In This Issue

University News and Research
Vancouver 2007: World Universities Debating Championships
Podcast: Cultures on the Edge
Applied Knowledge: UBC Research and the World around You
Holiday Hugging: UBC Folk Spread a Little Love
Alumni & Students
Did You Find Love at UBC? (Prize for Best Story)
Questioning the Politicians: UBC Students Meet US Congressmen
The Ubyssey: Student News and Views
Alumni Association: Call for Nominations
Events and Services
Winter Break Youth Sports Camps
Travel Program: Alumni to Antarctica
Engage Your Brain: Public Lectures and Events
Climbing the Ladder: Career Services for UBC Alumni

TrekConnect is a new online service for UBC Alumni that links you up to a whole community of UBC grads, from your classmates to the friends of your classmates, and their friends, too!

It’s a networking solution, a job-finding site, an event notice board and a way to keep in touch with the people who made your UBC experience so incredible. All you need is your student number (call 604-822-3313 if you’ve forgotten).

Then click on the logo above to get started!

In a few days time, UBC will be host to 1000 students representing more than 40 countries. Some will have travelled a long way to compete in a series of one-hour debates on some weighty topics.

Alumni are welcome to attend this battle of wits, and hear UBC students and their contemporaries from around the world grapple with some complex and fascinating subjects.

World Universities
Debating Championships
December 27 – January 4
War Memorial Gymnasium
Map
Website

Article: Verbal Jousters Talk it Out

Wade Davis is an anthropologist, botanist, and best-selling author. He spent more than three years in the Amazon and Andes as a plant explorer, living among 15 indigenous groups in eight Latin American nations while making some 6,000 botanical collections. Davis' work later took him to Haiti to investigate folk preparations implicated in the creation of zombies, an assignment that led to his writing Passage of Darkness (1988) and The Serpent and the Rainbow (1986).

Please join Davis as he takes you on a journey through the realm of vanishing cultures, using compassion, eloquence and expertise to illustrate the pressing need for preserving and protecting the vast knowledge, language, wisdom and world views of indigenous cultures. Listen

More UBC Podcasts

Christmas Clerks Beware: Flattery Ploy Won’t Work
“You look great in that jacket!” “Fuchsia is really your colour.” “I bought that exact pair of shoes myself.” Sales pitches like these will be flying fast and furious as retailers ramp up for the year’s busiest shopping season. However, these ploys do little to clinch a sale and may confirm shoppers’ negative views of the sales game, says Assoc. Prof. Darren Dahl, who teaches marketing and consumer behaviour at UBC’s Sauder School of Business.
More

Jurassic Relic Offers Clues to Climate Change Survival
A long-lost tree species will soon begin to tell its 200-million-year-old story at UBC Okanagan, where Prof. Susan Murch, Canada Research Chair in Natural Products Chemistry, is nurturing a grove of baby Wollemi pines (Wollemi nobilis) in her office.
More

Jaws Under Ice: Mysterious Arctic Sharks Found in Québec
In the frigid, murky waters of the St. Lawrence River in Québec, UBC marine biologist and veterinarian Chris Harvey-Clark is painting a clearer picture of a mysterious predator that could be the longest-lived vertebrate on the planet.
More

Health Sciences Online: Building a Global Virtual Learning Centre
What would happen if health professionals and students around the globe had access to free, comprehensive learning resources -- provided by some of the world’s most prestigious institutions -- just by clicking a mouse? Dr. Erica Frank has the answer. “It would fix the world.”
More

Beauty Interventions for Boomers
There was a time when a grandmother could look like a grandmother. No longer. Not when Sophia Loren, at 72, still holds her voluptuous allure, and fellow actress Susan Sarandon demonstrates that 60 is indeed the new 50.
More

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What's UBC saying to the news media? What are the news media saying about UBC?
Subscribe to UBC's e-services and find out....

Students and advisors at undergrad residence Korea-UBC House were so inspired by a free hugs campaign featured on YouTube (a website where people can post their own videos), they conducted and filmed their own hugging campaign in downtown Vancouver.

Standing nearby UBC Robson Square, several of these cuddling crusaders stood holding placards advertising free hugs.

But would members of the Vancouver public respond warmly, or employ their best avoidance tactics?

Watch the video to find out

Did you find love at UBC? If so, we'd love to hear how you met your significant other. Was it at a dance? During a late night in the lab? Over a pint in The Pit?

The most engaging love story will win two tickets to the UBC Theatre production of Big Love and a lunch certificate for two at Sage Bistro.

Big Love: two tickets

Sage: lunch for two

Student Union Dance, 1969
(Photo Courtesy UBC Library Archives)

Send your stories and photographs by January 15 via email or snail mail to Vanessa Clarke: UBC Alumni Affairs, 6251 Cecil Green Park Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1. Submissions may be published online or in Trek magazine.

The UBC Alumni Association is led by a board of committed grads determined to honour the history and tradition of the organization by serving its members and the university to the best of their abilities. The Association is now accepting nominations for the following board positions:

• One vice chair (two-year term)
• Two members-at-large (three-year term)
  

Deadline for nominations is 4:30 pm, January 25, 2007.

Download the nomination form.

Please call 604-822-3313 for more information.

UBC Sport Camps has expanded its youth programs to include winter break camps. On offer this season are two fun-filled weeks of tennis, badminton, or multi-sports (where kids can practice three or four sports over a week) and Afternoon Extra camps.

Participants also have the option of combining two half-day programs to make up a full day of activities. Instructors will ensure that all campers get from their morning activity to their afternoon activity.

For more information please visit the website, or call the UBC Sport Camps
office at 604-822-3688. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am– 3:00 pm.

Expedition to Antarctica
and the Falkland Islands

February 13 – 28, 2007

With dramatic landscapes and abundant wildlife, Antarctica offers plenty of excitement for the adventurous traveller. Don't forget to pack your camera to capture images of massive icebergs, fur seals, penguins and other seabirds. You can even see the well-preserved huts of earlier explorers, containing some vintage tools and other items. The Falklands offer different, gentler scenery and many more opportunities for wildlife watching. Accompanying the expedition will be several experts, including a marine biologist, glaciologist, historian and naturalist. More Info

More Trips

If you have any questions, or wish to book, please contact Karen Kanigan at (604) 822-9629
or 1-800-883-3088 (toll free).

Save the Date!

UBC Alumni Affairs has set dates for its two biggest events of the year.

Alumni Weekend 2007: Friday, September 14 – Sunday, September 16, 2007

Alumni Achievement Dinner: Thursday, November 15, 2007

Keep an eye on these events calendars for up-to-date details:

Alumni Events Calendar
Live@UBC Calendar

Canada

Okanagan

Details on UBC Okanagan events can be found here. Alumni are welcome to attend events marked "public". Campus Map

• Okanagan Symphony Orchestra Rehearsal Workshop
  January 11, 12:30 pm I Foyer of the Student Services Centre
  For the second time this season the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra offers a rare opportunity to see a symphony rehearsal. Preparing for its January concerts with conductor Pierre Simard in Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton, the symphony's rehearsal at UBC Okanagan will include J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #3. Bring your lunch and enjoy the experience. Admission is free and all are welcome. More Info
• Ben Heppner Master Class
  January 15, 12:30 pm I location to be confirmed
  Dramatic tenor Ben Heppner – one of the world’s masters – leads a master class with the Okanagan’s up and coming vocal talents in a unique presentation at UBC Okanagan, as part of the Minds and Music concert series. The 1988 winner of the Metropolitan Opera auditions, Heppner began his musical studies at the UBC School of Music. He has won a Grammy Award and several Juno Awards, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. $50 active participants; $15 passive participant (reserved seating); $10 at the door. Admission free for students with UBC Okanagan Student ID. To reserve seating please contact Bonnie Taylor. More Info

Vancouver

Robson Square / Downtown

UBC's downtown location has plenty of interesting offerings for alumni and members of the public. Most events are free, but many require pre-registration or have limited seating. Please check the website for details.

Athletics

• Thunderbirds Ice Hockey at GM Place
  January 12, 7:30 pm (doors open 6:30 pm) vs. Regina I GM Place
  January 13 7:00 pm (doors open 3:00 pm) vs. Regina I GM Place
  (Doors open early to watch coverage of the Vancouver Canucks at Toronto Maple Leafs game on the Canucks new scoreboard)
  UBC Athletics has partnered with The Vancouver Canucks and Orca Bay Sports & Entertainment to bring you Thunderbirds Men’s Hockey games in GM Place. Net proceeds will be used to support UBC Athletics! Contact Ticketmaster to purchase tickets: 604-280-4400.

Miscellaneous

• The University of British Columbia Model United Nations
  Coast Plaza Hotel and Suites I January 11–14
  UBCMUN is Western Canada’s largest simulated United Nations conference. An annual project of the International Relations' Students Association, UBCMUN is a forum where students from various universities and academic fields can develop a greater understanding of global affairs and the inner workings of international diplomacy. Renowned for its high quality of debate, emphasis on principled negotiation and diverse delegate selection, UBCMUN is rapidly becoming the world’s most innovative student forum due to its topical committee simulations and unparalleled global focus. More Info.

Point Grey Campus

Campus Map

UBC Theatre

Big Love By Charles Mee. Directed by Joanna Garfinkel TELUS Studio Theatre, January 24 - February 3, 2007 What do you get when fifty brides are about to be forced into marriage with fifty cousins? A wildly exuberant and vibrant theatrical take on the timeless war between the sexes! Fasten your seat belts for Obie Award winning playwright Charles Mee's Big Love — an explosive, uproarious re-imagining of the oldest surviving Greek drama, Aeschylus' The Suppliant Women.

School of Music & Chan Centre

UBC's School of Music offers many free (and nearly free) events to the public. Pick from the
calendar of events.

For information on upcoming Chan Centre events and full event listings, please call 604-822-2697 or visit the website.

Upcoming Highlights:

• Red Chamber: Secrets of the Chinese Court, Passions of the West
  January 17, noon–1:00 pm I Recital Hall
  Part of Wednesday Noon Hour series. CBC Radio Two is recording this concert for future broadcast. Featuring Mei Han, zheng; Guilian Liu, pipa; Zhimin Yu, ruan (lute); Geling Jiang, san xian and Ling Yang, zheng. $4
• Bach & Beyond: Corelli, Locatelli and Mendelssohn
  January 19 & 20, 8:00 - 10:00 pm I Chan Centre
  VSO Concertmaster, Mark Fewer, performs and conducts in a brilliant program of Baroque and Classical masterpieces. Joining Mr. Fewer and the VSO is pianist, John Novacek, for a performance of Mendelssohn's "Concerto for violin and piano". More Info
• Smetana: Trio Op. 15 Schoenberg: Kammersymphonie, Op. 9
  January 24, noon–1:00 pm I Recital Hall
  Part of Wednesday Noon Hour series. Featuring Jasper Wood, violin; Eugenia Choi, violin; Eric Wilson, cello; Lorna McGhee, flute; Cris Inguanti, clarinet; Terence Dawson, piano. $4
• Philippe Cassard, piano
  Friday January 26, 8:00 pm I Recital Hall
  Works by Faure, Debussy, and Schubert. $20 Adults / $10 Students & Seniors (at the door)
• Berinbaum's Alumni Band Blast
  March 31 (all day rehearsals, concert 8:00 - 10:00 pm)
  All Alumni instrumentalists who have played in UBC Bands since Martin Berinbaum became Director of Bands in 1976 are invited to the University on March 31 to rehearse and perform this concert. Call 604-822-5574 for info.
  

Museum of Anthropology

The MOA has extensive permanent collections as well as temporary exhibits. Please contact the museum or visit their website for more information: 604-822-5087 / info@moa.ubc.ca

• Acts of Transformation: From War Toys to Peace Art
  Until December 30, 2006 I MOA, Gallery 10
  In June 2006, the World Peace Forum and the International Peace Education Conference took place in Vancouver. In response to these important events, MOA partnered with the BC Teachers Federation to organize an exhibit dedicated to the ideals of peace. The exhibit features toys of violence transformed into objects of art by students from BC and Uganda.

Vancouver Institute

Vancouver Institute lectures are free of charge and take place in Lecture Hall No. 2 in the Woodward Instructional Resources Centre. For more information see the Vancouver Institute's full schedule.

• Crime Scene Investigation: Identifying Victims and Perpetrators Using New Forensic Science Methods
  January 20, 8:15 pm I Lecture Hall No. 2 in the Woodward Instructional Resources Centre
  David Sweet is a Doctor of Dental Medicine and holds a PhD in forensic medicine as well as being certified as a specialist in forensic odontology. He is an internationally recognized evidence expert, investigator, professor and researcher at UBC and Director of the Bureau of Legal Dentistry (BOLD) Laboratory, a unique crime-fighting laboratory where, through the analysis of DNA evidence, he pits modern science against criminals. Since 1984, Dr. Sweet has been involved in more than 700 forensic investigations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, Central America, Africa and the Caribbean. Dr. Sweet has recently been appointed a consultant to INTERPOL.
• Colonialism and Its Consequences: Creating and Solving the Native Land Question
  January 27, 8:15 pm I Lecture Hall No. 2 in the Woodward Instructional Resources Centre
  Born in Vancouver, Professor Cole Harris received a BA from UBC, and his MSc and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. In 1964, he joined the faculty of the University of Toronto, and in 1971 moved to UBC. In 1982, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society awarded Harris the Massey Medal in 2003, and in 2004 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Among his many authored and co-edited scholarly works are: Canada Before Confederation: A Study in Historical Geography; Letters from Windermere, 1912-1914; Historical Atlas of Canada, Vol. I: From the Beginning to 1800; The Resettlement of British Columbia: Essays on Colonialism and Geographical Change; and Making Native Space: Colonialism, Resistance, and Reserves in British Columbia which was nominated for the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize.

Young Alumni

• Food Bank Volunteer Night
  January 2007 I Greater Vancouver Foodbank, 1150 Raymur Avenue
  A group of UBC young alumni volunteers will be sorting food at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank in early January, with exact dates to be confirmed. Stay tuned for details.

Miscellaneous

• Christmas Tree Chipping
  January 2–5, 8:00 am –5:00 pm January 6 & 7, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm I 6804 Southwest Marine Drive
  Join the sustainability wave and bring your clean, undecorated Christmas tree to the UBC Botanical Garden where it will be chipped into bark mulch for our pathways. Garden staff will be on hand January 6 from 11:00am–2:00pm serving up hot apple cider. This sustainability initiative is proudly sponsored by UBC Plant Operations and UBC Botanical Garden. Donations are gratefully appreciated.
• Ancient Lives Seminar Series: Sssh...Secret Societies
  January 24, 1:00 - 2:00 PM I Room 1109, ANSO Building, 6303 NW Marine Drive
  Brian Hayden (SFU Archaeology) More Info
• Creation and Criticism of Children’s Literature
  January 31, noon – 1:00 PM I Buchanan Penthouse, Buchanan B Block (1866 Main Mall)
  The Serious Role of Funny Books: The Importance of Comedies Written for Young People. A talk by celebrated BC young adult writer, Susan Juby. Speakers and receptions sponsored by the UBC Master of Arts in Children’s Literature Program.

International

Germany

• Munich pub night
  January 17, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
  Join your fellow UBC alumni at Hofbrau Bachmaier on Leopoldstrasse for a social evening to network, reminisce and enjoy good conversation. For info, please contact Tanya Walker.

United States

• Pan Canadian Alumni Gala: Atlanta, GA
  February 8, 6:30 pm
  The Canadian Consulate is organizing its 3rd Annual Pan Canadian Alumni Gala. Join fellow UBC alumni from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi and network with graduates from other Canadian universities. Stay tuned for your invitation.