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.

Jan. 30, 2003

• Medicine Students to Benefit from Alumni Fundraising Campaign
• Director of Institute for Aboriginal Health Appointed
• Black History Month activities planned
• Forestry Faculty shares in Sustainability Award

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Medicine Students to Benefit from Alumni Fundraising Campaign

Faculty of Medicine alumni have raised $1.5 million for student awards, exceeding the target set for the 50th Anniversary Student Endowment Campaign, started in 2000.

"Our goal was to raise $1 million for students," says Dr. Al Boggie, UBC alumnus and professor emeritus who chaired the campaign. "We are thrilled by the commitment shown by our alumni, colleagues and students - doctors helping future doctors."

Faculty of Medicine grads across the province raised funds from more than 1500 fellow alumni. Funding was matched by the faculty to double the endowment to $3 million. The endowment will generate new student awards to help cover costs of tuition and living expenses for students in need.

Current base tuition for the undergraduate medical program is $6500.

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Director of Institute for Aboriginal Health Appointed

Dr. Richard Vedan, Director of the First Nations House of Learning, and Dr. John Gilbert, Principal of the College of Health Disciplines are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Eduardo Jovel as Director, Institute for Aboriginal Health, from January 1, 2003 - December 31, 2008.

Dean Moura Quayle also welcomes Dr. Jovel as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Eduardo Jovel (Wamble Wan Kan), a Pipil from El Salvador, received a Ph.D. in 2002 and M.Sc. in 1997 from the Botany Department at UBC.

Dr. Jovel has contributed to the teaching and development of curricula for aboriginal and minority programs offered through UBC and Cornell University, New York. His involvement in international research projects with aboriginal people included teaching and research in Perú, Mexico, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and the United States.

His research interests include biology and chemistry of fungi and plants, medical ethnobotany, and natural products with benefits to forestry, agriculture, industry, and medicine.

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Black History Month activities planned

UBC celebrates diversity and the commitment to combat racism with a series of film screenings, lectures, discussion groups, concerts and an essay contest this February to commemorate Black History Month.

Participants include Rosemary Brown, former MLA and first black woman to be appointment to government, renowned tap dancer Jeni LeGon, writer Lesley Ewen and artists Bounty Hunta and Kia Kadiri.

For a complete list of events and more information, email blackhistorymonth2003@yahoo.ca

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Forestry Faculty shares in Sustainability Award

The Faculty of Forestry and 63 research partners are the recipients of a 2002 Sustainability Award from the Fraser Basin Council, it was announced January 25.

The Faculty of Forestry and its Malcolm Knapp and Alex Fraser Research Forests are all members of the Forest Research Extension Partnership (FORREX). Made up of government and non-government members, FORREX fosters improved natural resource decision-making and practices in B.C., and links the province's forest practitioners. The partnership's work to improve natural resource decision-making and practices in B.C. was honoured in the category of "Improved Decision Making".

The FORREX board of directors has three UBC members: John Innes, a professor in the Dept. of Forest Resources Management and chair of FORREX, Prof. John Barker, a professor emeritus of the Dept. of Forest Sciences, and Ms. Claire Trethewey, a research forester at the Alex Fraser Research Forest.

As part of the partnership, two staff members of FORREX work in UBC's Centre for Applied Conservation Research and at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. These individuals interact with Faculty and other researchers to ensure that UBC's research reaches the complete range of stakeholders in British Columbian forests.

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