The talents and achievements of UBC women students and faculty light up the nominations list for this year's YWCA Women of Distinction awards. A record five students, one alumna and six faculty are among the nominees.
Sociology Prof. Patricia Marchak, former dean of Arts and a newly elected member of UBC's Board of Governors, has been nominated in the category of Education, Training and Development for her contributions to UBC and the province's economy and environment.
One of Canada's foremost sociologists, Marchak has written numerous books and articles on fisheries, political ideologies, political economy and forestry.
UBC alumna Allison Dunnet has been nominated as a Young Woman of Distinction.
Dunnet graduated last year with a degree in Political Science. As a third-year student she created and co-chaired Imagine UBC, an orientation program for first-year students. She was also instrumental in developing Humanities 101, a general arts program for people living in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
Dunnet currently works as an intern in UBC's Development Office.
Other UBC student nominees in this category include Science students Priscilla Brastianos, Andrea Dahl, Riga Godron and Kumi Teranishi and Nursing student Nicole Fulton.
Nominees in the Health and Wellness category include pediatrician Jean Hlady and ophthalmologist Katherine Paton, both UBC clinical professors of Medicine.
Nominated in the Science and Technology category is Zoology Prof. Judith Myers, one of Canada's leading ecologists. A specialist in the field of population biology, Myers is an expert on the biological control of introduced pests.
She has also served as associate dean of Science for the promotion of women in science.
Also nominated in this category are Assoc. Prof. Virginia Baldwin of the Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Mary Stephenson, assistant professor in the Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
UBC is sponsoring the Voluntary, Community and Humanitarian Service category for the 10th year. The awards recognize women who have made outstanding contributions to the community through professional or volunteer work.
The YWCA Women of Distinction awards dinner takes place May 27 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. For tickets call Ticketmaster at 280-4444.