Research Day 2017 Abstract Submission

Abstract submission is now closed.

Please only follow this if you have registered to present a poster but have not yet sent us your abstract.

Find all the information about the event here.

We invite abstract submission from all postdoctoral fellows and research associates currently working at UBC departments and affiliated institutes. You can submit an abstract to be considered for a talk, a poster, or both. We will accept all eligible poster presenters.

Talks will be 15 minutes in length, including 5 minutes at the end for questions. Talks and posters will be judged, with prizes awarded to the best 3 of each type – $150/$100/$50 for talks and $75/$50/$25 for posters!

First, register online for the event.

The conference will be attended by postdocs, students, faculty, and others from all departments and institutes at UBC. Therefore, it is important to target abstracts, talks, and posters for a general, non-expert audience. The judges will also have a broad range of expertise, and suitability for the audience will be a factor in their scoring.

Abstracts should be no more than 250 words; no tables or graphics are permitted. Abstracts will be selected for oral presentations based on quality, interest and suitability for a general audience, and to prioritise a diverse programme.

Download the abstract template.

Please download and complete the abstract template, and email the completed document to us. To be eligible for participation, abstracts for posters must be received by 26th November.

UBC Postdoc Research Day 2017

DATE: Monday 4th December
VENUE: Pharmaceutical Sciences Building, Vancouver Campus, UBC
TIME: Research Day 09:00-17:30; Evening Reception 17:30 – 20:00

Event Program

Check out our event report here.

Registration is now closed – Free event!
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION CLOSED

The UBC Postdoctoral Association Research Day is back, and bigger than ever! For the first time, this will be a full-day event in a new venue with expanded capacity.

The event will bring together postdoctoral researchers from across UBC faculties and affiliated institutions to share their findings. There will be research talks, as well as poster sessions. Prizes will be awarded for the best 3 of each presentation type – $150/$100/$50 for talks and $75/$50/$25 for posters!

As well as postdocs sharing their research, there will be a keynote presentation from a prominent UBC faculty member, Dr. Lori Brotto, and a panel discussion on postdoc careers with professionals who have recently made the transition from being postdocs themselves.

The event will be fully catered with coffee breaks, a light lunch, and an evening networking reception.

All postdocs, research associates, students, and faculty are welcome to come and hear about the exciting research going on across UBC. Please register online to confirm your attendance.

Contact The UBC PDA if you have any questions.

We are extremely grateful to our sponsors who make this event possible.
Association Sponsor:

Event Sponsors:



Guide for writing letters supporting the Fundamental Science Review

Here are some tips for if you want to show support for the Fundamental Science Review by writing to your representative.

Letter-Writing Party 2017-2.jpg

Suggestions on writing a letter to your MP, from Evidence for Democracy:

  1. Introduce yourself (consider describing why you chose science and your particular field)
  2. Thank your MP for any federal funding that you or your lab have received – let them know that research funding is appreciated!
  3. Introduce the Naylor Report – info can be found here
  4. Discuss how your research or fundamental research in general benefits ALL Canadians
  5. Make sure to avoid jargon and keep your letter easy to understand!

Sample letters:

From Evidence for Democracy

Letter 1

Letter 2

Find your MP’s name and mailing address here:
(enter your postal code into the search box)

http://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members

Note: you don’t need a stamp to send mail to MPs.

Now get writing and show your support for science!

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The Associate Dean for Postdocs comments on the Fundamental Science Review

Canada’s Fundamental Science Review has been released, and it’s a crucial time for Canadian Research.

We asked Dr. Rachel Fernandez, Associate Dean for the Postdoctoral Fellows Office and Student Professional Development over at the UBC PDFO, why the Review is important for UBC’s postdocs. Here’s what she had to say:

Canada’s Fundamental Science Review, or ‘The Naylor Report’ as it has come to be known, outlines a comprehensive plan for the government to support Canada’s research ecosystem, including providing a much-needed boost to investigator-led research and to the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. If implemented, the increased investment -spread over 4 years – would amount to an additional 0.4% of the national annual budget. This investment will make a difference. It will ensure that newly-minted and seasoned researchers will have their work, deemed to be outstanding by experts, funded instead of being buried because of insufficient funds. It will allow for more diversity in the research ecosystem – both in the type of research being done and the people doing the research.  It will increase our research capacity and provide more opportunities for nurturing innovation. Indeed, implementing the plan outlined in the Naylor Report would be an excellent investment in Canada’s future.

We also asked what action we should be taking:

It is important that we convey to our Members of Parliament, and the public, the value of not just our research but also the significance of the training that we have received and provide. It is also important to express our gratitude for the support that we currently receive. Consider using social media and/or writing to your Member of Parliament, the Hon. Kirsty Duncan (Science Minister who commissioned this report), the Hon. Bill Morneau (Finance Minister), the Hon. Jane Philpott (Health Minister), the Hon. Navdeep Bains (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister) and, of course, our Prime Minister. Tell them a personal story and why you would like them to #SupportTheReport as the #NextGenCanScience.

You can show your support for Canadian research and the Review by coming to the UBC PDA’s letter-writing party, co-organised with Future of Research Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 29.

We hope to see you there!

Fundamental Science Review – Letter-writing party

Photos of the event

DATE: Tuesday, 29th August 2017
TIME: 4pm – 7pm
VENUE: Room 1510, Life Sciences Centre, UBC Vancouver

Registration for this event is now closed.

You can still write a letter to show your support – find tips here.

The Fundamental Science Review has been released, and it’s a highly important time for Canadian scientists. Our representatives need to know the Report has the backing of the research community so that they can push for its adoption.

With Canadian MPs soon to return to Ottawa after the summer break, now is the perfect time to engage with them and show our support. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a citizen or even resident of Canada – living and working in BC means your views are important.

The UBC PDA is co-hosting a letter-writing party with Future of Research Vancouver to help you to contact your representative and ask them to Support the Report. Come along and we’ll assist with drafting your letter, finding the postal address for your MP, and even give you a stamp and envelope!

Drop in any time between 4pm and 7pm on Tuesday 29th August in room 1510 in the Life Sciences Centre. Please register if you plan to come, and don’t forget to bring your laptops!

We’ll have drinks and snacks to keep your energy up – including pizza and beer!

Organised in cooperation with:

The Canadian Fundamental Science Review

The Fundamental Science Review, often referred to as the Naylor Report, was commissioned by the Federal Government to review Canada’s research, including basic and applied research in all disciplines carried out outside of government institutions. It summarises the current state of Canadian research, and makes wide-ranging recommendations for improvements going forward.

The executive summary provides a useful overview of the contents of the full Report, containing both a written account and a list of the major recommendations. Here are some of the key points:

Administration: The Review calls for greater cohesion, coordination, and accountability for Canada’s main funding bodies, namely the Tri-Council Agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) and the CFI, through the formation of an overseeing National Advisory Council on Research and Innovation (NACRI), to replace the current STIC (Science, Technology and Innovation Council).
Funding: A substantial increase in federal research funding (30% higher than the current budget) is recommended, along with a rebalancing towards independent, investigator-led research (as opposed to targeted, priority-driven research). Adjustment of the distribution of funds is also suggested, with more emphasis on high-risk and multidisciplinary research, and a focus on areas that are currently considered underfunded including the social sciences, humanities, and mathematics. Greater and more consistent support for infrastructure and central facilities is also advised.
Personnel: Some of the common concerns for Canadian postdocs are recognised, including the confusing and inconsistent array of funding arrangements and values and the limited prospects for early career researchers. The importance of prioritising equity and diversity in recruitment and funding is also highlighted.

What does it mean for postdocs?

It is possible that some funding opportunities would be reduced in future years: a careful review of ‘matching’ arrangements, e.g., those offered by Mitacs, is recommended. It can also be argued that the Report does not go far enough to allow Canada to be truly counted amongst the world leaders in research.

However, the adoption of the entirety of the Report’s recommendations by the Federal Government would be of almost universal benefit to Canadian postdocs compared to the current situation, both for new recruits and for those who hope to continue their careers in Canada. As well as the obvious benefits of increased research funding, better consistency and clarity in the roles of the funding bodies and coordinated work towards defined objectives would make these funds easier to secure.

The recognition in the report of the problems facing postdocs and early career researchers is a good start. Issues such as the lack of enforced retirement for academics are raised, which will hopefully lead to improvements to the difficult career prospects that concern many of us.

What you can do

The response of researchers to the report has been centring around #SupportTheReport. It is crucial that Canadian researchers convince the federal government that implementing the recommendations of the Naylor Report will benefit both the research community and Canadian society in general.

The most important action you can take to Support the Report is to contact your Member of Parliament.  The UBC PDA, in cooperation with Future of Research Vancouver, hosted a letter-writing party on Tuesday, August 29 at 4:00 p.m, in Room 1510 in the Life Sciences Centre. You can still write a letter to show your support – find tips here.

Read what the UBC PDFO Associate Dean had to say about the Review.

For ideas about how you else you can Support the Report, check out the campaigns linked below.

Further resources

The report:
Full report
Executive summary

Information:
UBC VP Research Office –highlighting UBC’s involvement in and engagement with the review. Includes a link to the town hall held recently at UBC
Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars summary
Universities Canada – endorsement and links to further opinions and reactions

Campaigns:
Summer of Science – very useful guide for engaging with your representatives about the Naylor Report
Evidence for Democracy – guidance for writing to your representative
Students 4 The Report – a student-led campaign supporting the Report
Next Generation of Canadian Science – A Twitter campaign led by the Canadian Society for Molecular Bioscience

PDA Social Event: Kayaking

Join us for our upcoming 2-hours kayaking trip at Deep Cove in North Vancouver on Saturday, August 12 from 3-5pm (rain or shine). We have booked some double kayaks. Rental rates include equipment and a short introduction to the equipment and safety features.

Cost: $30.80 per person (including GST and PST). Please note that payment is required to secure your place. Unfortunately, due to space limitations, refunds will not be possible.

RSVP by Wednesday, August 9. Places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

Some infos from the Deep Cove Kayak Centre:

What to Wear

  • We simply recommend that you dress for the weather in comfortable, athletic clothing that you don’t mind getting a little bit wet
  • More specifically, we suggest non-cotton layers and a wind/rain shell is nice to bring along if conditions change
  • If it is hot and sunny we strongly encourage sunscreen, hats and sunglasses (with a strap)

 What to Bring

  • Government issued Photo ID
  • Waterproof watch
  • Cell phones and cameras (brought at user’s own risk, we sell great waterproof cases at our shop)
  • Change of clothes for after paddling
  • Water Bottle and snack