News
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Cherry picking the best spots to enjoy Vancouver’s blooms
March 16, 2023
As spring nears, Vancouverites look forward to the annual display of cherry blossoms that blanket streets and parks throughout the city. We spoke with Douglas Justice (he/him), associate director of horticulture and collections at the UBC Botanical Garden, about how the recent cold snap may affect… read more
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We need to acknowledge climate change’s effects on wildlife—for our own good
March 3, 2023
As the United Nations marks World Wildlife Day on March 3, UBC zoology professor Dr. Kaitlyn Gaynor (she/her) discusses how climate change is affecting wildlife, and why that can spell bad news for humans and animals alike. Dr. Gaynor recently co-authored a paper in Nature Climate Change, with… read more
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UBC ocean fisheries researchers win major U.S. environmental prize
February 22, 2023
Two University of British Columbia ocean fisheries experts—marine biologist Dr. Daniel Pauly and fisheries economist Dr. Rashid Sumaila—have been awarded the 2023 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. The $250,000 (U.S.) award, administered by the University of Southern… read more
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Who made the first stone tools? New discovery reopens the debate
February 16, 2023
The discovery of stone tools and cut-marked animal bones at a 2.9-million-year-old site in Kenya has reopened the debate over who made the first stone tools—and when. The research, published in Science by an international team of researchers including UBC isotopic paleoecologists, presents… read more
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UBC material scientist receives prestigious U.S. Sloan Fellowship
February 15, 2023
UBC researcher Dr. Alannah Hallas—an expert on developing new quantum materials through high-pressure synthesis—has been named a 2023 Sloan Research Fellow. The two-year, $75,000 (US) fellowships are awarded to rising stars in fundamental research who have the “potential to… read more
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Grassroots effort champions inclusive language in science
February 14, 2023
A new grassroots effort—announced this month in Trends in Ecology and Evolution—is calling for a reevaluation of some terminology used in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) to make it more inclusive and precise. The initiative, the EEB Language Project was launched by like-minded… read more
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UBC fisheries researcher named 2022 AAAS fellow
February 1, 2023
Dr. Rashid Sumaila, a leading interdisciplinary fisheries economist, has been elected to the latest class of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellows. The fellowship, granted by the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of… read more
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UBC biologist wins prize for research on ‘dazzling’ explosions of evolution
January 27, 2023
UBC evolutionary biologist Dr. Dolph Schluter has been awarded the Crafoord Prize in Biosciences by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (RSAS) and the Crafoord Foundation for his research into the role of natural selection in adaptive radiation and the origin of species. The Crafoord Prize,… read more
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Toxic toilet paper and long-lasting chemicals found in endangered killer whales
January 12, 2023
A chemical used in the production of toilet paper and 'forever chemicals' have been found in the bodies of orcas in B.C. , including the endangered southern resident killer whales. The Institute for the Ocean and Fisheries at UBC, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and Fisheries… read more
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UBC Biodiversity Research Centre welcomes new leadership
January 11, 2023
Marine ecologist Dr. Mary O’Connor has been appointed director of UBC’s Biodiversity Research Centre (BRC), effective January 1, 2023. Dr. O’Connor, who previously served as the Centre’s associate director, investigates the adaptive capacity of biodiversity and ecosystem… read more