Dear colleagues,

Each year, UBC Okanagan is proud to celebrate outstanding and innovative teaching by honouring exemplary role models who make significant impacts on the culture of teaching and learning on our campus with the Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation and the Killam Teaching Prize.

Please join us in congratulating the 2023 teaching award recipients:

Killam Teaching Prize

Peter Arthur | Professor of Teaching | Okanagan School of Education

Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation

Fiona P. Mcdonald | Assistant Professor | Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Fiona McDonald‘s scholarship and research in anthropology took her around the world before she joined UBC Okanagan in 2018. Since then, she has led innovative projects that have significantly impacted teaching and learning on our campus, including developing and teaching new courses focused on visual anthropology and collaborating closely with other departments and units to combine innovative uses of technology with a learner-based approach to teaching.

Claire Yan | Associate Professor of Teaching | School of Engineering

Peyman Yousefi | Lecturer | School of Engineering

Dr. Peyman Yousefi has made significant impacts on the teaching and learning community since he first joined this campus in 2016 as a PhD student. Now a dedicated engineering educator and faculty member, Dr. Yousefi has earned a strong reputation for educational innovation and teaching excellence through incorporating new technologies in his classroom and ongoing commitment to the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Provost Award for Teaching Assistants and Tutors

We are also pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of the Provost Award for Teaching Assistants and Tutors, which recognizes the exemplary contributions of undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants and tutors in their teaching support roles.

• • Aneleise Peppard, Student Learning Hub
  • Amanda Darbyshire, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Moustafa Mansour, School of Engineering
  • Zachary Sawchuk, Student Learning Hub
  • Dylan Goode, School of Engineering
  • Mehrnaz Makuei, School of Engineering

Teaching Excellence Celebration

The campus community is invited to join us to recognize the achievements of UBC Okanagan teachers and mentors and celebrate our community of teaching excellence.

Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Time: 4 to 6 pm | Award presentation followed by a reception
Location: UBC Ballroom | UNC 200

To RSVP, please contact okanagan.ceremonies@ubc.ca.

Congratulations, once again, to the 2023 teaching award recipients.

Sincerely,

Rehan Sadiq
Provost and Vice-President, Academic
UBC Okanagan

Brad Wuetherick
Associate Provost, Academic Programs, Teaching and Learning
UBC Okanagan

The 2023 call for proposals to the Aspire-2040 Learning Transformations (ALT-2040) Fund is now open.

The 2023 ALT-2040 Fund supports course and program innovation, student experience enhancement and educational resource development at UBC Okanagan. Selection of funded projects is guided by the transformative learning strategies of Shaping UBC’s Next Century and UBC Okanagan teaching and learning priorities expressed in aligned plans and reports (e.g. Outlook 2040, Indigenous Strategic Plan, Declaration of Truth and Reconciliation Commitments, Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework, and Climate Emergency Task Force Report).

The ALT-2040 Fund enriches student learning experiences through three distinct funding streams:

1. Open educational resources (OER) focus stream
2. Course innovation partnership stream
3. Learning experience enhancement stream

All proposals are due by 3:00 pm on May 15, 2023. All projects must meaningfully transform UBCO students’ learning experiences with an implementation focus and scope consistent with the funding stream. Preference is given to projects that align with one or more of the ALT-2040 Priority Focus Areas.

For additional information about the three funding streams and the application process and deadlines, please visit the ALT-2040 website. For other inquiries, please contact:

Michelle Lamberson,
Director, Flexible Learning Special Projects
altfund.ok@ubc.ca.

Photo by Emilio Freire

The impressive skills of undergraduate researchers were on full display at the Undergraduate Research Showcase that took place in January. Eight student panellists presented their unique undergraduate research pathways and shared how research experiences have enhanced their studies. Students shared their experiences and participation in groundbreaking research projects in topical and emerging fields, such as diabetes prevention, eating disorder recognition, diagnosis and treatment, anti-racism initiatives, and more.  

The event was hosted by the Undergraduate Research Ambassadors. Inspired by their own research experiences, Undergraduate Research Ambassadors offer peer support and information to help their fellow students to navigate research opportunities at UBC Okanagan. While several opportunities to connect virtually took place over the pandemic, the showcase was an opportunity to come together and connect in person to raise awareness of undergraduate research experiences at UBC Okanagan. The Undergraduate Research Ambassador program is led by Academic Operations and Services in the Office of the Provost with partners in the Academic and Career Advising Office. 

For updates on future undergraduate research events and opportunities, sign up for the mailing list here. 

Meet Kirsten Bennett

Role: Senior Manager, Strategic Projects

Kirsten Bennett first joined UBC Okanagan in 2012, supporting the campus in several roles before taking a position with the Office of the Provost in 2019. She currently works as Senior Manager, Strategic Projects and has previously served in a number of capacities with the Office of the Provost, including managing campus internationalization and supporting student online learning initiatives during the pandemic. Kirsten completed her undergraduate studies (BA) in History and International Development Studies at Dalhousie University and holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Calgary.

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROVOST.

In my role, I work closely with Heather Berringer, Associate Provost, Academic Operations and Services, to advance strategic objectives and projects at UBC Okanagan in the area of learning services. I really enjoy the variety of projects that I get to work on, including developing new programming to support students accessing undergraduate research opportunities, coordinating academic integrity initiatives across campus, and co-chairing UBC’s Roundtable on Experiential Education with colleagues at UBC Vancouver. I have been able to explore new partnerships and build relationships with faculty, staff and students to move these initiatives forward.

WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS OR CURRENT INITIATIVES ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT?

We recently launched the Academic Integrity Digest, a cross-campus newsletter that seeks to expand engagement and conversation around academic integrity issues impacting teaching and learning at UBC. The first issue focuses on the advance of generative artificial intelligence technologies (e.g. Chat GPT), a topic of much conversation lately. I look forward to working on future issues of the newsletter and other initiatives that help us connect as a community around the awareness and promotion of academic integrity.

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO WORK AT UBC OKANAGAN?

I enjoy working in an environment that offers continuous learning and opportunity, and I found that at UBC Okanagan. Throughout my ten years at UBC, serving in a number of roles, I have had many opportunities to develop professionally and build supportive relationships. Our campus is a place where people care about one another and are passionate about their work. This is why I have continued to build my career at UBC Okanagan, and I feel privileged to work with so many great people. The campus has also grown significantly, and it has been exciting to witness this development and the changes that growth brings. I look forward to the changes still to come, including the expansion of UBC into downtown Kelowna.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE OKANAGAN ACTIVITY OR SPOT AND WHY?

I live in West Kelowna, and I have a rather large and boisterous dog that needs a lot of exercise. Lately, I have been exploring the hiking trails around the Rose Valley reservoir. There is a particular spot at the top of one of the trails that provides an amazing view of both Okanagan Lake and the reservoir with the mountains behind it. You feel so close to the city yet so removed at the same time. I love that this is in my backyard.

“A lot of work was involved in bringing this project to life. From the graduate student who developed the algorithm to the students who worked on the web system architecture and user interface, for this tool to come together so quickly and to such a high level of quality is incredible.”

FORMING EFFECTIVE TEAMS IS OFTEN MORE ART THAN SCIENCE, but a new tool by Dr. Bowen Hui and her team of students at UBC Okanagan is using data-driven solutions to revolutionize how instructors approach group work.  

Their tool, Teamable Analytics, helps instructors create balanced teams using an AI algorithm that matches self-reported student skills and attributes against characteristics identified by the instructor. Instructors can balance students based on factors that will give them the best opportunity to achieve learning outcomes and create a positive team environment.   

“I’m often asked for guidelines and advice on how to form effective teams, but the answer is different for everyone,” Hui explains. “Teamable Analytics allows instructors to decide what balance means to them in relation to their course, project requirements, or pedagogy.”  

Hui has seen the value of creating balanced teams firsthand as the instructor of an interdisciplinary course that brings together students from media studies, psychology, management, engineering, and computer science backgrounds. Teamable Analytics began as part of an ALT-2040 project exploring personalized learning in interdisciplinary courses. It became quickly apparent that the tool could have benefits beyond its initial application, and Hui enlisted the help of her students to support her vision.  

Though an algorithm didn’t bring their team together, Hui credits the complementary skill sets of her students with creating this remarkable tool. “A lot of work was involved in bringing this project to life. From the graduate student who developed the algorithm to the students who worked on the web system architecture and user interface, for this tool to come together so quickly and to such a high level of quality is incredible,” Hui shares. “I am so proud of all the students involved. It was their passion and dedication that made this project possible.”    

And their hard work is paying off. After a successful year that saw the team win the Best Demo Award at the International Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference (LAK’22) and pilot their tool in seven classrooms of all sizes across UBC Vancouver and Okanagan, Hui has plans to expand their pilot project beyond UBC. “We want to continue piloting the tool to build a bigger user base and keep improving Teamable Analytics,” Hui says. “There was a lot of interest in the demo. Now we’re focusing on how we want to grow from here.”   

Hui already has some ideas about what the future might hold. “I want to provide deeper insights that will help faculty use their data from previous years to gain insights on what a balanced team means in their courses. Every year, every class is different, and it takes some trial and error to learn the best approach overall,” Hui says. “There are also opportunities to look at how Teamable Analytics can support student learning beyond academic success, such as looking at the overall health of the teams with respect to their mental health and wellness.”   

Meet Laura Prada

Role: Senior Manager, Academic Programs, Teaching and Learning

Laura Prada has worked in higher education for more than 12 years in student services and teaching and learning. In her current role, she supports academic programs and reviews in the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic. Laura has degrees in both psychology and education, as well as a university teaching certificate, that inform her practices. She is passionate about sharing and collaborating with others to provide holistic support to academic units and educators at UBC Okanagan.

Please describe what you do in the Office of the Provost.

I support academic initiatives such as new program proposals, program evaluation, re-design of existing programs and campus-wide processes for quality assurance and enhancement. I collaborate with many other units on campus to do this work, including the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the Okanagan Planning and Institutional Research (OPAIR), and Finance.

What upcoming projects or current initiatives are you most excited about?

Within the Provost’s Office, I am most excited about supporting the quality assurance and enhancement work we committed to do after our first Quality Assurance Process Audit by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training in 2021. This will entail lots of great conversations, learning, and innovative ways to approach the work we do to continue offering excellent academic experiences for our students.

At a campus-wide level, I am most excited about the implementation of the ARIE (Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence) report recommendations for building a truly inclusive campus, free from racism.

What made you choose to work AT UBC Okanagan?

The land of the Okanagan Syilx Peoples made me choose UBC Okanagan. I am so appreciative of this land’s caretakers and knowledge holders and I strive to be a respectful uninvited guest and positive contributor to this beautiful place.

What’s your favourite Okanagan activity or spot and why?

Beach volleyball is one of the activities I tried for the first time in the Okanagan and I now enjoy it very much. Playing with friends while overlooking the mountains and Okanagan lake is such a gift!

Date: Thursday, December 1, 2022

Time: 11 am to 12:30 pm

Format: Virtual (zoom link sent to registrants one day before event)

Register Now

Description

Facilitated by Dr. Anita Chaudhuri, UBC Okanagan’s Faculty Advisor on Academic Integrity, this panel session provides an opportunity to discuss issues of academic integrity across teaching and learning. It will include information about UBC Okanagan’s recently revised discipline for academic misconduct regulation and centralized supports and resources for addressing academic misconduct through an educative approach. This will be followed by a panel discussion that will introduce academic integrity in classrooms, connect academic integrity to discipline-specific concerns, and discuss strategies to perform/practice academic integrity to inform professional identity. Faculty, Teaching Assistants and students are encouraged to attend and participate in this conversation.

Speaker Bios

Anita Chaudhuri is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of English and Cultural Studies at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan (UBCO). Her research interest in the areas of identity construction of language learners, and their development in writing and communication have been published in TESOL Quarterly, BC TEAL Journal, Writing & Pedagogy, and as a chapter contribution in Affect, Embodiment, and Place in Critical Literacy: Assembling Theory and Practice. Her ALT-2040 funded project titled “Disciplinary Approaches to Academic Integrity” (2022) plans to inform training and education of students (faculty and administrators) at institutions of higher education. She was a member of the Academic Integrity Working Group (2020-21) at UBCO as well as the cross-campus group with UBC Vancouver colleagues and contributed to the content development of the Academic Integrity website and Canvas learning modules. She co-chairs the Academic Integrity Advisory Group at UBCO (2022-23 & 2021-22).

Laura Patterson is an Associate Professor of Teaching specializing in Technical and Professional Communication in the School of Engineering at UBC’s Okanagan campus and has been in her current position since 2007. She is dedicated to academic integrity and recently was the Lead of the Provost’s Academic Integrity Working Group from 2020-2021. She is currently the Chair of the School of Engineering’s Ethics and Academic Integrity Committee since she initiated it in 2017.

Tamara Ebl has over 20 years of experience teaching in higher education – over a decade of which has been with UBC (currently as Lecturer in the Faculty of Management at UBC’s Okanagan campus).  Tamara has engaged with thousands of students and shared teaching philosophies and pedagogical approaches with many colleagues, both at UBC and beyond. A self-proclaimed ‘Facilitator of Learning’, Tamara will share some of her approaches to promoting academic integrity awareness and practices in the classroom, including What she does, Why it matters, and the Impact she believes it makes.

Jacqueline Barnett is a PhD Candidate with the Faculty of Science, a Learning Design Intern with the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and a seasoned teaching assistant.

The first cross-campus book club focused on academic integrity brought together eighteen participants, including students, faculty and staff, for inspiring conversations and learning centred on Cheating Academic Integrity: Lessons from 30 Years of Research, co-edited by David A. Rettinger and Tricia Bertram Gallant. Through virtual meetings, participants from both campuses met four times, including a meeting that welcomed one of the book’s editors in attendance. The book club was hosted by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic and funded in partnership with the Library. Thank you to all the participants for contributing to the ongoing dialogue around academic integrity at UBC.

Learn more about academic integrity

Find Academic integrity resources

New alumna and former undergraduate research ambassador Yuen Yee Leung dives into her lifelong curiosity for science

The young girl peered closely at a small green leaf in her hand—her scientific curiosity growing and blossoming like the plant. Little did she know that one day, she would travel across the world to satisfy that curiosity.

New Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science alumna and former undergraduate research ambassador Yuen Yee Leung developed an interest in science at an early age growing up in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Hong Kong. From dissecting plant leaves to building volcanoes as a child, Leung has always been curious about the world around her.

“Throughout school, I took science classes whenever I could,” Leung shares. “Biology was my main interest, but I also enjoyed chemistry and physics.”

Encouraged by her secondary school biology teacher, Leung served as the Biology Subject Ambassador in her program. “That was the beginning of my interest in helping other students,” she explains. “It was also my first experience having a mentor and someone outside my family really support me.”

Attending an international high school also encouraged her to think globally when planning her future. “I applied to universities across the globe, but what drew me to UBC Okanagan was the connected environment where I could grow as a person in a close-knit, nurturing community.”

Though she initially chose to major in Psychology, the trajectory of Leung’s education was forever changed after an Introduction to Microbiology course reignited her passion for biology, leading Leung to switch majors and pursue the Microbiology Honours program. Through her undergraduate courses, she gradually developed a deeper interest in biomedical science research.

In her second year, Leung participated in the Undergraduate Research Awards, completing a research project focusing on the oxidation of camptothecin backbone through the use of oxidative enzymes. This research earned her an International Undergraduate Research Award and inspired a deep love of research—which she continued to nurture in her Microbiology honours research focusing on working with plants that produce high-value chemicals. “Research drives me to go above and beyond and truly understand the practical applications of what I’m studying,” shared the recent alumna. “I also like the collaborative nature of research — you don’t just do research by yourself—you bounce ideas off your colleagues and talk to your supervisor about your ideas and hypotheses. Research encourages students to dive into their curiosities and take action.”

Her experience with the Undergraduate Research Awards led her to apply for the role of Undergraduate Research Ambassador. “It’s a service I would have loved when I started undergraduate research,” she says. “As a first-generation university student, I completely understand how daunting navigating life during university can be, so having support from university resources, friends, and colleagues is extremely important.”

UBC Okanagan’s Undergraduate Research Ambassadors assist undergraduate students to get involved in the many research opportunities available at the university. Despite participating in the program during a year that saw COVID-19 measures implemented across campus, Leung is proud of the work their team was able to accomplish and sees exciting opportunities for the program to continue developing and supporting student research in new ways. “Through my interactions with the students, I’ve seen that there is a lot of interest, but students don’t know where to start. Although COVID-19 made things more difficult, we were still able to reach students through our pop-up events and webinars. In the future, I would love to see networking events and opportunities for conversations about research, academics and literature—that will give faculty a better idea of what students are interested in and how they can recruit students and create more opportunities for collaboration.”

More than supporting the research and academic community, Leung looked for other ways to support her fellow students, serving to promote financial literacy with Enactus UBCO, as well as working to support educational equity both globally and locally through student-led non-profit club, Nourishing Futures. “Growing up, I witnessed people struggle due to societal barriers, leading me to become a passionate advocate for increased access to education. I’m grateful I was able to continue my passion in this area through Nourishing Futures and Enactus UBCO.”

Now that she’s an alumna, Leung plans to spend time working in a research laboratory and exploring Canada before pursuing further education. “Looking back on my experience at UBCO, I am extremely grateful for the friends I have made and the experiences I have had. They have all played a critical role in shaping who I am today and who I may be in the future.” As for her advice to undergraduate students interested in pursuing research? “Take the first step and reach out—talk about your interest in research, and from there, it will shape itself.”

Meet Michelle Lamberson

Role: Director, Flexible Learning Special Projects

Dr. Michelle N. Lamberson is the Director of Flexible Learning Special Projects in the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic at UBC’s Okanagan Campus. She provides strategic support to innovative teaching, learning and curriculum initiatives; her current focus areas include supporting the transition to online learning, coordinating UBCO’s career and personal education efforts, and managing UBCO’s ALT-2040 fund. Prior to joining UBCO’s Provost Office team in 2015, Michelle served in a variety of roles in the UBC Vancouver Provost Portfolio since 2002.