News
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Three new CRCs appointed at UBC Science, seven renewed or advanced
June 17, 2019
Research in statistical ecology, probability and fisheries economics at UBC Science received a boost with the appointment of three new Canada Research Chairs, along with seven renewed and advanced chairs, within the faculty. The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced… read more
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Overdose deaths would be at least twice as high without emergency harm reduction
June 4, 2019
The rapid expansion of harm reduction services in response to B.C.’s overdose crisis prevented more than 3,000 possible overdose deaths during a 20-month period, suggests new research led by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). The study estimates that without access to and rapid scale… read more
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Salmon get a major athletic boost via a single enzyme
June 4, 2019
Salmon species, known for undertaking arduous upstream migrations, appear to owe a good deal of their athletic ability to the presence of a single enzyme. New research indicates that plasma-accessible carbonic anhydrase (paCA)—an enzyme anchored to the walls of salmons' blood vessels&mdash… read more
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Snooping through someone's phone could end relationship - or not
May 30, 2019
For some people, the thought of their partner, friend or colleague snooping through their phone, reading their texts and emails, is an automatic deal breaker. However, some relationships can survive the snooping, a new study examining the motivations behind phone snooping has found. Researchers… read more
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Scientists revisit the cold case of cold fusion
May 27, 2019
Scientists from the University of British Columbia (UBC), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Maryland, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Google are conducting a multi-year investigation into cold fusion, a type of benign nuclear reaction hypothesized to occur… read more
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BC needs a dedicated species at risk law—one that focuses on recovery
May 22, 2019
British Columbia is home to the most biodiversity of any Canadian province or territory, with a vast array of species from the coast to the Rockies. Not only is B.C. home to the most species at risk in Canada, it also lacks dedicated species at risk legislation. On May 22, the International Day… read more
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New analysis of Apollo data shows Moon is tectonically active and shrinking: Smithsonian, UBC researchers
May 13, 2019
New analysis of Apollo mission seismic data shows that some shallow moonquakes can be linked to young faults—evidence that the moon, like Earth, is tectonically active. Researchers at the Smithsonian, UBC and NASA published the findings today in Nature Geoscience. “It’s a great… read more
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Toward a pure aesthetic of teaching
May 8, 2019
Killam Teaching Prize winner Elisa Baniassad (MSc 98, PhD 03, ) has helped redesign three major computer science courses at UBC, and created free online classes on edX that reach thousands of learners. Her secret? Crystalizing ideas, and creating a sense of belonging for students. How did… read more
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Green chemistry, microbial bioremediation projects receive $1.2 million in NSERC funding
May 3, 2019
UBC research into green chemistry and microbial bioremediation are among five UBC projects receiving funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Strategic Partnership Grants program. “When researchers, businesses and governments work… read more
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New free guide aims to improve STEM teaching at universities
April 11, 2019
With The Science Education Initiative Handbook, UBC’s Warren Code and the University of Colorado Boulder’s Stephanie Chasteen offer a free guide designed to help universities transform their STEM teaching practices. The book details the SEI model pioneered at both institutions over 10… read more