Hello everyone!

We’re excited to announce this year’s Botany and Zoology Wellness Symposium! We’re hosting it in person this year, as a half-day smorgasbord starting with breakfast and board games, followed by yoga, a Prosociality Talk by two Psychology grad students, then our popular “paint-a-potted-plant” activity (from the 2020 symposium), and finished by a mindfulness workshop. See below for more details about each of the activities and workshops.

Date: Monday, March 6th

Time: 8:30am – 1pm

Location: Biodiversity Research Centre (BRC)

Register here!

The symposium is free, and open to everyone. You’re welcome to pop in and out, however we are asking anyone interested to register in advance so we can get an estimated headcount. Space is limited for the yoga session and paint-a-potted-plant activity, and will be filled in order of registration. You will be notified if you get a spot in either of these activities, or if you’re on the waitlist. If you don’t get a spot in either of these, please still come to enjoy the rest of the symposium!

The mindfulness workshop will be hybrid, and a zoom link is below.

Breakfast and Board games – 8:30-9am – BRC atrium

Coffee and a variety of donuts, muffins, fruit, yogurt (dairy and dairy-free), and granola. Come socialize, eat, and play a quick game to wake up!

Yoga – 9-9:45am – BRC 224

Taught by the UBC Yoga Club. Yoga mats will be provided!

Talk: “In helping others, do we help ourselves?” – 10-10:30am – BRC 224

Guest Speakers:

Julia Nakamura

Julia (she/her) is a first-year doctoral student in Health Psychology. She is interested in understanding how prosocial behaviours (e.g., volunteering, informal helping, acts of kindness) are associated with health and well-being outcomes, integrating theories and perspectives from health psychology, epidemiology/biostatistics, and translational science.

Yeeun Archer Lee

Yeeun (she/her) is currently a PhD candidate in the Health Psychology program. Broadly, her research aim is to gain deeper insights into the ways people pursue positive life outcomes through prosociality and social connection. She is particularly passionate about intervention science – how to translate scientific findings into evidence-based solutions to societal problems including loneliness and social disintegration.

Paint-a-potted-plant – 10:45-11:45am – BRC 225

Choose a small plant (succulent or cactus) and paint a pot for it! All plants, pots, and art materials provided.

 

Mindfulness Workshop – 12:00-12:45pm – BRC 224

Hybrid format. To join on zoom: https://ubc.zoom.us/j/62430165508?pwd=aGdLdW1nTWJ3RlMrVDdZSi9od0hYQT09

Meeting ID: 624 3016 5508

Passcode: 1234

Led by Sangeeta Kaur

Sangeeta has Master’s degrees in both Environmental Biology and Neuroscience, Mindfulness, and Contemplative Practice. She is a certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher and has practiced this sacred yoga style since 2006. She is a healer of Sat Nam Rasayan and currently works with the Beyond Addiction program to help people to go through addiction recovery and explore their life with the Compassionate Inquiry technique. Sangeeta grew up in Santiago, Chile and now lives in Pisa, Italy.

Wrap-up and wellness gifts for all participants – 12:45pm – BRC 224 and atrium

Stick around to receive a goody bag of wellness items!

If you have any questions or comments about the symposium, please email us at wellness@biodiversity.ubc.ca.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

All our best,

The Botany and Zoology Wellness Initiative