Photo credit: Cicely Blain

Dr. Ellis and Interests

Dr. Naoko Ellis is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science at UBC. She is very passionate about sustainability which she embodies in her daily life by composting at home, cycling to work every day, and encouraging others to do the same. She runs a Sustainability Leadership course where she encourages people to get to know themselves and how they can best contribute to society. She hopes that in the future people will have a more holistic view of the world, examining our interdependences and becoming global citizens.

In her spare time, Dr. Ellis enjoys rock climbing, cycling, catching up with her children, travelling, photography, meeting new people, and attending Petcha Kucha events around Vancouver. She loves attending local events because she is a strong believer in building community.

Dr. Ellis enjoys her job at UBC because she loves engaging with young minds and challenging young people. “It gives me hope for the future,” she says. She also loves that she is able to travel and meet lots of great people. She enjoys engaging in deep conversations with people and feeling the awe of nature as she travels.

Dr. Ellis and International Women’s Day

This year on International Women’s Day, Dr. Ellis is celebrating her mother, who lives in Japan. She admires her ambition and the fact that she strived for a career at a time when many women did not. She was inspired by science and driven by her passion to study and teach. Dr. Ellis believes that good parents and role models are key to the success of girls. Having raised three UBC students herself, Dr. Ellis, says that many parents unconsciously guide their children in ways that might not give them equal opportunities.

Dr. Ellis experiences a positive environment at work for which she is fortunate; many other women have faced hardships in this field. One of the biggest challenges she finds, is balancing work and personal life.