Alumni Movements December, 2020 | Volume XVIII | Message From UBC School of Kinesiology Director, Professor Robert Boushel Dear KIN Alumni Community, Season's Greetings! I am happy to announce that the students and faculty have completed the fall term entirely online. A whole set of first-year students began their studies in September without ever having stepped on campus. And yet, the faculty, staff and students have adapted. Homecoming went virtual, Imagine Day was a great success, and most recently, UBC held its second Virtual Convocation Ceremony.
On November 25th, Kinesiology proudly celebrated the graduation of 69 resilient students (38 undergraduates and 31 graduates) who completed their degrees under very challenging conditions. A virtual reception was held in their honour, where students and their families, many of them separated by COVID, joined us on Zoom from as far as Columbia, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia! Please join me in welcoming these strong young alumni to the extended KIN family. You will see a list of their names here. Christine Pang (BKin '20), brought the School pride as one of two student speakers at convocation. See a recording of her presentation of the Class of 2020 legacy gift here. While Robyn Mildren (Ph.D. '20) inspired us with her speech in a more intimate KIN community reception. This has been a challenging year for us all on numerous levels. But our students continue to rise to the occasion to build and support the community in true KIN spirit. One such example is the founding of a BIPOC Committee that aims to create an inclusive environment and advocates for Black, Indigenous, and Students of Colour in Kinesiology. Another is Campus KINnections, which pairs new students with older student mentors. This program quickly pivoted to offer its services online, and in a year where social isolation and uncertainty were ever-present, they included more coordinator roles to further establish the program culture and increase communication and support for the peer mentors. Our faculty and staff, too, have risen to the demands of the term with many people working overtime to ensure that the curriculum and School ran smoothly through the ongoing changes. And in the midst of it all, our faculty continued to publish and win awards. I hope you read some of their achievements in the articles below, including that of Guy Faulkner who was named as one of the most Highly Cited researchers for 2020, ranked in the top 1% by citations for social sciences!
Next year marks the School's 75th Anniversary, and while we will have to wait until we can gather safely in-person to mark this momentous occasion with you, we hope to celebrate with some meaningful online events throughout the year. Please stay tuned! On behalf of the faculty and staff, I'd like to wish each of you and your families and friends a happy and healthy holiday season!
Robert Boushel
Director and Professor
UBC School of Kinesiology | Robyn Mildren (Ph.D. 20) Graduation Speech Robyn graduated with a Ph.D. in neuromechanics. Her thesis examined the leg muscle reflexes involved in the control of balance, and how they change with ageing and after suffering a stroke. She has gone on to do post-doctoral work at John Hopkins University. Robyn is an elite long-distance runner. "Greetings...my name is Robyn Mildren and I am addressing you on behalf of the cohort of grad students who are graduating alongside me today in UBC’s School of Kinesiology. I first want to speak directly to the master’s and doctoral students graduating today and give them their own special moment to take a breath and reflect on this accomplishment. I’m going to try my best to put into words why I think what you have done is special..." Read More | | | | Dr. Guy Faulkner named as one of the most Highly Cited researchers globally for 2020 We are proud to announce that Dr. Guy Faulkner has been internationally named as one of the most Highly Cited researchers for 2020 and is ranked in the top 1% by citations for social sciences in the Web of Science™. He is recognized for his pioneering and exceptional research influence, demonstrated by the production of multiple highly-cited papers. He is one of 1000 researchers in the world bestowed with this honour. Read More | | | | Dr. Moss Norman Conferred Outstanding Article Award Congratulations to Dr. Moss Norman, whose paper titled “Indigenous Gender Reformations: Physical Culture, Settler Colonialism and the Politics of Containment” won the Outstanding Article Award by the Sociology of Sport Journal. Dr. Moss’s article placed first out of 29 articles published in 2019. The award was presented at the recent North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Conference, which was held virtually in early November 2020. Read More | | | | | Brian Wilson co-edits “Sport and the Environment: Politics & Preferred Futures, Research in the Sociology of Sport" Sport and the environment are inextricably linked. Sport is dependent on its environmental contexts and is potentially environmentally impactful in its own right. Sports facilities – like ski hills, golf courses, and stadiums – can upset ecosystems and displace local residents. Teams and fans commonly travel in cars and planes that emit CO2. Rising temperatures might make participation in some sports impossible. Other examples abound. Yet while sport can be environmentally damaging, there is also hope that it can be a force for positive environmental change – for example, in modelling pro-environment forms of sport, and in decision-making by sport’s many stakeholders. Read More | | | | Dr. Katie Di Sebastiano works with colleagues on "The UBC Healthy Beverage Initiative: Changing the beverage landscape on a large post-secondary campus" Post-doctoral researcher Dr. Katie Di Sebastiano worked with colleagues in the School, UBC Wellbeing and Student Housing and Community Services to have their article published by Cambridge University Press. "Environmental interventions are more effective at changing nutrition behaviour than educational campaigns alone. As part of their health promotion efforts, UBC developed the Healthy Beverage Initiative (HBI) to ultimately reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) on campus.." Read More | | | | | Facemasks and the Cardiorespiratory Response to Physical Activity in Health and Disease William Sheel contributed to a new research study that demonstrates that when we exercise with a mask on, sensory perception gets the better of us. Our faces get a little hotter than usual, and it can feel like there’s more resistance in the way of breathing. But wearing a mask, these findings illustrate, does not affect arterial oxygen levels, or compromise the lungs. Read More | | | | KIN Team Presentation at the International Society for Physical Activity and Health Virtual Congress The Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology research team presented a virtual symposium entitled “Indigenous Health and Wellness through Empowerment” (Lai, Miles, Kaufman, & Hanna) in the International Society for Physical Activity and Health Virtual Congress on Oct 29, 2020. This symposium shared evidence-based methodologies, findings, and future implications in cultural safety research and education to enhance Indigenous health and wellness. Read More | | | Congratulations Tim Frick (BPE 75) who has been appointed to the Order of Canada
Congratulations to the legendary wheelchair basketball coach and KIN alumnus Tim Frick, who has been appointed to the Order of Canada. Frick was the first Paralympic coach to be inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame. He served as head coach of the Canadian women’s team for two decades, during which he guided the nation to three Paralympic gold medals and four world championship titles. Read More | | Master’s in High Performance Coaching & Technical Leadership (MHPCTL) Program & Graduates The UBC Master of High Performance Coaching and Technical Leadership is a unique three-year, 30-credit specialized program for experienced sport coaches and technical leaders who are looking to advance their careers. The program is composed of a one-year graduate certificate (HPCTL), followed by two years of graduate course work for the Master’s degree (MHPCTL). Watch the program video here, and download our latest brochure here. We are graduating top-notch coaches and technical leadership. Read More | Inderpal Sehmbi (MHPCTL 18) Inderpal graduated with both the HPCTL certificate and the MHPCTL degree.
He is currently a Canadian Men’s U21 Field Hockey Coach and is also a Physical Health Educator with the VSB. He has attended the Pan-American Games, Youth Olympics, the World Cup, the Junior World Cups twice, and the Commonwealth Games as a coach and performance analyst. Read More | | Laura Watson (BHK 06, MHPCTL 18) Laura graduated with both the HPCTL certificate and the MHPCTL degree. She is a High-Performance Coaching Advisor with Own the Podium, where she is responsible for implementing the Coaching Enhancement Program. This program aims to support Canada’s coaches in the pursuit of world-class coaching excellence in Olympic and Paralympic sport. Read More | | KIN Alum Pat Onstad: Inducted into Canada West Hall of Fame Congratulations to Pat Onstad (BHK '95), for his Hall of Fame Induction, highlighting his career in pro soccer! Playing nationally for the Edmonton Drillers and Dundee United Scotland, Onstad enjoyed playing many years of Major League Soccer. Now retired, he has entered another successful stage in his soccer career, coaching at the Major Soccer League level. Read More | Call to Participate in Kinesiology Undergraduate Society (KUS) Career Fair January 28, 2021 | 1:00pm-5:00pm PST In partnership with the UBC School of Kinesiology The KUS would like to officially invite you to attend the 2021 UBC Kinesiology Undergraduate Society (KUS) Career Fair (virtual edition). This is a great opportunity to showcase your organization to a wide range of skilled Kinesiology and UBC students who are looking for full-time, part-time and/or volunteer positions, and to share information regarding further educational and career exploration options.This year, the event will be held online on the AMS CampusBase Platform. In light of the ongoing pandemic, we are mindful of the obstacles that are being faced by many organizations and we have lowered our event costs by 40%. Click here to view pricing and more details about the event. Please contact kincareerfair@gmail.com with any questions. Register Here | COVID-19 Webinar: The connection between physical activity, the brain, and overall well-being during COVID-19. Kinesiology, in partnership with alumni UBC and the Faculty of Medicine, presented a webinar on the important connection between physical activity, the brain and overall well-being during COVID-19 on November 16, 2020. We are happy to say it was a huge hit, bringing in over 800 registrants! The webinar featured KIN faculty member Eli Puterman and Teresa Ambrose-Liu from the Faculty of Medicine in conversation. Watch the Webinar | An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep Canada’s first 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults offer clear direction on what a healthy 24 hours looks like for Canadian adults aged 18-64 years and 65 years or older.
These guidelines are unique because they don’t just focus on a single movement behaviour, but instead look at how all these integrate together. This is the first time there are recommendations on various types of physical activity woven together with guidance on sedentary and sleep behaviors for these age groups. Following the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults can help you make your whole day matter.
Guidelines are focused on 3 core recommendations: - Move More
- Reduce Sedentary Time
- Sleep Well
Read More | Join the alumni UBC Book Club! Reset your workday with Essentialism by Greg McKeown, our next Book Club pick. The alumni UBC Online Book Club is always free for UBC alumni. Join the discussion with over 1800 alumni already participating. Reading and discussion begin on January 7, 2021. Sign up Here | Webinar: Catalyst for change: Social, economic and environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday, December 8, 2020 | 11:30am-1:00pm PST Presented in partnership with UBC Sauder School of Business and the Faculty of Arts. Join experts Dr. Alfred Hermida, Dr. Justin Bull, (BA’05, PhD’15) and Dr. Katherine Lyon, (BA’08, PhD’17) as they explore some of the areas where we are likely to see lasting transformative social, economic, and environmental changes, leading many to hope that the systems that emerge from COVID-19 will be more sustainable and equitable. Register Here | Join us for an Alumni and Graduate Student Cornucopia of Online Games! Friday, December 11, 2020 | 7:00 - 9:00pm PST Kinesiology Alumni and Graduate Student Representatives present: a holiday games night! Join us for the 4th game in a series of bi-monthly virtual games run by young alumni, Kelly Wunderlich. All are invited, novices and expert game players alike! During this games night, you'll be able to play games such as Family Feud, Code Names, Jackbox, Among Us, and more! *Note: If you are signing up with a partner, both of you should fill out a registration form. It will be helpful to have two screens (i.e. a laptop and a smartphone) for some games. Register Here | Your Next Step brings together valuable career resources from across UBC to support graduating students and alumni. See below for upcoming career events and workshops! More information can be found here. | To donate, please direct your gift to 'other', and type 'School of Kinesiology'. Thank you for your support! | --- Alumni Engagement Office
UBC School of Kinesiology T: 604 822 9378
E: kin.alumni@ubc.ca | Copyright © 2020 UBC School of Kinesiology, All rights reserved. | | | | |
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