The Okanagan School of Education’s Dr. Jessica Chan, along with Okanagan Regional Libraries, have created family literacy kits to foster and encourage literacy skills for young learners. The kits are available to borrow from Okanagan libraries.

Who: Dr. Jessica Chan, Assistant Professor, Okanagan School of Education and ORL librarians & staff
What: Family literacy kits
Where: Downtown Kelowna Library, 1380 Ellis St.
When: Saturday, March 16; 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Why: Literacy kits packed with engaging activities, stories

Families with young learners have new resources to enhance their literacy skills at home thanks to UBC Okanagan and the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL).

The UBC Reading, Language, and Mathematics (ReaLM) Lab and ORL librarians have created new kits for children designed to promote early literacy development and foster family engagement.

“Research has shown that promoting early literacy at home can have a profound impact on a child’s future,” says Dr. Jessica Chan, Director of ReaLM and Assistant Professor in the Okanagan School of Education. “Part of the lab’s focus is to make research accessible by offering supports that inspire families to engage with literacy in new and creative ways.

“Literacy kits help take reading beyond the book and develop connections with the world around us. When we were designing the kits, we wanted to emphasize that you can engage in literacy through play and show families how literacy is already taking place at home. We invite families to connect with the learning offered in stories through shared experiences.”

The kits follow three themes—families, nature and kindness—to honour family history and stories, build community and connect to place.

“The Library of Things Collection and, in particular, our family literacy kits are designed with a heart-warming vision to nurture family bonds,” says Naomi Van Caillie, ORL Community Learning and Assessment Coordinator.

“They offer a unique opportunity for families to unite in learning and enjoyment, creating not just moments but memories. This initiative goes beyond books; it’s about fostering community spirit and a sense of shared joy.”

There are 15 kits suitable for children in Grades 1 or 2. Each kit contains a collection of books, engaging activities and materials for families to promote early language, reading and writing development. The kits contain family-friendly ideas on how to engage with literacy, including suggestions such as starting a family journal or going on a scavenger hunt.

“This partnership with the library was a natural collaboration; we have shared goals of improving access to resources to promote family literacy across the Okanagan,” Dr. Chan says. “We hope to expand on this project to develop family-based literacy resources for readers of all ages and determine how we can best meet the needs of an increasingly diverse community.”

The literacy kits will be available to check out starting March 16 after ORL’s Family Story Time at the downtown Kelowna Library. Story Time takes place from 10:30 to 11:15 am, and families are invited to learn more about early language and literacy development with Dr. Chan.

Families interested in borrowing a literacy kit can visit the downtown Kelowna Library or request the kit at their nearest library location.

This project was supported by funding from the UBC Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund.

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UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Amir Ardestani-Jaafari used strategic approaches to research how health-care providers can create robust yet flexible home-care networks to meet future demands.

For Canadians who want to age at home as long as possible, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers is studying how to organize home-care networks to ensure they receive the care they need in the most efficient manner possible.

Led by Master of Science student Pooya Pourrezaie, a team from UBCO’s Faculty of Management and School of Engineering collaborated on the study to examine how to remove some of the unknowns.

“Planning for the future is a challenge for those tasked with ensuring our health-care system can meet our needs as we age,” Pourrezaie says. “Our research doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but it offers a new way to think about and prepare for the future, ensuring Canadians can receive the care they need in their homes, for as long as possible.”

The study focuses on a strategic model that optimizes the placement of home-based health-care facilities. This model is designed to navigate the uncertainties surrounding demand for solutions that are robust yet flexible. By balancing the need for widespread accessibility with the practicalities of health delivery, the team’s work promises to help policy-makers and health-care providers make informed decisions, even when faced with limited information.

“Our findings strike a balance between the need for careful planning and the reality of fluctuating demand,” Pourrezaie says. “We’re showing that it’s possible to plan effectively for home health care, reducing unnecessary expenditures and maximizing the impact of every dollar spent.”

To reach their findings, they relied on strategic testing. They created simulations—virtual experiments—to test their ideas on how to best place home health-care facilities in locations that could benefit the most people in the most economical way feasible.

Then they’d test those networks. They used mathematical models to imagine different scenarios, including how many people might need care and where.

“It connects our academic research with real-world problems,” Pourrezaie said. “It provides a starting point for more responsive and sustainable health-care planning, which we know is so important to Canadians.”

This research is more than just an academic exercise; it’s a blueprint for the future of home care in Canada. As the population ages, the demand for such services can only increase. The insights from this study provide a pathway for delivering care that is both patient-focused and sustainable.

It’s a reminder that with thoughtful research and innovative thinking, we can prepare for the future of health care in a way that keeps Canadians in their homes longer, healthier and happier, Pourrezaie says.

“For Canadians who value their independence, this study is a step towards ensuring that the health-care system will be there to support them, in their homes, for many years to come,” he says.

Pourrezaie worked under the guidance of the Faculty of Management’s Dr. Amir Ardestani-Jaafari and the School of Engineering’s Dr. Babak Tosarkani.

The research appears in the journal INFOR: Information Systems and Operational Research. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada supported this research.

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UBCO research shows that airflow dynamics can reduce pathogens by 85 per cent in a classroom setting.

If you’ve ever wondered why some folks never catch the office or school cold, where they’re sitting might be keeping them from the path of pathogens, according to new UBC Okanagan research.

Using a working UBCO classroom as their test lab, the team found that accounting for airflow dynamics reduced pathogens in the classroom by 85 per cent.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the advice was often just to increase ventilation to the maximum,” says Mojtaba Zabihi, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering and a lead researcher in the UBC Airborne Disease Transmission Research Cluster.

“But the new findings show that understanding the airflow pattern is as important, as the amount of air changed per hour. This insight could potentially lead to safer buildings and significant energy savings.”

The study measured and analyzed airflow in the classroom to understand its influence on pathogen dispersion. Considering what might be in the room to affect how the air flows—desk arrangement or vent placement, for example—and how we design building ventilation systems could help improve standards and improve indoor air quality, Zabihi says.

“Our research demonstrates that an under-floor air distribution concept combined with a ceiling-distributed exhaust system, which generates local and vertically stretched airflow patterns, can significantly reduce airborne pathogens in classrooms by up to 85 per cent,” he says.

“If building ventilation systems are designed with disease prevention in mind, it could be a critical tool in maintaining our health.”

The research findings, chosen by the editors of the journal Building Simulation for their March cover story, offer promising directions for the design and operation of indoor spaces. Yet, while the study’s implications suggest a new avenue for enhancing public health through building design, Zabihi carefully positions the work within a broader context.

“Our research adds an important layer to understanding how we might better protect indoor environments. It’s a step toward cleaner spaces, a complementary strategy alongside existing health measures,” he says.

Zabihi conducted the work under the guidance of UBCO’s Drs. Sunny Li and Joshua Brinkerhoff, whose expertise in mechanical engineering and fluid dynamics provided a foundation for the project. As the results gain traction, Zabihi said the team is hopeful about the research’s influence.

“Our goal was always to contribute meaningfully to the conversation on public health and indoor air quality. This publication marks an important milestone in our journey,” Zabihi concludes.

“It feels like being on the front lines, making a real difference. It’s not just theoretical; we can see how our findings could significantly affect public health and everyday life.”

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Dr. Shahria Alam conducts research in the seismic analysis and rehabilitation of steel, concrete and masonry. His latest research examines variations in the strength and mechanical properties of rebar to determine if the product meets Canadian safety standards.

A truck, along with hundreds of other vehicles filled with drivers and passengers, rumbles over the Alex Fraser Bridge.

The drivers probably never give a second thought to what is holding up that bridge—what makes it safe. Below, and embedded into the bridge deck and piers, are tens of thousands of pounds of steel rebar. The rebar, a skeleton integrated within the concrete, provides strength to the structure and reinforces the bridge’s seismic integrity.

But how do engineers know how much rebar to use? Should it be thicker? Stronger? Is the bridge protected in case of an earthquake?

“During a seismic event, the rebar serves two purposes,” says Dr. Shahria Alam, Civil Engineering Professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering. “It helps keep pieces intact during small earthquakes and it ensures safety while sustaining damage during major earthquakes.”

Rebar comes in a variety of configurations based on strength, ductility, length and diameter, he explains. The challenge engineers face is the uncertainties associated with the materials used to make structural designs safe, efficient and predictable.

Concrete, reinforced with rebar, plays a vital role in providing resistance, but variations in the rebar’s mechanical properties can increase uncertainty in the assessment of existing structures and the design of new structures. The production of steel rebar involves several steps, including purifying, alloying, rolling and temperature treatment, which could have an impact on its mechanical properties.

Factors that can affect rebar’s strength include the microalloying stage—when elements such as carbon and manganese are added to the steel to make it stronger—as well as the source of the mill.

“The mechanical properties of steel rebar are reliant on the manufacturing processes within any given mill,” says Dr. Alam. “In this scenario, it’s not only the size but also the tensile strength and the material’s ability to withstand repeated stress and deformation that matters.”

Dr. Alam explains that the Canadian Standards Association sets out requirements in the bridge design code to ensure that all rebar performs predictably. His team of researchers at UBCO’s Applied Lab for Advanced Materials & Structures recently completed a study examining different types of rebar to see if it was indeed meeting North American design standards.

The researchers examined tensile test data, provided by the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute to investigate the variability of mechanical properties across a few parameters including mill source, bar size and weight per metre.

The data was also compared to the minimum requirements of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

“Our most recent research sought to investigate the recent variability of mechanical properties, specifically the yield and ultimate tensile strength of steel rebars in North America.”

Their study showed that only a fraction (0.12%) of the strength test results didn’t meet the basic safety standards. This means that if buildings are designed according to the official codes and with extra safety margins built in, the structures will be sufficiently safe.

The research is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the engineering consulting firm WSP Canada through an Alliance grant. It was published in the latest edition of the journal Engineering Structures.

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UBCO and Drexel University researchers have developed state-of-the-art communication components that have a compatible performance to metal, but are 10 to 20 times lighter, less expensive and easy to build.

In a first-of-its-kind development, UBC Okanagan researchers, in collaboration with Drexel University, have created a new compound that can be used to 3D print telecommunication antennas and other connectivity devices.

These 3D printed products, created by combining a two-dimensional compound called MXenes with a polymer, can be used as an alternative for metallic counterparts and can make a vast improvement in communication technology including elements such as antennas, waveguides and filters.

Waveguides are everywhere, yet most people don’t know what they are, says Dr. Mohammad Zarifi, a researcher in UBC Okanagan’s Microelectronics and Gigahertz Applications (OMEGA) Lab.

Waveguides are structures or pipes that help direct sound and optical waves in communication devices and consumer appliances like microwaves. Waveguides vary in size, but historically they are made of metal due to their conductive attributes.

Dr. Zarifi and his OMEGA team develop state-of-the-art communication components that have a compatible performance to metal, but are 10 to 20 times lighter, less expensive and easy to build.

“In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, waveguides—a foundation in devices we use daily—are undergoing a transformative shift,” explains Dr. Zarifi, an Associate Professor with the School of Engineering. “From the familiar hum of microwave ovens to the vast reach of satellite communication, these integral components have traditionally been made from metals like silver, brass and copper.”

MXenes are an emerging family of two-dimensional materials—with the titanium carbide MXene being a leader in terms of electrical conductivity, explains Dr. Yury Gogotsi, Director of the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute at Drexel University in Philadelphia

“Think of MXenes as nanometre-thin conductive flakes that can be dispersed in water-like clay,” Dr. Gogotsi says “This is a material that can be applied from dispersion in pure water with no additives to almost any surface. After drying in air, it can make polymer surfaces conductive. It’s like metallization at room temperature, without melting or evaporating a metal, without vacuum or temperature.”

Integration of MXenes onto 3D-printed nylon-based parts allows a channel-like structure to become more efficient in guiding microwaves to frequency bands. This capability in a lightweight, additively manufactured component can impact the design and manufacturing of electronic communication devices in the aerospace and satellite industry, explains Omid Niksan, a UBCO School of Engineering doctoral student and first author of the article.

“Whether in space-based communication devices or medical imaging equipment like MRI machines, these lightweight MXene-coated polymeric structures have the potential to replace traditional manufacturing methods such as metal machining for creating channel structures,” he adds.

The researchers have a provisional patent on the polymer-based MXene-coated communication components. And Dr. Zarifi notes the potential of this equipment is sky-high.

“While there is still additional research to be done, we’re excited about the potential of this innovative material.,” says Dr. Zafiri. “We aim to explore and develop the possibilities of 3D printed antennas and communication devices in space. By reducing payloads of shuttle transporters, it gives engineers more options.”

The research was conducted in collaboration with scientists from Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute and supported by  the Department of National Defence, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the United States National Science Foundation. It was published in the latest edition of the journal Materials Today.

Omid Niksan holds a prototype of a 3D-printed MXene-coated component that can be used as an alternative for metallic components in antennas, waveguides and filters.

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Rammed earth technology, where waste products such as fly ash, are used as sustainable building materials can also be used to make decorative feature walls like this one at UBC Okanagan.

Researchers at UBC Okanagan are revisiting old building practices—the use of by-products and cast-offs—as a way to improve building materials and sustainability of the trade.

A technique known as rammed earth construction uses materials that are alternatives to cement and are often more readily available in the environment. One such alternative is wood fly ash, a by-product of pulp mills and coal-fired power plants, explains Dr. Sumi Siddiqua, with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering.

Industry has been trying to find a use for materials like fly ash that predominantly end up in landfills, she explains. Better described as a fine powder, fly ash shares the same strength and texture characteristics as cement, which is often added to concrete to enhance its strength.

“There are many benefits to using this material,” explains Dr. Siddiqua, Civil Engineering Professor and lead researcher with UBC’s Advanced Geomaterials Testing Lab. “Using local soil along with rammed earth products reduces sand exploitation. And just as importantly, this material is not affected by wildfires to the same extent as current wooden structures.”

Together with BC Housing, UBC’s Build Better Cluster is partnering with Indigenous communities to integrate rammed earth into the construction of new homes. With international shortages in construction sand—which is much different than sand found in beaches—builders are searching for cheap, and readily available materials that are equally as strong, for next-generation cement.

“Everything old is new again and that is precisely why we’ve been investigating rammed earth construction,” says Dr. Siddiqua. “By integrating industrial by-products, we’re addressing an increasing need for readily available building materials and being sustainable in the process.”

Under most circumstances, test results show fly ash enhances the structure’s properties and makes it suitable for use in cold and hot climates as load-bearing, non-load-bearing and isolation panel walls. Fly ash also has the added benefit of being available in remote communities while providing increased insulation properties.

Although Dr. Siddiqua doesn’t foresee a huge uptick in rammed earth homes and buildings sprouting up in the short term, the addition of materials like fly ash into composite cements has already begun. And she suggests, it might be the way of the future when it comes to the building trades.

“There is an increasing demand for sustainable building products here in Canada and around the world, and materials like fly ash are just the start of a new and important trend.”

The research was supported by a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery and Engage grant. It was published in the latest edition of the Journal Construction and Building Materials.

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UBC Okanagan researchers have added to the growing evidence that cannabis may help ease cravings for illicit drug users.

New findings from researchers at the University of British Columbia suggest that cannabis could play a role in addressing the ongoing opioid overdose crisis.

A new publication from Dr. Hudson Reddon, alongside UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Zach Walsh and UBC Vancouver’s Dr. M-J Milloy, observed that using cannabis is associated with decreased use of crystal methamphetamine among people at highest risk of overdose in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

About 45 per cent of the study’s participants reported using cannabis to manage their cravings for stimulant drugs in the last six months, including powder cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamines. A notable reduction in crystal meth use was observed among those who used cannabis for craving management. This association was not significant for crack cocaine users.

Dr. Reddon, the study’s lead researcher, emphasized the potential of cannabis as a harm-reduction strategy.

“Our findings are not conclusive but do add to the growing scientific evidence that cannabis might be a beneficial tool for some people who want to better control their unregulated stimulant use, particularly for people who use crystal meth,” says Dr. Reddon.

“This suggests a new direction for harm reduction strategies among people who use drugs.”

Dr. Walsh, a Clinical Psychology Professor at UBCO and a leading substance use researcher, highlighted the importance of further investigation. “While these findings are promising, they underscore the need for more comprehensive studies to understand the full potential of cannabis in the context of the overdose crisis,” Dr. Walsh says.

The research, published in Addictive Behaviors, used data from a questionnaire administered to individuals concurrently using cannabis and unregulated drugs, including stimulants and opioids, in Vancouver. It is the latest in a series of studies investigating the potential of cannabis to address the overdose crisis led by Drs. Milloy and Walsh and other colleagues at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use.

Dr. Milloy is a research scientist at the BC Centre on Substance Use who holds the Canopy Growth Professorship in Cannabis Science. Their work is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the United States National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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New research from UBC Okanagan revealed that non-invasive techniques can return vital gut health data from the mucus in our fecal matter.

New research from UBC Okanagan could make monitoring gut health easier and less painful by tapping into a common—yet often overlooked—source of information: the mucus in our digestive system that eventually becomes part of fecal matter.

Correct, what’s in our poop.

Biology researcher Dr. Kirk Bergstrom and master’s student Noah Fancy found a non-invasive technique to study MUC2, a critical gut protein,  from what we leave behind in the bathroom.

“MUC2 is like the silent star in our guts. It’s constantly working to protect us, and its proper functioning is crucial for our overall health,” Dr. Bergstrom says. “It was originally thought that you could only access this important molecule from biopsies or tissue removed via surgery—highly invasive and painful procedures.

“However, our study shows mucus is actually a part of our stool, meaning we can get at it painlessly and at levels we could not before. Anytime we can do analysis non-invasively, it’s a win.”

Clues to health can be found in unexpected places, and Dr. Bergstrom’s team found a way to study important gut health markers from fecal-adherent mucus—a term that, in simpler words, refers to the mucus attached to our stool. This mucus, typically ignored and flushed away, contains a trove of information about gut health.

MUC2, a glycoprotein with many sugar chains attached, forms a protective barrier in our intestines in the form of mucus, safeguarding our gut from harmful microbes and toxins and playing a crucial role in digestive health.

Understanding MUC2 better could lead to significant advancements in managing and preventing gut-related diseases, impacting the day-to-day wellbeing of millions.

“We can use these new methods to visualize mucus-microbiota interactions and how they go wrong in various diseases, like inflammatory bowel diseases and colon cancer,” Dr. Bergstrom notes.  “The sugars on the mucins also carry lots of information on the health status of the colon.”

Master of Science student Noah Fancy led the work, which was the result of a strong collaborative effort between the Bergstrom Lab and the chemistry labs of Dr. Wesley Zandberg and the biology labs of Dr. Sepideh Pakpour, Dr. Deanna Gibson and Dr. Sanjoy Ghosh, all at UBC Okanagan.

The work was funded in large part by the Weston Microbiota Foundation and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.

This research appears in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

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UBC Okanagan’s Department of History and Sociology is hosting Dr. Marius Kothor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison discussing West African women merchants and the economics of decolonization.

What: Department of History and Sociology Speakers’ Series—West African Women Merchants and the Economics of Decolonization
Who: Dr. Marius Kothor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
When: Thursday, January 11, 2024, 6-7:30 pm
Where: Okanagan Regional Library, Downtown Kelowna branch, 1380 Ellis St.

Women in Togo became such influential and successful textile traders that locals called them “Nana Benz” for the luxury cars they drove, and you can learn more about their story at the Okanagan Regional Library on Thursday.

UBC Okanagan’s Department of History and Sociology presents Dr. Marius Kothor in the second installment of its ongoing speakers’ series. Dr. Kothor is an emerging scholar of West African history who offers a distinctive interpretation of the role of women in business and politics in independent Togo in the 20th century.

She received her PhD from Yale University in May 2023 and is an incoming Assistant Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Kothor will share the story of how a group of Togolese women textile traders built an empire making and selling wax print fabrics, establishing a monopoly over pattern and distribution rights.

The women used the wealth and influence they gained to shape the political landscape of 20th-century West Africa. By leveraging their social networks and deep knowledge of regional markets, they were able to expand consumer economies during colonialism, finance the decolonization movement in Togo, and smooth the turbulent transition from independence to the military dictatorship of former president Gnassingbé Eyadéma.

The Department of History and Sociology speakers’ series at UBC Okanagan began in 2017 in collaboration with the Okanagan Regional Library, with the goal of inviting scholars and members of the public to engage with each other.

This community event is free and open to the public.

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Evangeline John wears a ribbon skirt she created in a field filled with balsam root sunflowers in Secwepemcúl’ecw. Photo courtesy of UBCO Indigenous Art Intensive.

UBC Okanagan has created a new pathway for students pursuing Indigenous studies, announcing that applications are now open for the Indigenous Knowledges theme in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies programs.

The program—iʔ sqilxʷ aʔ cmiy̓ t scmypnwíłnsəlx in Nsyilxcn—marks a significant stride in embedding Indigenous perspectives and wisdom within higher education. UBC Okanagan is the first in Canada to offer Indigenous Knowledges master’s and doctorate degrees.

UBC Okanagan’s approach to Indigenous academic programming is deeply rooted in partnership and leadership by Indigenous faculty and communities. These programs are designed to be respectful and reflective of Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, and are driven by those that represent their communities both on and off campus.

“Inspired by Indigenous philosophy, our program encourages students to consider ‘all our relations’ and live in harmony with the land,” says Dr. Shawn Wilson, an Associate Professor in Indigenous Studies and Program Director. “Indigenous Knowledges and languages are not just academic subjects; they are life practices emerging from deep relationships between our peoples and the land.”

The Indigenous Knowledges theme is designed to revitalize traditional Indigenous knowledge systems and languages, inspire actions to address contemporary challenges, and co-create new Indigenous knowledge. Faculty and students in the program draw on Indigenous pedagogy and methodologies, working closely with the Land, Elders and communities.

“We aim to support our students and their communities to enable Indigenous governance systems, promote health and wellbeing, and contribute to ecological restoration, among other critical areas,” stated Dr. Mike Evans, an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

“Our faculty’s expertise and Indigenous methodologies form the foundation for a rich, interdisciplinary approach to contemporary issues.”

Courses blend Indigenous ways of knowing with traditional academic disciplines, offering research opportunities in language recovery, cultural revitalization and environmental stewardship.

The program draws from years of experience applying Indigenous Knowledges in a real-world context, led by nationally and internationally recognized researchers such as Dr. Jeannette Armstrong.

“Our Indigenous languages are informed by countless generations of specific knowledges arising from the lands which now require the best Indigenous science interventions,” Dr. Armstrong says.

The program emphasizes hands-on community engagement, encouraging students to apply their learning within local Indigenous communities and maintain connections to their cultural roots.

Research spans community development, Indigenous physical sciences, health and wellbeing, grounded in Indigenous theory, methodologies and philosophies.

UBC Okanagan’s Indigenous Knowledges theme reflects the university’s commitment to reconciliation and inclusive education.

“Our program is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about fostering holistic wellbeing, as well as nurturing academic and research excellence,” Dr. Wilson adds. “We care deeply about our students’ experiential learning and their connections within and beyond the program.”

To find out more, visit: gradstudies.ok.ubc.ca/igs/indigenous-knowledges.

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