Your voice is important to UBC

All graduate students are invited to participate in the 2025 Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey. This national survey is conducted every three years and provides valuable insight – allowing us to better understand and improve the various aspects of the graduate student experience. Each participant is entered into a draw for one of five $250 gift cards. Look for the invite in your inbox and complete the survey by March 15.

GradUpdate

In this issue, Effectively Articulating the Why’s and How’s of your Research, Panel on Communicating Research to the Public, Verbs for Citation, Telling your Research Story, 14-day Writing Challenge, Love Data Week, and more.

Registration Open

Key Messaging: Effectively Articulating the Why’s and How’s of your Research
Online | Tuesday, Feb 11 | 10 – 11:30 am

Register

Faculty Panel: Communicating Research to the Public
Online | Friday, Feb 14 | 10 – 11:15 am

Register

Seats available

Waiting for Motivation? Do this Instead!
Online Staying on Track in Grad School Series | Tuesday, Feb 4 | 1 – 2:30 pm Register

Events and Opportunities

A selection of upcoming events are highlighted below. 
Visit  community.grad.ubc.ca and grad.ubc.ca/current-students/professional-development for our full events calendar.

ACADEMIC

Sankofa and UBC: A Panel Discussion
Black History Month event featuring Dr. Ainsley Carry, Rohene Bouajram, Stephanie Awotwi-Pratt, and Ike Ibegugwu
Online | Thursday, Feb 6 | 2 – 3 pm Register

Research Mingling: Connect, Collaborate, and Celebrate!
Join the GSS for interdisciplinary research exchanges and peer connection.
In-person | Thursday, Feb 12 | 4 – 6 pm Register

(De)mystifying Gender+ in Research Workshop Series
In-person 6-week program | Thursdays Feb 13 – Mar 27 | 12 – 1 pm (+ opt 30)
Interdisciplinary, inter-year, and intersectional series to discuss ideas and practices of gender+ research and to build community and connection. Register

CAREER

GSS Elections: Paid Executive Positions
Submit your nomination for one of four open positions: President, VP External Relations, VP Students, or VP University and Academic Affairs
Learn more and submit by Feb 27.

Arts Amplifier Networking Week
Online info interviews with professionals | Tuesday & Wednesday Feb 18 & 19
Online preparatory workshop | Wednesday, Feb 12 | 1:30pm ~ 2:30pm
Learn more and register by Feb 10.

Writing Your Cover Letter for the Academic Job Market
Online | Feb 13 | 11 am – 12 pm Register

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Walking for Joy
Annual 9-week walking and rolling challenge that strives to promote regular physical activity in social settings | Learn more and register to join a UBC Rec walk or join this graduate student walk.

LEADERSHIP

Applying the principles of sound leadership and team building
Online Mitacs training | Tuesday, Feb 11 | 7 – 10 am | Mandatory online pre-requisite “High performing leadership and teams”
Learn more and register for this or upcoming sessions through Mitacs Edge.

Incorporating reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion into your project
Online Mitacs training | Wednesday, Feb 12 | 7 – 10 am | Mandatory online pre-requisite “Fostering a culture of reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion”
Learn more and register for this or upcoming sessions through Mitacs Edge.

RESEARCH

Introduction to Large Language Models (LLMs)
Online | Monday, Feb 10 | 10 – 11:30 am Register

Love Data Week
Online | Feb 10 – 14 | This year’s events are all linked to Abacus, a data repository collaboration involving libraries at SFU, UBC, UNBC and UVic. Sessions include:

• Introduction to the Abacus Data Repository
  Monday, Feb 10 | 11 am – 12 pm | Register
• Mapping the Environment: Wrangling, Plotting, and Analyzing Spatial Environmental Data in R
  Tuesday, Feb 11 | 1:30 – 2:30 pm | Register
• Effects of Trades Deregulation on Labour Supply: The Case of Compulsory Trades Certification in British Columbia using Labour Force Survey Data | Wednesday, Feb 12 | 11 am – 12 pm | Register
• R Showcase: Statistics Canada Microdata in R
  Thursday, Feb 13 | 10 – 11 am | Register
• Accessing the Abacus API with R
  Friday, Feb 14 | 10 – 11:30 am | Register

Tools and Workflows in QGIS
Online | Wednesday, Feb 12 | 1 – 3 pm Register

TEACHING

Graduate Instructional Skills Workshop
In-person | Mar 15, 22 & 23 | 9 am – 5:30 pm Apply by Mar 12.
Check out other upcoming ISWs.

WRITING AND COMMUNICATION

Verbs for Citations: Moving From Paraphrase to Summary
Hybrid | Wednesday, Feb 12 | 10 – 11:30 am Register

Speaking as a Scholar: Telling Your Research Story
In-person | Thursday, Feb 13 | 12:30 – 12 pm Register

14 Day Writing Challenge
Online | Feb 24 – Mar 9 | experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability
Join ncfdd through UBC’s subscription, then register by Feb 14.