment is one of thestrategies of Trek 2000, the univer-sity’s vision statement.

Now in its fourth year, the UBCprogram is one of the most compre-hensive programs in Canada andthe list of those interested in partic-ipating stands at more than 100.

P a rticipants have a range ofteaching experience – first-time lec-turers to award-winning teachers –and come from every faculty.

“One of the strongest elements ofthe program is the opportunity forparticipants to engage in in-depthconversations with colleaguesabout teaching and to learn fromeach other,” says Poole.

Integrating theory and practicewith 150 hours of interactive mod-ular workshops, the pro g r a mincludes discussion and analysisand independent pro f e s s i o n a ldevelopment activities. Participantsconduct what Poole calls ‘teachinga n t h ropology’ or visiting col-leagues’ classes to investigate otherteaching cultures.

“The program allows you to sitback and re-think your approach toteaching, from the philosophybehind teaching to practical tech-niques in the class,” says partici-pant Stephen Ward, associate pro-fessor in the School of Journalism.“The peer feedback is exciting, sup-portive and challenging. You leavethe program with this huge motiva-tion to continue along the path tobeing the best educator that youcan be.”

To graduate, participants mustdemonstrate a scholarly approachto teaching through a teachingp o rtfolio, self-re p o rts, classro o mre s e a rch, teaching pre s e n t a t i o n sand peer feedback. Participation inall aspects of the program is alsorequired.

P rogram co-ordinator andEducation Asst. Prof. HarryHubball follows up with graduatesannually to determine where thelearning has aided their develop-ment as a teacher and affected theirstudents’ academic experience.

For more information on the pro-gram, contact Hubball at (604)822-9218. ■

Teaching the

TeachersEducators hone their skills.

BY HI L A RY T HOM SON

ubc reports | may 2, 2002 | 11

Fi ve members of the universitycommunity are being recognizedfor their outstanding contribu-tions to UBC and campus life asrecipients of this year’s President’sService Award for Excellence.

Each recipient will receive agold medal and $5,000 in a pres-entation during SpringCongregation ceremonies.

Janice Austin has served UBC asa library assistant for almost 35years helping a generation of stu-dents and faculty with research,course work and theses.

She has spent most of her UBCcareer in the Education Library,building and maintaining its col-lection and serving on theInformation Desk.

Known for both her efficiencyand humour, Austin’s knowledgeof resources spans books, CD-ROMs, videos and databases. Sheis able to process a high volume ofdetailed work with speed andaccuracy and her caring, calmmanner and problem-solving abil-ities have helped hundreds of stu-dents with their searches.

Described by colleagues as theglue that holds together the Dept.of Curriculum Studies, S a r o j

C h a n d has been adminstrativeassistant in the department foralmost eight years.

Her responsibilities range fromhiring instructors to scheduling

UBC Standouts Cited for ServiceDedicated employees earn presidential award. BY HIL A RY T HO MSON

classes and overseeing budgets aswell as managing her own staff.

Co-workers refer to her as theheart of the administrative teamand she is praised for her nurtur-ing and caring support to students,faculty and staff.

A blend of competence andpractical vision is what co-work-ers say about Christine Graham

who has worked in the Dept. ofStatistics administering the gradu-ate and undergraduate programssince 1988. Her tasks include pro-cessing applications, sorting outregistration problems, advisingstudents and organizing timeta-bles. She is recognized as a leaderin incorporating the use of newtechnologies and software.

Employees credit her warm wel-come and training skills. Graduatestudents describe Graham as sin-cere, with a good sense of humour,e n o rmous patience and inex-haustible energy.

A problem-solver known for herintellectual energy and humour,Michelle McCaughran has servedUBC for 27 years and has been theadministrator in the School ofAudiology and Speech Sciencessince 1990.

The volunteer chair of UBC’s2001 United Way Campaign,McCaughran led the effort thatraised more than $450,000 – anincrease of more than 30 per cent

from the previous year’s total.Her duties in the school

include academic operationsmanagement, labour re l a t i o n sand personnel management.Colleagues describe her financialacumen as exceptional and sayher contributions are marked byhumanity and good sense.

Talent, technical skills andinnovation are some of the char-acteristics that co-workersascribe to Katriona MacDonald,d i rector of Graduate StudentAcademic Services in the Facultyof Graduate Studies.

She oversees student enro l-ment and records and almost sin-gle-handedly developed an on-line admissions system and aweb-based international manualfor processing applications. Inaddition, she developed a bestpractices manual to guide advi-sors in assisting graduate stu-dents.

MacDonald is described as thevoice of reason in a sea of rulesand regulations and a walkingencyclopedia of procedures. Sheplays a key role among adminis-trators in the CanadianAssociation of Graduate Schools.

Students value her personal-ized attention and sincere con-cern for their welfare and say sheleads not only by example butalso with her heart. ■

Recipients of this year’s President’s Service Award for Excellence are (left to right): Janice Austin, Christine Graham, Michelle McCaughran, Saroj Chand and Katriona MacDonald.

12 | ubc reports | may 2, 2002

The experience gave Lloyd ataste of international diplomacyand backroom politics and haswhetted her appetite to explorepossible careers in law, fore i g nservice or journalism.

But she credits UBC withalready giving her a taste of ‘reallife’ experiences.

“UBC is a microcosm of the bestof society,” Lloyd says. “It’s been aw o n d e rful place to mature andbecome a citizen.” ■

k u d o s

Engineering Students Take Top Canadian

Design Prize

A team of UBC engineering students has designed their way to firstplace at a national engineering competition.

The three fourth-year Electrical and Computer Engineering stu-dents placed first in the senior team design portion of the 2002Canadian Engineering Competition held in Quebec City in March.

The UBC team beat Canadian teams from McGill, Dalhousie andthe University of Victoria as well as teams from the U.S., Swedenand Greece. In the timed event, Erin Lim, Nelson Siu and Lance

Williams had 15-20 hours to develop a machine capable of carryinga small figure across a three-metre plywood ramp and then acrosstwo metres of water to a goal post. The event is designed to teststudents’ communication, leadership, teamwork and design skills.

Winning is not Moot

UBC Law students are proving their worth in the courtroom, win-ning the Canadian Corporate/Securities Moot and the Wilson Mootand taking awards in several others.

UBC’s Tanja Biegler, Amy Davison, Lesley Hayes, Jane MacRae,

Bronwyn Turner and Mike Feder beat 10 law schools from acrossCanada in the Corporate/Securities Moot. Biegler was named sec-ond place oralist and UBC took the second place prize for its writ-ten argument.

In the Wilson Moot, Mark Fancourt-Smith, Fiona Hughes, Henr y

Leung, David Takagawa and Andrea Zappavigna came first overall,with Fancourt-Smith placing second in the oralist competition.

UBC teams also won the UBC-UVic Moot, placed second in theGale Moot, placed third in the nationals of the Client CounsellingCompetition, and took the Judge’s Discretionary Prize in the LaskinMoot. UBC took first and third place in the Gale Moot factumcompetition.

Trek Magazine Wins The Big One

The University of BritishColumbia’s Trek magazinehas been awarded the goldmedal for the best univer-sity magazine in Canadaby the Canadian Councilfor the Advancement ofEducation (CCAE). Trek ispublished by TheUniversity of BritishColumbia AlumniAssociation and is pro-duced by editor Chris

Petty, designer Chris Dahl

and assistant editorVanessa Clarke.

CCAE is a professionalorganization for university development and alumni relations offi-cers.

Trek beat out magazines from the University of Toronto, McGill,Queen’s, the University of Alberta, and other universities acrossCanada. “Writing is excellent: lively, engaging, creditable . . . greatcovers and photos; a clean, crisp layout . . . a smart, attractive,informative magazine” were among the judges’ comments regardingTrek.

The award will be presented at CCAE’s national convention tobe held June 11 in Saskatoon.

n an April 1972 UBC Reportsarticle featuring the new elec-t ronic music studio at theSchool of Music, the late MusicP rof. C o rtland Hultberg

explained why he didn’t think elec-tronic music would be branded agimmick and gradually disappearinto limbo as a curiosity.

Hultberg pointed out that in everyage composers have made significantb re a k t h roughs in musical thoughtthat were not understood at the time.“With so many musical styles in exis-tence, it’s difficult to think of a newmusical form as an extension ofsomething that has developed fromp revious musical thought,” saidHultberg. “As a result, it’s not alwayseasy to see where an electronic com-position came from.”

Prof. Cortland Hultberg with thebrand new Buchla and Moog synthesizer, which he called an“electronic music box.”

T I M E P I E C E 3 0 Y E A R S A G O

I

A recent seri e s of consultationmeetings and open forums coupledwith on-line surveys and e-mailfeedback have revealed that stu-dents would like to see an increasein financial support along with areduction in the stigma some stu-dents associate with that support.

Last March, when the Board ofG o v e rnors approved tuitionincreases, it set aside $4.2 million,or 20 per cent of the increase forstudent financial support, and des-ignated $7.5 million for enhancedlearning and student support. Thiswas in further support of theboard’s long-standing policy thatno qualified BC student shouldever be denied admission strictlyfor financial reasons.

During tuition consultationsprior to the Board meeting lastMarch, students made it clear thatthey wanted the allocation oftuition revenue to be transparentas well as a provision for account-ability. The Board of Governorsagreed and requested details on theproposed allocations for the May

2002 meeting. Since the March board meeting,

hundreds of students have attendedopen forums, more than 400 e-mails have been received and about3,000 students responded to an on-line survey.

“ We were thrilled with howmany students took the opportuni-ty to respond,” says MichelleAucoin, a development officer inthe office of the Vi c e - p re s i d e n t ,Students.

Feedback from underg r a d u a t e sand post-baccalaureate studentsincludes support for the work-study program, need-based finan-cial support, more flexibility in theCanada Student Loan pro g r a m ,and financial awards to recognizestudent leadership, mentorship andvolunteer activities. They also sug-gest increasing the value of theUniversity Scholars program andreducing the stigma that some stu-dents associate with financial assis-tance.

Graduate students agree that thestigma should be reduced but they

Reduce the Stigma Attached to Financial Assistance

would like to see an increase in thenumber of students re c e i v i n gfinancial support rather thanincreasing support to students whoalready receive it. Other sugges-tions include ensuring greater equi-ty of funding across faculties, pro-viding financial support that canbe recognized within academia,allocating funding to attract gradu-ate students to UBC and providingneed-based assistance for studentswithout other financial support.

Last year, UBC awarded morethan $36 million in merit-basedscholarships and $5 million inneed-based bursaries. More than11,000 UBC students benefit fromassistance.

If you would like to contribute acomment or suggestion please e-mail them to tuition@inter-change.ubc.ca. Inform a t i o nreceived from that feedback will betabled at the next Board ofGovernors meeting on May 16thalong with a suggested allocationof the revenue from the tuitionincrease.

UBC’s winning engineering team (left to right): Erin Lim, LanceWilliams and Nelson Siu.

It just got a lot easier to purchaseand download Inform a t i o nTechnology software created atUBC.

The UBC University-IndustryLiaison Office has cre a t e dFlintbox, a web-based applicationfor marketing and licensing tech-nology online. For the first time,you’ll be able to search informationtechnology applications, getdetails, purchase an end-userlicense and download the softwarein just a few minutes.

When software is not suitable forpatent or exclusive license arrange-ments, the costs and ard u o u sp rocess of administering higher-volume lower-value licenses candeter academics who may other-wise have been wanting to build abusiness case or generate some rev-

enue from their work.With Flintbox, researchers can

disclose their technology to theUILO and then have their softwarelicensed and sold online within afew days. “The disclosure and duediligence process is much easier forcopyrighted materials intended forFlintbox,” says Project ManagerStephen Smith. “With Flintboxresearchers get access to a muchwider audience than through theirpersonal web site. All the licensingissues and considerations havebeen taken care of for them, andt h rough Flintbox they can getvaluable feedback.”

Flintbox is intended to fill thevoid between open source licensingand the more conventional bilater-al license agreements that areundertaken by the UILO. “Thereal benefit to re s e a rchers isn’tmaking $50 on a transaction, butthe ability to efficiently do hun-dreds of transactions, garner feed-back and find a larger audienceand interest for their work.”

“It’s something we have neverdone before and frankly, no UILOshave done,” says Smith. But

Flintbox SparksWider Audience

A new path to access UBC technology. BY BRIAN LIN

But increase the number of students who receive it, survey says.

t h e y ’ re quickly catching on.Westlink Innovation Network (seeWestlink.ca) and the FederalPartners In Technology Transferhave adopted the application astheir portal for IT technology.

The UBC implementation of Flintbox is accessible atwww.ubcsoftware.ca. Researcherswho have technologies to post onFlintbox can contactkate.hall@uilo.ubc.ca or get moreinformation at www.uilo.ubc.ca. ■

L e a d e rship c on t i n u e d f ro m p a ge 1