UBC Library’s Spring Update in the BCLA Browser features updates on the launch of the much-loved Videomatica film collection; the donation of the exceptional Uno Langmann Family Collection of B.C. Photographs;  the latest winner of the Innovative Dissemination of Research Award; and more.

The BCLA Browser is the online, open access publication of the British Columbia Library Association.

Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, taken by Jennifer Rae Kinyak, courtesy of the Phylo Project.

The latest issue of LibFOCUS looks at research in various forms, from games and films to books and webcasts. 

A Masters of Science student in Geophysics is the 2013 recipient of UBC Library’s Innovative Dissemination of Research Award. This award honours UBC faculty, staff and students who expand the boundaries of research through the creative use of new tools and technologies.

Rowan B. Cockett’s submission, entitled Visible Geology, came from a desire to improve the way geoscience research is disseminated to undergraduate students. It involves an interactive, web-based application designed to enhance the visualization of geologic structures and processes through the use of interactive 3D diagrams.

The program allows users to conceptualize difficult yet important geologic principles by creating and interacting with geologic block models. The visualization software is mainly used to assist with paper-based activities such as geologic mapping. These traditional assignments often put students who do not have practice with 3D visualization and spatial manipulation at a disadvantage. Visible Geology allows students to practice their visualization skills and create their own models and terrains, an interactive and immersive experience that employs video, animation and images.

Visible Geology has been praised by the geography community. Since November 2011, thousands of unique visitors have created their own geologic block models using Visible Geology, which is also used for introductory and structural geology classes. At an international geosciences conference in July 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Cockett won an outstanding student award for geoscience education.

Cockett was formally recognized at a UBC research awards reception on March 25, 2013.

For more information on the award, please visit Scholarly Communications @ UBC.

Three members of UBC’s Fisheries Centre are the 2012 recipients of UBC Library’s Innovative Dissemination of Research Award.

The submission from Dr. Dirk Zeller, Mr. Ar’ash Tavakolie and Dr. Daniel Pauly highlighted The Sea Around Us Project portal (www.seaaroundus.org). This innovative project aims to assess, document and communicate the impact of fisheries on the world’s marine ecosystems, and propose measures to ensure globally sustainable fisheries.

Each month, thousands of people access the user-friendly Sea Around Us portal, which provides detailed information from 1950 onward about the world’s fisheries, including the catch and its value, fisheries subsidies and more. All data are global, but can be analyzed by region or country. Maps and figures of the data are also provided so that users can understand the data quickly. As a result, the project portal and databases have become a major source of fisheries information for scientists, environmental conservationists and many intergovernmental agencies around the world. 

The award winners will be formally recognized by Ingrid Parent, UBC’s University Librarian, at the Celebrate Research Awards Gala on March 8, 2012. Honourable mentions include Dr. Heather Piwowar, Lauryn Oates and Dr. Bonny Norton, and Dr. Erin Michalak.

The UBC Library Innovative Dissemination of Research Award honours UBC faculty, staff and students who expand the boundaries of research through the creative use of new tools and technologies.

For more information on the award, please visit Scholarly Communications @ UBC.