Today: LFS Jitter Chatter Social

All LFS graduate students and faculty are invited to enjoy fair-trade organic coffee and home-baked goodies while conversing with colleagues new and old.

Limited mug supply, so bring your own if ya got it!

Where: Room 318 (Grad student Lounge) in the MacMillan building
When: Friday, January 27 from 10:30-11:30
The only cost is a bit of social interaction!

…Brought to you by your friendly LFS grad student council.

Parking Lot Changes — Davis Cup, February 10-12, 2012

Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena will be hosting the Davis Cup on Friday February 10 to Sunday February 12, 2012 with 5,000 attendees expected in each day.

The UBC Parking Department is presently working with the organizer to facilitate parking for this prestigious, large event. This event will place a large demand on the Thunderbird Parkade and surrounding surface lots from approximately 11:00am to 10:00pm during those three days. We expect to see high volume of traffic along East Mall, Wesbrook Mall, Thunderbird Blvd, and Agronomy Road during game times.

In anticipation of filling to the capacity of the Thunderbird Parkade, the overflow traffic will be sent to the surrounding surface lots, such as the B4 & O Lots, with contingency of using the West Parkade. Due to the magnitude of this event, lot closures might be happening during game times. UBC Parking staff will be stationed at various key points near the vicinity of the Arena to answer any parking related questions during lot closures.

Please see the attached PDF for details on lot closures.

Reminder – 2011/2012 Year-End Purchasing Deadlines

Please see attached notice of purchasing deadlines for the 2011/2012 Year-end. All purchases must be received and invoiced prior to March 31, 2012 to be included in the 2011/2012 fiscal year. Any purchase requisitions received by Supply Management after the cut-off dates may not be processed until after March 31, 2012 and will be charged against the 2012/2013 fiscal year.

Any questions, please contact Sylvia Leung (sylvia.leung, #2-3454) for further information. Thank you.

Future Forestry Leaders Symposium, February 24/25

Future Forestry Leaders: a graduate student research symposium celebrating the UN International Year of Forests
Organized by Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia and School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington

February 24, 2012: Fletcher Challenge Theatre (#1005), Forest Sciences Centre, 2424 Main Mall
February 25, 2012: Field trip to local First Nations band, Squamish area

The Symposium will highlight much of the excellent research conducted both in Canada and the United States and is a tremendous networking opportunity for students interested in research with international impact. Presentations and posters include a broad range of topics and issues to reflect the breadth of research activities at UBC and UW:

Registration information can be found here

UBCParkingCommunicationLetter_DavisCup.pdf

Ford F250 Pick Up Truck

The white Ford F250 Pick Up truck will not be available for bookings for the next two weeks as it will be in the collision repair shop. Once we have the truck back will let the faculty know by way of LFS Today.

Morgan Reid on Parental Leave

Morgan Reid, Learning Technologies Specialist with the LFS Learning Centre will be on parental leave from January 30 to April 22 2012. Please continue to send requests for help with instructional support, Blackboard, Vista, etc to the Learning Centre Instructional Support desk at is

Today: TerreWEB Seminar Series with Deborah Harford

Deborah will discuss Climate Change Adaptation and the Energy-Water Nexus. Climate change impacts will affect hydrological systems as well as energy production and distribution. Compounding these challenges is the fact that we need water to produce energy and vice versa – a confluence known as the “energy-water nexus.” This presentation outlines these impacts and current examples, and explores responses for government and the insurance sector, as well as ways to communicate and collaborate on these issues.

Topic: Climate Change Adaptation and the Energy-Water Nexus
Location: Forest Sciences Centre Room 1003, UBC Forestry Building (2424 Main Mall)
Date & Time: Thursday, January 26th from 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Today: A Conversation About On-Farm Euthanasia with Dr. Jan Shearer

UBC Dairy Centre, Jan 26th at 2pm

Dr. Shearer served the University of Florida for 27 years before accepting his current position as Professor and Extension Veterinarian at Iowa State University. His primary research and extension interests are lameness and welfare issues of cattle. He is immediate past Chair of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Animal Welfare Committee (AWC), member of the AVMA’s Panel on Euthanasia and Chair of its Food Animal Working Group, and member of the Board of Directors of the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO).

Dr Shearer has prepared several training documents and informational items on the topic of animal welfare and humane euthanasia including a brochure entitled, “Procedures for the Humane Euthanasia of Sick, Injured, or Debilitated Animals”, where he writes:

“The topic of euthanasia is unpleasant under any circumstances. It is, however, one of those tasks that veterinarians and others who work with livestock must be prepared to do. In many cases it is the only practical way to provide prompt relief of otherwise uncontrollable animal suffering. To that extent, it is a responsibility of all who own or work with livestock to have the proper equipment and knowledge to conduct this procedure with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.”

MacMillan Building Tune-Up

Why
UBC’s Climate Action Plan set targets to reduce GHGs by 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2015. This tune-up initiative will lead to a 10% reduction in campus energy consumption and GHG emissions by 2015.

What & When
Last year, engineering consultants completed a building audit. From January 2012 to March 2013, a combination of Building Operations staff and contractors will implement system changes behind the scenes, and may visit your building to conduct retrofits.

How you will be affected
The changes will be particular to each building and will mostly involve re-programming systems to manage heating, cooling and ventilation more intelligently. Your level of comfort should stay the same or even improve.

Some tweaking may be required to get it right, so your feedback is valuable. If your workspace feels uncomfortable, please contact Trouble Calls at 604-822-2173 or submit a request online. To learn more about how you can help conserve energy in your building or to find details on this program, please visit sustain.ubc.ca/tuneup.

Agenda – Faculty Meeting

Please be advised that the Faculty Meeting (for faculty and sessionals) is scheduled for Jan 26 (Thu) at 12:00-1:00 pm in Rm 158 MacMillan Building. Coffee and cookies will be provided.

Agenda:
12:00-12:15 Dean’s message
12:15-12:35 HD Video conferencing system – Edmund
12:35-1:00 Curriculum proposals discussion – Brent Skura

The next LFS Jitter Chatter Social!

All LFS graduate students and faculty are invited to enjoy fair-trade organic coffee and home-baked goodies while conversing with colleagues new and old.

Limited mug supply, so bring your own if ya got it!

Where: Room 318 (Grad student Lounge) in the MacMillan building
When: Friday, January 27 from 10:30-11:30
The only cost is a bit of social interaction!

…Brought to you by your friendly LFS grad student council.

Environmental Petitions Process

Do you have an environmental concern within the context of sustainable development? Does it fall within the mandate of the federal government? The federal environmental petitions process may be your way to get answers.

The environmental petitions process enables Canadians to obtain written responses from ministers of federal departments or agencies to their requests for information or action on environmental issues. Any Canadian resident or organization may use the petitions process. Petitions can be simple letters and do not require multiple signatures.

Getting Answers—A Guide to the Environmental Petitions Process explains the purpose and mechanics of the process, describes the scope of requests that can be covered in petitions, and provides guidance on how to write and submit a well-designed petition.

For more information, visit: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/petitions_e/

Register Now for the UBC Travelling Health Fair

Register now for your free assessment for the UBC Travelling Health Fair for faculty and staff. There are five different types of free, confidential, individual assessments/consultations offered this year in 20-30 minute appointments:

• Functional Movement Screening
• Anxiety Screening
• Acupuncture Consultation
• Blood Glucose and Cholesterol Screening
• Register Massage Therapy Assessment and Treatment

Please note that some assessments/consultations require participants to fast in advance of the screening or wear loose clothing.

We ask that you register for one consultation/screening so that we can offer a health assessment to as many different faculty or staff as possible, since space is limited. If you wish to have more than one assessment or consultation, please visit us at the Welcome Table on the day of the fair as we will be able to register you for additional sessions (if space is still available).

To register, please go to www.bit.ly/UBCTHF

“Peer Review of Teaching” Workshop for LFS faculty and instructors

All LFS Faculty and Instructors should have received an e-mail last Friday about an introductory workshop on “Developing your Skills as Peer Reviewer” being organized for our Faculty during midterm break (reading week).

As part of the University-wide “Peer Review of Teaching Initiative”, we are strongly encouraging everyone who teaches courses in our Faculty to be familiar with the process of peer review of teaching, from the perspective of reviewer as well as reviewee.

Thus, if you have not previously taken this workshop before, please take a moment now to indicate your availability to participate in the workshop by responding to the Doodle poll at http://www.doodle.com/sd594tsfdw74hk68

This workshop will be led by facilitators from CTLT (Centre for Teaching Learning & Technology). For your information, CTLT is also offering a workshop on January 31, 2012, which is open to anyone at UBC. Please see http://www.events.ctlt.ubc.ca/events/view/1312

For further information, please contact Dr. Eunice Li-Chan at: eunice.li-chan

In Memoriam – Dr. Shuryo Nakai

We are saddened to announce the passing of Dr. Shuryo Nakai. Dr. Nakai passed away peacefully on January 16, 2012 at the age of 85. He leaves behind his devoted wife of 59 years, Michie, daughters, Hitomi Gilliam, Harumi Nakai, Emily Nakai, and grandson, Colin Gilliam.

Born in Kanazawa, Japan, Dr. Nakai attended the University of Tokyo where he received his Ph.D. in Food Science. He completed his post-doctorate at the University of Illinois. In 1966, he joined UBC as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science. Dr. Nakai rose quickly through the ranks to full professorship in 1975.

As a food scientist, Dr. Nakai became acknowledged internationally and garnered many awards for his outstanding body of work. Although he retired from undergraduate teaching in 1991, he remained actively involved in what he loved most – conducting research. He continued to work tirelessly at his office at UBC until he was 81.

Donations may be made in Dr. Nakai’s memory to the Shuryo Nakai Scholarship at https://www.supporting.ubc.ca/onlinedonation/index.php?dsp=D330%20Shuryo%20Nakai%20Scholarship

Click here to read Dr. Nakai’s full obituary in the Vancouver Sun: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/vancouversun/obituary.aspx?n=shuryo-nakai&pid=155564615

Call for Proposals – Equity Enhancement Fund

The Equity Enhancement Fund was established to provide funding for new initiatives designed to enhance equity at UBC. The initiatives may be for the benefit of students, faculty or staff. There are separate funds for the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. This announcement relates to the Vancouver fund.

The Vancouver funds are allocated by the Associate Vice President Equity, in consultation with the President’s Advisory Committee on Equity, Discrimination and Harassment. Proposals applying for funding up to $25,000 will be considered. The funding is available to any academic or administrative unit with the endorsement of the head of unit. The deadline for submission of proposals is March 1, 2011.

The Guidelines for the fund and an Application Guide are available at http://equity.ubc.ca/employment/equity-enhancement-fund-eef/
If you have any questions about this fund or would like to submit a proposal, please email Tom at tom.patch

Soil Science Seminar: Jonathan Hughes

Speaker: Jonathan Hughes, Geography Department, University of the Fraser Valley
Topic: Paleoecological records within peat, muck and organic soils of the Fraser Lowland and Central Coast, B.C.
Date, Location: Friday Jan 27, 3:00-4:00 pm room 154 MacMillan

All are welcome!

LFS Graduate Program Advisors – Current List (as of January 2012)

Following is a list of our current graduate program advisors, for your information. Recently added this month are Tim Green (HUNU) and Mahesh Upadhyaya (PLNT):

AGEC Carol McAusland
ANSC Marina von Keyserlingk
FOOD David Kitts
MFS Jerzy Zawistowski
MFRE George Kennedy
HUNU Tim Green
ISLFS Eduardo Jovel
PLNT Mahesh Upadhyaya
SOIL Les Lavkulich

Today: Soil Science Seminar with Trudy Naugler (LFS Alumna)

Following up on last terms seminar on the History of Phosphorous (recovery and reuse), this week we have a seminar by:

Speaker: Trudy Naugler, from Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies
Topic: “The evolution of phosphorous: upcycling waste to fabulous fertilizer”
Date & Location: Friday Jan 20, 3:00-4:00 pm in MacMillan room 154

All are welcome!

Call for Papers: FOODWAYS: DIASPORIC DINERS, TRANSNATIONAL TABLES AND CULINARY CONNECTIONS

Please join us for the 2012 Annual Conference of the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies, University of Toronto
Thursday October 4 – Sunday, October 7, 2012

Expressions of Interest Due: Feb. 10
Abstracts Due: Mar. 16

Description:
This conference seeks to address questions surrounding the dynamics of the food ‘we’ eat, the ways in which ‘we’ eat, the meaning ‘we’ give to eating, and the effect of eating in a transnational world. Recognizing that culinary culture is central to diasporic identifications, the focus is on the place of food in the enduring habits, rituals, and everyday practices that are collectively used to produce and sustain a shared senses of cultural identity.

For more information, please visit http://www.humanities.utoronto.ca/event_details/id=580

2012 Pacific Ecology and Evolution Conference (PEEC)

The Pacific Ecology and Evolution Conference (PEEC) is an annual conference for graduate, post-doctoral, and advanced undergraduate students conducting ecological and evolutionary research at Western Canadian and American universities. This conference provides a forum for presenting current research advances in the fields of ecology and evolution, and gives students an excellent opportunity to make contacts, obtain feedback, and exchange ideas with their peers.

The 2012 PEEC will be held March 2-4, 2012 at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, on Vancouver Island.

Registration and Abstract Deadline: January 31, 2012.

Visit http://peec2012.webs.com/ for conference and registration information.

Acting Program Director

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Mahesh Upadhyaya will be Acting Program Director of Applied Biology from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012, while Maja Krzic is on sabbatical.

Today: TerreWEB Seminar: Dr. Suzanne Simard

TerreWEB Project Head Suzanne Simard will discuss the myths, gaps and denial associated with Science Communication and review what led to the genesis of the TerreWEB graduate student training program.

Topic: Science Communication: Myths, Gaps and Denial
Location: Forest Sciences Centre Room 1003 (UBC Forestry Building, 2424 Main Mall V6T 1Z4)
Date & Time: Thursday 1:00 – 2:30 pm, January 19th

More information on TerreWEB and the seminar series visit: http://terreweb.ubc.ca/2012/01/10/seminar-suzanne-simard/

Canada-Australia collaboration to reveal Chardonnay’s secrets

The University of British Columbia’s Wine Research Centre and The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) have announced they have received $585,000 to produce the first assembled genomic sequence of the Chardonnay grape. [read more]

CFBMC Excellence Award for Agriculture Students

Each year, the Canadian Farm Business Management Council (CFBMC) holds the Excellence Award for Agricultural Students Contest. The Award is designed to help students develop their communication skills by having the opportunity to voice their opinion on a subject related to farm business management. Submissions are collected from students across Canada and three winners are awarded a $1,000 cash prize to help further their education in agriculture.

Students are asked to submit videos, responding to the following question: What is the importance of lifelong learning to meet the business management requirements of an increasingly complex agricultural industry, and how can farm managers integrate learning opportunities into their hectic schedules?

The winning videos will be announced in March, posted on CFBMC’s official website www.farmcentre.com and announced to the press. All applications must be received no later than February 28th, 2012. For more information about the Award and to fill-out the online application form, please visit http://farmcentre.com/Features/TheNewFarmer/Resources/StudentAwards/

The Canadian Farm Business Management Council (CFBMC) is the only national, bilingual organization in Canada devoted exclusively to developing and distributing advanced farm management information.

User Guide for New Voicemail System

Attached is the simplified voicemail user guide, courtesy of http://www.it.ubc.ca/projects/UBC_Voice_Mail_Upgrade.html
Users can also find the detailed reference tree at the same link; it’s called the Microsoft Quick Reference Card.

Soil: A Four-Part Series from Formation to Management

Soil is the foundation of terrestrial life, when well managed it can mean a bountiful crop for farmers and home gardeners alike. In this four part series on soil participants will start with the basic principles of soil formation, and learn how understanding soil properties ultimately leads to better management practices and healthy ecosystems. This course is intended for those folks interested in learning about soils, and will deal with both the practical and technical aspects of soil science.

The course will be led by LFS Agroecology Alumnus Chris Thoreau.

*Note: Participants can register for one class or sign up for all four classes.*

Upcoming Workshops at UBC Library

January 19 – Web of Science & Journal Citation Reports, RefWorks
January 25 – RefWorks
January 26 – Current Awareness Tools, RefWorks, Cinahl
January 27 – PubMed
February 1 – Web of Science & Journal Citation Reports
February 2 – Medline OvidSP, Cinahl
February 3 – PubMed
February 15 – RefWorks

For details & registration, please see this link — http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/series/9

2012 Voice_Mail-Only_User_Guide9624.pdf