People

Instructors

The January 2011 session of SCIE 300 has three instructors.

Bruce Dunham
Dr. Bruce Dunham is a senior instructor in the Department of Statistics. Prior to arriving at UBC in 2005 he held positions at the universities of Nottingham and Derby in England, his native country. Dr. Dunham studied at the University of London for his PhD in probability theory. After several years pursuing a traditional research-oriented academic career, he decided his interests resided in education and pedagogy. He has taught over thirty different courses in the areas of mathematics and statistics, and is delighted to be contributing to the Communicating Science course. When not working, Bruce enjoys his time with his daughter and is also an avid follower of his home-town soccer club, Blackpool FC.

Eric Jandciu
Eric is the SCIE 300 course coordinator. After blowing up a fume hood in the chemistry building, Eric was happy to complete his chemistry graduate work with a master’s degree and pursue further graduate work in journalism. His master of journalism thesis project explored the skills required by science journalists and proposed the curriculum for a graduate-level science journalism course, elements of which have been used at the UBC School of Journalism. Eric has worked as a freelance journalist, science writer, and grant writer. He has also worked for Springer in Heidelberg, Germany, managing the editing of English-language scientific manuscripts. In addition, Eric contributes to textbooks used in both Canadian and American high schools and junior high schools. When not nerding out on the intersection of science with society, Eric is hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter, and biking year round.


Andrew Trites
Dr. Andrew Trites is a professor and director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at UBC and research director of the North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Research Consortium. Dr. Trites has been studying marine mammals in the North Pacific for over 25 years. His research involves captive studies, field studies and simulation models that range from single species to whole ecosystems. His research program is designed to further the conservation and understanding of marine mammals, and resolve conflicts between people and marine mammals. He has published over 100 papers and is frequently interviewed by media on issues pertaining to marine mammals. He oversees a research program that includes researchers, students, technicians and support staff. The training of students, and the collaboration between researchers specializing in other disciplines (such as nutrition, ecology, physiology and oceanography) is central to the success of his research program. Visit his homepage.

Development team

In addition to the instructors, the development of SCIE 300 involved other key players.

Shona Ellis
Shona Ellis is a senior instructor in the Department of Botany. Her research involved investigating the root chemistry of Ambrosia chamissonis (silver burr ragweed). She combines her passions for plant diversity and teaching as a lecturer and lab instructor. Courses she teaches include introductory botany, bryology, seed plant taxonomy, and plants and people. She has received two Killam Teaching Awards and is currently the director of the General Science and Combined Majors specializations.

Jennifer Love
Prof. Jennifer Love received her PhD in 2000 under the direction of Prof. Paul Wender at Stanford University. She was an NIH postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Prof. Robert Grubbs at Caltech from 2000-2003. She joined the faculty of the University of British Columbia in 2003 and was promoted to associate professor in 2009. Her research interests include the mechanistic investigation of M-X bond reactivity and applications in organic synthesis.

Robin Stoodley
Dr. Robin Stoodley is an instructor in the Chemistry Department at UBC. There, he manages and teaches analytical chemistry laboratories for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students as well as teaches a lecture section of Chem 211. His research background involved both chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in a mixture of electrochemistry, models of drug action, spectroscopy and surface science. His teaching interests include complex problem-solving strategies and techniques for integration of clear communication with scientific content. He previously taught courses in chemistry, engineering chemistry, scientific writing, research proposal projects, and science and society at the University of Calgary. Prior to earning his Ph.D., he dabbled with various forms of gainful employment: in high-energy physics, in semiconductor physics, and in law enforcement.

The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
CTLT works collaboratively with academic and administrative units throughout UBC to support technology-enabled learning environments. It also collaborates with university-wide partners to enhance the teaching practice of all members of the UBC teaching community.

Teaching assistants

Rebecca Cheung
Rebecca Cheung is a master’s student at the UBC School of Journalism. She has completed internships at Quirks & Quarks, NOVA, and The Globe and Mail. Prior to pursuing science journalism, Rebecca earned a master’s in physiology.

James Proudfoot
James is a first-year masters student in UBC’s statistics program. Originally from San Diego, California, he received a bachelor’s degree in probability and statistics from UCSD, worked as a teacher and mentor in an accredited private high school, and played bass in a local funk / R&B / dance band for weddings and clubs. His interests include tennis, film, snowboarding, and bass guitar.