IRES seminar series will this year focus on what it means to conduct research in support of decision making, as we aim to do according to our mission statement with a particular emphasis on methodological challenges. The seminars will run on Tuesdays at 12-1pm in AERL 120. Every second will be student led and every second will be faculty led and will involve internal and external guests.

April 4, 2024: IRES Professional Development Seminar with Dr. Mark Drever

Wildlife Science in the federal government: Western Sandpipers, intertidal biofilm, and ecosystem health in the Fraser River estuary

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


Talk summary:

This talk will detail ongoing research on Western Sandpipers and their reliance on essential nutrients available on intertidal biofilm, a thin layer of microalgae and other organisms found on surface sediments of intertidal mudflats.  It will cover a bit of what life is like working as a research scientist for the Canadian federal government, and the interface between science and policy on conservation and development in one of Canada’s busiest working estuaries.

Dr. Mark Drever, Research Scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada

Bio:

Dr. Mark Drever is a research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) working on ecology and conservation of coastal birds. He received his PhD from the University of Guelph in 2005 and worked as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow with Kathy Martin in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC.  Since signing on to ECCC in 2010, he has developed a research program on sandpipers using estuaries as migratory stopovers, including their foraging on intertidal microalgae. This program involves shorebird tracking, chemical analyses, and drone technology to look at how coastal mudflats provide essential nutrients for long-distance migration of shorebirds.

April 11, 2024: IRES Faculty Seminar with Michael Brauer

Estimating the global health impacts from environmental risks

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


Talk summary:

Understanding health impacts of environmental risk factors can aid in prioritization of management policies.  In the context of the Global Burden of Disease project we estimated the disease burden attributable to 12 environmental risk factors for 1990 – 2021 differentiated by age and sex for 204 countries. In 2021, ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution was the leading global environmental risk factor accounting for 4.2% of all disease burden 4.7 million (M) deaths, followed by household air pollution (3.9%, 3.1M) and unsafe water (1.4%, 0.8M). Since 2000, exposures to household air pollution, nitrogen dioxide, unsafe water and unsafe sanitation have reduced dramatically. Reductions in exposure to cold temperatures, radon and lead have been observed but these have been insufficient to offset population growth and aging, resulting in increased attributable disease burden, while exposures to warm temperatures, ozone and ambient particulate matter pollution have increased, suggesting a need for more concerted actions. 

Dr. Michael Brauer, Principle Research Scientist, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Professor,
School of Population and Public Health, UBC

Bio:

Michael Brauer is a Professor in the School of Population and Public Health at The University of British Columbia and a Principal Research Scientist and Affiliate Professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, where he leads the Environmental, Occupational and Dietary Risk Factors team for the Global Burden of Disease.  His research focuses on linkages between the built environment and human health, with specific interest in the global health impacts of air pollution, the relationships between multiple exposures mediated by urban form and population health, and health impacts of a changing climate. He has participated in monitoring and epidemiological studies throughout the world and served on numerous committees, including those advising the World Health Organization, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the World Heart Federation, the US National Academies, the Royal Society of Canada, the International Joint Commission and governments in North America and Asia.  His contributions to environmental health have been recognized by a number of career achievement and publication awards.

April 18, 2024: IRES Student Symposium with Lindah Ddamba, Remzi Xhemalce, Dayna Rachkowski (Last Seminar in Term 2)

1. Energy Transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of the Factors Inhibiting Accelerated Progress

2. IMAGINING POSSIBLE ROLES FOR GREEN HYDROGEN IN MEXICO. Between Hype and a Leapfrogging Opportunity

3. Coming soon

Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Location: AERL Theatre, Room 120 (2202 Main Mall).

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:

The existential threat posed by climate change has propagated a global movement towards the transition from the use of fossils to the development of renewable sources of resources. The Paris Accord and subsequent climate treaties recognize the need to reduce the unabated use of coal and increase investments in renewables. Notably, while nearly 200 countries acceded to the global climate pacts, some countries (particularly in the global South), have rejected the aggressive phaseout of coal, citing the need for a just and gradual transition that mitigates the financial and economic risks of eliminating fossils. The UNFCCC (2021) reported in its NDC Synthesis Report that several national action plans fall short of the required action to mitigate climate change which may push performance to a maximum threshold of only 3.5 degrees Celsius global warming by 2100 above the desired target of limiting global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (if possible 1.5 degrees) of the pre-industrial temperatures. The evidence documents the existence of enabling policies and vast green resources in the Sub-Saharan region. However, the region continues to lag behind on its climate goals. A number of political promises have been made including a target to attain 100% transition to green energy by 2030 – which is deemed to be ‘overly ambitious’ by the international community. In this thesis, I explore energy transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on Kenya, Uganda and South-Africa – examining trends, challenges and future prospects.

Lindah Ddamba, IRES MA Student

Bio:

Lindah holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Makerere University, Uganda (2010) and a Master of Laws Degree (2014) from the University of Toronto- Canada, where she majored in energy regulation and resource governance. Shortly thereafter, she worked as a Senior Legal Officer of the Uganda Electricity Regulatory Authority for four years. Her role involved the evaluation of electricity projects for development and she worked on a number of electricity policies and laws. Her research focus at IRES is on the promotion of renewables, where she seeks to evaluate the obstacles to accelerated energy transitions in developing economies with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.


Talk summary:

Amid global shifts towards net-zero emissions, hydrogen emerges as a pivotal solution, especially for the hard-to-electrify sector. Mexico, an upper-middle-income nation and significant oil producer, grapples with substantial greenhouse gas emissions. Recent efforts to revitalize the oil sector have led to setbacks in climate policy, particularly in energy. Political polarization over energy independence versus security has hindered renewable energy adoption and new transmission capacity. Against this backdrop, hydrogen gains prominence as a versatile energy carrier, offering solutions to store variable renewable energy. With renewable energy capacity allocated for green hydrogen production, Mexico could capitalize on this growing market. This research evaluates hydrogen’s potential as an environmental, business, and energy transition opportunity for Mexico. Employing a problem-driven framework, the study examines hydrogen’s role across three tailor-made political scenarios. Deliverables include policy recommendations for a potential national hydrogen strategy, an energy storage assessment, and break-even price estimations for power-to-gas plants.

Remzi Xhemalce-Fuentes, IRES PhD Candidate

Bio:

Remzi M. Xhemalce-Fuentes (he/him) is a Ph.D. Candidate at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. From 2013 to 2019 he worked for the Federal government of Mexico. In his role as Director for International Oil Markets at the Office of the Secretary of Energy of Mexico, he advised the office of the Secretary on international best practices on oil and gas policy. As Deputy Director for International Affairs, he oversaw the cooperation between Mexico and selected international energy organizations including OPEC, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Energy Working Group of the G20.

He also led the energy consultancy company R&A Bioenergy from 2008 to 2011. He is currently researching the role of Hydrogen as a renewable energy storage option and as an energy carrier for hard-to-electrify sectors.

Remzi enjoys sailing, climbing, skiing and exploring the outdoors with his dog Wookiee


Talk summary:

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (1999) has just faced significant revision. CEPA regulates all commercial chemicals in Canada, and is now the first place in legislation that Indigenous peoples and Canadians have ever been given a legal right to a healthy environment.

The aim of this work is to understand how Bill S-5 may be used by Indigenous peoples in Canada to hold the government accountable for the prioritization of human and environmental health. This work will use Sarnia Ontario – home to Aamjiwnaang First Nation, and 40% of Canada’s petrochemical industry, as a case study for what environmental and health forward accountability may look like regarding chemical use and regulatory processes.

Dayna’s presentation will give an overview of; the commitments made in Bill S-5, chemical regulation processes & risk assessments in Canada, rights to a healthy environment, and review her qualitative semi structured interview data with those who hold expertise on law & policy, Indigenous knowledge systems & those with lived experience of chemical exposure.

Dayna Rachkowski, MA Student

Bio:

Dayna Rachkowski (She/Her) is an MA student supervised by Dr. Gunilla Oberg in the EGESTA Lab. Dayna previously attended the University of Guelph (BA of Honours Environmental Governance) providing her with an interdisciplinary background studying political science, economics, and geography. Dayna is curious to understand the relationship between science and policy, and how implementing effective and well communicated legislation can help those living in Canada hold their government accountable for maintaining a healthy environment. Dayna is a SSHRC recipient, a climate teaching coordinator, and the community engagement representative for the IRES Student Society.

IRES Student Symposium Agenda:

11am to 12pm – Speakers Lindah Ddamba and Dayna Rachkowski

12pm to 1pm – Lunch in AERL Room 107

1pm to 1:25pm – Speaker Remzi Xhemalce

3pm to 4:45pm – Talent Show

5pm and onwards – Symposium Dinner (see March 22 RSVP email from IRES Student Society)

March 14, 2024: No Seminar this Week


Speaker planned for this week had to cancel due to an illness, the next seminar will be on March 21st!

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

From Grad School to Government: My Journey from IRES to Climate Policy

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

This seminar will not be recorded.


Talk summary:

I went into grad school not knowing what I wanted to do afterwards. Something related to policy, something impactful, and something with work-life balance, but beyond that, who knew! Through internships/jobs, classes, networking, my research, and saying yes to almost everything (drawbacks definitely noted), I developed various skillsets that prepared me for my current, amazing job. I work at Metro Vancouver (the regional government for the lower mainland) in our Air Quality and Climate Action Services department, developing and implementing climate policy. I manage or support 18+ diverse projects, with a through line of increasing our focus on social equity and data-driven policy. It’s an interesting, challenging, rewarding, and dynamic space, ripe with opportunity and urgency. In this talk, I’ll share my learnings on moving from academia to policy work and what I’ve learned in my work so far.

Portrait photo of Claire  Ewing
Claire Ewing, Senior Policy and Planning Analyst with Metro Vancouver

Bio:

Claire is a Senior Policy and Planning Analyst with Metro Vancouver in the Air Quality and Climate Action Services Department. She contributes to the development and implementation of our Climate 2050 Strategy and Clean Air Plan, with a particular focus on greenhouse gas reductions for buildings, transportation, and industry. She conducts policy and data analyses and manage and support many internal and cross-jurisdictional/collaborative projects. In 2021, She graduated with an MSc in IRES. Her Master’s research thesis, Environmental Justice and the Enforcement of Air Pollution Laws in Canada, examined how different governments enforce air pollution laws and administer various enforcement tools to offenders, and how different communities experience enforcement.

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).


February 15, 2024: IRES Student Seminar with Ta Phurisamban and Jade Radke

1. When Indigenous and Western sciences collide: re-storying/restoring Mekong expertise through community-engaged research

2. The role of happiness in pro-environmental action

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 Video Recording.


Talk summary:

Indigenous science and traditional knowledges enact different worlds from their Western scientific counterparts. Their exclusion in modern freshwater and biodiversity governance is not only symptomatic of entrenched colonial structures and mechanisms, but also poses existential threats to life on Earth, particularly as Indigenous-stewarded lands and waters sustain some of the world’s richest biodiversity. In this presentation, Rapichan will examine what a community-based Mekong River and fish monitoring project combined with ethnographic research of Indigenous ethnic Mekong River dwellers can reveal about expertise, intimate knowing, and being in a world that is alive. How might river science (and management) look differently when recentring and restoring ways of knowing and worlding otherwise? Rapichan will also share some reflections on preliminary work needed to engage with Indigenous, ethnic, and/or local communities in generative ways.  

Ta Phurisamban, IRES PhD Candidate

Bio:

Rapichan (Ta) Phurisamban is an interdisciplinary rivers scholar of Tai, Mon, and Chinese ancestry, and a PhD candidate in Terre Satterfield’s lab at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. Their current work draws on critical ethnography, community-engaged research, and decolonial and Indigenous theories to understand the Mekong River as a living entity, and how Indigenous Mekong peoples’ ways of knowing and living with the river can inform the terms of engagement beyond modern freshwater and biodiversity governance. Through their involvement in decolonial environmental justice and journey into intersectional veganism, they recognize their obligations to foreground in their research the voices, expertise, and experiences of humans and more-than-humans who have been marginalized and dismissed. They continue to learn, many times through mistakes, how to cultivate ethical relations with peoples and places where they live and work.


Talk summary:

Despite the climate emergency, very few people are acting on climate change. One potential reason for inaction is that climate communication often focuses on the negative effects of climate change and the need to make personal sacrifices. Such communication can make people retreat from the issue rather than engage with it. To address this, we combine happiness science with climate science in a new happy climate approach that focuses on the happiness benefits of pro-environmental action.

Jade Radke, IRES MA Student

Bio:

Jade Radke (she/her) is an MA student in the Behavioral Sustainability Lab at the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability (IRES) and is supervised by Dr. Jiaying Zhao. Prior to joining IRES, she received her BA in Honours Psychology and specialized in Applied Behavior Analysis. Her current research focuses on the use of positive reinforcement to elicit pro-environmental behavior change. She is a recipient of the CGS-M Fellowship 2022-2023 and the Indigenous Graduate Fellowship 2022-2024. 

February 1, 2024: Professional Development Seminar with Elder Jim Leyden

Pursuing paths of impact: an Indigenous experience at the frontline

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 Video Recording


Talk summary:

What do we hold precious today? What are we willing to do to protect them? For Kwekwecnewtxw Watch House Elder Jim Leyden and an Indigenous-led collective of volunteers at the Mountain Protectors, the bases of their work are the love for this land and waters, and the obligations to future generations who will inherit this place. The federally-owned Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (TMX) project not only violates Indigenous rights, but poses serious threats to climate change, biodiversity, and rights to clean and sustainable coastline and environment. As oil spills are inevitable, the Mountain Protectors arose out of a necessity to surveil, document, and report ongoing TMX activities to hold the Crown corporation accountable. Jim will tell his personal stories working at the frontline, and share his perspectives on community-engaged research, and how to do it well.

Jim Leyden, Elder at Kwekwecnewtxw (Coast Salish watch house) on Lhuḵw’lhuḵw’áyten and traditional Indigenous land defender and water protector

Bio:

Jim Leyden is a traditional Indigenous land defender and water protector with Anishinaabe and Irish-Italian ancestry. Invited by Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Elders, he became the Elder at Kwekwecnewtxw (Coast Salish watch house) on Lhuḵw’lhuḵw’áyten (Burnaby Mountain) since 2018. His role is to conduct ceremonies to keep peace and monitor activities of the Trans Mountain tank farm and pipeline expansion project. He was trained in social work and has extensive experience supporting addiction recovery and expanding Indigenous programs in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) and beyond.

January 25, 2024: Faculty Seminar with Jessica Dempsey and Audrey Irvine-Broque

Exporting extinction: how the international financial system constrains biodiverse futures

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: Michael Smith Labs Theatre, Room 102, 2185 East Mall.

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.

View Video Recording.


This talk will explore – through six case studies of extractivism in the Global South – how the organization of the international financial system influences state policy towards extractive land use change.

Jessica Dempsey, Associate Professor | Associate Head of UBC Geography

Bio:

Jessica Dempsey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia. Her current research centers on the political economy drivers of biodiversity loss, and seeks to understand escalating ecological decline in a time of unprecedented efforts to arrest them.


Audrey Irvine-Broque, Geography PhD Student

Bio:

Audrey Irvine-Broque is a PhD student in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia. She is a part of the Biodiversity Capital Research Collective, a team of researchers studying the political economy of biodiversity loss and biodiversity conservation

January 11, 2024: Policy Panel with Jimmy Zammar, Jessica Woolliams, and Jason Hsieh

How can research help inform policy priorities? Perspectives from local water, housing, and food sectors

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: Michael Smith Labs Theatre, Room 102, 2185 East Mall

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

This seminar will not be recorded.

This seminar features a panel of three speakers from local policy sectors. They will discuss current policy priorities in Vancouver and BC, research needs, and perspectives on how research can inform policy.


Jimmy Zammar, Director of Urban Watersheds, Sewers and Drainage for the City of Vancouver

Bio:

Jimmy is the Director of Urban Watersheds, Sewers and Drainage for the City of Vancouver. He oversees the city’s rainwater and sanitary systems—the largest asset group in the City. He has led the City’s “One Water” approach, and champions the implementation of green infrastructure, water-sensitive urban planning, and embedding equity, Reconciliation and climate adaptation. As an interdisciplinary leader, Jimmy operates at the confluence of imperatives that impact the community, the environment, and the organizations that are accountable for delivery. He holds a bachelor and masters degree in Architecture, and masters degrees in project management and sustainable development.


Jessica Woolliams, Senior Strategic Advisor, Sustainability & Resiliency · BC Housing

Bio:

Jessica has been leading efforts to mainstream and support sustainable buildings and resilient communities through policy, education, programs and training for over three decades. She championed and led the development of: UBC’s Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP) program, Green Buildings BC; Harvard University’s Green Campus Initiative (Medical Campus); Light House Sustainable Building Centre; and Cascadia Green Building Council’s BC office.

She has worked with the BC Government, BC Hydro and BC Housing to develop programs and establish strategic direction for large building portfolios to become more sustainable and climate resilient. She has written numerous articles and taught at Harvard University, SFU, BCIT and UBC. Her background is building technology and urban planning. 


Jason Hsieh, Social Planner on the municipal food systems portfolio

Bio:

Jason was born and raised on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-waututh, currently working as a Social Planner on the municipal food systems portfolio. The position serves to coordinate cross-departmental delivery of the Vancouver Food Strategy as well as food system related actions in the City’s more recent citywide and area plans. Jason aims to bring a community development approach to this work, looking to ground the City’s food system ambitions by building on the knowledge and assets that communities already have.