News and Events

Toolkit launch: Ethical data governance for agriculture | Thursday, March 28, 2024

How do we benefit from the power of big data in agriculture while protecting data ownership and farmer privacy? On March 28th at 9am, join a Zoom session to learn about a new toolkit that answers this question! Project research group: Dr. Sarah-Louise Ruder, Dr. Hannah Wittman, Shauna MacKinnon, Dr. Kelly Bronson, Dr. Dana James, Dr. John Janmaat, Zoé Mangin, Jonathon McIntyre, Dr. Isabelle Piot-Lepetit, Gregory Rekken, and Dr. Sean Smukler Project assistant: Catalina Garcia

Vancouver General Hospital tests out plant-based food for patients  

PhD student and surgical resident Dr. Annie Lalande co-led the Planetary Health Menu project which introduced plant-based and sustainable food choices to patients in hospital.

Dr. David Boyd & UBC Scholars Talk about the Wrongfully Convicted and Imprisoned Niloufar Bayani

Please attend a talk by Dr. David Boyd & UBC Scholars at Risk students to learn about Niloufar Bayani, an Iranian wildlife conservationist who was wrongfully convicted and is currently imprisoned.

Can an EV save you money? It depends on where you live and how much you drive  

UBC researchers explored electric vehicle costs across different provinces and territories. Stories quoted PhD student Bassam Javed, Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Milind Kandlikar. 

Dr. Amanda Giang is the newly appointed CRC in environmental modelling for policy

March 13, 2024 | IRES's Dr. Amanda Giang is one of five new Canada Research Chairs (CRC) joining UBC Science - we are honoured to work with Giang, and wish her a warm Congratulations.

Can you save money driving an electric vehicle? UBC researchers crunched the numbers

PhD student Bassam Javed and Dr. Amanda Giang found that in Nunavut you would have to drive 181 kilometres each day for seven years for an EV to be cheaper than a gas vehicle. In Ontario, it's 88 km and in B.C. it's 64 km. Their study has been featured in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, MSN; La Presse, Eurasia Review, CKNW Jill Bennett Show (aired live on Feb. 29), and the CJAD Elias Makos Show

Basic income could provide the breathing space so many need

Dr. Jiaying Zhao led a study which found that unhoused people are more likely to spend a lump sum of money on rent, food, housing, transit and clothes, despite public perception otherwise.

Labour organizing and climate justice: intersections, challenges, and political opportunities panel | IRES co-sponsored event | March 12, 5-6:30 PM | CIRS, BC Hydro Theatre (1st floor)

This panel will address two entwined questions: What can the climate movement learn from contemporary and historic labour strategy for building durable power? And, how can the climate and labour movements mutually strengthen one another?

This homeless N.L. man lives on $175 a month. The federal housing monitor says it’s not enough

Dr. Jiaying Zhao is featured in CBC for her project that shows why it's a "no-brainer" for provinces to offer more money to its poorest and most vulnerable populations. It would likely curb homelessness and save taxpayer money.

Is Our Food Waste Creating a Murder of Crows?

Dan Forrest, a PhD student at IRES, is featured in the Good Men Project for his study on how food waste is affecting Vancouver’s crow population. This study can help residents and the city make better-informed decisions by revealing the hidden dynamics of the urban ecosystem they’re part of.

Interdisciplinary biannual North American conference (NACCB) | Society for Conservation Biology | UBC | June 24-28, 2024 (Early bird rates until April 12)

The Society for Conservation Biology is holding their interdisciplinary biannual North American conference (NACCB) at UBC June 24-28, 2024. It will be a dynamic program with science, art, and nature-based activities.

Removing Roadblocks for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas

Dr. Justine Townsend, a postdoctoral fellow at IRES, co-authored an article on the challenges facing First Nations advancing Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, or IPCAS.

March 14, 2024: No Seminar this Week

There is no IRES Seminar on March 14, 2024.

Homeless people in Vancouver were given $5,500 cash, no strings attached. They used it to secure housing and even start saving.

Media mentioned a study by psychology professor Dr. Jiaying Zhao which found that unhoused people are more likely to spend a lump sum of money on rent, food, housing, transit and clothes, despite public perception otherwise.

How to feng shui your fridge — and why it might help to curb climate change

Small actions like applying feng shui principles to your fridge can help to reduce your food waste and improve your overall well-being, says Dr. Jiaying Zhao

Portrait photo of Claire  Ewing

March 7, 2024: IRES Professional Development Seminar with Claire Ewing

Curious about moving from academia to policy work? Claire Ewing shares her journey after graduating from IRES and what she's learned so far from her current, amazing job at Metro Vancouver.

Canada’s Nature Agreement underscores the need for true reconciliation with Indigenous nations

Dr. Justine Townsend, a postdoctoral fellow at IRES, co-authored an article on the challenges facing First Nations advancing Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, or IPCAS. The article emphasizes how Canadian governments and the conservation sector respond to the roadblocks encountered is crucial. Only by assisting these initiatives can we build meaningful and lasting IPCAs which not only restore and protect ecosystems but also advance reconciliation through Indigenous governance, laws, and knowledge systems. Image from CPPCL

Innovations in Energy Transition: the Question of Storage

January 16th from 3:00-4:00pm | Alternatives to fossil fuels are needed and innovations in wind, solar and other renewable energies are progressing. However, the question of storage remains a challenge. Join UBC researchers Robert Godin (UBCO Chemistry) and Werner Antweiler (UBCV Business) in a discussion around the question of energy storage.

Reducing the Forever Chemicals in the Food We Eat

PFAS can damage your liver, immune system, reproductive health, development, thyroid function and cancer. Dr. Gunilla Öberg discusses ways we can avoid PFAS such as filtering our tap water and why at a federal level, it is essential for Canada to have regulations to reduce exposure.

February 22, 2024: No Seminar This Week

There is no IRES Seminar on February 22 due to the Midterm Break (Feb 19 to 23, 2024).