Animal adaptation to climate change, EDI in software development, and remote watershed research projects recognized by the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funding
Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue made the announcement at the Université de Sherbrooke, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health. A total of 34 UBC projects were awarded a collective $7.0 million in funding. Among the funded projects were three led by UBC Okanagan researchers totaling nearly $400,000.
UBC Okanagan-led Projects
- Laura Grieneisen, Biology
Wild Animal Microbiomes & Stress (WAMS)
Laura Grieneisen, an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Science, brings a wildlife health and ecology perspective into her microbiome research. Gut microbial communities affect many aspects of health including stress response. Most microbiome studies are over short time scales. Dr. Grieneisen aims to create the first lifetime profiles of microbiome and stress response trajectories in wildlife.
“What happens in the long term? Does chronic stress affect the number and types of gut bacteria over an animal’s lifetime? What happens if an animal is in an unstable environment that changes rapidly? Our group seeks to close that knowledge gap” she says. Her work will be the first to comprehensively investigate the role of ecological context in the relationship between the gut microbiome and stress.
Funding will build the Wild Animal Microbiome & Stress Laboratory (WAMS), a comprehensive research space for the collection, processing, long-term curation, and modeling of wildlife data.
“I am especially excited to conduct long-term monitoring of Canadian wildlife populations that are experiencing climate-change related population declines and range shifts, placing UBCO at the forefront of wildlife microbiome research.”
- Gema Rodriguez-Perez, Computer Science
A Toolkit to Ensure EDI during Software Development Process
Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Science, Gema Rodriguez-Perez is passionate about social change in the tech world. Open Source software (OS) is a vital component in many applications including high-tech industries and essential systems in healthcare, finance, and public services. Yet it often struggles with issues of equity, diversity and inclusion in software development. Her research aims to address these inequalities.
“Research has shown that gender and social cues can affect how software contributions are evaluated in OS environments. Historically, underrepresented groups faced more issues when contributing to OS,“ says Dr. Rodriguez-Perez.
JELF funding will contribute to the development of a comprehensive toolkit designed to help OS communities monitor and improve their EDI practices. “There is a risk of reinforcing existing inequalities and biases. Addressing EDI issues in software development is not only a matter of fairness but also a way to drive better, more inclusive technology outcomes that benefit society as a whole.”
- Alessandro Ielpi, Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences
Development of River Survey Capability for Assessment of Fluxes of Sediment and Organic-Carbon Across Watersheds
Waterways and the outdoors are central to Alessandro Ielpi’s personal interests and research. An Associate Professor in the Faculty of Science, Dr. Ielpi is researching remote watersheds to better understand the impact of changing temperature on the fundamental processes of water moving from uplands to oceans.
“Our current understanding of fluxes in sediment and organic matter along watersheds is centered around altered rivers in densely populated lowlands. Little is known about these processes in remote pristine watersheds not impacted by urban development,” he says.
Funding will support a river survey unit with advanced analytical field equipment. Dr. Ielpi looks forward to increased efficiency of data collection with an ultimate goal of supporting climate change adaptation and responsible land use. “The research will inform novel conceptual models linking watershed disturbance to downstream effects like increased erosion or flooding by engaging key partners and communities relying on water resources for sustenance or transportation.”
READ THE FULL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ANNOUNCEMENT
The John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) is a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) program is designed to help universities attract and retain the best researchers by investing in their infrastructure needs.
Today’s announcement also included eighty-three UBC research projects awarded funding through SSHRC Insight and Insight Development Grants, including seven led by UBC Okanagan researchers totalling nearly $1 million in funding.
Insight Grants
- Sabre Cherkowski, School of Education
Examining community-responsive approaches to whole-school wellbeing
- Grace Hong Fan, Faculty of Management
Reconstructing the relationships between humans and nature to challenge inequality: The role of Indigenous worldviews and Two-Eyed Seeing
- David Geary, Community, Culture and Global Studies
Virtuous Development: Heritage Diplomacy and the Infrastructure of Buddhist Memory in North India
- Lauren Human, Psychology
Examining the downsides of accurate first impressions: Implications for romantic interest
- Jessica Lougheed, Psychology
Co-applicant: Kalee De France, Psychology
Emotion Regulation and Well-Being: A Multi-Method Intensive Longitudinal Investigation
Insight Development Grants
- Adeniyi Asiyanbi, Community, Culture and Global Studies
Investigating shared responsibility for wildfire security in Whistler, British Columbia - Kalee De France, Psychology
Examining the role of perceived stress and emotion regulation in the association between poverty and adolescent well-being
Co-applicant: Jessica Lougheed, Psychology