UBCO’s Dr. Shahria Alam has receive two significant awards of recognition for his work this year, including being named a Fellow with the American Society of Civil Engineers, one of the highest recognitions of professional distinction within the field.

It has been quite a year for UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Shahria Alam.

The soft-spoken professor of civil engineering is internationally known as a pioneer in advancing sustainable construction practices.

And Dr. Will Hughes, Director of UBCO’s School of Engineering, says he’s also regarded as one of the world’s best at helping society prepare for the worst disasters imaginable, as evidenced by the numerous breakthroughs in climate change and disaster-resilient infrastructure he’s made in a career as a civil engineer that’s lasted more than 25 years.

Dr. Alam’s exemplary contributions to the field have earned him not one, but two impressive accomplishments this year—accolades that, like the impact of his research, teaching and mentorship, span borders and disciplines, explains Dr. Hughes.

In November, Dr. Alam was awarded the designation of Fellow by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), one of the highest professional distinctions within the field.

The honour marks Dr. Alam’s second career-defining milestone of the year.

In June, he was named a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE)—a plaudit reserved for those who have demonstrated excellence and who have contributed actively towards the progress of the civil engineering profession.

Dr. Hughes says these back-to-back honours speak to Dr. Alam’s deep commitment to sharing his knowledge and to training highly qualified engineers who will also make a positive impact on countless organizations, institutions and municipalities around the world.

“Each of these Fellow designations is a lifetime achievement, and earning both in the same year is extraordinary,” he adds. “Through his continual pursuit of excellence, he consistently models to our students and his colleagues that our best work and most important discoveries are always ahead of us. On behalf of the School of Engineering, congratulations to Dr. Shahria Alam on this well-deserved recognition.”

For Dr. Alam, the Fellowships serve as milestones marking the progress of a lifelong journey and he notes a sense of gratitude to his mentors, colleagues, students and family members who have been instrumental in his professional career path.

“Becoming a fellow of both ASCE and CSCE in the same year is an extraordinary honour that feels both humbling and deeply affirming,” says Dr. Alam. “Being named a Fellow by ASCE, with its longstanding legacy and global reach, validates the significance of my work within a community I hold in the highest regard. Similarly, the CSCE Fellowship reinforces my connection to Canadian civil engineering, encouraging me to further contribute to the resilience and sustainability of infrastructure in Canada and beyond.”

“These honours are also profoundly motivating. They remind me of the responsibility I have to continue pushing boundaries, not just in research but also in supporting the next generation of engineers,” he says. “This dual recognition in a single year represents a unique moment, filling me with deep gratitude and renewed inspiration to keep contributing to our profession and society with renewed purpose.”

Dr. Alam and his research group’s work has garnered extensive interest across academia, industry, government and media, including recent work on the topics of building better infrastructure for climate resilience and the carbon costs of the construction industry. Among other projects, he is currently working with industry and government partners to research, test, and apply a sustainable, low-carbon waste material—wood ash—into concrete, as also highlighted recently by the Government of Canada.

“At UBC Okanagan, we take pride in fostering an environment that supports excellence in teaching, outstanding research, and positive impacts in communities, both local and global. Dr. Shahria Alam stands out as someone who is adept in each of these areas and who understands them appropriately as closely related,” says Dr. Lesley Cormack, UBC Okanagan’s Principal and Deputy-Vice Chancellor.

“Dr. Alam’s dedication to furthering sustainable construction and speeding the adoption of innovative, climate-resilient infrastructure has made—and continues to make—a tremendous impact on our campus and far beyond. These two fellowships are a testament to his celebrated contributions and creative solutions as a civil engineer and the extremely high regard with which he is held by his peers throughout North America.”

In addition to serving as a full professor for UBCO’s School of Engineering, Dr. Alam is the technical lead of UBCO’s Green Infrastructure Cluster and holds the Tier-1 Principal’s Research Chair in Resilient and Green Infrastructure. He is also the founding director of the Green Construction Research & Training Center (GCRTC), a joint initiative between UBCO and Okanagan College, dedicated to advancing sustainable construction and reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry.

Recently, he was appointed as the acting Director of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute at UBC, where he continues to drive innovative research in sustainable materials.

“This work is vital to Canada and the world because it addresses critical challenges in building resilient, sustainable infrastructure—foundations essential for economic stability, environmental stewardship and societal wellbeing,” said Dr. Alam. “As climate change, urbanization and resource constraints increasingly impact communities globally, developing innovative approaches to resilient and green infrastructure has never been more urgent.

Collaboration has long been a cornerstone of Dr. Alam’s approach. He works extensively with researchers across disciplines, spanning many countries, including those from Canada, the United States, Japan, Italy, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, China, India and Bangladesh.

He’s also known for his dedication to his students and to training the next generation of civil engineers.

As the director of the Applied Lab for Advanced Materials and Structures at UBCO, Dr. Alam and team are currently training more than 30 postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate student researchers.

“Training highly qualified personnel is one of the most rewarding and essential aspects of my career,” says Dr. Alam. “Teaching, supervising and mentoring are far more than academic responsibilities—they are my contributions to the future of civil engineering, resilient infrastructure and the world.”

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Dr. Isaac Li, along with students David Bakker and Micah Yang, prepare an experiment as they work to understand counter-intuitive biological interaction—like catch bonds—and how cells physically interact with each other.

In a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has developed an artificial adhesion system that closely mimics natural biological interactions.

Dr. Isaac Li and his team in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science study biophysics at the single-molecule and single-cell levels. Their research focuses on understanding how cells physically interact with each other and their environment, with the ultimate goal of developing innovative tools for disease diagnosis and therapy.

Two of Dr. Li’s doctoral students, Micah Yang and David Bakker, have engineered a new molecule that could transform how cells adhere to and communicate with one another.

Micah Yang, the study’s lead author, explains that all cells have a natural “stickiness” that enables them to communicate, join together and form tissues. Unlike everyday glues, which tend to release more easily under increasing force, many cellular adhesive interactions behave oppositely—the harder you pull, the stronger they hold. This counterintuitive self-strengthening stickiness, known as a catch bond, is crucial for facilitating essential biological functions and keeping you in one piece.

Yang’s innovation involves a pair of DNA molecules designed to replicate this catch bond behaviour.

Dubbed the “fish hook” for its distinctive structure, this DNA-based system consists of two components: the fish and the hook. Using complementary DNA base-pair interactions, the system functions like a fish biting a hook, forming a catch bond. The bond’s behaviour can be precisely fine-tuned by modifying the DNA sequences of the fish and the hook, enabling control over its strength under varying forces.

“Catch bonds play critical roles in systems like T-cell receptors and bacterial adhesions, which are key to immune responses, tissue integrity and mechano-sensing—a cell’s ability to detect and respond to physical forces,” says Yang. “Nature has perfected these interactions over millions of years, but replicating their dynamic properties synthetically has been a major challenge—until now.

The study, recently published in Nature Communications, highlights the advantages of this novel DNA-based system.

“The tunability of this system is a significant advancement over previous artificial catch bonds,” says Yang. “The ability to precisely control the bond’s force-dependent behaviour makes it an ideal tool for studying biological interactions and developing innovative materials.”

Potential applications of the fish-hook bond are vast, says Yang.

In materials science, the design could inspire the creation of responsive materials that become stronger under stress, making them ideal for wearable technologies or aerospace applications where durability is critical.

In medicine, this approach could improve drug delivery systems or tissue scaffolds by enabling them to interact with cells in a force-sensitive manner, mimicking natural biological processes.

While the development of artificial adhesion bonds is still in its early days, Yang sees it as an exciting step in biomimetic engineering—an approach that seeks to replicate the efficiency and adaptability of natural systems. This work opens up new possibilities for designing materials that mimic or enhance natural biological processes.

“By mimicking biological interactions like catch bond, scientists are not only learning more about how these systems work in nature, but they are paving the way for new technologies that are capable of enhancing human life.”

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Dr. Deanna Gibson’s research in gut microbiome research is paving the path for a new class of therapeutics that can harness beneficial bacteria to treat inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and mood disorders.

Groundbreaking technology created by a UBC Okanagan biology professor is leading the development of new medicine that can help improve gut health.

Dr. Deanna Gibson, with UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, leads a research lab that investigates the intricate relationship between the gut microbiome and human health.

Dr. Gibson is a leading authority in gut microbiome research and is also a driving force behind Melius MicroBiomics, a biotech company focused on harnessing the power of the gut microbiome for improved health.

Now, her entrepreneurial spirit and deep expertise are propelling the company to the forefront of the field by developing innovative therapies for various health conditions, explains Rob Emlyn, CEO and Co-Founder of Melius MicroBiomics.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with UBC, a global leader in scientific innovation,” Emlyn says. “This agreement will significantly advance our Genetically Engineered Microbial Medicine (GEMM) platform, and bring us closer to developing transformative treatments for patients in need.”

Dr. Lael Parrott, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science Dean pro tem, says this partnership is a good example of how research conducted at UBCO can make a real-world impact. She credits Dr. Gibson’s innovation and enterprise to improve human health by leveraging the power of the human microbiome.

“Dr. Gibson’s work has contributed to the understanding of how these trillions of microbes influence digestion, immunity, brain function and chronic diseases,” adds Dr. Parrott. “Her passion for unravelling the mysteries of the gut microbiome and her commitment to improving human health demonstrate she is a forward-thinking innovator.”

GEMM is a novel class of therapeutics that harness the natural powers of beneficial bacteria to treat a range of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and mood disorders. By incorporating the licensed platform technology into bacteria, Melius MicroBiomics aims to enhance the efficacy and competitiveness of these engineered bacteria within both the human and animal care industries.

“The technology provides an innovative opportunity to use our gut microbiome as a tool in helping to treat chronic inflammatory conditions,” says Dr. Gibson, who is also Chief Scientific Officer and a Co-Founder of Melius Microbiomics.

Melius MicroBiomics is a Vancouver-based biotechnology company with a research lab in Kelowna that is dedicated to discovering and developing innovative microbiome-based therapies.

The company is committed to translating cutting-edge microbiome research into impactful therapies, says J.P. Heale, Managing Director of Innovation UBC, adding the GEMM products represent a promising approach that can address complex diseases with unmet medical needs.

“At UBC, we are committed to building collaborations and spinoff companies that can advance groundbreaking research to generate meaningful impacts in areas such as global health,” says Heale. “Through this agreement, we are excited to see how this UBC research discovery could make a significant contribution to the development of therapies that have the potential to address complex diseases and improve patient and veterinary outcomes.”

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The public is encouraged to attend a forum this week that will discuss future inter-community transportation options in the Okanagan including a proposed passenger light rail system.

What: Future of inter-community transportation, introduction to proposed light rail system
Who: UBC Okanagan, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, the Okanagan Transit Alliance and Dr. Holger Busche, former Energy and Transport Policy Advisor to Germany’s Green Party
When: Thursday, Nov. 21, doors open at 5 pm
Where: Trinity Church, Refinery Building, 1905 Springfield Rd.,

The topics of traffic flow, congestion, transit and tourism will be the intersection of an upcoming forum set to examine the results of a recent Okanagan Valley survey about the future of transportation in this region.

The event, organized by UBC Okanagan’s SMARTer Growth Research Lab, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) and the Okanagan Transit Alliance (OTA) will highlight the findings of a transportation survey that concluded this past summer.

Survey participants—including residents, businesses and visitors—were asked about their transportation habits and preferences for new or future options, and then asked to evaluate five potential transportation solutions that included personal vehicles, local transit, electric commuter rail, ridesharing and vehicle rentals.

The survey was conducted with support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior, TOTA, OTA and UBCO. The survey highlights will be shared before keynote speaker Dr. Holger Busche—former Energy and Transport Policy Advisor to Germany’s Green Party—discusses the future of hydrogen-battery-fueled passenger trains.

“Survey results confirm that more than 60 per cent of respondents want options for improved inter-community transportation that are safer and more affordable than driving,” says Dr. Gordon Lovegrove, School of Engineering Associate Professor and Principal Investigator for the SMARTer Growth Research Lab. “And tram-train passenger light rail was the preferred option. This is a real, proven technology that has run for more than 40 years in Germany. So, why not in the Okanagan Valley where we can bolster tourism and reduce congestion?”

People in attendance will learn about research examining a valley-wide light rail system and can provide input on future steps, governance, funding and a pilot project location.

“We’re excited to welcome residents to this important forum and opportunity to discuss the future of transportation in the region,” adds Dr. Lovegrove. “We’d like people to come, be informed and have their say on how transportation that connects our communities can be delivered in a more equitable, greener, safer and affordable way than just driving ourselves.”

The forum, taking place at Trinity Church’s Refinery Building, 1905 Springfield Road, is free but pre-registration is encouraged. To learn more about the event and register, visit: events.ok.ubc.ca/event/inter-community-transportation-forum

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Prospective students are welcome at the School of Engineering’s open house where they can learn about program options, speak to faculty and participate in hands-on demonstrations and information sessions.

What: UBCO School of Engineering open house
Who: Potential new students
When: Saturday, November 2, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Engineering, Management and Education building, 1137 Alumni Avenue, UBC Okanagan campus

How can society build more resilient communities in the face of climate change? What will the next leaps in solar or battery technology look like? What are the career paths for computer engineers in the age of AI? What are the job prospects for engineers in Canada and globally?

UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering invites prospective students and their families to the campus Saturday, November 2 to find out the answers to these and many other questions.

The open house is a unique opportunity to explore the innovative world of engineering and discover the diverse programs offered at UBC, explains Marie Reid, Student Advisor for the School of Engineering.

Attendees can expect an engaging day filled with interactive displays, hands-on activities and informative sessions. They will also have the chance to meet students and faculty who can provide insights into the dynamic field of engineering.

“We are thrilled to welcome future engineers to our campus,” says Reid. “This open house provides a fantastic opportunity for students to engage with faculty and current students, see the world-class labs and learning spaces within the school, and envision their future in engineering.”

Highlights of the event include guided tours of state-of-the-art facilities, demonstrations of cutting-edge projects and research, information sessions on various disciplines and opportunities to ask questions and gain advice on admission and program choices.

UBCO’s School of Engineering offers five undergraduate programs—civil, computer, electrical, manufacturing and mechanical, with an aerospace concentration open to students in the latter two programs.

Computer engineering, which blends the disciplines of electrical engineering and computer science, launched this September and offers an exciting—and in-demand—new pathway for students as the advancement of AI, quantum computing, security and other fields increasingly require engineers who are highly skilled in both hardware and software, explains School of Engineering Director Dr. Will Hughes.

The 2023 BC Labour Market Outlook reported that 116,900 jobs will need to be filled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations by 2033 in BC alone.

“The world needs engineers more than ever and we believe that engineering is for everyone,” adds Dr. Hughes. “We hope prospective students will come away from this event inspired and informed about everything from programs to research opportunities, and co-op to career paths.”

The UBC Engineering Open House is free and open to all. It takes place Saturday, November 2 from 10 am to 2 pm. Pre-registration is required at engineering.ok.ubc.ca/open-house.

“If you’re wondering if engineering is right for you and if you are right for engineering,” adds Dr. Hughes, “we want you to know—you belong here.”

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UBCO researchers have been trying to determine if meeting by videoconference can make a difference when it comes to first impressions.

Researchers at UBC’s Okanagan campus have good news for anyone who has suffered from Zoom fatigue or has anxiety about meeting someone for the first time via videoconferencing.

Dr. Lauren Human, an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, studies interpersonal impressions, focusing on how they can impact wellbeing.

Her latest research paper, published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, examines whether first impressions through a video screen can properly indicate someone’s personality.

Videoconferencing platforms have risen globally to facilitate face-to-face communication since COVID-19, Dr. Human explains. The researchers wanted to determine whether first impressions formed on a platform like Zoom compare fairly to those formed in a first in-person meeting.

“The pandemic abruptly shifted in-person interactions to videoconferencing for first impressions like meeting classmates, job interviews and doctor’s appointments,” Dr. Human says, noting how we “feel” differently about virtual interactions.

“For example, via Zoom, people might feel they can’t quite ‘get a read on’ new acquaintances and don’t feel as connected to them as they might in person,” she adds. “Is this subjective experience grounded in reality? Or are first impressions through videoconferencing different from in-person?”

To better understand how video conferencing affects those important first impressions, the team divided their study into three research aims. First, they examined whether people view new acquaintances’ personalities accurately and in a normative, positive light when videoconferencing.

Second, they examined whether accurate and normative impressions lead to stronger positive connections during videoconferencing compared to in-person interactions.

“Finally, we looked at whether poor audio and video quality—a challenge specific to videoconferencing—affects how accurately people perceive each other, how typical those perceptions are, and how much they end up liking each other,” Dr. Human explains. “To explore this, we ran two Zoom studies where people got to know each other—one exploratory and one a preregistered replication—and then compared the results to an in-person version of the same study.”

Dr. Human admits she was surprised that the results were similar regardless of whether that first meeting was in person or online.

“We thought they would differ,” she says. “However, we didn’t see any overall difference between the two, so we are just as accurate about assessing personalities when we meet people for the first time on Zoom versus in person.”

Dr. Human also says that when people were asked to assess the personality of the individual they were meeting for the first time—whether on Zoom or in person—their impressions were just as positive.

She says there are two things to note about first-time interactions through video. Although the overall levels of accuracy were similar in person and on Zoom, the levels of accuracy for some specific traits, such as extraversion and neuroticism, differed.

This suggests people might be using different information on Zoom. For example, study participants might pay attention to the other person’s background—maybe clutter, a wall of books or art—which might tell them something different about their personality than you would see in person.

Even though you might be just as accurate about someone’s personality on Zoom, you might be correct about different things.

And, if the connection was poor, the virtual meeting negatively affected the participants.

“This is interesting because often it is something outside of our control, so we wouldn’t necessarily expect that we would like someone less just because their computer froze during the interaction,” she adds. “But we think it creates some frustration or negative affect, tainting the impression they form of their interaction partner. This seems unfair, but it’s also important to know.

“So, don’t be afraid of technology, but ensure you have a good internet connection.”

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While high-intensity interval training is popular for many, some academics are debating its validity while UBCO professors defend the science behind the popular exercise method.

The promotion of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for public health is a lightning rod for debate, especially from its staunchest critics within the scientific community.

Now researchers at UBC Okanagan continue to advance the HIIT discussion while also calling out a lack of civility and respectful dialogue amongst scientists who may disagree with evidence-based findings.

“In our view, critics have unfairly questioned the validity of studies that show positive psychological responses to HIIT, including enjoyment of, and adherence to HIIT as an exercise intervention,” says Dr. Mary Jung, a Professor and exercise researcher with UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “They also argue that HIIT is only suitable for athletes or as part of a supervised fitness program.”

By studying psychological responses and adherence levels in different real-world settings, the UBCO researchers challenge these assumptions. In research published recently in the Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism journal, Dr. Jung and co-author Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, say the debate threatens to derail the research and future advancements in health sciences.

“Evidence suggests HIIT is just as enjoyable as moderate-intensity continuous training,” says Dr. Jung. “In supervised situations, adherence is similarly high for both methodologies and in unsupervised situations is similarly lower for both.”

According to researchers, HIIT offers positive health outcomes for a wide range of populations including people living with chronic conditions, of varying ages, and those with limited exercise experience. They say that despite the prevailing evidence, online discourse and opinion pieces attempt to silence healthy debate and discredit HIIT scientists.

“What began as an open debate on the value of HIIT as a public health strategy has now devolved into attacks on researchers,” says Dr. Martin Ginis, Director for UBCO’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management.

Dr. Martin Ginis questions if these attacks are intended to intimidate scientists to abandon HIIT research altogether. She notes that the academic discourse has already slowed advancements in exercise science, as researchers—especially graduate students—feel intimidated. Some have decided not to conduct, publish or present research on HIIT for fear of coming under personal attack.

“If the scientific community continues to accept the false narrative that HIIT is a debatable, two-sided issue, the losses to time, effort and ultimately scientific advancement are significant,” she adds.

For many scientists working in the field of exercise psychology, the ultimate goal is to improve physical activity levels which would then lead to an improvement in people’s lives and wellbeing.

“Since 2015, the debate has moved beyond the practical question of whether HIIT is viable for population-level physical activity promotion, to the philosophical question of whether HIIT research should be abandoned altogether,” adds Dr. Martin Ginis. “By positioning the HIIT discourse as a binary, right or wrong ‘debate,’ discussants have created an adversarial paradigm for conversations and a breeding ground for incivility.

Drs. Jung and Martin Ginis will continue to champion the approach of respectful dialogue and encourage thoughtful, scientific discussions.

“We recommend that attention be directed toward improving behaviour change and maintenance for all types of exercise,” adds Dr. Martin Ginis. “Resources are better spent addressing fundamental questions about exercise initiation and adherence than perpetuating a vitriolic and uncivil debate over the value of high-intensity versus moderate-intensity training.”

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Okanagan School of Education’s Dr. Jessica Chan is researching how a child’s home environment can influence their early literacy development.

As students and families settle back into the routine of school, homework and extra-curricular activities, the initial excitement over new opportunities may quickly dwindle for some. A young student’s eyes might glaze over as they stare at their math textbook or English novel while their families try various encouragement methods.

With the launch of her new study, Dr. Jessica Chan hopes to support parents and caregivers as they motivate and aid their child’s learning. As the Director of UBC Okanagan’s Reading, Language and Mathematics Lab, Dr. Chan is exploring the relationship between the home environment and children’s language, literacy and math skills.

“As parents and caregivers are usually the first teachers, the home plays such a critical role in children’s development,” says Dr. Chan, Assistant Professor in the Okanagan School of Education. “When children begin attending a more formal education setting, families continue to support and enhance their child’s learning through initiating different experiences or providing encouragement to explore new interests.”

What do you hope to learn in your study?

The majority of studies that assess the impact of the home environment are focused on early learning, while this new research is focused on children in Grades 2 and 3. At this age, children are moving beyond the foundational skills of early literacy and numeracy and are developing more complex cognitive skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking. The skills and attitudes developed in these early grades can influence a student’s future academic journey.

Additionally, in education, we often talk about building the bridge between home and school and ways to support families’ integration into the community. How do we honour the diverse voices, stories and depth of knowledge that children bring into our classrooms?

By learning more about the home environment, we can further develop ways of building those bridges.

How do language skills influence reading development? What can parents do to support language growth?

The home environment is really important in those early stages of language and literacy development. For example, our youngest language learners—infants and toddlers—start to mimic the sounds they hear and try to model the language they hear around them. Children may ask what specific words mean and the examples of them. They learn the sounds in their heritage language—English, Chinese, French, etc.—and practice working with the rhythm and structure.

These language skills then form the foundation for reading development as children learn to connect oral language to written language and begin decoding words and comprehending sentences. The decoding component is particularly important in younger grades, but oral language skills are important across a child’s development and impact reading in later grades and beyond.

Similar to supporting literacy development, there are lots of different things families can do to support language, like oral storytelling, discussing current events and topics, as well as providing time and space for your child to elaborate and share their thinking as they explore more complex topics.

What are some signs that a child might be struggling with their literacy skills?

Literacy includes both oral and written language abilities, however, reading difficulties tend to be more quickly identifiable as these skills are more regularly assessed in school settings, or we tend to notice these skills in shared reading. We are more likely to raise concern if we observe a child struggling to decode words that other children their age can read across different texts and settings.

It can be more challenging to identify an oral language concern because it can present differently. For example, the child may not have trouble with decoding but has trouble with the structure of language, impacting how they communicate their thoughts, needs or interests coherently. They might also struggle to follow and remember instructions. Additionally, if a child has trouble recalling details from a story or connecting parts of a text to each other and the real world, this could indicate comprehension issues.

How can people find out more about your research or get involved?

We are currently seeking families with children in Grades 2 and 3 to participate and we’re hoping to have students with a diverse range of abilities in literacy, language and mathematics.

The study will involve three to four 45-minute sessions, where the child will work one-on-one with a UBCO team member on a series of language, reading and math measures. More information about the lab and this study can be found at: realmlab.ok.ubc.ca

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Dr. Phil Barker, UBCO’s former Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, takes a reflective look at how research opportunities have flourished during his nine years in the role.

After nine years in the position, Dr. Philip Barker exited the role of UBC Okanagan’s Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation (VPRI), on August 31, 2024.

He leaves behind an impressive list of accomplishments.

Under his leadership, total UBCO research funding skyrocketed to $45.9 million, an increase of 299 per cent from 2015 when he took the reins. The number of Canada Research Chairs saw a three-fold increase. Six interdisciplinary research institutes were fostered, as were nearly 30 clusters of research excellence. Nearly 1,100 active research projects were underway last year alone.

He led the creation of internal research funding programs to support research and recognize excellence, and championed an interdisciplinary approach to combine research experts from across the university to understand society’s biggest problems and find creative, meaningful solutions.

As he prepares to begin life anew as a full-time researcher, Dr. Barker shares his thoughts on his time as VPRI, and how the UBCO research enterprise has changed to establish the campus as a major player in the Canadian and global research field.

What first drew you to UBCO?

I actually heard about the opportunity from my father-in-law who cut the ad out of the Globe and Mail and sent it to my wife. We were in Montreal at the time, and he lived in Vernon, so he definitely had a bit of a gentle pressure campaign going to get us to move west.

I threw my hat in the ring and was interviewed on a beautiful sunny day in March. I was immediately struck by the beauty of the campus, but the key thing was how taken I was with Dr. Deborah Buszard, the former UBCO Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. The campus was only 10 years old and she had an exciting vision for UBCO and how I could contribute.

I came from an entrepreneurial background and saw this as a startup opportunity. I knew it would be fun to be on the ground floor and see what we could do in a region like this. My family had moved to Kelowna from Winnipeg when I was eight years old and I left 10 years later when I graduated from Kelowna Secondary School. The opportunity to come back and play a part in the growth of this part of the province was too good to pass up.

What were your first impressions of the university?

The university had done a great job of developing academic programs to meet the needs of students in the BC interior, but from a research point of view, they were still in the early stages—the campus didn’t yet see itself as part of a research university. There was an issue around a lack of research infrastructure, but there also really wasn’t a culture in which research was viewed as an important, essential part of an academic’s job.

The good news was that UBCO was still young and there was a lot of potential and enthusiasm for what it could bring and become. All the signals were heading in the right direction, but there was a lot of work to do.

Can you explain more of the broad potential you saw early in your time here?

There were great researchers here, doing great things, but I still saw it as a greenfield project. It was a campus in one of the fastest-growing areas of the country, so there were obvious ways the campus could meet the needs of the region, and ways the region could help us get there. There were also really great things happening on the ground—exciting activities in the School of Engineering, the health domain work was really interesting, and there was great work going on in the humanities and social sciences. But it was largely on an individual researcher level—interdisciplinarity hadn’t yet taken hold—so there was great potential in that regard.

Describe the research enterprise when you first arrived

Although there were real luminaries on the campus, it was a challenging environment because the campus hadn’t yet committed to research and research infrastructure.

Even though researchers had needs, the campus was not well positioned to deliver on them. My job was to make sure our researchers and scholars had the tools and resources to do their job and to build a common understanding of how we’d get there, including the cost, and the value of doing it. Again, one of the attractions for me taking the role was working with Dr. Buszard, who completely understood. Together we made the case that we had to open facilities as well as establish funding programs and—with our amazing executive colleagues—we began to make investments in research to get things off the ground.

I was fortunate to arrive when there was funding available to make this happen and now UBCO has internal research funding programs like Aspire, Eminence and Critical Research Equipment and Tools. We had to work hard to get each one over the finish line and, in my opinion, they have been very successful. I’m proud to have helped make that happen for our researchers.

What has the UBCO research trajectory been during your time as VP?

Happily, the trajectory has been nothing but upward. I think one of the most important things I’m leaving behind is a community that believes research is important, is worth doing well, worth paying for and will support where we want to go as a society. The rising tide has been possible, in part, because of the internal programs we’ve funded to pull people together in interesting ways but also because our faculty have been knocking it out of the park in external funding competitions. Our Research Excellence Clusters have been one of the most successful initiatives, and have led to activity with significant influences.

We’re doing everything from working with municipalities on homelessness and developing the latest and greatest in battery and solar energy technology, to exploring what wellness looks like in the 21^st century and seeking ethical approaches to AI.

We’ve also paid attention to working closely with the Tri-councils and external partners and have seen great success as a result. Our share of Tri-council research funding has increased in a big way, which not only added to our upward trajectory but has contributed to our recognition nationally. This success is not a reflection of the VPRI, it’s a reflection of a massive team effort.

Why were internal funding programs and initiatives important to the success of UBCO’s research?

When I arrived, I was told we had a major challenge attracting young faculty because we could not offer the start-up packages that other institutions could. We responded by creating the Aspire program to contribute to start-up packages of our early career researchers, and this has been very successful. We also needed to develop programs that recognized research leadership on our campus and helped define excellence in research. To address this, we created the Principal’s Research Chairs program. This program was a critical element in defining what excellence and research leadership looks like and continues to help us recognize outstanding work on our campus.

How has UBCO’s national standing changed?

The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program is Canada’s premier mechanism for recognizing outstanding national scholarship. It’s intended for rising stars, and for those who have already risen. When I arrived, UBC’s complement of CRCs was weighted heavily toward Vancouver, and we only had five of these prestigious awards for our campus. It took a while but we have now developed a UBC system-wide distribution of CRCs that has resulted in an appropriate number of CRCs for UBCO and enhanced our profile on the national stage. I’m happy that we got this done.

How are UBCO’s research advances adding value to the region and beyond?

Research campuses in mid-sized cities have outsized effects on economic prosperity by attracting bright people who create knowledge, offer new perspectives and develop products, services and capabilities. Our clinical psychology program is delivering psychologists throughout the province. Our Southern Medical Program is delivering general practitioners who establish practices in the region. The School of Engineering is delivering talent that serves the interior and far beyond. We’ve created a talent pipeline.

Our research partnerships are also key. Working with the City of Kelowna, we’re exploring the best way to electrify the bus fleet, and whether solar energy in the city’s buildings makes sense. We also act as an R&D partner for numerous companies and social agencies. There are literally hundreds of examples of UBCO faculty and researchers collaborating with entities in our community to try to enhance their ability to understand a problem and find solutions.

Describe the research enterprise as you see it today

We’re on fire. We’re competitive with other research campuses across the country and our share of Tri-council funding is in line with our research population. We are pursuing an exciting strategy to respond to climate change and researching the influence of interventional health treatments in rural and remote settings. Our humanities scholars are world-renowned. We’re global leaders on the battery innovation front and potential faculty members in every discipline are striving to join us. UBCO’s research journey will continue to be exciting for decades to come.

What are you most proud of during your time here?

Without a doubt, it’s the development of a community that recognizes the importance of research and knows that we’re not only doing great work, but delivering the best educational opportunities to our students. They are learning from experts who are cutting-edge in their fields. We’re delivering on a promise to the community to do work that is regionally relevant and globally important. On the operational side, I’m especially proud of the VPRI team. They’re an outstanding group of people devoted to the success of the research enterprise. Our path would not be possible without such a talented and dedicated group. I am grateful to have worked with each of them.

What are your hopes for the future?

I fully expect the trajectory developed over the last nine years will be maintained and the opportunity of the campus will continue to be realized. We’re a jewel in the province’s crown. I also anticipate the continued intelligent growth of campus by expanding the Innovation Precinct and West Campus lands. For me personally, I’ve been both a researcher in the trenches and a senior administrator. As I return to the professoriate, I am keen to fully re-engage with my lab and I hope I can bring perspectives that are helpful in advancing our overall research mission.

Any final thoughts?

It’s been an exciting time, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to join UBCO and work with great people while I’ve done it. I’ve been lucky to have worked with three powerful female leaders—Dr. Buszard, Dr. Gail Murphy and Dr. Lesley Cormack. They’ve provided strong leadership and support to me that has been incredibly helpful and meaningful. I believe that organizations usually find the right leadership at the right time and I think I was the right person in 2015 when I came in as the start-up guy.

The campus is now ready for some new blood and incoming Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation Dr. Suzie Currie will bring a new mindset and vision. Our campus is at a stage where defining what UBCO is as a research entity is possible in a way it wasn’t when I joined, so I feel like I’ve done what I came here to do. I’m leaving at the right time.

The post Phil Barker, former Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, reflects on UBCO’s expanding research enterprise and the leaders who inspired him appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBCO’s Dr. Hadi Mohammadi holds his latest innovation—a manufactured heart valve that combines the best of both tissue and mechanical technologies—that may eventually out-perform current valves.

When a patient needs a new heart valve, the current mechanical and tissue replacements each have strengths and weaknesses.

Now, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers believe they have found a way to harness the strengths of both technologies in a way that could be life-changing—and life-saving—for many. Dr. Hadi Mohammadi and his fellow researchers in the Heart Valve Performance Laboratory at UBC Okanagan are focused on developing the mechanical heart valves of the future.

Dr. Mohammadi, an Associate Professor with the School of Engineering, says their latest work, dubbed the iValve, is their most advanced yet and combines the best of both technologies—mechanical and tissue—when it comes to replacement heart valves.

“Tissue valves generally perform better than mechanical valves because of their shape, but last only 15 to 20 years on average, which would require another replacement. Mechanical valves can last a lifetime, but do not perform as well as tissue valves, requiring patients to take daily anticoagulants,” says Dr. Mohammadi.

“We have produced a new mechanical heart valve that combines the best of both worlds—offering the performance of tissue valves with the long-lasting durability of mechanical valves. We believe this valve could make life easier and safer for patients,” he adds.

The breakthrough valve was made possible through an international collaboration with ViVitro Labs and independent consultants Lawrence Scotten and Rolland Siegel. The research was funded by Angeleno Medical and published this month in the Journal of Biomechanics.

“This is the only valve of its kind to be designed and built in Canada,” notes Dr. Mohammadi. “We are incredibly proud of this valve as an example of the engineering innovation coming from UBC and Canada.”

Dr. Mohammadi also says while mechanical heart valve replacements have long been in use, the long-standing challenge has been to perfect the technology for the smallest hearts—tiny infants.

“What is particularly exciting about the iValve, is that it was specifically designed for high-heart-rate applications, such as in pediatric patients,” explains Dr. Mohammadi.

Now that their prototype performs well in mechanical lab tests, the researchers will bring it to animal and clinical trials. If all goes well, they hope the iValve could be ready for those trials within two years.

In the meantime, they will also be using the technology and techniques to develop new valves.

“This valve is designed to allow blood flow to the aorta, which is the body’s largest artery, and the blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart throughout your body,” explains Mohammadi. “Next, we will take what we have learned and develop one for the mitral valve. That valve is responsible for making sure that blood flows from your left atrium to your left ventricle. It also ensures that blood doesn’t flow backward between those two chambers.”

Heart Valve Performance Lab Manager Dr. Dylan Goode is excited about what the future holds for the iValve—and for the benefits it could bring to patients.

Dr. Goode began working with Dr. Mohammadi in 2018 while completing his Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering. Recently, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, which documents his design work, fabrication and testing of the iValve.

“We have shown that the iValve can provide the structural benefits of a mechanical heart valve and last a patient’s lifespan while providing improved hemodynamic performance, meaning an improvement of the way in which blood flows through vessels.”

Dr. Goode notes the new iValve could also mean a major improvement in lifestyle for these patients who endure a routine of regular anticoagulant therapy—blood thinners—which can increase their risk of severe bleeding, blood clots or damage to tissues and organs if blood flow is impeded.

The post Made in Canada breakthrough is a gamechanger in heart valve technology appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.