ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reflections on Black History Month

This past month brought many events, educational seminars, panel discussions, films and other media pieces featuring voices and experiences of black people as part of Black History month. It was inspiring to watch black Canadian athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics and to hear their unique personal stories, experiences, challenges and successes in television interviews. The talk (see the video on our website) by Associate Professor Ornella Nzindukiyimana from St. Francis Xavier University, “Whose History is it Anyway?” gave a deeper reflection on the complex history of black people in Canada and pointed to the continued work needed to move from parallel narratives to convergent ones in our views and actions on inclusivity.

The KUS BIPOC Committee organized and hosted the “Black Health and Wellness Professional Panel” on Thursday, February 17, featuring Dr. Christopher Applewhaite, Family Medicine Physician; Clayton Cross, Certified Athletic Therapist, S&C Coach; Kendra Coupland, Yoga Grandmaster, Meditation Coach; and Lolade Shipeolu, Resident Physician at University of Ottawa. The talented and accomplished panelists shared stories of their career paths, lived experiences, challenges faced as trainees, their definitions of success and offered meaningful words of wisdom for emerging Kinesiology scholars in the health professions. The event also included philanthropic fundraising for local black organizations. I want to recognize the outstanding leadership of the KUS BIPOC Committee and the important work they are doing to enact real change to make the School a better place to be and study.  Black History Month has been an important time to hear the voices and learn from the stories, experiences and perspectives of black people, the obstacles they continue to face, and to reflect on how we can all do our part to support equality in our Kinesiology community founded on a recognition of our common humanity.

~ Dr. Robert Boushel, Director and Professor
UBC School of Kinesiology

February and Forever:
Celebrating Black History today and every day

Year-round, there are opportunities to highlight Black voices, challenge anti-Black racism and strengthen our communities through allyship. The month of February is a time to be intentional in celebrating and recognizing Black contributions both past and present.While we understand celebrating Black individuals for one month does not suffice, we hope that the events, articles, and stories brought more awareness to the achievements and contributions Black people have made in our society.

If you have not yet visited the School's webpage on Black History Month, click below to read more about Black history in Canada, with inspiring stories from KIN undergraduate student Zoe Balbosa, an informative video titled “Whose History is it Anyway?: Reflecting on the Place of (Black Canadians’) Past Sport Narratives in the Mainstream,” and a suggested reading and video list for your further knowledge.

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Faculty Career Opportunity: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Exercise, Nutrition, and Metabolism

The UBC School of Kinesiology invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) in Exercise, Nutrition, and Metabolism. The successful PDF candidate will join a dynamic and multidisciplinary team under the supervision of Dr. David Wright. The Wright Lab examines the effects of exercise, nutrition, and pharmaceutical approaches on adipose tissue and liver metabolism, the underlying mechanisms therein, and how alterations in these tissues impact whole-body glucose and lipid homeostasis. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in physiology, metabolism, biochemistry, or a related field. The candidate must be able to work well in a team and be willing to take on a leadership role.

The appointment is expected to begin on Monday, August 1, 2022, or as negotiated with the successful candidate.

Interested applicants should submit a CV and cover letter that details their experience and contact details for 3 references. Applications should be submitted to dcwrig01@mail.ubc.ca with ‘PDF Application’ in the email subject line. However, the posting will remain open until filled.

For more information on what the position entails, click below.

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School Video Project, ‘Learning Transformed’, Moves into Pre-Production

Now that we are all back on campus, we are able to launch into the pre-production of the School’s video, Learning Transformed.

Chris Spencer, Supervising Producer & Team Lead for UBC Studios will be contacting faculty members to set up pre-interviews about their research to best understand how and what to shoot as part of the promotional video. The School wishes to have all research areas represented in the production.

If you have not heard from Chris, or if you have any questions about the pre-interview, you may contact Chris at christopher.spencer@ubc.ca.

COVID-19 Updates

As of March 1, 2022, the university will no longer require regular rapid testing or vaccine declarations except as needed to comply with the relevant Public Health Orders described below. Other safety measures, including the requirement to wear masks in indoor, public spaces continue as long as required by Public Health Orders. In addition, UBC will issue free rapid testing kits to faculty and staff who are on campus. To read the full announcement, click here.

FAQs on health guidance and vaccines, as well as current status of events, have recently been updated for all UBC faculty and staff.

For ongoing updates, click below and refer to covid19.ubc.ca for more information on COVID-19 at UBC.

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FACULTY & RESEARCH NEWS

Air pollution and high-intensity interval exercise: Implications to anti-inflammatory balance, metabolome and cardiovascular responses

Congratulations to Kin alum Dr. Sarah Koch and to Dr. Michael Koehle for their newly published article on the effects of air pollution in high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE).

Highlights of their study include: Urban air pollution impairs physiological responses to exercise associated with health; HIIE under air pollution exposure inhibits the expected anti-inflammatory responses; and metabolic pathways related to energy supply and blood pressure were also impaired.

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You’re part of something bigger’: interpersonal relationships and older Canadian men’s body image

Congratulations to Dr. Erica Bennett, with co-authors Dr. Laura Hurd, Elizabeth Pritchard, Tayler Colton, and Dr. Peter Crocker, for their compelling article on older men's body image.

In this qualitative narrative study, the authors examined older men’s body image, focusing on the role of interpersonal relationships in shaping their psychological adaptation to age-related body changes to appearance, function, and health. 

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A scoping review of interventions to improve strength training participation

Congratulations to Dr. Jasmin Ma for her novel study on improving participation rates in strength training. Low participation rates and unique barriers to strength training suggest effective strength training interventions may differ from effective aerobic or general physical activity interventions.

This study examines interventions used to improve strength training participation through mapping theory, intervention characteristics, prescription parameters, and behaviour change techniques.

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Different spokes for different folks: experiences with cycling and the bicycle from the perspective of variably-housed cyclists in Vancouver

Congratulations to KIN PhD student Jeanette Steinmann and Dr. Brian Wilson for their innovative study on cycling-related practices and identities outside of leisure and commuting.

Their study explores what cycling means to variably-housed people who ride bicycles in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, and how these meanings align (or do not align) with common depictions of cycling and cyclists in existing research and policy.

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“You're wrong, I'll switch, I'm wrong, I'll stay”: How task-switching strategies are modulated by a partner in a multi-task learning protocol

Congratulations to KIN BKin alum Brynn Alexander and Dr. Nikki Hodges for their new publication on task-switching strategies in partner exercises.

Individuals given control over practice variables make practice decisions based on their current performance. This article investigates if and how a partner's performance impacts these decisions. The study evaluates this question in a multi-task learning protocol, where individuals and dyads practiced three, differently timed keystroke sequences.

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Association between Inter-Limb Asymmetries in Lower-Limb Functional Performance and Sport Injury: A Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies

Congratulations to KIN PhD alum Dr. Yanfei Guan, with co-authors Dr. Shannon Bredin, Dr. Jack Taunton, Qinxian Jiang, Nana Wu, and Dr. Darren Warburton, for their groundbreaking study on inter-limb asymmetry in lower-limb functional performance.

This study aims to conduct a systematic review on whether inter-limb asymmetry in lower-limb functional performance can predict sport injury.

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Dr. Erica Bennett Speaks With CBC Radio About Men's Body Image

Following up on a new memoir by actor David Pevsner on men's body image, Dr. Erica Bennett (KIN) comments in CBC’s Sunday Magazine on the lack of research about men's body image issues:

“…In Western culture…there’s a lot of pressure on women to “retain youthful, feminine, physically fit, thin-yet-toned, muscular bodies throughout their life." ... So as a result of that, researchers have been really interested in women’s body image. What has happened is that we’ve often ignored older men and men’s body image."

Dr. Bennett points out that the more we learn about "how men experience body image issues as they age," then we will provide better resources "that support their well-being, including the psychological adjustment to aging."

Read the Full Article Here!

Dr. Guy Faulkner and Dr. Madelaine Gierc were interviewed on the CSEP Podcast

This Season’s Podcast focuses on equality, diversity, and inclusion. It takes a different approach to the typical format, and instead of a single host conducting a 1-on-1 interview, there is a different panel of guests on each episode.

In Episodes 24 and 25, Dr. Guy Faulkner and Dr. Madelaine Gierc are interviewed by Joseph Gibbons on the importance of mental health and the role exercise professionals can play in assisting both their clients and colleagues in maintaining good mental health.

CSEP members from across Canada and internationally help host this podcast. If you would like to be on an episode of Season 3, please email memberships@csep.ca. Click below to find all CSEP podcast episodes and listen to them on Spotify or Apple Music!

Listen Here

Congratulations to Jeanette Steinmann (KIN PhD Candidate) for Receiving MITACS Research Funding!

2nd-year KIN PhD student Jeanette Steinmann, working in the Centre for Sport and Sustainability, has received research funding from MITACS on a project with HUB Cycling titled, “Cycling Equity and Older Buildings”!

The project will collect information about a sampling of existing buildings of different ages, types, and ownership structures in order to understand the dynamics of existing cycling amenities and potential opportunities for, and barriers to, improving cycling amenities and connections for each type. The study will be carried out by Jeanette and two other senior UBC graduate students with HUB Cycling, in collaboration with building development and management companies, and government bodies to complete the Equity, Accessibility, and Older Buildings project this year.

Read More About Their Project Here!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Accessibility and Inclusion: Unleashing the Potential of People with Disabilities

Thursday, March 3, 2022 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm PST

Rick Hansen Foundation founder, former parathlete, and KIN alum Rick Hansen, C.C., O.B.C. will be holding a webinar as part of the UBC Exercise, Kinesiology, and Health Seminar Program! In this webinar, Rick and the Foundation are rethinking how people of all ages and abilities access spaces where we live, work, learn and play. The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) is the only program that rates, certifies, and showcases accessible buildings based on their level of meaningful access for persons with mobility, vision, and hearing disabilities.

To learn more about the event and how to register, click below!

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From Cell To Society: Women’s Health Research To Address Shared Global Challenges

Wednesday, March 9, 2022 | 8:30 am - 1:30 pm PST

The Women’s Health Research Institute presents the Seventh Annual Women's Health Research Symposium. The theme of this year’s symposium centres on catalyzing women’s health research to address shared global health challenges with an emphasis on the scale, spread and impact of local research at the global level.

The event will be held in person, at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, and virtually through a live-stream broadcast. Tickets are $30 to attend in person and $10 to attend virtually.

To register for the event, click below.

Register Here

Lost In Translation: Why Studying Sex/Gender Differences Is Not Enough To Move The Dial On Women’s Health

Friday, March 18, 2022 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm PST

As part of the Health After 2020 Dialogue sessions, Lost in Translation will explore the necessity of women's health research in preparing for current and future health crises, such as COVID-19. This dialogue session will outline why science needs to define and value women’s health by demonstrating that it is a distinct field of research.

To register and learn more about the speakers, click below.

Register Here

Dean’s Distinguished Lecture: Climate Justice and Educational Responsibility

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm PST

On March 29, you are invited for the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture, a series that highlights ongoing work in the Faculty of Education and beyond to address some of society’s most pressing problems. Join Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem of the Faculty of Education, as she engages renowned activists Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis in conversation about the inequitable impacts of the climate crisis and how education can advance climate justice.

Click below to register and learn more about the lecture!

Register Here

Envisioning Alternative Socio-environmental Futures Through Sociocultural Kinesiology

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | 9:00 am - 10:30 am PST

The third presentation in the Sport and the Environment webinar series will be presented by Dr. Liv Yoon, KIN alum and postdoctoral research scholar at the Earth Institute and the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. She will be discussing her PhD work, Mount Gariwang: An Olympic Casualty, and how her training in sociocultural kinesiology informed her postdoctoral projects around environmental and social justice. Click below to register!

Missed the last webinar? Click here to watch a recording of Dr. David Goldblatt's Politics, Practices and Preferred Futures.

Register Here

5 Lessons I Learned Along the Way to a Small-Town University

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm PST

The UBC Exercise, Kinesiology and Health Seminar Program is back with another Zoom seminar for March! Join UBC Kin alum, Dr. Melanie Lam, Associate Professor in the Department of Human Kinetics at St. Francis Xavier University, for some insight on her academic journey to becoming a professor in her field. She will also be presenting an overview of her research and the collaborative research she is currently pursuing.

To register, click below and find the link under the speaker's tab!

Register Here

Activate Your Entrepreneurial Mindset: Powered by PechaKucha. Hear Ebba Einarsson, KIN undergrad student & para-rower present

Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm PST

The event will kick off with UBC Alum Shahrzad Rafati (BSc’07), Chairperson and CEO of BroadbandTV (BBTV). Following her conversation with a moderator, six speakers will present their stories - including challenges they’ve overcome and lessons learned, accompanied by visuals - in a PechaKucha format. In these talks, one of the speakers is KIN 2nd year student and para-rower Ebba Einarsson who will share her experience as an elite para rower.

Learn More and Register!

Walking For Brain Health: The Role Of Biological Sex And Reproductive Experience On Exercise Efficacy

Monday, April 25, 2022 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm PST

As part of the UBC Women's Health Seminar Series, Dr. Cindy Barha, PhD and Post Doctoral Fellow at the UBC Department of Physical Therapy, will be hosting an exciting webinar on the role of genetics and hormone-related life events in the effects of exercise on brain health in older adults. The event will take place on Zoom. Click below to read more and register!

Register Here

Ethics in Health

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 | 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm PST

Ethics in Health is the fourth installation of Ethics for UBC, a five-part speaker series that will explore the current landscape of ethics scholarship and education across the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses of our university.

This panel discussion will focus on ethics across a variety of disciplines, spanning kinesiology and the exercise sciences, medicine, and neuroethics. For more information on panelists and registration, click below.

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OPPORTUNITIES

Apply to the Green Labs Fund!
Deadline: Sunday, March 20, 2022

Do you have a creative idea to make your lab or research activity more sustainable? Apply now for the 2022 Green Labs Fund, and your lab could receive up to $4,000 for your innovative plan! All UBC staff and faculty are eligible to apply.

Submit Applications to green.labs@ubc.ca.

Click below to download the application form and visit here to read about previously funded projects.
 

Download Here

Nominate UBC Staff for the 2022 President’s Awards!
Deadline: Friday, April 8, 2022

All faculty and staff are invited to nominate staff for the 2022 UBC President’s Service Award for Excellence and the President’s Staff Awards. These awards recognize and celebrate those who demonstrate outstanding achievement and excellence within the UBC community.

Direct questions to: 
workplace.recognition@ubc.  ca.

 

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Spring Call for HIFI Proposals!
Deadline: Friday, April 15, 2022

UBC Health's Health Innovation Funding Investment (HIFI) Awards are intended to catalyze interdisciplinary, cross-faculty collaborations at UBC's Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. Proposals should focus on initiatives that contribute to provincial efforts to establish and enhance team-based care.

The call is open to all innovative ideas, particularly in areas that address education and pedagogy or system change and outcomes.

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