Meet Dr. Gage Averill: Part detective, part ethnomusicologist
Haitian scholar and UBC Dean of Arts Gage Averill didn’t receive his recent Grammy nomination from singing Bad Romance alongside Lady Gaga. He’s being recognized for a mammoth project unearthing the extensive recordings of Alan Lomax, a famed folklorist and ethnomusicologist.
Meet Ben Platt: Afghanistan through student eyes
By Betty Zhang For the average UBC student, going abroad during their time as an undergrad isn’t uncommon. A vast number of resources are available, whether students wish to study abroad in Europe, teach English in Asia, or volunteer in South America. For 4th year History student Brian Platt, taking ten days off from school […]
Arts Insights: Happiness under a microscope
By Lorraine Chan UBC helps lead a new scholarly focus on wellbeing. With the world gathered to admire those faster, better and stronger, many of us would assume that “richer” tops that list of desired traits. New evidence from leading UBC happiness scholars, however, cautions against equating more money with more happiness. If anything, the […]
Meet Dr. Geraldine Pratt: The caregiver’s children
The Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) allows foreign caregivers with a temporary work visa to apply for permanent residence status after completing 24 months as a live-in caregiver. But for many women taking advantage of this program the trade-offs are enormous. “They come to Canada with the best intentions of making a better life for themselves and their families,” says UBC Geography professor and researcher Dr. Geraldine Pratt. “But the dream and the reality are often not one and the same.”
Meet Dr. Edward Slingerland: Taoism with a twist
Dr. Edward Slingerland, parallel to many of his students, was motivated to study Taoism by its influence on pop culture icons, like the celebrated 1950s and 1960s American writers of the “Beat Generation” troupe. Having studied it formally, he’s found that his initial motivation was somewhat misdirected as these influences are basically mistaken about Taoism and Zen.
Meet Grace Park: Armed with talent
By Katie Fedosenko She’s a pro surfer with a concealed weapon. Grace Park, UBC Psychology alum and one of the 12 Kick-ass Ladies of Fall TV, is making headlines as Kona Kalakaua in the new hit-series Hawaii Five-0. Formerly known as Lieutenant Sharon Valerii from Battlestar Galactica and voted one of Maxim’s Hot 100 Girls, Grace […]
Meet your match in ASTU 150 or CAP
By Mary Leong Get acquainted with campus and community during class, with the Arts Peer Mentors program Arts Peer Mentors redefine the three Rs to: resource, role model, and representative. Arts Peer Mentors, an academic-based peer program for students enrolled in ASTU 150 and Co-ordinated Arts Program (CAP), helps students explore the academic opportunities at […]
Introducing the Global Lounge: Connecting students at UBC
By Arash Ehteshami If you’re interested in global issues and like to study in a space with other globally minded students, then head to the Global Lounge. The UBC Global Lounge is a place for everyone with international interests. Want to catch the news from your home country or watch the World Cup? Drop by! Many […]
Meet Lau Mehes: From classroom to campsite
By Katie Fedosenko Arts student contributes to camp for queer, trans, and allied youth The first annual CampOUT, a four-day summer camp committed to creating an inspiring and welcoming space for queer, trans, and allied youth between the ages of 14 and 21, was a transformational experience for both participants and volunteers, according to […]
Meet Yasin Kiraga Misago Burundian: From Rwanda to Point Grey
By Katie Fedosenko International Arts student moves continents for a global education Yasin Kiraga Misago Burundian is a Political Science and International Relations student. He studied for two years at University of Kigali in Rwanda and came to Canada in 2009 after being selected by UBC for the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee […]