UBC Reports | Vol. 47 | No. 08 | April 19, 2001

Rail giant funds transport chair

Endowment will foster interdisciplinary work in faculties of Graduate Studies and Commerce

Canadian National has pledged $1.25 million to UBC to create the CN Chair in Transportation and International Logistics.

UBC will match CN's gift to establish the $2.5-million CN Chair.

The interdisciplinary chair will focus on research and teaching in the fields of transportation, operations, logistics, supply chain management, land-use planning and community decision-making to lead to improved overall efficiency in the world's transportation sector.

"UBC has a strong commitment to foster a truly international university and our partnership with the North American rail industry leader means that we will be able to attract more top international scholars and students in this field," says UBC President Martha Piper.

"CN is proud to be a partner with UBC," says CN president and chief executive officer Paul M. Tellier. "This chair will help develop new expertise and lead research in transportation and logistics. Canada's economic competitiveness and prosperity depends very much on the continued strength of its freight railroads. For that reason, this field of study builds for the future."

The endowment will bring together transportation expertise from the Faculty of Graduate Studies' School of Community and Regional Planning and the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration.

"It is our goal to acquire the human and physical resources to develop a globally significant capability in the area of transportation and logistics," says Faculty of Graduate Studies Dean Frieda Granot.

"The new chair will create an important and permanent strength in teaching and research in the transportation sector."

Building on the university's strong research and teaching in transportation, logistics and public policy, the chair will conduct research that contributes to national and international dialogue in the transportation sector. UBC and CN will share expertise and new learning through workshops, conferences and executive training in the partnership.

Home of Canada's oldest academic and professional graduate planning program, the School of Community and Regional Planning maintains a strong focus on urban land use and transportation planning with expertise in integrated policy and planning research, professional education and community service.

Commerce's Centre for Transportation Studies fosters research and outreach on economic and public policy issues in transportation and logistics while the Operations and Logistics division offers a specialization in transportation and logistics at the undergraduate and master's level.