UBC Reports | Vol. 47 | No. 15 | October
4, 2001
Bright new lights
The second of two parts highlighting a few of UBC's newest faculty
Attracting leading scholars and innovative teachers is one of the
university's key Trek 2000 objectives. This year UBC has
significantly advanced its goal of recruiting outstanding faculty
with the addition of 106 professors and librarians. This, the second
of two installments, features five of UBC's newest faculty members.
V. Susan Dahinten
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing; scholar, Canadian Child
and Youth Research Network
Background: MBA, PhD in Nursing, UBC; MSN, Gonzaga
University
Courses taught: Population health and program planning and
evaluation
Teaching objective: I would like students to develop a sound
understanding of the social determinants of health and become advocates
for greater social justice.
Research objective: I am examining family and community
factors that influence child and youth health and development, and
evaluating public health interventions aimed at promoting child
development.
Why attracted to UBC: I was drawn home after teaching at
the University of New Brunswick for the last three years. I am attracted
by the opportunities for interdisciplinary child health research
at UBC and the School of Nursing's international reputation for
scholarship, research and teaching. And I love to hike in the local
mountains.
Ross Bryant
Assistant Professor Dentistry
Background: PhD, University of Toronto
Teaching objective: My major objective is to support the
existing teaching programs in undergraduate prosthodontics (construction
of artificial teeth and appliances for the mouth) and in graduate
periodontics (study and treatment of tissues surrounding the tooth)
at UBC, and to co-ordinate various current and future aspects of
these programs.
Research objective: To examine the psychosocial outcomes
of implant prosthodontic treatment (artificial teeth set into the
jaw) for older adults. I also will investigate how to predict implant
outcomes using jawbone densitometry.
Why attracted to UBC: My research interests are closely
allied with some senior dental faculty here. As well, my wife and
I wanted to return to the natural beauty of Vancouver and the surrounding
areas.
Hadi Dowlatabadi
Professor; Canada Research Chair in the Faculty of Graduate
Studies with affiliations to the Sustainable Development Research
Institute and the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues
Background: PhD, Physics, Cambridge University
Courses to be offered: Integrated Assessment Methods; Climate
Change and Climate Policy Analysis; Managing Technical Change
Teaching objective: To deliver useful skills to students
and work with them to understand how to use knowledge to enhance
welfare.
Research objectives: To be aware of what I do not know.
To embrace interdisciplinary collaborations that help solve real
world problems, and to use these problems to guide learning and
research.
Why attracted to UBC: I love research, teaching and work
to have an impact beyond academia. My new appointment allows an
extraordinary opportunity to collaborate with world-class researchers,
to share classrooms with the best students, and to be active in
helping shape global change policies at the Liu Centre.
Taraneh Sowalti
Assistant Professor, Advanced Wood Processing, Faculty of
Forest Sciences
Background: PhD, Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto
Courses taught: Industrial Engineering
Teaching objective: To provide students with the understanding
of industrial engineering methods and techniques, their impact on
efficiency, productivity and competitive position of a firm, with
the knowledge of real-life situations relative to the concept and
systems learned, and to encourage them to apply the concepts and
systems in a wood products firm.
Research objective: To improve efficiency and productivity
of the wood industry by determining the efficiency of labour and
capital utilization in different provinces of Canada, and compare
the Canadian wood industry to American and European wood industries.
Why attracted to UBC: The position was exactly what I was
looking for.
Dr. Garth Warnock
Professor; head, Surgery Dept., Faculty of Medicine
Background: MD, MSc, University of Alberta
Courses taught: Undergraduate courses including Third-year
Clerkship, Clinical Skills, Resident Seminars
Teaching objectives: Promote effective/innovative learning
and advance recognition of effective teaching
Research objective: Reverse disease through cell transplantation.
My specific interest is islet cell transplantation for diabetes.
Why attracted to UBC: Outstanding scientific collaborators/support,
outstanding surgical colleagues, and a nationally recognized university
for outstanding teaching.
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