UBC Researchers Out in Full Force at World's Largest General Science Conference

More than a dozen UBC Science researchers will help represent Canada at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, being held this weekend at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

UBC Science presentations will run the gamut, covering everything from microbial diversity to fisheries policy, STEM education to spinal cord injury, and pulsars to invasive species. In total, 42 UBC researchers are part of 42 academic symposia, lectures and seminars--nearly a quarter of this year's AAAS academic program.

UBC Science's outreach programs are also well represented at free public events. The UBC Botanical Garden, Beaty Biodiversity Centre, Michael Smith Laboratory and Physics and Astronomy are all taking part in AAAS Family Science Days and a Meet the Scientist open house at the Canadian Pavilion throughout the conference.

"The AAAS annual meetings have long been a forum for the world's top scientists to meet and discuss issues that impact our planet – from climate change to food and energy security, to global disease prevention," says UBC President Professor Stephen Toope, who is co-chair of the meeting's Local Organizing Committee.

"Family Science Days, media outreach and a series of public lectures are included as part of AAAS’s mandate for public education and science advocacy,” says Toope, who will welcome meeting delegates, along with AAAS President Nina Fedoroff and Local Organizing Committee Co-Chairs, Simon Fraser University President Andrew Petter and Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics Director Neil Turok, at the opening ceremony.

Details on Public Events www.aaas.ubc.ca/category/special-events