Robert VanWynsberghe. Photo credit: Martin Dee

2010 Winter Olympics provided economic and cultural boost

British Columbia’s economy grew in 2010 with new businesses, jobs and an increase in visitor spending, all likely related to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, says a University of British Columbia study that measured the impact of the Games.

In addition to the economic benefits, the report also noted other positive outcomes including the development of sport and culture across Canada, the inclusion and participation of Aboriginal groups and minorities and a heightened recognition of persons with disabilities.

“Throughout the Olympics and in the weeks immediately following, there was a real sense of success and pride among British Columbians and Canadians,” says Rob VanWynsberghe, lead author of the study. “These feelings were well-founded, some real success stories came out of these Games.”

The three key findings of the UBC-OGI Games-time report were:

1. Socio-cultural impacts – Inclusion, Sport, Arts and Culture, and Housing

2. Economic impacts – Business, Real estate, Tourism, and Tax Revenue

3. Environmental impacts – Greenhouse gas emissions, Mode of travel, and Energy Consumption

To read the report mentioned above and other UBC-OGI findings, visit the UBC and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Research collection in cIRcle. Currently, there are 48 items in this growing collection that are available for viewing, listening to or reading for your own scholarly research or general interests.

Did You Know?

The cIRcle 2010 Olympics Project aims to showcase and preserve UBC’s intellectual output related to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Examples include research or teaching outputs, proceedings or webcasts of conferences and other events, as well as other material that is Olympic inspired and has long term value.

Above text in italics and image are courtesy of the UBC Public Affairs website

UBC is once again participating in the International Open Access Week event, where the research and academic community worldwide come together to share and learn about open access and other connected global open scholarship initiatives locally and worldwide. UBC’s own event – Open UBC – showcases four days of topical forums, lectures and workshops about open scholarship by invited Guest Lecturers and UBC’s own community of faculty, students & staff.

Highlights include:

• Opening Up Education – Creative Alternatives to Access Copyright – Keynote Speaker – By Paul Stacey, Director, Communications, Stakeholder & Academic Relations at BCcampus
• A Course on Reproducible Research in Computational and Data Science: What should it be? – By  Dr. Ian Mitchell & Dr. Dhavide Arulia
• Transitioning a journal to an open access business model: a Canadian perspective – By Lesley Andres, Professor, Department of Educational Studies, University of British Columbia and Editor of Canadian Journal of Higher Education
• Open Access – What problems are we trying to fix? – Keynote Speaker – By Dr. David Rosenthal, Chief Scientist, LOCKSS
• Opening the Possibilities of the Internet: OpenMedia.ca’s Transformative Campaigns and the University Community – Keynote Speaker – By Reilly Yeo, Managing Director, OpenMedia.ca
• Publishers from Public Library of Science & Springer Publishing will talk about their Open Access Business models
• Opening Up Worldwide Access to key BC Historical Documents: Chinese Canadian Stories, BC Historical Newspapers and more
• UBC Faculty will share and exchange their innovative approaches to the dissemination of their research in a showcase and exchange of ideas event – By Dr. Anne-Marie Nicols, Dr. Paul Evans,  Dr. Rosie Redfield, Dr. Erin Michalak, Dr. Harry Brumer,  Dr. Wyeth W. Wasserman and  Dimas Yusuf

All of these events are FREE and open to the public, students, faculty, staff and schools. No registration necessary.

Location:  All events in Lillooet (301) Room in the Chapman Learning Commons, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall, UBC Vancouver Campus unless indicated otherwise.

All of these events are FREE and open to the public, students, faculty, staff and schools.

For more information about the event contact: ubc-oaweek@interchange.ubc.ca

Flickr Photo of UBC Library's ASRS (Automated Storage Retrieval System)

 OA Session for Today – Monday, October 24th:

A Course on Reproducible Research in Computational and Data Science:

What should it be?

@ 3:00-4:00pm today

Location: Leonard S. Klinck building, Rm 301 – 6356 Agricultural Road (Institute of Applied Mathematics)

Click here to see OA Week schedule at UBC Vancouver & UBC Okanagan.

Unless otherwise noted, all OA sessions held at UBC Vancouver are located in the Lillooet Room – 3rd floor – Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

Connect from your own computer or come in-person to the free live OA webcast sessions.

Photo courtesy of UBC Library’s Flickr Photostream at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ubclibrary/4093904130/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Did You Know?

If you missed out on attending previous Open Access Week at UBC events, you can find a selection of podcast, webcast and other OA session presentations under the Library Events collection in cIRcle at: https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/2689.

The University of British Columbia now ranks 22^nd among the world’s universities, according to the 2011-2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, released yesterday in London, U.K. In a survey of the top 400 institutions around the world, UBC jumped eight spots from last year’s rank of 30^th. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings use 13 indicators to measure the university’s performance in teaching, research, research influence, innovation and international outlook. Nine Canadian universities ranked among Times Higher Education’s list of top 200.

“UBC’s ranking reflects our academic excellence and commitment to international engagement,” says UBC President Prof. Stephen Toope.

Read more about UBC’s rise among the top of 500 universities worldwide via UBC Public Affairs’ latest press release at: http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/2011/10/06/ubc-ranks-22nd-among-world-universities-jumping-eight-spots/.

Did You Know?

There are currently over 40 speeches archived in cIRcle, UBC’s Digital Repository. You can access them in the Speeches by UBC President  Stephen J. Toope collection in cIRcle.

Above image is courtesy of the UBC Public Affairs‘ website

 Photo credit: Martin Dee, UBC Public Affairs

The purpose of the graduating essays/theses is to provide an opportunity for each student, during his/her graduating year, to undertake independent study, under direction of a faculty member, in a subject area of interest to him/her. The Faculty has found that employers in all segments of the natural resources community place a premium upon good oral and written communication. The thesis/essay is an important opportunity for training in rigorous thinking and effective writing.

There are over 100 Forestry undergraduate essays and theses available in cIRcle. Many have been viewed from various parts of the world. For example, the top three items in this collection have been viewed by the following countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Vietnam.

Did You Know?

Coming soon – UBC’s Engineering Physics Projects for 2011 will be available in cIRcle!

Above image is courtesy of the UBC Faculty of Forestry website