Let’s Talk Science Mentorship Program: Call for Volunteers

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I am this year’s Let’s Talk Science Mentorship Coordinator, and I’m writing to you to ask you to pass on information about our upcoming Science Fair Mentorship program to your department’s graduate students.

The science fair mentorship program aims to increase student’s confidence with using and understanding scientific concepts and to increase their ability communicate scientific knowledge. This is done by providing students in grade 8-10 with a positive role model who is currently pursuing a career in science and attending a post-secondary institution. Using a tri-mentoring structure UBC graduate and undergraduate student mentors are paired with a small group (2-5) of secondary school students. Through 7 classroom visits, mentors and their students go through the entire process of designing, running, and analyzing a scientific experiment. The program concludes with a school wide science fair where students present their projects and volunteers act as judges.

This program offers an enriching experience for volunteers as they are able to work closely with a small number of students over several visits and see their projects progress from start to finish.

Interested potential volunteers can find more information on our website at ubclts.com/mentorship or can email me at mentorship@ubclts.com. I’ve also attached a flier with more details. To sign up, potential volunteers can email me at mentorship@ubclts.com or fill in this brief survey.

Thank you,

Deborah Good

Let’s Talk Science Mentorship Coordinator

Next Speaker for the Hope in the Anthropocene Series & IRES Seminar Series: John Reganold on Thursday, October 19

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The next speaker for the Hope in the Anthropocene Series & IRES Seminar Series is next week:

October 19, 2017: IRES Faculty Seminar Hope in the Anthropocene Series Speaker: John Reganold

IRES Seminar Series

Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm (every Thursday)

Location: AERL Theatre (room 120), 2202 Main Mall

Pizza will be served at 12pm on the 4th floor of AERL. There will be a limit of one slice per person to ensure all attendees have pizza.

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What 40 Years of Science Tell Us about Organic Agriculture

Regents Professor of Soil Science & Agroecology

Washington State University

Abstract: Organic agriculture has a history of being contentious and is considered by some as an inefficient approach to food production. Yet organic foods and beverages are a rapidly growing market segment in the global food industry. Here, I discuss the performance of organic farming in light of four key sustainability metrics: productivity, environmental impact, economic viability, and social wellbeing. Organic farming systems produce lower yields compared with conventional agriculture. However, they are more profitable and environmentally friendly, and deliver equally or more nutritious foods that contain less (or no) pesticide residues, compared with conventional farming. Although organic agriculture has an untapped potential role to play in establishing sustainable farming systems, no single approach will safely feed the planet. Rather, a blend of organic and other innovative farming systems is needed for global food and ecosystem security.

 

Bio: Dr. John Reganold has shaped his career by his interest in agriculture and soil science, receiving his Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of California at Davis. He is currently Regents Professor of Soil Science and Agroecology at Washington State University. He has spent 30-plus years bringing a blend of innovative research and teaching on sustainable farming systems into the mainstream of higher education and food production. Dr. Reganold has close to 200 publications in scientific journals, magazines, and proceedings, including Science, Nature, and Scientific American. His former students are on the front lines of sustainability around the world, bringing food security to sub-Saharan Africa for the U.S. Agency for International Development, adapting quinoa to the salty soils of Utah, working on agroecology for Pacific Foods in Tualatin, Oregon, and turning wastes into resources in Haiti.

John is also speaking at UBC Green College on Wednesday, October 18.  Click here for more information.

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New this year: With humanity’s creation of a new geological era marked by dominant human influences on planetary processes, the Anthropocene seems to offer little hope.

And yet, the same ingenuity that enables human domination over the Earth also allows a certain genius in addressing the many rising environmental and sustainability challenges.

Hope in the Anthropocene will showcase such inspirations and solutions in tackling climate change, harnessing energy, feeding humanity, governing states, and meeting our collective water and sanitation needs all while respecting Indigenous peoples and protecting nature and its benefits for people.

A collaboration between Green College and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, Hope in the Anthropocene will feature 6 accomplished speakers from around the world presenting in the IRES Seminar Series.

 

See you on October 19!

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Bonnie Leung

RES Program Support

Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)

The University of British Columbia | Vancouver Campus

Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL Building)

Room 429-2202 Main Mall | Vancouver, BC | V6T 1Z4

 

Tel: 604-822-9249

Email: bonnie.leung@ubc.ca

Website: www.ires.ubc.ca

Thesis Defense – MSc – AANB

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UBC and the Faculty of Land and Food Systems Announces

The Oral Examination for the Degree of

MSc in AANB

 

Manveen KAUR

Effect of rumen protected vitamin B complex on metabolic parameters, milk production and d 14 conceptus and endometrial gene expression in Holstein dairy cows

Thursday October 12, 2017, at 3:00pm Room 350, MacMillan Bldg 

 

Supervisory Committee

Dr. R. Cerri – Supervisor

Dr. D. Veira  – Committee member

Dr. Y. Lamers – Committee member

 

Defense Committee

Dr. D. Weary – Chair

Dr. R. Cerri – Supervisor

Dr. Y. Lamers – Committee member

Dr. A. Beristain – External

Everyone is welcome!

Urgent – Volunteers Opportunities for Students

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Do you like science and want to explore the interior of BC next week (all expenses paid)? We’re looking for volunteers to go to Boston Bar and Chilliwack to do some fun science actives with high school kids. Interested volunteers please contact Chantal at trips@ubclts.com and include your program of study and available dates. 

When: Oct 15th-19th (if you’re interested but only available from the evening of the 16th-18th, contact us anyway!) 

Where: From Chilliwack to Boston Bar 

Who: Grade 9-12 classroom workshops 

All the best!

Chantal 

Chantal Mustoe

trips@ubclts.com

Let’s Talk Talk Science/Genome BC Rural Trips Program Coordinator

ByNature – Job posting inquiry at the University of British Columbia

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I am the founder of an innovative company specialized in biophilic designs (specialized in “bringing nature to our indoor living spaces” or in other words “bringing the outdoor indoors”) and I am currently hiring a new horticulturist/landscaper manager and I was wondering if you could help me and direct me in the right direction to find and hire a graduated student from your school? 

Our company is called ByNature (www.bynaturedesign.ca) and I believe that students graduated from the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and the school of architecture and landscape architecture would be a great fit for this position and actually other positions as we are a fast growing company constantly looking for new employees with knowledge in horticulture and/or landscape. 

ByNature – Horticulturist Landscaper Manager Position

I sincerely hope you will be able to help me! Please find the Job Offer and general ByNature catalogue attached to this email. Your help will be greatly appreciated! 

Warm regards,

Nicolas 

Thank you for joining By Nature 
Nicolas Rousseau, BSc, MSc, Horticulture Engineer
ByNature President.
Enjoy – Breathe – Feel Good.

Cell: 778 321 8023
nicolas@bynaturedesign.ca www.bynaturedesign.ca