Dr. Miles Thorogood presents SPIRAL, his Canada Foundation for Innovation-funded space, at the 2024 launch event. Research in the lab explores simulating the creative process in sound design to develop advanced models and algorithms for new computational tools.

We’ve all been there, protecting our ears. The school play in the gym or community hall, where sound is distorted due to glitches in equipment.  

“And listening to live performances on the internet introduces even more glitches. Yikes,” says UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Miles Thorogood.   

But now, Dr. Thorogood and his team at UBCO’s Sonic Production, Intelligence, Research, and Applications Lab (SPIRAL) are exploring how advanced machine learning can make glitch-free network music performances possible, supporting creative collaboration and public art experiences.   

The SPIRAL researchers are exploring how audio data travel through a network. They’re using neural networks for Packet Loss Concealment, which generates synthetic audio that can not be lost in transmission, so listeners never notice the gaps.    

Quite often, during a remote music performance, audio packet loss can cause glitches when data travel across a computer network and fail to reach their destination, especially with high-quality audio over wi-fi in noisy urban environments, explains Dr. Thorogood, who teaches in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. 

While designing the sound infrastructure for Light up Kelowna—using a wireless multi-node audio visual format—Dr. Thorogood observed audio packet loss, and along with undergraduate media studies student Yashvardhan Joshi, furthered their research for a recent publication in IEEE Access.  

Dr. Thorogood explains how this research blends art and science to solve a recurring problem: how to hide glitches in complicated soundscapes made from overlapping natural and electronic sounds, so public installations and music feel immersive and uninterrupted. 

Can you explain what audio packet loss concealment means, and what this research paper is about?  

An Audio Packet is how audio data travel through a network. The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) transmits data streams for real-time communication, such as voice or network music performance. However, UDP—nicknamed the “ultra-dodgy protocol”—lacks error control, so lost or corrupt packets cannot be retransmitted, causing glitches that disrupt remote music performance. Our approach uses a machine learning algorithm to generate synthetic audio that closely resembles what should have been heard, based on the history of the audio signal.   

This contribution represents a substantial increase in modelling difficulty compared to the stationary signals commonly studied in PLC literature.    

Tell us about the Sonic Production, Intelligence, Research, and Applications Lab (SPIRAL)?  

At SPIRAL, we research digital media art and design practices and develop technology solutions for creative workflows. The work in this paper proposes deep learning methods to streamline and conduct glitch free network music performances. This directly relates to the research conducted at SPIRAL in machine learning models to assist and streamline the creative process of music performance and sound analysis.     

How did you apply this research to Light Up Kelowna?   

We designed the Light up Kelowna infrastructure around a wireless multi-node audio visual architecture using open-source hardware and software developed in the lab. With the deployment of the Light Up Kelowna system, we observed audio packet loss some of the time. An analysis of the situation revealed that the large distances between nodes and noisy radio frequency urban environment was the cause of the problem. To mitigate the audio packet loss, we explored packet loss concealment for network music.   

This work provided an opportunity for Yashvardhan to investigate how current deep learning algorithms catered towards Packet Loss Concealment solutions can be used to create experimental audio effects for novel sonic explorations for the music industry. He is also working on public art infrastructure both in creating sound art and developing light and sound technology as part of Light Up Kelowna.   

For more information on the work conducted at SPIRAL, visit: https://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/spiral 

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A new UBCO study finds that microdosing appears to lift mood and mental functioning on the days it’s practiced, but not beyond that.

A new UBC Okanagan study found that people who microdose psychedelics feel better on the days they take them—but those boosts don’t seem to last.

This suggests, says Dr. Michelle St. Pierre, that perceived benefits may be acute rather than long lasting.

Dr. St. Pierre is a post-doctoral psychology researcher with UBCO’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She recently published a study in Psychopharmacology that tracks the daily experiences of people who microdose with psychedelics.

Microdosing involves ingesting small amounts of a psychedelic substance, commonly psilocybin mushrooms or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

“Most doses vary from one-tenth to one-twentieth of a recreational dose,” Dr. St. Pierre says. “Typical practices alternate varying proportions of non-dosing days to limit the rapid tolerance that can develop with so-called classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD. Anecdotal reports suggest that this may also be intended to leverage residual effects that could carry over to non-dosing days.”

While interest in microdosing has grown rapidly, she notes that scientific research has only emerged over the past 15 years. This means popular use has outpaced the scientific support to back it up.

Using data from the Microdose.me project, the world’s largest international daily diary study of real-world microdosing, Dr. St. Pierre says the findings show people tend to feel more connected, creative, focused and productive on days they microdose, as well as increased wellbeing and contemplation. However, these effects didn’t appear to persist on non-dosing days.

“Microdosing appears to lift mood and mental functioning on the days it’s practiced, but not necessarily beyond that,” she adds. “These findings help clarify when and how microdosing effects are felt.”

More than 1,435 microdosers from 49 countries participated in the study. Each morning, participants were asked if they had microdosed and rated how they felt across variables such as connectedness, contemplation, creativity, focus, productiveness and wellbeing.

The research team also examined whether these day-level effects varied across factors such as gender, mental-health history, the substance being microdosed, and whether participants had previously taken larger doses of psychedelics.

Dr. St. Pierre explains that the results were consistent across nearly all groups.

“The only meaningful difference we observed was among people with a history of taking larger psychedelic doses, who showed slightly higher microdosing-day increases in creativity,” she says.

This pattern aligns with emerging evidence that full-dose psychedelic experiences may enhance creativity. One interpretation, Dr. St. Pierre notes, is that microdosing could “reactivate” or build upon these prior effects, though this idea remains speculative.

“We need future research designed specifically to test whether microdosing can amplify or extend the impacts of larger-dose psychedelic experiences,” she adds.

Overall, the study adds daily-level precision to a growing body of research suggesting microdosing may enhance wellbeing and cognitive performance—although in a short-term, day-specific way. While the results are an extension of earlier work, Dr. St. Pierre says this remains an observational study and further research is needed to separate expectation effects from genuine pharmacological changes.

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Displayed on the side of the Kelowna Community Theatre is Primary Flight, a short animation of a bird coming alive created by media studies student Gemma Cairney with a combination painting and digital animation.

Light Up Kelowna is an innovative public art initiative that is brightening up the heart of downtown into a vibrant digital canvas blending light, sound and video to create an immersive celebration of creativity and community.  

The project is produced by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan (ARTSCO) in collaboration with UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS), with support from the City of Kelowna. Light Up Kelowna consists of three elements viewed together: light projections along the Artwalk, an audio installation and a three-channel video projected on the side of the Kelowna Community Theatre. 

It’s a vibrant installation that illuminates the Cultural District, showcasing local artists and engaging the community in a celebration of creativity and connection, explains Kirsteen McCulloch, director of ARTSCO. 

“By embracing cutting-edge technologies and bold artistic expression, Light Up Kelowna positions our city as a leader in public art—creating a foundation for future creativity and collaboration that will inspire generations to come,” says McCulloch. 

The exhibition currently projected outside the Kelowna Community Theatre, Digital Fragments, showcases the work of upper-level students from UBCO’s fine arts and media studies program in a digital media class with Dr. Aleksandra Dulic.  

“Light Up Kelowna really pushes the boundaries of a classroom in terms of being able to show our student work in the community in a real and visible way,” says Dr. Dulic. “This opportunity for students strengthens community connections by celebrating local talent and inviting everyone to share in the creativity that shapes our city.” 

Alongside the digital projections are the audio installation and Gobo light projections along the Artwalk, the walkway between the Rotary Centre for the Arts and Kelowna Community Theatre. The light projections show the work of Kelowna Secondary School student Tara Dunn, Celebrating the Return, accompanied by audio work created by Yashvardhan Joshi, a fourth-year media studies student at UBCO. For the soundscape, Joshi created a nine-minute track to complement the light projections. 

Joshi also worked with Dr. Miles Thorogood and his team at UBCO’s Sonic Production, Intelligence, Research, and Applications Lab (SPIRAL)  to design the cutting-edge wireless sound and light system that brings the Artwalk to life.  

“Through SPIRAL, we research digital media art and design practices and develop technology solutions for creative workflows,” explains Dr. Thorogood. “We designed the Light up Kelowna infrastructure around a wireless multi-node audio visual architecture using open-source hardware and software developed in our lab.” 

As part of his work in SPIRAL and the media studies program, Joshi is exploring Packet Loss Concealment—when data files shared across a computer network fail to reach their destination. Joshi is exploring how deep learning algorithms can create experimental audio effects for the music industry while also developing technology for Light Up Kelowna. 

“Collaborating with UBCO allows us to have access to creators, collaborators and students, helping to really bring this project to the next level and create a conversation through art in the community,” says McCulloch. 

The current installation, Celebrating the Return, is on view along the ArtWalk until mid-January. Light Up Kelowna @KCT, Digital Fragments is on view until December 11 when it will move onto the digital screen in the ARTSCO studio space.  

All the Stars We Cannot See, created by UBCO Associate Professor Dr. Megan Smith and Gao Yujie will be featured from December 12 to January 7. Following that will be artist displays from UBC Okanagan students and an animation showcase by students from Okanagan College. 

View this video to find out more about the project: https://youtu.be/GWoOKnZ9pDg 

For more information about the exhibitions, visit: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/light-up-kelowna  

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UBCO researchers are saying we need to rethink current strategies used to prevent youth suicide.

The old proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” also applies to preventing youth suicide, according to UBC Okanagan researchers who found that community support is essential.

In Canada, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among children under 14 and the second for youth and young adults between 15 and 34 years old. The UBCO Faculty of Health and Social Development researchers say governments, schools and community agencies need to rethink how youth suicide prevention efforts are designed.

And work together on the issue.

“Suicide among young people is a major public health issue and is among the leading causes of death among children and youth around the world,” says Dr. Katrina Plamondon, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and study co-lead.

The study, led by UBCO’s Equity Science Lab, involved youth, emerging adults, caregivers and service providers through community partnerships. Discussions showed that resilience is not only a personal trait, but also something shaped by supportive communities.

“Most prevention strategies continue to focus on individual behaviours, coping skills or risk profiles,” says Dr. Plamondon. “But this approach overlooks the powerful influence of social, structural, political and environmental conditions on youth wellbeing, and often fails to prevent an incredibly tragic loss of life.”

The study, published recently in Critical Public Health, points to mounting evidence that links suicidality to systemic racism, rural isolation, environmental contamination and inequitable access to basic resources such as clean water and safe housing.

“Despite this,” says study co-author Dr. Shelly Ben-David, “youth voices are rarely included in designing prevention strategies.”

Dr. Ben-David, Associate Professor with UBCO’s School of Social Work, says that many high school students, young adults, caregivers and community service providers all had a voice in this study. The team used collages, stories and metaphors—such as the Japanese art of kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with gold—to encourage deeper reflection.

“Many participants saw resilience as something repaired and rebuilt ‘with many hands’, showing that young people need care, connection and supportive environments to be resilient,” she adds.

Across all groups, there was a common message: resilience is action taken together. Study participants say resilient communities help youth feel they belong, build strong relationships and feel supported in a positive environment.

“These are key areas to focus on if communities truly hope to reduce youth suicides and promote collective thriving,” adds Dr. Sana Shahram, Assistant Professor with the School of Nursing.

Focusing on community–based strategies and place-based interventions opens the door to more effective suicide prevention, explains Dr. Shahram, who co-directs the Equity Science Lab with Dr. Plamondon.

“In this study, we heard from young people and the supportive adults in their lives, showing that resilient communities are active, engaged places where youth feel not only sheltered from harm, but empowered to contribute, collaborate and express themselves,” she adds.

This approach means addressing the current social and structural determinants of health that shape young people’s lives, instead of putting all the responsibility on the individual to cope and recover.

“There is an urgent need for community-based approaches that invest in youth, not only because adults in their lives want to protect them, but also because everyone’s fate is inherently tied to their thriving,” Dr. Shahram adds. “Together we can create a pathway to reimagining how communities organize around suicide prevention and create environments where our young people can truly thrive.”

Along with faculty in the School of Nursing and the School of Social Work, the study was conducted with support from Melissa Feddersen, manager of UBCO’s Campus Wellness and Education team.

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Conducting hands-on work in UBC Okanagan’s Battery Research Centre, doctoral student Musanna Galib was able to find a way to control the growth of damaging metallic crystals on batteries when they charge, leading to safer and longer lasting zinc-ion batteries.

While burning electric vehicles, exploding e-bikes and melting smartphones no longer make the headlines, the issue of battery safety has yet to be fully resolved.

However, UBC researchers recently made a crucial breakthrough in battery research that may improve the longevity and safety of zinc-ion batteries.

Led by doctoral student Musanna Galib, the team studied how dendrites can damage the protective coating on zinc-ion batteries, using labs at both UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver.

Dendrites, explains Galib, are harmful but minuscule, needle-like structures that grow on the surface of a battery’s electrode during charging. Over time, dendrites can pierce the separating layer between electrodes to cause a short circuit. This can lead to battery failure, damage or even an explosive fire.

“In zinc batteries, dendrites are a major obstacle to developing safe and rechargeable alternatives to lithium-ion technology as they limit the lifespan and reliability of the battery,” explains Galib.

Dr. Jian Liu, an associate professor with the School of Engineering and lead researcher with UBC’s Battery Innovation Research Excellence Cluster, says that while lithium-ion batteries dominate the market due to their high energy density and advanced manufacturing maturity, zinc batteries are cheaper to produce, safer and more environmentally friendly than lithium ones.

“Zinc batteries offer significant advantages as zinc is abundant and inexpensive, and the water-based electrolytes in zinc-ion batteries make them non-flammable,” he explains. “If we can solve the dendrite problem, zinc could become a strong alternative for grid storage and safe, affordable energy systems.”

The study, featured on the cover of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, showed that applying a thin film coating can initiate internal mechanical stresses that act as a shield and discourage dendrite growth. This mechanical barrier suppresses dendrite initiation and growth at the atomic scale, says Galib.

By using high-speed in situ optical microscopy, Galib and the team watched zinc dendrites grow in real time. They learned that the coated zinc surfaces stayed smoother and produced less hydrogen gas, even under high current densities.

“The computer simulations backed this up,” says Galib. “Residual stresses from the coatings made it harder for sharp dendrites to form, leading to more stable cycling and fewer safety risks.”

While the computational modelling and stress analysis simulations took place in the Modelling and Simulation Research Group’s lab, supervised by UBC Vancouver’s Dr. Mauricio Ponga, much of the experimental synthesis and electrochemical testing took place at UBC Okanagan’s Battery Innovation Centre.

Future energy storage systems need to be not only powerful but also safe and sustainable, adds Dr. Liu. He also notes this particular project is a strong example of the cross-campus research opportunities provided to UBC students.

“The collaboration between the two campuses was essential. It combined state-of-the-art simulations and experiments to uncover the coating’s stress-driven protection mechanism,” he adds. “This study provided the first clear connection between coating stress and electrochemical stability. Understanding and controlling these dendrites opens the door to safer, high-performance batteries for electric vehicles, wearable tech and renewable energy grids.”

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A UBC Okanagan researcher suggests if your smartphone is interrupting social events or your productivity, think before you reach out and pick it up.

With more than four billion people around the globe owning a smartphone, researchers are now looking at ways to reduce a growing public health concern—problematic smartphone use.

Dr. Susan Holtzman teaches psychology in UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She recently published a study in Mindfulness examining the overuse or dependence on smartphones and how it might be curbed with mindfulness techniques.

She discusses the issue and provides a few tips for people who might be “addicted to their devices”.

Can you explain problematic smartphone use?

Smartphones have become embedded in the daily lives of billions of people across the world. Smartphone use might be considered “problematic” if someone spends an excessive amount of time on their device, has trouble controlling their use and it significantly interferes with important areas of life. But there is still quite a bit of disagreement about how we should be defining and measuring problematic smartphone use.

Why is it a problem?

Smartphones give us unfettered access to information, our social networks and tools for daily living. But smartphone use can still get in the way of our work, relationships and mental wellbeing. There can be physical health issues as well, such as sleep interruptions and pain, especially in the neck and shoulders.

Smartphone overuse is not classified as an addiction in the same way as problematic gambling or substance use. But there are some overlapping features. For example, some people report a great deal of distress and anxiety when separated from their phone—something referred to as nomophobia. Whether you call it an addiction or not, many people from all age groups are expressing a desire to reduce their smartphone use.

And what did your research determine?

Our review found that people who have a tendency to be more mindful in their daily lives are less likely to have a problematic relationship with their phones.

We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of 61 studies, involving more than 39,000 people across 11 countries, that looked at the relationship between mindfulness and problematic smartphone use. We were particularly interested in who might be helped by this approach.

To be mindful means to be aware of the present moment and to pay attention to it in a nonjudgmental manner. Think about that person who is always checking their phone. It may be to find interesting and stimulating information. Perhaps to reduce boredom or stress, or avoid unpleasant situations and interactions. There are many reasons why mindfulness might be helpful in these situations—it can help people better manage their emotions, act less impulsively, and “ride out” urges to engage in behaviours that aren’t serving us. It can also help us catch ourselves when we are in the middle of a behaviour that is simply a habit.

What’s the solution?

If you find it difficult to focus or stay present, recent studies show that brief, regular mindfulness practices—like paying attention to their breathing—might actually help reduce problematic phone use.

When you’re reaching for your phone, stop and ask yourself why. Is it for a specific purpose or just a force of habit? What is your intention? Especially if it’s been a few minutes since you last checked.

Of course, this is not as easy as it sounds. Smartphones, and the apps that live on them, have been designed to demand and hold our attention. To combat this, we encourage people to audit their smartphone use. If certain apps or websites take up too much time and attention, consider setting time limits, moving them off your home screen or deleting them entirely.

The constant presence of smartphones can make it difficult to be present in our own lives. Reflecting on what is most important to us and how we really want to spend our time can be a path towards healthy digital habits.

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A UBC Okanagan researcher is raising concern about how a popular social media platform is making nicotine pouches trendy among young people. Photo by Swenico on Unsplash.

While originally created as a way to help people stop smoking, a UBC Okanagan researcher is raising concerns about oral nicotine pouches being portrayed as trendy and pleasurable, especially among young people.

Dr. Laura Struik, Associate Professor in UBCO’s School of Nursing, recently published a study examining how the social media platform TikTok appears to promote nicotine pouches, particularly the brand Zyn, as a lifestyle rather than a way to quit smoking.

“Oral nicotine pouches have become a popular alternative nicotine product, especially among youth,” she says. “This is concerning, given the substantial health risks associated with nicotine use at an early age. Popular, youth-led social media channels are being used to promote these products as a source of pleasure and indulgence.”

The study, published recently in JMIR’s Formulative Research, analyzed 250 videos that, according to TikTok’s engagement metrics, generated 16,488,662 likes, more than 114,120 comments and almost two million shares.

“Understanding the ways that people communicate about these products on social media is critical to informing public health efforts aimed at protecting youth from the harms of nicotine,” Dr. Struik adds.

Prolonged use of oral nicotine pouches can lead to serious health problems, she says, including gum recession, tooth decay, harmful mouth bacteria, oral cancer and heart issues. Although about six per cent of videos showed these effects, most portrayed use of oral nicotine pouches as an enjoyable and normalized lifestyle product among youth.

Content creators made videos showing how easy, discreet and shareable the pouches are, as well as the ability to use several pouches at once. Many showed people using the pouches doing everyday activities, such as working or exercising, to highlight how easily they fit into day-to-day life.

“One particular brand was framed as empowering, exclusive and socially desirable, where using the brand meant that you were part of a movement,” says Dr. Struik.

That particular movement used a common hashtag under videos where that brand was mentioned, signalling membership in a shared identity group.

“When a hallmark of brain development during adolescence is identity development, where teens explore who they are and experiment with different behaviours, like the use of nicotine products, it becomes really clear why these pouches would be especially appealing to a young person,” she adds.

The findings not only underscore how these nicotine pouches are being shown in a positive light on youth-led social media platforms, but also explain their growing popularity among young people.

“Social media serves as a powerful tool for the tobacco industry in normalizing the use of their products among youth—a profitable demographic for the industry because of young people’s propensity to become addicted to these products,” she adds. “This is a runaway train that we will be chasing after for years. They are not cessation products; they are nicotine addiction starters.”

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People living with COPD are invited to participate in a new UBC Okanagan study.

What if a warm footbath could reduce the blood pressure of people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and help improve the health of their hearts and blood vessels?

Researchers from UBC Okanagan’s Integrative Clinical Cardiopulmonary Laboratory are inviting people with COPD to join a study testing whether regular warm footbaths can improve heart and blood-vessel health and ease pressure on the lungs.

Previous research from the team shows that a single session of the lower legs immersed in water can increase l circulation in the legs and reduce blood pressure—similar to the effects of moderate exercise like walking, explains doctoral student Kyla Coates, a researcher with the lab.

“Prolonged footbath use may have similar health benefits to exercise, such as reduced risk of heart disease or stroke, and better oxygen delivery to the lungs,” she explains. “If effective, this therapy could be used in addition to exercise, or instead of exercise, to improve a patient’s symptoms, health and longevity.”

To test their theories, the research team is looking for people with moderate to severe COPD to take part in a study where they will have 45-minute footbath at home three times a week using hot or warm water. The study runs for six weeks and participants will need to visit the lab three times to have their blood vessels and heart measured using ultrasound. Their blood pressure will be monitored with a 24-hour ambulatory device at the beginning and end of the study.

Coates notes that volunteers will receive detailed blood pressure results that can be shared with their doctor.

The study is expected to continue until summer 2026, but the team is asking people to sign up now to fill spots early in the new year. To volunteer for the study or learn more, contact Kyla Coates at kylac01@student.ubc.ca.

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UBCO’s Tania Willard, a local artist and Director of the UBC Okanagan Gallery, was presented with the 2025 Sobey Award Saturday in Ottawa. She is pictured here at a workshop creating hummingbird flags to honour and remember the children who never came home from residential schools across Canada.

UBC Okanagan’s Tania Willard has earned one of the highest honours for Canadian artists.

Willard, Director of the UBC Okanagan Gallery, was presented with the 2025 Sobey Art Award Saturday in Ottawa. The award is thought to be one of the most prestigious prizes for Canadian artists of all ages. Shortlisted earlier this year, Willard is part of a group show at the National Gallery of Canada and her work will remain part of the exhibit until February 2026.

“It is an incredible feeling to be acknowledged alongside all the long-and short-listed artists for this award,” says Willard. “I want to thank my community, all Secwepemc people and all Indigenous people for carrying our languages and knowledges despite so many challenges that continue today—our culture is our power. I also want to encourage all people to spend time with art. We need more of it in our lives, especially now in the face of austerity and injustice around the world.”

Willard, a mixed Secwépemc and settler artist, is a curator whose research traverses land-based art practices. An associate professor in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, her practice activates connection to land, culture and family, centring art as an Indigenous resurgent act, through collaborative projects such as BUSH Gallery and Secwépemc language revitalization efforts.

She earned her Master of Fine Arts at UBCO in 2018 and has led the Indigenous Art Intensive since then. In 2019, Willard was hired as Assistant Professor of Visual Arts and named Director of the UBC Okanagan Art Gallery.

“We are incredibly proud to have Willard as part of our community, as an alumna from our Master of Fine Arts program, a visual arts professor and as gallery director,” says Dr. Bryce Traister, Dean of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. “The Sobey Art Award is one of the highest honours an artist can receive in Canada. This recognition is a testament to her remarkable achievements and enduring impact in the arts.”

Founded in 2002, the award is funded by the Sobey Art Foundation and presented in partnership with the National Gallery of Canada. This year, $465,000 in prize money was handed out, with $100,000 presented to the winner. Shortlisted artists, whose work is also on display at the National Gallery of Canada until February, receive $25,000 each and longlisted artists receive $10,000.

“Willard’s dedication and creative excellence make this recognition not only well-deserved, but also highlight her extraordinary accomplishments and lasting contributions to the arts. It’s a fitting tribute to her inspiring career,” adds Dr. Traister.

In another recognition of her work, Willard was recently appointed director and curator of UBC Vancouver’s Morris and Helen Belkin Gallery, a role she begins in January. Alongside her directorship, she will also join the UBCV Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory as an associate professor.

Willard continues to support her work in Syilx territory in various ways and says she is committed to promoting art in smaller communities and centres.

“Art is for everyone and it belongs everywhere,” she adds. “My research has been invested in Interior Salish art and culture as a Secwépemc person, and I see the possibilities art can create in rural reserves and smaller city centres like Kelowna. I believe we need to support that.”

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UBC Okanagan researchers are exploring a new way to create personalized ventilation systems that would remove airborne pathogens to help reduce the spread of respiratory diseases in enclosed spaces.

With winter approaching and people spending more time indoors, the quality of the air they breathe becomes increasingly important. Especially during cold and flu season.

Researchers at UBC Okanagan are exploring an air-cleaning device that can remove airborne pathogens, offering a powerful new tool for reducing the spread of respiratory diseases in enclosed spaces.

The traditional approach to alleviating transmission of infectious diseases involves improving a building’s ventilation system to regulate large-scale airflow, explains study co-author Dr. Sunny Li, professor in the School of Engineering.

Personalized ventilation systems go a step further by directing clean air towards a person from a fixed distance—similar to the air circulation system on passenger airplanes. But these systems have drawbacks, he says. A person needs to stay in the same position, or all people in the surrounding area need to be using the same system at the same time. There is also the discomfort of dry skin and eyes due to the constant exposure to the air.

“Ensuring high air quality while indoors is crucial for mitigating the transmission of airborne disease, particularly in shared environments,” says Dr. Li. “Many Canadians spend nearly 90 per cent of their time inside, making indoor air quality a critical factor for health and wellbeing.”

Postdoctoral researcher Dr. Mojtaba Zabihi, the study’s first author, explains that room layouts and ventilation systems vary significantly, making it challenging to implement changes in existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. This highlights the importance of personalized ventilation.

“We wanted to develop an innovative system that prevents occupants from inhaling contaminated air while allowing them to use a personalized ventilation system comfortably for extended periods,” he says.

The team of mechanical engineers, who work with UBC’s Airborne Disease Transmission Research Cluster, created an induction-removal or jet-sink airflow concept to capture and remove exhaled aerosols before they can circulate through the room.

Unlike conventional personalized ventilation systems, which rely on high-speed air jets that can cause discomfort and lose effectiveness when users move, the new design redirects airflow around the person while continuously drawing contaminated particles into a localized purification zone.

“Our design combines comfort with control,” says Dr. Zabihi. “It creates a targeted airflow that traps and removes exhaled aerosols almost immediately—before they have a chance to spread.”

Using computer simulations to model breathing, body heat and airflow during a 30-minute consultation scenario, the researchers compared their device against standard personal ventilation systems.

The results, published recently in Building and Environment, were dramatic. The new system reduced the probability of infection to just 9.5 per cent, compared with 47.6 per cent for a personal setup, 38 per cent for a personal ventilation system with an exhaust design, and 91 per cent under standard room ventilation.

Under optimal placement, the device prevented pathogen inhalation for the first 15 minutes of exposure, allowing only 10 particles out of 540,000 to reach another person. In fact, their simulations indicated it was able to remove up to 94 per cent of airborne pathogens.

“Traditional personalized ventilation systems can’t adapt when people move or interact,” explains Dr. Joshua Brinkerhoff, study co-author. “It’s a smart, responsive solution for spaces like clinics, classrooms or offices where close contact is unavoidable.”

Dr. Brinkerhoff says the study highlights the potential for airflow engineering—not just filtration—to improve indoor air quality and occupant safety. Future research will focus on refining the design for larger rooms and testing physical prototypes in clinical and public settings.

As a member of Canada’s National Model Codes Committee on Indoor Environment, Dr. Zabihi hopes their research will help shape future ventilation standards, making indoor spaces safer and healthier for everyone.

UBCO researchers Drs. Sunny Li, Mojtaba Zabihi and Joshua Brinkerhoff are working on an indoor ventilation system to make the shared space cleaner and prevent the spread of pathogens.

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