October 17, 2024: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Simone Philpot

Evaluating impact reduction technologies: Decision support for a future-ready marine shipping industry

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Click here to register for Zoom link. Zoom will be terminated if we encounter tech problems 5 to 10 mins into the seminar.

Talk summary:

Marine shipping provides critical services, while also being the most efficient transportation option available when it comes to CO2 emissions per cargo tonne/mile. However, vessels still cause a wide range of environmental impacts (eg. harmful exhaust, underwater radiated noise, and chemical leaching). As expectations rise around minimizing these impacts, a range of technology and design alternatives are available for consideration. Given the complexity of vessels and the ecological systems they transit, evaluating these alternatives is no simple task. Drawing on case studies with the National Research Council Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard, we are developing decision support grounded in best practices from the decision sciences and techniques from systems design. In this talk, you will hear about our case studies, learn about the tools we are using to manage complexity, and get a look at our preliminary evaluative framework.

Bio:

Simone Philpot is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. Simone merges systems modelling and qualitative research techniques to examine environmental management and planning issues. At the Lab for Environmental Assessment and Policy, she is developing a technology assessment framework for marine shipping that captures a range of environmental impacts. Previously, Simone completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the University of Waterloo’s Department of Systems Design Engineering where she investigated resource management conflicts. She holds a Ph.D in Geography and Environmental Management with specialized training in collaborative water management, from the University of Waterloo.

Graduate Academic Assistant for the Pathways to Zero Impacts project | Deadline September 13

Dr. Amanda Giang’s LEAP lab is looking to hire a Graduate Academic Assistant for the Pathways to Zero Impacts project. This is a part-time temporary role for a graduate student.

Details from the posting are below and you can learn more about the project here.

We are seeking a highly motivated graduate academic assistant (GAA) to contribute to a Mitacs-funded study, ‘Pathways to Zero-Impact Shipping’. The primary goal of this project is to develop decision support for assessing alternative technologies for reducing the environmental impacts of marine shipping. The GAA will work at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus. Working closely with the multi-disciplinary team at UBC and non-profit partner, Clear Seas, the GAA will support tasks focused on identifying and characterizing the environmental impacts of alternative vessel technologies and fuels.

Specific responsibilities: The GAA will work closely with and report to Dr. Simone Philpot (UBC), Dr. Amanda Giang (UBC), and Clara Kaufmann (Clear Seas) and work with other members of the Pathways to Zero-Impact Shipping research team on activities and duties related to assessing the environmental impacts of alternative vessel fuels and technologies.

Examples of duties to which the GAA may contribute include, but are not limited to:

Search, retrieve, and synthesize research related to the environmental impacts of a range of vessel technologies and fuels. This may require performing analytic tasks (examples may include: aspects of life-cycle analysis, ecological footprint analysis, risk assessment, scenario analysis) and back-of-the-envelope calculations related to energy and fuels.
Record and manage data to a high professional degree.
Attend and contribute to research meetings as needed.
Work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Support interactive workshops with non-academic stakeholders

Desired qualifications:

Currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD program in science or engineering. We will consider candidates from other related fields who can demonstrate appropriate expertise. (for example, but not limited to resources management, environmental impacts assessment, geography).
Experience or training in naval architecture and marine engineering will be considered an asset.
A strong interest in ship design is highly valued.
A strong interest in energy and fuels is an asset.
Interest related to maritime environments is an asset.
Knowledge of research skills such as systematic literature reviews and data management or a strong interest in developing these skills, is highly valued.
Ability to work collaboratively in a team atmosphere as well as independently.
Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with stakeholders.

How to apply: Please email Dr. Simone Philpot (simone.philpot@ubc.ca) a 1-2 page (max.) cover letter and a CV using the subject line ‘GAA Pathways’. We will begin reviewing applications on September 13.

September 19, 2024: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Holly Caggiano

Opposition or opportunity? The role of community benefits in just energy transitions

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Click here for Zoom Recording

Talk summary:

As demand for distributed renewable energy generation has increased rapidly, so have conflicts over siting large-scale projects. Many wind and solar projects in the US and Canada have faced delays and cancellations that slow progress toward decarbonization goals. Meaningful community engagement and direct, verifiable benefits co-creation are necessary to avert these trends—and to ensure an equitable, rather than exploitative, energy transition. This talk will first examine recent findings from a survey of residents and local elected officials in Pennsylvania, USA that highlight how community benefits can build bipartisan support for energy infrastructure projects. Next, I will discuss emerging research on community benefits agreements, considering how new practices and policies might work to build shared value, prioritize justice, and expedite equitable energy development to mitigate climate change.

**Dr. Holly Caggiano,** Assistant
Professor of Community and Regional Planning, UBC

Bio:

Holly Caggiano is an Assistant Professor in the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia. Her work explores social dimensions of climate change in the US and Canada, and currently focuses on planning for just energy transitions.

September 12, 2024: IRES & IBioS Seminar with Dr. Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi

Optimizing Agricultural Landscapes: Enhancing Yields and Sustainability through Ecological Intensification

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Click here for Zoom Recording

Note: Lucas will be presenting virtually and we will stream the presentation in the Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre.

Talk summary:

This talk will explore the role of landscape configuration and ecological intensification in optimizing agricultural productivity and sustainability, drawing insights from recent studies across Argentina’s agricultural regions. Key findings demonstrate that smaller fields, increased edge density, and proximity to natural habitats not only enhance crop yields—such as sunflower in the Pampas—but also reduce the prevalence of herbicide-resistant weeds in maize and soybean fields. These results underscore the importance of integrating ecological principles into agricultural practices to foster biodiversity, improve pollination, and control weeds naturally. By rethinking landscape design and management, we can achieve a balance between high productivity and long-term environmental health, offering practical strategies for sustainable agriculture in diverse cropping systems.

**Dr. Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi,** *Director of the Institute for Research in Natural Resources, Agroecology, and Rural Development (IRNAD) at the National University of Río Negro, Argentina*

Bio:

Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi is a researcher and educator specializing in agroecology, biodiversity, bees, and sustainable agricultural practices. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences and is the Director of the Institute for Research in Natural Resources, Agroecology, and Rural Development (IRNAD) at the National University of Río Negro, Argentina. Garibaldi has authored over 197 scientific articles and 11 books, with his work widely cited in the academic community. He is also an active contributor to international platforms like IPBES and has received numerous awards for his contributions to science and technology.

Thank you to Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions Collaboratory (IBioS) for co-sponsoring this seminar!

PARKS+ Collective Project Coordinators: 4 part-time positions | Deadline: August 23, 2024

UBC Student Employment Opportunity: PARKS+ Collective Project Coordinators (4 part-time positions)

September 1 to April 30 (30 weeks)

$30/hour 10 hours per week

Job Description

The PARKS+ Collective project (cppcl.ca) is looking for up to four UBC undergraduate or graduate Project Coordinators (PAs) to work part-time to assist with an ongoing, pan-Canadian project related to parks, protected, and conserved areas research and management. These PARKS+ Project Coordinator(s) will join an innovative knowledge mobilization initiative housed in the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) focused on building inclusive social capital to support the effective, equitable, and transformative management of parks and protected areas throughout the Canadian parks system. The PARKS+ Collective Project Coordinator will join a small team, led by Principal Investigator Don Carruthers Den Hoed (Research Associate at IRES), to design and deliver interdisciplinary online and face-to-face knowledge sharing programs with a broad range of knowledge holders, practitioners, and scholars across BC and Canada.

The Project Coordinator(s) will have the opportunity to network with practitioners, community partners, Indigenous leaders, graduate students, and faculty working in the very broad parks, protected, and conserved areas sector.

Project Coordinators will be required to participate in weekly meetings and attend parts of an online research eSummit betwen 8am to 12pm, March 3-6, 2025.

If university schedules allow, Coordinators will also have the option to work additional paid hours between September 30 and October 4, 2024 to attend and help facilitate a face-to-face retreat and workshop in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Travel costs will be covered.

The goal of the PARKS+ Collective is the ongoing delivery of a pan-Canadian research and practitioner network for parks and protected areas with objective of building trusting relationships among researchers and practitioners, sharing diverse knowledge, and supporting interdisciplinary evidence-based decision making. The team also supports sub-granted research in the parks and protected areas sector on topics such as collaboration and innovation; climate change and adaptation; equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization in research and management; conservation mental health; transformative learning; and holistic conservation.

There are up to four positions available, each of which will lead one major project while collaborating as a team on four minor projects:

Position/Major Project A: The PARKS+ Research Network eSummit Project Coordinator will coordinate the annual PARKS+ Research eSummit by collecting submissions and screening by a selection committee, communicating with presenters to schedule and create presentations, hosting presenter technical checks, updating event information on the eSummit website, co-facilitating sessions, and posting recordings and resource material.

Position/Major Project B: The BC PARKS+ Regional Research Network Project Coordinator will coordinate the initial design and delivery of a continuing British Columbia Regional Research Community to connect parks and protected areas practitioners and researchers across the disciplines, including facilitating online events, supporting an online sharing platform, marketing, and helping with initial design for a face-to-face event in Kamloops, BC, in December 2025.

Position/Major Project C: The BC PARKS+ Living Labs Project Coordinator will coordinate the delivery of a peer-to-peer regional research community of practice for parks and protected areas, including facilitating online meetings, supporting dialogues with partners, facilitating online and face-to-face workshops, and creating communications material to promote the community and recruit new participants.

Position/Major Project D: The PARKS+ Ethical Space Collective for ENGOs Project Coordinator will coordinate the initial design and delivery of a continuing learning program on ethical space and braiding knowledges for a community of area-based non-profit organizations. This will include facilitating online events, supporting an online sharing platform, marketing, and helping with initial design for a face-to-face event in Kamloops, BC, in December 2025.

The PARKS+ Project Coordinator(s) will also work as a team to support the Research Associate, colleagues from IRES and contacts from across the parks sector with four minor, collaborative projects. This may include work such as literature reviews, survey design and testing, interviews/focus groups, creating resource pages, drafting reports, and so on. The three minor projects include:

Minor Project A: Mapping the parks and protected areas system and social capital

Minor Project B: Mental health and ecological grief among parks and protected areas sector workers

Minor Project C: Creating a holistic, transdisciplinary model for area-based conservation

Minor Project D: Indigenous Reconciliation and Braiding Knowledges in Parks and Protected Areas

Though they will collaborate as a team, each PARKS+ Project Coordinator(s) will work independently and be supervised by the Research Associate with weekly meetings online or at UBC Vancouver. Ongoing constructive feedback, support, and guidance will be provided, and opportunities will be available for meetings with other faculty and students at UBC as well as park practitioners and senior decision-makers from federal, provincial, and territorial park agencies. The Research Associate will provide an orientation and on-going training for the students. During regular meetings with supervisors, the student is also encouraged to provide their feedback, suggestions and reflections on how certain projects, procedures, or job duties can be improved or streamlined.

Job Duties include but are not limited to:

Conducting literature reviews and content scans
Researching different approaches and options for program delivery
Developing program plans and gathering feedback from past and current partners
Creating workshop content or presentations for focus groups and dialogue sessions
Co-facilitating sessions and communicating with participants directly or in forums/group page
Participating in team meetings and discussions
Drafting project reports or summaries
Posting findings or related resources to online platform

The tasks are primarily related to communication, organization/logistics, and research and require the

student to both apply previously learned knowledge and to acquire new communication and facilitation skills. The position will provide the student a unique opportunity to interact with a group of accomplished researchers and senior practitioners from different disciplines and from across the Canadian parks system, to develop written and spoken communication skills, and to build networks within and beyond the academy. The project will also help the student develop a sense of pride in their work and their knowledge, as well as a sense of responsibility to colleagues and nature.

Qualifications

Current UBC undergraduate (senior student in third-year or later preferred), graduate student (masters- or doctoral-level) in any program of study, though we are particularly interested in attracting applicants from Resources, Environment, and Sustainability; First Nations and Indigenous Studies; Geography; Journalism, Writing, and Media; Community and Regional Planning; Public Policy; Population and Public Health; Education; Forestry; Land and Food systems; Social Work; or Business.

Interdisciplinary scholarly or professional experience that relates to communicating/educating about Reconciliation, biodiversity, connection with nature, sustainability, land management, or parks and protected areas would be a considerable asset but is not a requirement.

PARKS+ Project Coordinator(s) require excellent research, time management, and communication skills, and the ability to engage with a diversity of people in an empathetic and constructive manner – including with senior leaders and professionals. Business is conducted in English, however as many participants are Francophone or bilingual, French language fluency is an asset. Other valued skills include knowledge of WordPress, WebEx/Zoom, short-form video production, document creation and design.

The PARKS+ Collective is trying to understand and challenge systemic advantages and oppression by seeking to include a diversity of people equitably in our programs. Applicants with experience working in equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization or who can add underrepresented perspectives through their lived experience (e.g., Indigenous, women, racialized, northern or remote, Francophone, LGBTQIA2S+, and persons with a disability) are encouraged to apply.

Additional Job Details

Job Type: UBC Vancouver – Student Research Coordinator/Project Coordinator
Rolling Basis Interview – Yes
Faculty/VP: Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability

Hours Per Week: 10
Salary / Wage: 30

Preferred Degrees/Disciplines: Conservation/Forestry/Education/Communications/Business

Additional Documents: Cover Letter, CV

Number of Openings: 3

Anticipated Start Date: September 1, 2024

Experience Level:
Current Students in an Undergraduate Program
Current Students in a Masters Program
Current Students in a Phd Program
Graduated with an Undergraduate Degree
Graduated with a Graduate Degree (Masters or Phd)

Supervisor: Don Carruthers Den Hoed

Workplace environment:

With members from diverse backgrounds, the PARKS+ Collective project strives to be a safe, supportive, and inclusive workplace. We frequently discuss issues of inequity and injustice at personal and global scales (both informally and formally, such as at team meetings), particularly as they pertain to academic and practitioner settings. The PARKS+ Collective deeply values diversity of thought. We are flexible about how, where, and when people work; this will also apply to these PCs. We use various resources to reflect, learn, and unlearn as appropriate (e.g., addressing unconscious biases before/during the hiring process) and debriefing after all events.

Training and supervision:

The PCs will receive thorough training, including an overview of the project. The PCs will have regular (weekly) meetings with the supervisor and other project members, as well as regular communications.

As the PC becomes more familiar with the project, they will be encouraged to work and think more independently. As part of the research team, the PC will also be encouraged to co-develop and modify the approach based on their own perspective and conversations with participants.

The PC will have the opportunity to reflect on their experience in this position (as it relates to their learning goals, working environment, mentorship preferences, etc.) and receive support and feedback during a mid-point and an end-of-term performance evaluation.

Connections and learning:

The PARKS+ Collective project consists of academics, practitioners, students, Indigenous leaders, community partners, and knowledge holders. The PCs will work closely with the supervisor and other members of the project, and they will be encouraged to participate in weekly team meetings to share successes and receive supportive feedback from different team members on questions and challenges that might emerge from the work. These meetings also provide opportunities to apply problem-solving and critical thinking skills outside of the classroom as the PC will be encouraged to provide feedback and contribute to discussions related to other PARKS+ Collective projects and issues more broadly.

The interdisciplinary composition of the PARKS+ Collective projects provides the opportunity to connect with people of diverse educational backgrounds, experiences, cultures, and skills. The lab is associated with both the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) and the Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions Collaboratory (IBioS), allowing for a greater range of contacts for the RA. In addition, weekly lab meetings often include visiting researchers and collaborators from across UBC and beyond, which will offer the students a chance to network with a variety of research groups.

Career exploration:

This position is an opportunity for the PC to apply and enhance the diverse skills they have acquired through their studies and other work and life experiences. They will gain valuable experience connecting with individuals and using communication techniques beyond academia. The PC will develop a stronger understanding of the collaborative process, facilitation, and issues facing area-based conservation. This role will allow the PC to practice and improve communication and teamwork, and it will provide opportunities to reflect and identify strengths and areas for improvement.

All of these skills will benefit the PC in their career exploration and personal development. Additionally, the PARKS+ Collective project is comprised of members who are working or seeking careers both inside and outside of academia, which will provide opportunities for the PC to discuss a wide array of potential career paths.

Application Process

Submit a one-page cover letter or a recorded video (< 3 minutes) explaining what unique experience or perspective you would bring to this position, how your program of study or research could relate to our work, what you would want to learn from engaging with the parks, protected, and conserved areas sector, and how you can help us advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization in parks and protected areas. Also submit a current CV and a letter (or email) of support from a current professor.

To apply or for questions, email don.cdh@ubc.ca with the subject line PARKS+ Collective Project Coordinator Position.

Application Deadline

August 23, 2024

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. Inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

September 26, 2024: IRES Professional Development Seminar with Rebecca Dirnfeld

Maximizing Your UBC Graduate Experience: Career Planning and Professional Development Strategies

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Click here for Zoom Recording

Talk summary:

As a graduate student at UBC, you have the opportunity to prioritize your academic training while preparing for a future career. This seminar will cover how to leverage career planning resources at UBC to create a strategic career plan. Attendees will learn how to consider their academic pursuits in relation to their career objectives to gain insights into various career pathways.

Rebecca Dirnfeld, Career Educator with UBC Career Centre

Bio:

Rebecca Dirnfeld is a Career Educator with the UBC Career Centre. Rebecca has focused on graduate career education at Toronto Metropolitan University, and was the head writer and project lead of Graduate Career Compass (2018). Rebecca is available for graduate student 1:1 career advising, bookable through UBC Career Centre’s Careers Online.

November 7, 2024: IRES Student Seminar with Jerry Achar and Aaron Aguirre

1. Conservative Consensus QSAR prediction of rat acute oral toxicity of chemicals: implication for decision-making under conditions of uncertainty

2. The Twilight Zoning: Influences of Urban Land Use on Bat Activity in the Metro Vancouver Region

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

No recording available.

Talk summary:

Acute oral toxicity (AOT) is required for regulatory classification and labeling of chemicals according to the United Nations Global Harmonized System (GHS). With the advances in toxicology towards alternatives to animal testing, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models have been developed to support AOT predictions. However, uncertainty associated with the use of these models hinders their utility for AOT predictions. Consequently, when used to assign health-protective (conservative) AOT values to chemicals, it is advised that one should apply a model with low incidences of predicting chemicals to be less toxic than the corresponding animal data imply. In this talk, Jerry will present a study that compares the prediction performance of a consensus approach (combination) of two QSAR models against these individual models for the prediction of conservative AOT of a diverse and large number of chemicals. To this end, the number of conservative predictions and prediction capacity for AOT hazard identification (according to the GHS criteria) will be used for the performance evaluation.

Bio:

Jerry Achar is a Ph.D. candidate in Gunilla Öberg’s Egesta Lab. His research interests intersect chemical risk assessment, human health, and toxicological risk prediction using new approach methodologies (NAMs). His Ph.D. research focuses on the application of in silico toxicology methods for chemical risk prediction and analysis of uncertainty associated with the methods and their predictions. This research is supported by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program. Before UBC, Jerry completed his BSc. in Environmental Science from Kenyatta University and his MSc. in Environmental Engineering from Korea University.

Talk summary:

Bats are facing conservation concerns ranging from disease, wind turbine collisions, and habitat loss. Urban greenspaces have been identified as hotspots for bat foraging during the reproductive phase of their life cycle. However, it is difficult to identify critical habitat for bat species due to limited information on how urban landscape features influence bat activity. Through a series of acoustic sampling across Metro Vancouver, we aimed to answer what landscape features are associated with high bat activity. Over 80,000 confirmed bat passes through two summer seasons at 21 parks and surrounding landscapes. The presence of a freshwater source and the amount of vegetation near parks were key landscape features in predicting bat activity. While greenspaces may provide habitat islands for some bat species, our results provide an opportunity to target urban bat management that can contribute actively to regional sustainability initiatives while also promoting human-wildlife coexistence in urban spaces.

Bio:

Aaron Aguirre (he/they) is a MS student in the Connected Human and Natural Systems Lab and the Mitchell Multifunctional Landscape Lab advised by Dr. Kai Chan and Dr. Matthew Mitchell. Prior to joining the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability (IRES), they received their BS in Fisheries and Wildlife. Their current research focuses on how urban bat populations are impacted by land-use with the goal to inform bat conservation with regards to land development and foster an appreciation for urban wildlife.

September 5, 2024: IRES Student Seminar with Rudri Bhatt and Glory Apantaku (First Seminar of Term 1)

1. State of Planning: exploring the health dimensions of climate action plans in BC

2. Non-road Engines – Estimating Emission and Electrification

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

Click here for Zoom Recording

Talk summary:

Climate action plans are instrumental tools designed to guide regions in mitigating and/or adapting to climate change. In 2008, British Columbia (BC) passed the Local Government Statutes Amendment Act which mandates that all municipalities incorporate actions to reduce GHG emissions within their official community plan. This policy has facilitated the widespread incorporation of climate change considerations within local policy and planning documents. This work investigates the scope of health considerations in these climate action and adaptation plans. This line of inquiry aims to understand what these governance systems perceive as the health dimensions of adaptation planning, and the role of health systems in the work of building adaptive capacity. In this talk, I will present a summary of results of this document analysis.

**Glory Apantaku**, *IRES PhD candidate*

Bio:

Glory Apantaku (she/her/hers) is a PhD candidate at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, she is co-supervised by Dr. Terre Satterfield in IRES and Dr. Mark Harrison in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Glory holds a master’s degree in Population and Public health and her research explores how health considerations shape adaptation planning. She also supports projects aimed at building resilience to climate impacts in collaboration with the ministry of health, health authorities, and municipalities across British Columbia.

Talk summary:

Exposure to air pollutants causes adverse health impacts including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Non-road engines (NREs), used in construction, mining, agriculture, landscaping, etc., are a major source of emissions in Metro Vancouver, contributing to about 8% of GHG emissions in the region. Many NREs operate in dense residential zones and near sensitive receptors such as hospitals and daycares. Despite this, NREs are widely understudied. This study develops a methodology for creating a comprehensive emissions inventory for non-road engines for Metro Vancouver using top-down data from ECCC and bottom-up data from the MOVES model. The study also explores the electrification of NREs through expert interviews. We identify socio-technical, economic, and regulatory barriers to the electrification of engines in the construction and yard and garden sectors and provide strategies for the energy transition towards electric NREs.

Bio:

Rudri Bhatt is a PhD candidate at UBC in the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, supervised by Dr. Milind Kandlikar. Her research focuses on clean energy technologies and electrification of non-road engines in Metro Vancouver from an air quality perspective. She is interested in reducing emissions from non-road and on-road sources. She has a Master of Science in Resources, Environment and Sustainability from UBC where she looked at incentivizing clean alternatives to agricultural waste burning in Northern India through a mixed-methods approach. Rudri has a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent

Adjunct Professor, IRES
Senior Policy Advisor at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)

Contact Details

Bio

Dr. Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent is an adjunct professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia and a Senior Policy Advisor at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). At ECCC, Guillaume plays a leading role in designing and implementing the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, a multi-billion dollars federal program aimed at reducing greenhouse gases emissions through the avoided conversion, restoration and rehabilitation of natural areas.

Multidisciplinary by training, Guillaume’s research falls at the intersection between social and natural sciences—it focuses on finding novel and innovative solutions to complex environmental problems, with a particular focus on human dimensions of natural resources management in the context of climate change. His broad research interests bring together environmental governance and policy, the intersection between society and the environment, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and science-policy interactions. Guillaume has worked in multidisciplinary research projects in multiple countries, including Canada, Japan, Sweden, Mexico, Australia, Honduras and Panama. His work has resulted in over 30 peer-reviewed articles in high impact journals (e.g., Nature Communications Biology, Science Advances, Environmental Research Letters, Climatic Change) and presentations in many international conferences.

October 10, 2024: IRES Student Seminar with Ming Cao

Soil matters: evaluating soil water dynamics and soil greenhouse gas emissions under climate-smart agriculture

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

View Recording

Talk summary:

While greenhouse gases (GHGs) naturally exist in terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere, concentrations have risen as a result of industrial development and human activities. This study investigated soil-derived GHG fluxes and soil water dynamics under climate-smart agricultural interventions from April to October 2023 at the UBC farm. Within the purview of the analyses, soil moisture was found to be the most important factor for explaining soil GHG variations, especially for CH₄. Treatment effects on soil GHGs, GHG fluxes were the lowest when no nutrient amendments or cover crops were applied. The temporal interaction of soil GHG fluxes with soil moisture during wetting and drying cycles was nuanced, as some lagged responses of soil GHG changes to changing soil moisture conditions were observed. The study’s results offer insights for local farming adaptation to prioritize resources for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Bio:

Ming is a recent MSc graduate supervised by Dr. Mark Johnson at UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. Before coming to UBC, Ming completed her undergraduate degree in forestry at the University of Alberta. Currently, Ming’s research focuses on the transfer of water and energy in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Ming is using observational data collected at the UBC Farm to investigate the interactions between soil water and soil greenhouse gas emissions, in the context of climate-smart agriculture. In her free time, Ming plays badminton and reads screenplays.