This January, UBC Arts faculty were featured in major outlets including CNN, The Independent, The Globe and Mail, CBC, and PBS. Their expertise informed stories on topics ranging from why unfinished tasks linger in our minds to Trump’s influence in the Americas, Canada–China trade, nuclear energy, and the impact of social media on migration.
Department of Asian Studies
Declassified U.S. records were misrepresented in false claims about the 1980 South Korean pro-democracy movement
Dr. Donald Baker said that declassified U.S. intelligence documents show no evidence of North Korean involvement and that it was never the official position of the U.S. government that the uprising was a North Korean plot.
Yahoo News
Department of Geography
The Venezuela crisis prompted Canada to double down on oil. Was that the right move?
Dr. Philippe Le Billon said that if the United States got its way with Venezuela, Canadian oil production would be at a disadvantage—underscoring the need for economic diversification and a transition away from fossil fuels.
National Observer
Department of History
Canada didn’t ban X—but experts said it had few other options to deal with its ‘nudification’ problem
Professor Heidi J.S. Tworek was quoted on X’s ability to address the issue of AI-generated “nudification” in Canada.
Canada’s National Observer
Department of Political Science
We have to speak truth to power and condemn Trump’s Venezuela attack
Prof. Michael Byers wrote an op-ed arguing that Canada should have joined other governments in declaring the U.S. attack illegal.
Globe and Mail
Experts say Canada should co-ordinate Western Hemisphere response to Maduro’s ouster
Dr. Max Cameron commented on the Trump administration’s ousting of Venezuela’s autocratic ruler.
Toronto Star
UBC professor on U.S. capturing of Venezuelan president
Dr. Max Cameron commented on the U.S. capture of President Maduro and Donald Trump’s statements about now “running” Venezuela.
Global News
Carney’s Davos speech gives world ‘a moment of clarity’
Dr. Stewart Prest appeared on CBC news to give a full analysis of Mark Carney’s Davos speech.
CBC
Carney’s pipeline deal lifts up Alberta and demotes BC to second-class status
Dr. Stewart Prest answered questions on Prime Minister Carney’s pipeline deal with Alberta.
The Walrus
Five ways U.S. intervention in Venezuela could affect Canada
Dr. Max Cameron said Canada could have advanced its own interests by helping Venezuelans build up their democracy, instead of being an accomplice to American actions in the region.
CTV News, Sudbury
The Colombian border may be the largest obstacle to rebuilding Venezuela. Here’s why
Dr. Sally Sharif wrote that the Colombia–Venezuela border would be the main sticking point in efforts to reduce drug trafficking, consolidate power, and transition to democracy and the rule of law.
The Independent
International law in the Trump era
Dr. Michael Byers explained the legal agreements and treaties that governed the international order and whether it was possible to hold powerful countries to account when they defied those laws.
The Globe and Mail
Greenland may be our first, best, and last chance to stand up to Donald Trump
Dr. Michael Byers reflected on the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland and why it had become a pivotal flashpoint for global politics and allied unity.
The Globe and Mail
Trump wants the Western hemisphere, Canada included
Dr. Max Cameron examined Trump’s push to assert dominance in the Americas and warned that Canada could not assume immunity from U.S. intervention.
Macleans
How China is reacting to the trade deal with Canada
Canada struck a tariff deal with China, furthering global trade moves away from the U.S. Dr. Yves Tiberghien said the “devil was in the implementation” of the agreement.
MSN Canada
MLA Milobar to join BC Conservative leadership race
Dr. Stewart Prest said the race would eventually come down to a candidate representing the moderate wing of the party and one representing the more populist wing.
City News
Iranian-Canadians rally at Vancouver Art Gallery as protests rage across Iran
Lecturer Masoud Zamani said the rally supported Reza Pahlavi as a liberal alternative to the Islamic Republic and called for unity behind Iranian protesters while urging Canada to recognize Pahlavi’s leadership.
CTV News
Carney heading to Switzerland to take part in World Economic Forum
Dr. Stewart Prest said Trump’s unpredictable presence at Davos could have shaken up the summit, while his trade war may have made Carney’s attendance more publicly acceptable despite Conservative criticism of the forum.
The Canadian Press
Vancouver police deployed to 11 planned protests in 1 weekend
Dr. Stewart Prest said Vancouver’s diversity made global events locally relevant, driving protests as an expression of democratic rights.
CBC
Alberta government examines paths for oil pipeline to West Coast
Dr. Stewart Prest said Eby’s government was trying to show it could get projects built, but the Alberta–Ottawa MOU weakened its position and negotiations needed to respect Indigenous and ecological concerns.
Vancouver Sun
Experts say treason definition depends if you’re holding Criminal Code or dictionary
Dr. Stewart Prest said Eby’s use of treason is appropriate, because it’s a “moment for blunt talk.”
The Hamilton Spectator
Pierre Poilievre: The most successful unsuccessful leader in Canadian politics?
Dr. Stewart Prest examines Pierre Poillievre’s performance in Canadian politics.
The Conversation
Stuck between the US and Russia, Canada must prove it can defend its Arctic territory
Dr. Michael Byers is quoted in article on tensions around arctic security.
BBC News
Department of Philosophy
The Dry January Hangover
Dr. Edward Slingerland is quoted in an article on the ever-shifting tides of alcohol-abstinence.
The New Yorker
Department of Psychology
This was the only activity that wasn’t better with friends, a study said
Dr. Elizabeth Dunn, co-author of a study on happiness and socializing, shared that kitchen and food cleanup was the only activity not rated as better with friends.
The Healthy
Why leaving things unfinished messed with your mind
Dr. Joan Ongchoco discussed her research showing that unfinished tasks lingered because the brain prioritized incomplete events.
MedicalXpress
Can dogs really sense danger?
Dr. Stanley Coren explained what canines could actually sense—and how social media and human projection fueled beliefs in their supernatural abilities.
Deutsche Welle | ABS-CBN | MSN
Shelter Dog Can’t Stop ‘Smiling’ at Woman Visiting-He Knows What It Means
Dr. Stanley Coren is quoted in article on animal behaviour.
Newsweek
Department of Sociology
What Do Microbes Have to Do with How We Age? Everything, Actually
Prof Emerita Anne Martin-Matthews discussed how unprecedented longevity is reshaping aging research—and why understanding the microbiome may be key to improving health, sleep, and quality of life as populations grow older.
The Walrus
School of Creative Writing
Literary horror novel explores curses, corpse brides and generations of Chinese women facing ‘choicelessness
Alum Lindsay Wong featured in an article about her debut novel, Villain Hitting For Vicious Little Nobodies.
Calgary Herald
School of Journalism, Writing, and Media
How social media lures migrants into undertaking treacherous journeys
This report was produced by students at the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media’s Global Reporting Centre and explored how social media influenced people to pursue dangerous journeys, with tragic consequences.
PBS
Growing a small nonprofit can be a bit like adolescence — painful, difficult, awkward
Professors Peter Klein and Andrea Krossan wrote about the Global Reporting Centre nonprofit, which had been running for nearly a decade, and the challenges facing the nonprofit and journalism landscapes.
Global Investigative Journalism Network
Why B.C.’s innovation framework needs a rewrite for Indigenous tech
Professor Kirk LaPointe shared how Indigenous business and leadership were underrepresented in the technology sector.
Vancouver Is Awesome
Why killing B.C.’s Small Business Roundtable was a mistake
Professor Kirk LaPointe wrote about how the quiet elimination of the Small Business Roundtable revealed a government uncomfortable with unfiltered economic advice.
Vancouver Is Awesome
Metro Vancouver’s double-dipping, delayed scrutiny and the cost of looking away
Kirk LaPointe writes about pay overlaps and accountability gaps in Metro Vancouver’s governance.
Vancouver is Awesome
School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
New-wave reactors are the face of an American nuclear renaissance. Some experts are sounding alarms
Dr. Allison Macfarlane, director of UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told CNN that small modular nuclear reactors must be proven through real-world testing before they can be considered a viable solution for rising energy demands.
CNN
Opinion: Regime change in Venezuela could have grim consequences for Canada’s oil sector
Dr. Philippe Le Billon (Geography and SPPGA) wrote an op-ed on how shifts in supply from Canada to Venezuela would have widely reverberated across the Canadian economy and political landscape.
Vancouver Sun
India turns to small modular nuclear reactors to meet climate targets
Dr. M. V. Ramana cautioned that small modular reactors were likely to produce more expensive electricity than larger nuclear plants, which already cost more than renewables like solar and wind.
PhysicsWorld
B.C. and feds sign lumber understanding with China, as province looks beyond U.S.
Dr. Juliet Lu said the new B.C.–China Memorandum of Understanding could have boosted opportunities for Canadian mass timber and engineered wood exports.
Toronto Star
