UBC News Digest

The UBC News Digest is a weekly summary of news stories about UBC people, research, learning, community, and internationalization initiatives. News Digest past issues are also available on-line.

Sep. 12, 2002

• New Associate Dean of MD Undergraduate Curriculum appointed
• Local High School Students Offered Mentors
• Kudos
• UBC Scholar Honoured with Distinguished Dissertation Award
• Indoor plant sale Sept. 12 – 14

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New Associate Dean of MD Undergraduate Curriculum appointed

Dr. Angela Towle has been appointed Associate Dean, MD Undergraduate Curriculum for a three-year term.

This new portfolio in the Faculty of Medicine has been created as part of overall reorganization of the MD Undergraduate Program. Dr. Towle will plan and lead the implementation of the expanded Lower Mainland program, and will be responsible for managing the MD Undergraduate Curriculum throughout the four-year duration and across all sites.

Dr. Towle received her Honours B.Sc. in Zoology from University College London, UK and her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Reading, UK. She then served in a number of research administrative roles in the UK, then moving to academic medicine and healthcare systems. She was a visiting scholar in the Faculty of Medicine from 1995-1998 and took a key role in the development and implementation of the new MD Undergraduate Program, of which she was appointed Director in 1998. Dr. Towle has received funding from a number of foundations and from UBC and has a number of peer-reviewed publications, primarily on educational innovation.

Dr. Towle succeeds Dr. William (Wes) Schreiber who held the former portfolio of Associate Dean, MD Undergraduate Program from January 1, 1999 to July 31, 2002.

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Local High School Students Offered Mentors

UBC mentoring opportunities for local high school students will soon be made available via a web-based service called UBC Mentor Centre.

The virtual centre is being launched this month and is designed to help teachers secure mentoring experiences for their students. Opportunities include guided group visits, supervised use of lab equipment, and e-mail consultations with faculty members on school projects.

Originated by Asst. Prof. Jane Roskams of the Dept. of Psychiatry, the gateway website will also be linked to other community learning resources.

UBC Mentor Centre is a pilot project of the Vancouver School Board and the faculties of Medicine and Science.

For further information or to volunteer as a mentor, contact Lucia Wilson at lwilson@cmmt.ubc.ca.

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Kudos

UBC President Martha Piper will be awarded an honorary degree by the University of Western Ontario on October 25. The Doctor of Science, honoris causa, recognizes Piper’s accomplishments as an outstanding academic leader and her research in the fields of pediatrics and rehabilitation medicine.

Dr. Kuldip Gill, a UBC anthropology graduate who is currently pursuing a Masters in Fine Arts has been awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. The medals are described as “a tangible and lasting way to pay tribute to those whose achievements have benefited their fellow citizens, their community and their country.” Gill has been recognized for her many contributions to her community.

Students in the School of Journalism at UBC have been awarded six out of the 10 CIHR Graduate Science Writer Scholarships for 2002. The awards, each worth $20,000 per year, were awarded to Jodi Di Menna, Sarah Everts, Janet French, Lisa Johnson, Gaelle Lussiaa-Berdou and Hayley Mick.

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UBC Scholar Honoured with Distinguished Dissertation Award

The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies has awarded its 2002 Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Fine Arts to Dr. William Bain, a UBC political science graduate.

Bain was one of 23 nominees for this award. This is the first time a UBC scholar has won this competition since its inception in 1994. Two awards are offered each year: one in disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts; and one in the natural sciences, health sciences and engineering disciplines.

Each award carries with it a Certificate of Citation, a cash award of $1,000, and travel expenses to enable the winner to attend the CAGS annual conference at which the award is presented.

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Indoor plant sale Sept. 12 – 14

The UBC Botanical Garden's 25th annual Indoor Plant Sale takes place Thurs. Sept. 12 to Sat. Sept. 14 from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily. All proceeds from the sale help the garden grow. 6804 SW Marine Dr. For more information call 604-822-9666 or 822-4529.

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