UBCO researchers examine the difficulty patients might have discussing the use of psychedelics for therapeutic use with their care provider.

Feeling safe and comfortable are key when discussing your health and wellbeing with your primary care provider.

However, that feeling of comfort and safety can’t be taken for granted among many people who have turned to psychedelic substances—including psilocybin—to help control their symptoms of depression, anxiety or PTSD. Now, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has published a study looking into patient perspectives and potential issues when it comes to discussing psychedelics for therapeutic use with their physicians.

Dr. Michelle St. Pierre conducts research with Dr. Zach Walsh in UBC’s Therapeutic, Recreational, and Problematic Substance Use Lab. Their latest paper, published in Psychedelic Medicine, determined that concern about having an open discussion regarding psychedelic substances with a physician can create a roadblock to that conversation.

“A core component in the provision and receipt of appropriate medical care is trust and communication between patients and physicians,” she explains. “However, the stigmatization of psychedelic use for therapeutic purposes may complicate this process.”

In Canada, to legally obtain psychedelic substances for therapeutic use, a doctor must determine there is a genuine need for these psychedelics and then apply to Health Canada’s Special Access Program for their patient.

“The threshold for legal access to psychedelics for therapeutic purposes is high. Our team is aware that some patients with serious illnesses have been discouraged from pursuing legal avenues and have instead turned to unregulated providers, often due to difficulties in finding a physician willing to approve this emerging therapy.”

Fear of stigmatization, perceived lack of knowledge by their care provider and concern of damaging a long-term relationship with their physician can also stop the conversation.

The study analyzed data from approximately 800 adults who use psychedelics, with about 80 per cent endorsing their use for therapeutic purposes. Some 78 per cent of respondents reported facing barriers to access, while one-third said they had discussed using psychedelics with their doctor. For those who managed to have the conversation, 13 per cent said their doctor recommended psychedelics. Despite this, nearly 60 per cent of respondents felt less satisfied with the communication about psychedelics they’d had with their physician compared to previous conversations, and more than half felt discriminated against by their physician for raising the topic in the first place.

As policies evolve to improve access to psychedelic medicines, it’s crucial to also focus on fostering open and transparent communication between patients and physicians,” says Dr. St. Pierre. “In particular, there is a need for educational resources and guidelines to support health-care practitioners in understanding the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, especially for patients seeking new treatments for conditions like PTSD and depression.”

The post UBCO study explores access to psychedelics for therapeutic use appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

New UBC Okanagan research is calling for better tools for health-care providers to better manage chronic neuropathic pain for athletes living with spinal cord injuries.

With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games just around the corner, the extensive training and the sacrifices athletes make to compete at the games take centre stage.

For Paralympians and high-performance athletes with spinal cord injuries (SCI), assessing chronic pain plays a key role in their training and readiness to compete. However, the source of chronic pain is often misattributed to acute trauma or overuse injuries. While the International Olympic Committee acknowledges pain management data among Paralympians and athletes with disabilities is limited, few studies have been launched investigating this dilemma.

Now, new research from UBC Okanagan highlights the need for more comprehensive assessment tools that can help athletes with SCI recognize and communicate neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain, where a person might feel pain from any part of their body, is nerve pain that occurs after a breakdown, or severe damage to the nervous system. It is often characterized as a burning, tingling and shooting pain. However, it is hard to diagnose for those living with an SCI.

School of Health and Exercise Sciences alumna Dr. Kendra Todd is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Government of Canada’s Office of Public Service Accessibility and coach of British Columbia’s Wheelchair Rugby team.

Dr. Todd says results from her latest study provide the first comprehensive description of neuropathic pain experiences among athletes with SCI while also highlighting their challenges in recognizing and communicating this pain.

“Athletes often have greater bodily awareness and are better at identifying painful sensations compared with people who are comparatively inactive,” says Dr. Todd. “However, athletes with SCI in this study had difficulty describing their neuropathic pain symptoms. This often means pain can be misunderstood and can result in poor diagnosis and injury management.”

While not everyone diagnosed with neuropathic pain describes it as serious, a clear determination of the cause of the pain is essential for defining treatment approaches. Dr. Todd says participants in her study could express they were in pain, but used terms like indescribable, ambiguous, uncomfortable and dislocated, meaning they could feel pain but couldn’t accurately describe where it was coming from.

“Athletes in our study reported moderately intense neuropathic pain, but found it difficult to communicate their neuropathic pain without being prompted with a list of symptoms,” she adds. “Proper identification and management of neuropathic pain are critical, given its debilitating nature and likelihood of becoming unresponsive to treatment.”

The study, published recently in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine stresses the need for sports medicine clinicians and trainers to expand the toolbox to include a variety of standardized assessment tools, including symptom-based questionnaires to help identify signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain. They should also become skilled in interpreting patient descriptions and examination findings.

“If we can better understand neuropathic symptoms, we can better guide early pain management decisions for athletes who are forced to limit sports participation or have a slower return to play,” says study supervisor Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, UBC Professor and Director of the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management.

Dr. Martin Ginis stresses the need for sharing best practices with decision-makers to gain a deeper understanding of the language that athletes with SCI use when describing their neuropathic pain.

“Clinicians and trainers must be trained in identifying signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain and be skilled in interpreting patient descriptions and examination findings,” she adds.

Dr. Todd says while everyone expects athletes to train and compete at their full potential, it’s important to keep in mind those with an SCI often deal with hidden and undiagnosed pain.

“The vast majority of athletes with SCI are dealing with chronic pain, which is food for thought as we cheer on our Paralympians competing at the games,” she adds. “And effective neuropathic pain management among athletes with SCI is essential not only for alleviating discomfort but also for facilitating sport participation and promoting their overall wellbeing.”

The post Defining chronic pain for high-performance athletes with disabilities appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBCO researchers are raising concerns about brain damage caused by intimate partner violence in 2SLGBTQIA+ relationships.

When people think of a concussion or a traumatic brain injury caused by intimate partner violence (IPV), they might picture people in a heterosexual relationship, or a man hurting a woman.

But a UBC Okanagan researcher points out that IPV, and its repercussions, is an issue in all relationships. Doctoral student Tori Stranges recently published a paper examining the prevalence and damage done by violence in Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer (or Questioning), Intersex and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) relationships.

“It’s very common for people to think that violence doesn’t happen in queer relationships because the way we view violence is through a traditional heteronormative lens—where all relationships are heterosexual,” says Stranges, a researcher with UBCO’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “But IPV is defined as a pattern of physical, sexual, psychological and emotional violence in the context of coercive control by a former or current intimate partner. And it can happen to anyone, any gender, any sexual orientation and in any relationship.”

The study, published recently in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, reveals 98 per cent of respondents reported some experience with IPV in their lifetime, and about 70 per cent reported symptoms consistent with a brain injury as a result. Those symptoms result from trauma and abrasions to the face, head and neck mostly from the impact from hands, fists or being thrown into walls or downstairs, or being shaken. However, victims also suffer trauma from non-fatal strangulation and suffer a hypoxic or anoxic injury if the brain is deprived of oxygen for even a short time.

“Previous research has demonstrated that head trauma and attempted strangulation sustained in the context of IPV can result in a brain injury. However, until now, no research has existed exploring IPV brain injuries for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, indicating a gap in the knowledge on the issue.”

IPV in 2SLGBTQIA+ relationships poses a distinct challenge, she notes, primarily due to the potential invisibility of the relationship. For example, in a same-sex relationship where the couple is not out, IPV may go unnoticed by friends, family or professionals, making it difficult for the survivor to seek help or leave.

“The reality for many survivors of IPV in 2SLGBTQIA+ relationships is the people they first turn to for help do not validate their experiences as legitimate abuse and may even refuse to help,” Stranges says. “This can lead to survivors doubting whether they are true victims, deserve help, should try to leave, and whether help will be there for them if they do leave.”

The struggle to legitimize IPV in 2SLGBTQIA+ relationships as a genuine public health concern may be rooted in the struggle to legitimize the human rights of those same people, she adds.

“Lack of recognition and legal protection may lead to disparities in how IPV and IPV brain injury within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are addressed and understood. It may discourage individuals from seeking help or reporting abuse, as they may fear discrimination or judgment from authorities or service providers who may not understand their unique experiences.”

It may also result in a lack of dedicated resources and funding for research and support services tailored to the specific needs of the community. To address these issues, Stranges says it is essential to work towards not only the inclusion of the 2S/LGBTQ community in understanding IPV and IPV brain injury, but also full recognition of human rights for this population group.

She also notes the disparities in IPV brain injury exposure across different subgroups within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community further emphasize the need for tailored approaches in research, policy and practice. Particularly, the overrepresentation of Indigenous and Two-Spirit individuals in her study points to the intersectional nature of oppression and the urgent need for decolonized and inclusive research methodologies and health interventions.

Stranges works with UBCO’s Dr. Paul van Donkelaar, a Professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences and scientific advisor for Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research. Just last month, a team of UBC researchers, including Dr. van Donkelaar, was awarded $3.4M to address brain injuries in survivors of intimate partner violence.

“We are just scratching the surface in our understanding of IPV brain injury and this work is amongst the first in the world to examine this issue in the 2SLGBTQIA+community,” says Dr. van Donkelaar. “It’s important research and it’s vital that the findings from this work inform supports for IPV survivors.”

The post UBCO study raises concerns about partner violence in queer relationships appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

A conceptional illustration of the Okanagan Valley Electric Regional Passenger Rail shows the tram running alongside Okanagan Lake. Photo credit: Andrew Halfhide.

Anyone who has ever been stuck in gridlock while driving over Kelowna’s William R. Bennett Bridge or any Okanagan community can appreciate the thought that there has to be a better alternative than Highway 97 to navigate the busy corridor.

And a UBC Okanagan professor says there is.

Dr. Gordon Lovegrove, who teaches in UBCO’s School of Engineering, has studied the feasibility of an affordable passenger train patterned after a similar concept started in Karlsruhe, Germany 40 years ago.

“Hydrail tram-trains—powered by a hydrogen fuel cell/battery—is a passenger rail that acts like a tram in cities and like a train between communities. This is a new concept to North America,” explains Dr. Lovegrove. “They are self-powered, low-floor and a zero-emission technology, which differs from typical heavy-rail, high-floor, locomotive-pulled passenger cars. This gives hydrail the advantage of being able to climb hills and more affordable than highway widening.”

Dr. Lovegrove says the Okanagan’s booming tourism and population growth affect the more than 500,000 residents in communities connected mainly by Highway 97. The majority of travel is by cars, which increases the highway’s gridlock and risk of collisions. He cites recent surveys of residents, First Nations communities and businesses, coupled with joint municipal and provincial government studies that reveal the Okanagan Valley needs more than traditional auto-oriented solutions such as road widening and bypasses—options he calls ineffective and costly.

That opened the door for the researchers to study the technical and economic feasibility of an Okanagan Valley Electric Regional Passenger Rail (OVER PR) service. The study, published recently in the journal Sustainability, is the first of its kind in North America and one of the first published worldwide.

“To address growing inter-city transportation, safety, congestion and climate resilience challenges in the Okanagan Valley, we found that even in our Canadian climate and hilly terrain, hydrail tram-trains are technically feasible. And they would be more affordable than widening our highways and promoting more pollution and congestion. However, it is up to communities to decide if and where it would run.”

Dr. Lovegrove notes he deliberately analyzed the undulating Highway 97 route with its steep hills, as opposed to conventional near-flat freight routes, as the toughest test of its feasibility.

Assuming Highway 97 was chosen, OVER PR would connect cities and airports throughout the valley with a one-way trip from Osoyoos to Kamloops taking about four hours, comparable to driving a car. The tram-train could travel at higher speeds, about 90 k/h between cities, but at lower tram-specific speeds in cities, with modern transit priority signals designed to bypass delays at intersections.

“Using embedded rails, sharing existing and HOV lanes as well as highway rights-of-way, or medians, between cities, would drastically reduce the need for land acquisition without taking away capacity. The route would also be designed to integrate with regional bus services to construct an optimal arrival and departure schedule,” he says.

With OVER PR ridership expected to be more than 13,000 passengers per day, there is something in it for even those who could not make the jump from driving to using the tram-train, as it would mean less traffic congestion and travel delays.

“Hydrail combined with tram-train technology has never been tried in Canada, yet hydrogen trains present advantages compared with electrification by eliminating the requirement for expensive infrastructure such as catenaries (above ground wires) and substations. It also grants the flexibility to operate in remote rural areas or difficult terrain where electrification might pose challenges, which improves its overall effectiveness and adaptability. When hydrogen production is coupled with other forms of renewable energy generation, the environmental benefits are favourable.”

The study states the system, similar to ones that operate in California’s Napa Valley or the Karlsruhe region in Germany, can have economic, social and ecological benefits for tourists and residents.

Dr. Lovegrove’s research suggests that over 30 years, and using the same cost-benefit analysis template used by provincial policy analysts, OVER PR benefits total more than $45 billion, and outweigh its capital and operating costs by nine to one, with many more benefits than widening Highway 97.

“The Okanagan Valley is expected to continue with significant population growth, tourism and traffic congestion which leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions, as well as more vehicles and highway fatalities,” Dr. Lovegrove says. “If communities agree to proceed with OVER PR planning this valley-long zero-emission, passenger rail service could significantly enhance transport equity, safety and congestion while also providing a more affordable, resilient and environmentally friendly choice for valley residents, businesses and tourists.”

The post UBCO professor researches electric passenger light rail for Okanagan Valley appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

A UBCO professor is asking Canadians how they feel about their country and what it means to be a Canadian.

Canada Day is often portrayed as a time to celebrate Canada through picnics, red and white flags, and community celebrations.

UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Catherine Broom is curious what Canadians will be celebrating this year.

Dr. Broom, an Associate Professor with the Okanagan School of Education, is studying how Canadians understand what Canada is—what it means to be a Canadian and how to educate for this. Along with her graduate assistant Dr. Camille Rousseau, she is gathering data from an online survey that invites Canadians to share their views on citizenship, identity and citizenship education.

Since the survey’s launch two years ago, more than 500 people have participated—predominately females between the ages of 19 and 25, and those living in Western Canada. Early findings suggest that this year’s Canada Day celebrations may be somewhat quiet, particularly among younger Canadians.

“Respondents generally report feeling a sense of belonging and pride in Canada at 58 per cent and 44 per cent respectively,” says Dr. Broom. “However, many have been reflecting on whether being proud of Canada is appropriate given the country’s historical wrongs and contemporary issues. Respondents have echoed similar sentiments stating that while some might be proud, others have a good reason not to be.”

Housing concerns, economic instability, addressing Canada’s historical wrongs, climate change and social inequality top the list of reasons why some Canadians may not feel proud this Canada Day.

Participants feel that Canadians should be bonded in their values and their diversity. When speaking specifically about the values Canadians should share, participants reported more than 390 unique responses. Across these responses, key values include kindness, respect and diversity.

“On a positive note, participants’ hope for the future of Canada is that it be a welcoming nation of inclusivity, tolerance and acceptance,” says Dr. Broom.

And she notes many agree the maple leaf is the most commonly associated symbol of Canada.

By the end of this research, Dr. Broom hopes to develop recommendations for school citizenship education programs that address participants’ feedback and bring Canadians together.

People can learn more about the study, find resources on citizenship education or fill out the survey at citizenshipeducation.ok.ubc.ca.

The survey is open to adults across Canada, and is available in English and French.

The post What will Canadians be celebrating this Canada Day? appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

A new UBCO School of Nursing study examines how nurses and nurse practitioners deal with the ethical issue of medically assisted death.

Whatever your perspective on Canada’s evolving legislation on medical assistance in dying (MAID), actually putting the law into practice is often where ethical dilemmas arise.

This is especially true for the health-care professionals who provide it. Registered nurses and nurse practitioners, in particular, play a large role in medically assisted death. Until recently, their experiences have not been well documented.

Dr. Barb Pesut, Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing, recently led a study that describes how nurses are wrestling with the moral complexities of implementing current and future MAID legislation.

“Changes in legislation require changes in practice on the ground,” says Dr. Pesut. “It is important that those affected by those changes have a voice.”

Dr. Pesut’s research, recently published in the Global Qualitative Nursing Research journal, points to how nurses have changed their approach to talking to patients about MAID. When legislation was first passed in 2016, nurses were not permitted to introduce the idea of assisted death unless patients brought it up themselves. Even then, nurses were to respond cautiously so as not to risk being seen to coerce patients, Dr. Pesut explains.

The nurses interviewed in the study say they now take a more person-centred approach rather than a risk-centred one.

“Nurse practitioners felt that the potential for coercion is far more likely if MAID is introduced during times of transition or crisis, such as entry into long-term care or significant health decline,” says Dr. Pesut. “In their view, it’s better to have the conversation on MAID alongside other options during times of stability. Patients can then identify what best meets their needs and aligns with their values.”

Nevertheless, nurses say they are challenged to make the time for these conversations in a busy health-care environment and to communicate patients’ wishes with other health-care providers.

The study also asked nurses about how they are making moral sense of legislation that has expanded MAID eligibility to people for whom death is not reasonably foreseeable—and the potential expansion to people whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness. The nurses struggled not so much with individual rights and freedoms but rather with issues of health-care equity.

“Patients facing stigma such as those using substances and frequent users of the system might be more likely to believe that MAID is their only viable option,” says Dr. Pesut. “Nurses also expressed concern about the system’s failure to effectively serve those living with chronic medical conditions and disabilities. The legal debate of MAID as a treatment option should deeply consider these realities.”

In fact, in February 2024, the Government of Canada legislated a three-year delay of MAID for those whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness based on feedback stating the health-care system was not yet ready.

Dr. Pesut’s study found that one of the most important safeguards, particularly for a person whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, might be a robust primary care relationship that provides sufficient time and holistic care.

“Despite Canada’s health-care challenges, there are innovative ways to ensure those applying for MAID have access to care providers, including nurses, who can work alongside them to ensure their choice is for the right person, at the right time and for the right reasons.”

The post Nurses wrestle with ethical questions on MAID appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBCO honoured more than 2,400 graduates last week along with top academic achievers Jordan Bird, Liam Krebbers, Oluwaseun Akinloye, Jacob Sol and Joanna Fear.

Inspired by previous UBCO top students as he began his master’s degree a few years ago, Jordan Bird—this year’s winner of UBC Okanagan’s Governor General Gold medal—has now reached their heights.

While completing his master’s degree, Bird worked under the supervision of Dr. Glen Foster and was also exposed to the work of previous UBCO graduates Drs. Mike Tymko and Ryan Hoiland—both won the Governor General Gold medal in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

The Governor General Gold Medal is awarded annually to the student with the highest academic standing who is graduating from a UBCO master’s or doctoral program. This year, Bird, who received the university’s top award as he graduated from the School of Health and Exercise Sciences with a Master of Science degree, admits he had excellent role models and support throughout his studies.

“My undergrad mentor Dr. Trevor Day would always tell me that science is about people. You look at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences and realize it is a really special place because of both the quality of people you work with and the quality of research conducted. When you look at former students like Drs. Tymko and Hoiland—who are phenomenal people and academics—it’s no secret that you get to work and learn from really great people at UBCO,” says Bird. “If you work with genuine people who care about facilitating each other’s success while also working hard, good things happen.”

Bird didn’t plan on continuing his studies, but met Drs. Hoiland and Mypinder Sekhon while they were conducting research at the Okanagan campus. He admired their academic work and decided to move to UBC Vancouver to continue his studies under their direction.

“While it has been a transition to a new field of study, the most important thing to me is doing good work with good people,” he says. “The people at UBC and UBCO are ambitious, supportive, humble and enthusiastic. I’m just incredibly lucky to be able to work with such amazing people throughout grad school.”

Bird, who plans to pursue either medicine or critical care research, was presented with his Governor General Gold medal when he graduated Friday morning.

Also graduating Friday, was Liam Krebbers, who is heading straight into his doctoral program. Along with receiving the School of Engineering Medal of Excellence, he was also presented with the Governor General’s Silver Medal for his high academic accomplishments.

The Governor General’s Silver Medal recognizes undergraduate students who have achieved the top academic record throughout their university careers, while the UBCO Engineering medal goes to the campus’ top graduating engineering student.

Krebbers also won an Ivy League entrance scholarship and will begin his doctoral studies in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University.

“I’m incredibly grateful for all the awards, encouragement and opportunities I received at UBC and am so excited to continue my journey this fall,” says Krebbers.

Over the past two years, through his undergraduate research work with Dr. Sina Kheirkhah, an Associate Professor with the School of Engineering, Krebbers seized every opportunity to learn about combustion, laser-based diagnostics, fuel flexible technologies and published several research and conference papers along the way.

He has his sights set on becoming a researcher and professor.

Like Krebbers and many who graduated from UBCO last week, Oluwaseun Akinloye didn’t have a high school graduation ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic and her first year of studies was virtual. When she did eventually arrive from Calgary, she immediately got involved participating in ski outings, and joining organizations like the African Caribbean Student Club (ACSC).

However, even though she was working as a residence advisor and peer mentor, Akinloye felt isolated. While the ACSC helped her feel heard and understood, and validated her need for connection, she also saw a void and felt there was something she could offer in return.

In her third year, Akinloye spearheaded various Black History Month events, including one that attracted more than 250 participants. This was a foundational step in the establishment of the Black Student Association (BSA).

“As co-founder and inaugural president of the BSA, I confronted the isolation that many Black students felt in the Okanagan. We recognized a gap that needed bridging—the ACSC was thriving, yes, but its presence did not negate the need for the BSA, which addresses a broader spectrum of Black identity than the ACSC, recognizing that not all people of African or Caribbean descent identify as Black and not all Black individuals are African or Caribbean.”

She also established the first BSA student art exhibit on campus to feature works solely by Black students. But she didn’t stop with art and academics, introducing monthly “Let’s Agree to Disagree” forums which offered a platform for all students to voice their thoughts on a wide range of topics, from everyday pop culture to critical global issues.

As she graduated from the School of Health and Exercises Friday, Akinloye was presented with UBCO’s Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. The medal is offered annually to a graduating student who demonstrates academic merit and contribution to the life of the university and their community.

Akinloye notes she is proud of her accomplishments, the BSA has bloomed with growing membership and she feels she has made a significant difference to life at UBCO. Later this year she will take her Medical College Admission Test with the goal of becoming a doctor.

While medals and accolades were handed out during the two days of ceremonies last week, many students were also presented the scholarships and recognition for their work in and out of the classroom.

Jacob Sol, who crossed the stage to pick up his Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering Friday afternoon not only picked up his parchment, but also received the 2024 Gordon Springate Sr. Award.

The Dr. Gordon Springate Sr. Award in Engineering is presented annually to an engineering graduate who has demonstrated a material contribution to their community outside of their program. The $15,000 award—the single largest donor-funded award for an undergraduate student at UBC Okanagan—is named for Dr. Gordon Springate Sr., an electrical engineering and educator committed to giving back to his field and his community.

True to the intentions of the award, Sol’s time at UBC has been spent making an impact.

During his first semester at UBCO in fall 2020—a time when the world was grappling with COVID-19—Sol was laser-focused on another threat to the globe.

“It dawned on me early in my studies that stormwater contamination is a hugely significant environmental issue, both in our local communities and worldwide. With our water systems being so precious in the Okanagan, and all over the world, I saw there was a need and a way for me to make a positive impact,” explains Sol, who credits his father for inspiring him to take an interest in the ocean and aquatic environments from a young age.

Along with two other students he met in first year, Sol created a company which developed a smart integrated stormwater decontamination and flood monitoring device which allows for real-time data collection and informed decision making. The team would go on to work with a number of community partners, including the Okanagan Basin Water Board and the City of Kelowna. In June 2020, Jacob’s team presented its idea in the final AquaHacking pitch competition and was awarded second place in Western Canada.

Along the way, Sol balanced keeping the research project afloat while maintaining outstanding grades and being a member of the UBCO Heat men’s soccer team.

“It’s not always easy juggling everything, but my time at UBCO has been rewarding because I’ve had these opportunities to get involved outside the classroom,” says Sol. “I’m very proud I’ve been able to make a difference and I hope through my graduate studies I’ll be able to continue to build on the idea.”

Sol will be using the award as he enters graduate studies at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands.

“The opportunity to study at TU Delft is life-changing. I’m incredibly grateful to the Springate family for this support, which is helping to make my dream possible.”

On Thursday, another Heat athlete—one who is used to being a top winner—was also recognized for her academic achievements. Joanna Fear earned her Bachelor of Science degree and was also named winner of the Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize—one of the highest awards available for a student in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Sciences.

For more than 15 years, the $10,000 prize has recognized a top graduating student who has excelled academically and shown leadership while earning their degree. Fear has done that and a bit more—she is also one of Canada’s top female triathletes and competed for Canada at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before retiring from the sport.

“I want to thank the people who helped to get me to UBCO after the Tokyo Olympics. Coach Malindi Elmore was an incredible mentor as I navigated retirement from a sport that I had done full-time for over a decade,” says Fear.

Fear, who has been accepted to the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University, was surprised when she heard she had won the award. The support provided by this award will allow her to move begin her medical training this September.

“I am truly honoured at having been selected, and I will continue to be a leader both on and off the field of play,” she adds. “I feel deeply privileged to have won this award and I hope to make the UBCO community proud.”

The post UBCO celebrates top academic students in the Class of 2024 appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBCO clinical instructors Dr. Jennifer Locke and Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis are hosting an event that will explain the best type of exercises that can improve a woman’s bladder control.

What: MEDTalks: Keeping the “P” in Physical Activity
Who: UBC Clinical Instructor and urologist Dr. Jennifer Locke and UBC Distinguished Professor Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis
When: Wednesday, June 5 from 7 to 8 pm
Venue: UBC Clinical Academic Campus in Kelowna General Hospital, 2312 Pandosy St. Virtual option also available.

Approximately 30 per cent of women experience bladder control problems. These issues can often be aggravated with strength training, in particular core and abdominal exercises.

However, pelvic floor physiotherapy is proven to effectively improve bladder control and mitigate these challenges.

UBC’s Southern Medical Program is inviting the public to learn from health experts about common bladder control problems and how exercise can help overcome these issues.

Dr. Jennifer Locke is a urologist based at Kelowna General Hospital and a Clinical Instructor with the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Urologic Sciences. Dr. Locke is a Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is also an Affiliate Clinician with UBC’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management.

Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She is a Distinguished Professor at the UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences and UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Medicine where she holds the Reichwald Family Chair in Preventive Medicine. Dr. Martin Ginis is the Founding Director of UBC’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management and of the Canadian Disability Participation Project.

MEDTalks is a health education lecture series exploring current and emerging trends in medicine. Hosted by the Southern Medical Program at UBC Okanagan, researchers and health professionals share their insights and expertise.

The event is free and open to the public with in-person and virtual options available but registration is required.

To register or find out more details, visit: smp.med.ubc.ca/community-engagement/medtalks

The post Southern Medical Program showcases health improvement strategies appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

A team of engineering and science students from UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College brought home the Audience Choice Award for their creation of EMBR an autobot that can detect “zombie” fires.

While the images of last summer’s wildfires will stay with many people for a long time, it was that emergency that inspired a group of students to create a remote device that can detect smouldering embers.

Engineering and science students from UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College recently returned from Boston where they demonstrated the autobot they specifically designed to detect “zombie” or underground wildfires that can smoulder months after the danger has passed.

“Our team knew that wildfires were a serious issue, but they kind of felt distant—something that happened to others, never to us,” says Aziz Rakhimov, a third-year UBCO electrical engineering student and product lead. “That all changed last summer when a wildfire reached Kelowna, threatened our campus, and made us all leave our beloved city in a rush.”

Those fires inspired the UBCO HEAT Robotics team to create their Ember Mitigation Bot Responder (EMBR).

The autonomous robotic device uses a thermal camera, smoke sensor and a temperature probe, coupled with AI-driven analytics, to navigate through a variety of terrains, find concealed hotspots, report their exact location and provide a comprehensive approach to heat detection.

“Our direct encounter with the threat of wildfires ignited a realization within us,” says Rakhimov. “It wasn’t enough to be passive observers—we are engineers, thinkers, creators—there had to be something we could do.”

EMBR was entered in last month’s MassRobotics Form & Function Robotics Challenge which took place in Boston. One of the world’s leading student robotics development events, the competition brings together university teams from around the globe. This year’s was to create a robotics or automation project with a cutting-edge form that accomplishes an important real-world solution.

“We developed EMBR to combat the prominent issues that we face in British Columbia regarding wildfires,” says Rakhimov. “The recent wildfire season was catastrophic and our communities grappled with the trauma and damage to hundreds of homes. Particularly close was the McDougall Creek fire in West Kelowna, which rapidly spread to Kelowna where we live and go to school.”

As soon as they arrived the team immediately began to feel audience support. They ended up winning the Audience Choice Award—outperforming teams from MIT, Stanford, Tufts, Cornell, Carnegie and Harvard.

“It took a lot of amazing teamwork to build, refine and program the bot,” says team coordinator Jonathan Chin, a second-year mechanical engineering student at UBCO. “This project has been an incredible opportunity to put to work all we have learned in our program.”

The team had a lot of background support within the university and from external partners including West Coast Robotics Ltd., SOLIDWORKS, KF Aerospace and Okanagan College. UBCO’s School of Engineering, the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, AMD, Analog Devices and CubePilot were also co-sponsors.

“Congratulations to the EMBR team on this impressive result and on their continued dedication, hard work and innovative efforts to address this important issue,” says Dr. Will Hughes, Director of the School of Engineering. “We know wildfire response and resilience is a topic of deep importance to our region—and to the world—in the face of a changing environment. This project is an example of the many ways in which UBC can support and advance these efforts through our research, learning and teaching.”

Buffered by their achievement, the team plans to continue to refine their design and will look for additional funding for the project through government grants and industry partnerships.

“In the future, EMBR could use an onboard water system or alternative methods, such as smothering embers with cool soil,” he adds. “We will also be researching other features such as topographical data analysis and using swarm tactics to have multiple rovers working together to cover more ground.”

To learn more about EMBR including sponsorship and partnership opportunities, visit: linktr.ee/heatrobotics.

The post UBCO engineering team triumphs at international robotics competition appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBCO researchers are urging the province to come up with a use management strategy for provincial parks due to concerns about overuse as the parks’ popularity, and BC’s population, continue to increase. Pictured: Saysutshun Provincial Park. Photo by Lyle Wilkinson on Unsplash.

The very thing that makes BC’s pristine provincial parks so popular—nature, serenity, wildlife, the great outdoors—may be in danger of irreparable damage as park use continues to grow alongside the province’s population.

In fact, UBC Okanagan researchers say finding a balance between ecological integrity and public enjoyment of provincial parks is a pressing issue that is likely to escalate with population growth and climate change.

Dr. Michael Noonan is head of UBCO’s Quantitative Ecology Lab in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science. His team’s latest research examines the future of BC’s bustling provincial park system and suggests that as the climate continues to warm, parks will feel the brunt of increased use.

“The problem isn’t going to go away,” he adds. “Parks will suffer from overcrowding, and there will be more human-wildlife conflict in these parks. We’re calling for better education that needs to start now, not in a few years.”

Dr. Noonan cautions that finding a balance between providing recreational opportunities and preserving a safe environment for wildlife will be challenging.

“Our provincial parks have a dual mandate,” he says. “They are areas for people to use for recreational purposes, but they’re also meant as protected places for wildlife. People will often use parks based on the weather—it’s a nice day; let’s get out for a hike. The warmer the weather, the busier these parks are going to get.”

Their study, published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, analyzed the daily usage of more than 249 BC provincial parks. The study’s lead author, undergraduate student Dayna Weststrate, says that management plans have already been implemented to control overuse in highly populated areas.

Crowds bring other potential issues, such as noisy parking lots, damage to sensitive off-trail areas, increased littering and more frequent encounters between visitors and wildlife.

Some parks already require a day-use permit to regulate the number of people allowed to access trails, picnic areas and lakes.

“We tend to be typically reactive with our parks, but I’m suggesting that now is the time we start planning for the future,” Weststrate says. “Instead of reacting to overcrowding when it happens, let’s plan for the future now.”

Along with concerns about heavier park use due to population growth, the study also points to another ramification of overuse—climate change will have ecological consequences that can affect park attendance.

As the climate continues to change, it is expected that wildlife will adjust the timing of their migration or reproduction patterns. This, in turn, may lead to changes in the busiest months for park usage. Such changes could have an impact on mating habits and the reproduction of several species.

Weststrate says the study is an opportunity for the province to start planning for the future sustainability of BC parks. She notes that if proper plans are not in place, climate change-driven increases in attendance and human-wildlife interactions risk the sustainability of nature-based tourism within BC’s protected areas.

“Some of the projections do seem bleak, but they are not yet set in stone,” she adds. “The future of BC’s parks depends upon our ability to maintain a healthy balance between tourism and conservation. Park managers should use these findings to plan for more visitors and avoid cases of human-wildlife conflict, ultimately sustaining the viability of nature-based tourism.”

The post People, climate to intensify pressure on popular provincial parks appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.