UBC Okanagan’s Senate has officially approved a new Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) program, transitioning from the current Bachelor of Management degree. The four-year program will welcome its first cohort in September 2026, bringing a refreshed approach that builds upon years of experience delivering business education in the Okanagan. “In today’s rapidly changing business environment, this strategic shift represents far more than just a name change,” says Dean of the Faculty of Management, Dr. Gady Jacoby. “We are sending a clear message that the Faculty of Management means business.” The new BCom program responds to emerging industry demands for specialized business graduates while aligning with the existing commerce program structure at the UBC Sauder School of Business in Vancouver. Building on the strengths of the Bachelor of Management, this new program will allow students to focus on business fundamentals in their first two years before specializing in one of eight possible concentrations designed to meet the needs of today’s dynamic business landscape. “We are directly addressing what our students, alumni and industry partners have been telling us,” Dr. Jacoby says. “The Bachelor of Commerce preserves the core strengths of our management program while offering refined content and specialized concentration options—exactly what today’s business students need in a dynamic global economy.” The UBC Okanagan BCom features carefully crafted elements designed to prepare graduates for the challenges of succeeding in business today, including:

• Specialized concentration options—accounting, finance, general business management, marketing and organizational behaviour as well as human resources
• Additional concentration options that will be added as the program grows.
• Multiple entry points for college transfer students.
• Optional co-op education opportunities for hands-on business experience.
• Indigenous-focused coursework embedded in the core curriculum.

“BC’s Labour Market Outlook projects 998,000 job openings in the next decade, with business, finance and administration accounting for 18 per cent of these opportunities,” Dr. Jacoby says. “Our BCom graduates will be exceptionally well-positioned to meet this demand with specialized skills that employers value in today’s competitive marketplace.” Current Bachelor of Management students will have flexible options to either complete their existing degree or transition to the new BCom program, with personalized support throughout their academic journey. “We are absolutely committed to a forward-thinking approach that places UBC Okanagan at the centre of cultivating business leaders who can navigate complex global landscapes with confidence and integrity,” says Dr. Jacoby. Drawing from the strengths of the Bachelor of Management, the BCom is powered by meaningful community collaboration. Experiential learning—through mentorship, capstone projects and co-op placements—relies on the shared commitment of regional partners, says Dr. Jacoby. As the program evolves, it remains firmly anchored in the Okanagan community, inviting local businesses, organizations and leaders to play an active role in shaping the next generation of business professionals. Applications for the BCom will open this fall, with the first cohort starting in September 2026. For more information, visit: management.ok.ubc.ca/academic-programs/bcom The post UBC Okanagan announces Bachelor of Commerce degree appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Applied health economics and patient partnerships can pinpoint cost-effective lifestyle interventions

Health economics might not be the first thing that springs to mind when it comes to treating elderly patients, but it is just one of the innovations being used by clinically applied health economist Jennifer Davis to help improve care among seniors.

Davis, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Management at UBC’s Okanagan campus, is being supported this year with a 2020 Scholar Award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR).

She discusses her ground-breaking investigations into cost-effective measures that improve quality of life for seniors and relieve economic burdens on the health-care system.

What are some of the challenges with working with older adult populations?

We know that we can prevent falls, and that we can prevent them in a way that provides the health-care system with good value for money. The big struggle is that lifestyle interventions are often fraught with low adherence—meaning the patient may not typically follow through with the prescribed recommendations. An innovative component of my program is working with seniors directly as patient partners and as patient participants to get their views on what they think will help improve adherence. We use that data to develop a model for interventions that we believe, or know, to be effective.

Research often collects data from subjects and then moves on. How is your research different?

We’re working with a subgroup of seniors that are participating as patient partners in helping shape the research study, offering feedback on study protocol, procedures and insights into what areas to investigate. They act as co-investigators and form part of our research team, as opposed to simply providing us with data as a research participant. There’s a movement now to include patients as partners in research because of the unique and essential perspectives they provide.

One challenge with this elderly population is the higher likelihood of having cognitive or mobility impairments. So, through a funding opportunity provided by the BC Support Unit, we have now developed a new approach for working with these frail older adults who are more vulnerable, to get their feedback on our research process that we hope will ultimately enable us to deliver feasible and translatable interventions to this population.

Health economics and patient partnership is a unique combination. How can this combination of approaches help prevent injury in senior populations?

I will explore the application of clinically applied health economic methods to predict the efficiency of different clinical interventions for specific subgroups of individuals. In the end, it may help us tailor health policy recommendations to specific groups of patients or individuals.

This work has the potential to be felt around the globe. Falls are the leading cause of chronic disability, injury and mortality worldwide, placing a heavy burden on health-care systems. According to the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, falls are the leading cause of injury for seniors, with direct health-care costs reaching an estimated $2 billion annually.

What do you hope to achieve with your research?

I’ve always been passionate about working with older adults. As a kid, I always enjoyed hearing stories from older adults about their life experiences. Over the years, I have witnessed struggles that the elderly experience as they age—not just loneliness, but declines in mobility and cognition that lead to frailty and the loss of independence. The ultimate goal for me is to conduct research that can improve the quality of life of older people here in Canada and around the world.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in 2005 in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, in whose territory the campus resides. As part of UBC—ranked among the world’s top 20 public universities—the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Students gain valuable experience partnering with professors in undergraduate research

Food security, senior fall prevention and online consumer behaviour are among areas of research being investigated through the summer by seven undergraduates from UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Management.

The recipients, who range from first- to fourth-year students, are receiving supports through one of four Management Undergraduate Research Awards (MURA), two International Undergraduate Research Awards (IURA) and a Regional Socio-Economic Development Institute of Canada (RSEDIC) award. The awards support undergraduate students in gaining exceptional learning experiences in hands-on research with faculty supervisors. The awards are also providing financial and academic security to the recipients at a time when COVID-19 has affected the ability of many students to find in summer jobs.

“We are proud to be able to offer our undergraduate students these opportunities to engage more deeply with their studies and gain valuable new research skills,” says Roger Sugden, dean of the Faculty of Management. “The experiences these students will gain over the coming months will serve them well in their future, in their academic studies and beyond.”

Shree Nithi Santhagunam, student in the Faculty of Management, says her MURA meant she could remain in the Okanagan and continue her learning through the summer. “Lots of my friends couldn’t find jobs over the summer,” she says. “I feel very fortunate to be involved in this project.”

Santhagunam is working with Jennifer Davis, assistant professor in the Faculty of Management, on research into how to better prevent falls among seniors and increase adherence to prevention protocols. In addition, she is also assisting Davis on research into the social and economic impact of COVID-19 on tenured and tenure-track research faculty across Canada.

“Every time I work with students, I learn so much from all of the skill and talent that they bring to the table, and from their life perspectives as well,” says Davis. “It’s been very enriching for me to work with Nithi and to learn from her viewpoints and the experience she’s had in her life and her studies. It’s exciting to see students who are working to develop some interests and passions in areas that, maybe, they hadn’t anticipated.”

While all award recipients are conducting research virtually, the students and researchers remain connected through video conferences, email, and phone calls. The students also take part in weekly workshops, team meetings and peer discussions.

“It feels like I’m getting paid to learn,” says Mohana Rambe, whose RSEDIC award is supporting her research into inventory management systems for the Central Okanagan Food Bank and Helen’s Acres Community Farm, supervised by Eric Li, associate professor in the Faculty of Management. “I’m getting back much more than what I’m giving.”

Faculty of Management undergraduate research projects taking place this summer

Patrick Feng is working with Assistant Professor Ying Zhu to analyze how touchscreens affect consumers’ purchasing decisions. His project is supported by an IURA.

Shiven Vinod Khera is working with Associate Professor Eric Li on analyzing how non-metropolitan and rural regions can have greater health equity and food security during disruptive events, such as COVID-19, wildfires and flooding. This project is being supported by a MURA.

Mohana Rambe is working with Associate Professor Eric Li and Assistant Professor Amir Ardestani-Jaafari on implementing and assessing a new inventory management system with the Central Okanagan Food Bank and Helen’s Acres Community Farm. This project is supported by the RSEDIC.

Shree Nithi Santhagunam is working with Assistant Professor Jennifer Davis on a comprehensive literature review on fall prevention among seniors to increase adherence to prevention protocols. This project is supported by a MURA.

Vinil Sood is working with Assistant Professor Amir Ardestani-Jaafari and Associate Professor Eric Li to systematically review food bank operations to explore food inventory management methodologies and food waste management. This project is supported by a MURA.

Gabriel Tan is working with Assistant Professor David Walker to investigate whether the audio characteristics of customer voices in service interactions predict that the customer will mistreat the employee later in the interaction. This project is supported by an IURA.

Beyond Zhao is working with Assistant Professor Ying Zhu to investigate how using touchscreen devices versus non-touchscreen devices influences consumers’ judgment and decision making. This project is supported by a MURA.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in 2005 in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, in whose territory the campus resides. As part of UBC—ranked among the world’s top 20 public universities—the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Countries around the world, including Canada, are working to contain the current outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Ninth Live Case Challenge brings new solutions to Patriot One

UBC Okanagan students Shaina Johnstone, Gabrielle Schroeder, Maulen Zairov, Jonathan Zhang and Breann Zilkey won the ninth annual UBC Faculty of Management Live Case Challenge, an intensely collaborative learning experience that sparks new thinking about a complex business challenge.

Each year the Faculty of Management (FoM) at UBC Okanagan and partner Argus Properties Ltd. present a unique made-in-the-Okanagan opportunity—the Live Case Challenge—where 176 UBC Management students work in teams to take on an actual ‘live’ management challenge faced by a community partner. In just six weeks, students must analyze the challenge and develop innovative solutions – with only the very best of the 35 competitor teams winning the prestigious Argus Cup, a $5,000 student award and a big résumé boost.

Focused solutions

Finding a solution for the client is only the beginning of the adventure for student teams. There’s no declaring success until the teams have pitched their ideas to the judges in multiple playoff-style rounds. The judging panel is composed of professors, alumni, and partner representatives. The panel evaluates each team’s analysis, innovation and overall presentation. Just four teams compete in the final round, while the whole class and community partner look on. And only one team wins the Argus Cup and $5,000 — but all students involved in Live Case help an Okanagan business to grow, and they all take a big step toward being ready to take a UBC Management degree into a rewarding career.

After weeks of intensive research and collaboration, and a serious case of nerves while presenting their case, the winning team proudly held the Argus Cup in the air and breathed an enormous sigh of relief. Team member Shaina Johnstone is quick to point out that, “it wasn’t about the win—that’s not what we were going for, it was about the experience.”

The other winner of the night was this year’s industry participant Patriot One who benefited from the exceptional research, hard work, and unique solutions all of the teams presented. The winning team advised Patriot One to focus on consolidation of production in a Toronto facility well-placed to access the nearly $1 trillion USD safety and security market on the Eastern Seaboard, helping the company to gain market penetration sooner than previously planned. Chief Executive Officer Martin Cronin spoke with genuine enthusiasm for all of the effort students had put into their presentations: “I was delighted to support Live Case, not just as a statement of support for our partner at UBCO but for the true value that I knew it would bring. I was not disappointed. The teams brought rigour, insight and practicality to the challenge. They should all be very proud.”

For Ted Callahan, CEO of Argus Properties, Live Case is, “seeing the excitement of the students and their enthusiasm for the challenge,” that continues to inspire him year over year. “On behalf of Argus, I would like to congratulate the faculty, all the participating students, and the multitude of volunteers that all contribute to the success of Live Case. It’s an amalgam of a lot of people’s efforts and it doesn’t happen overnight. So, I’d like to congratulate everybody who’s involved.”

Detect, defer, defend: Enhancing public safety

As a self-described ‘virtual organization’ with key corporate and manufacturing elements located across Canada and the United States, and a core of top executives based in Kelowna, BC, Patriot One has developed the modular PATSCAN platform of public safety threat-detection solutions. Rather than the usual ‘security-line shuffle’ where people screened one-by-one by staff using detection devices, PATSCAN uses a low-intensity, harmless, ‘cognitive microwave radar’ easily integrated into walls and doorways. PATSCAN identifies concealed weapons, bombs and other threats in high-traffic public venues such as arena, casino and airport entry points and corridors. Security staff are alerted only when a threat is detected, saving on detection, labour time and costs, and saving people from time-consuming waits in security screening zones. Development of PATSCAN technology has drawn on the capabilities of a four-university research consortium, in which a leading role has been played by UBC’s Survive and Thrive Research (UBC STAR) initiative.

As a new, cutting-edge, publicly listed tech company entering a growing US trillion-plus dollar industry, Patriot One Technologies offered a complex and compelling business case to third-year FoM students.

Live Case Challenge is a key program element of UBC’s Bachelor of Management program, created by the Faculty of Management in partnership with and funded by Kelowna-based Argus Properties Ltd. Each year the challenge is as varied as the community partner involved – whether it’s a for-profit business, a non-profit or a municipality, each partner brings students a management challenge beyond the ordinary, demanding effective teamwork drawing on each member’s skills and abilities.

As students join their assigned team, the clock is ticking. Teams have just a few weeks to dive into the community partner’s plans and operating environment, moving from understanding through analysis to development of solutions ready for use. Partners are happy to receive the plans but the benefit flows both ways. Students learn about the challenges and opportunities of sectors they may have only seen from a distance before the Live Case Challenge, and deliver actionable recommendations that the community partner may begin to implement just moments after the challenge-winners raise the Argus Cup.

Managing the case

Students in the Faculty of Management see the Live Case Challenge as a defining moment, a time to do their best while taking carefully judged risks. Dean Roger Sugden, believes these types of challenges are, “ideal for students to learn about real challenges and real timing, yet in a safe environment—they can make mistakes, learn from mistakes, and reflect on what they do, and how they do it.” The momentum of the challenge as the weeks go by can be felt in the faculty and, “the students feed off the excitement,” says Sugden. In the Live Case Challenge, the community partner and student teams both see how abstract ideas can drive creative and critical thinking to deliver new solutions. Sugden observes: “The Live Case Challenge highlights the Faculty of Management’s fundamental belief that universities and communities have to learn how to engage with each other, learn what each other does, and what each other needs.” 

About Argus Properties Ltd.

Proudly based in Kelowna, BC, Argus Properties Ltd. is a full-service, multi-department real-estate company offering a range of services, from project management, to leasing and construction.

From its inception, the Live Case Challenge partnership between UBCO FoM and Argus Properties Ltd. has tangibly delivered on the shared commitment to positively affect the Okanagan region by collaborating with and helping to develop ever-stronger and sustainable communities, businesses and organizations.

Ted Callahan, CEO of Argus Properties: “Argus is very proud to be associated with UBC and be a participant in the business community’s interaction with UBC and the Faculty of Management. We see all kinds of great benefits that are trickling down to the region, the province, and certainly into Kelowna.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Open house explores new design and concept

What: Free public open house on co-housing development
When: Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kelowna Innovation Centre Theatre, 460 Doyle Ave.

Community housing is an old concept. But UBC Okanagan students are modernizing the idea with their creation of Kelowna’s first co-housing development plans, called the Aviary.

The engineering and management students and their faculty supervisor will be on hand at a free public open house to unveil the concept, designs and business model for what they say will be an evolution in sustainable housing for the region.

“Co-housing should not be confused with co-op, social or low-income housing,” says Gord Lovegrove, associate professor of engineering at UBC Okanagan and project leader. “The co-housing model typically involves 30 committed families who co-develop a property that clusters self-contained, smaller units around a central community dining and activity hall.”

Lovegrove says this community property helps to reduce costs but increases quality of life thanks to shared facilities like a community garden, social hall, craft room, workshop, toddler playroom and laundry.

“It’s an elegant solution because it addresses many housing issues simultaneously, from aging in place for seniors, to building a sense of community for those that otherwise might be socially isolated, to housing affordability for first-time home buyers,” says Lovegrove.

Development of the project was supported by fourth-year engineering and management students who were responsible for identifying potential locations, designing site layouts and determining development costs. The students also took charge of creating a viable business model for the project and managing its marketing.

“This is the culmination of two years of work and the team worked hard to create an innovative approach to an old idea,” says Lovegrove. “We’re excited to present the conceptual designs to the public and work with anyone interested in helping to make the project a reality.”

The open house begins at 7 p.m. on March 6 at the Kelowna Innovation Centre Theatre. A mini-design café will take place at 8 p.m. for those wishing to delve further the details or to become involved in the next steps.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

More than 1,750 students will cross the stage and receive degrees

UBC Okanagan’s gym and courtyard will be filled with traditional ceremony, shouts of celebrations and lifetime memories for two days this week.

More than 1,750 graduates will receive their degrees as the university celebrates the class of 2018 and convocation takes over campus on Thursday and Friday. It’s one of the largest cohorts of graduates in UBC Okanagan’s history, illustrating the growth that continues to shape the university.

“Over the past 13 years we’ve watched with pride as UBC Okanagan’s graduating classes have grown along with the campus,” says Deborah Buszard, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal. “As the campus continues to develop – including with the opening of the new Commons building later this year – we look forward to seeing the impact of UBC Okanagan’s newest alumni in their communities and around the world.”

On Thursday, June 7 more than 620 graduates will cross the stage as students in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies are conferred their degrees.

Two honorary degrees will also be issued Thursday. Astrophysicist Victoria Kaspi will receive an honorary Doctor of Science at the 11 a.m. ceremony. Rosalind Williams will be presented with a Doctor of Letters at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony.

That same day, chemistry Professor Stephen McNeil will be presented with the Killam Teaching Prize, the first time a UBC Okanagan faculty member has received this prestigious award. The Killam award is given to a professor nominated by students, colleagues and alumni in recognition of excellence in teaching. The Governor General Gold Medal Winner, an award presented to the student with the highest academic accomplishment at a university, will also be presented Thursday morning.

There are three convocation ceremonies Friday, June 8 as students in the School of Engineering, the Faculty of Management, the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Health and Social Development— School of Health and Exercise Sciences, School of Nursing and the School of Social Work all graduate.

Mission Hill Family Estate founder Anthony von Mandl will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws at Friday’s 11 a.m. ceremony. At the same ceremony, Education professor Leyton Schnellert will be presented with the Teaching Award of Excellence and Innovation. School of Engineering Professor Yang Cao will also be presented with the Teaching Award of Excellence and Innovation at the 8:30 a.m. ceremony that day.

Of the 1,752 degrees being presented this week, 107 students will earn their master’s degree and 33 are being conferred as PhDs. All outstanding achievements, says Buszard.

“I offer the UBC Okanagan class of 2018 my warmest congratulations on their remarkable achievements,” she adds. “Whether they go on to create a new venture, take on a societal challenge or pursue further studies, I know our graduates have the intellectual tools to flourish in the face of change, wherever they go from here.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

 

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Students win award for tackling complex business problem

Aggressive expansion in a region experiencing high residential growth – achieved by purchasing and partnering with an established company to recreate high-end and tailored service delivery that meets contractors’ needs.

That was the recommendation in the winning presentation at the UBC Faculty of Management Live Case Challenge held last week. Third-year Management students David Gao, Marisa Matthews, Stehaniya Mikhaylova and Dan Thornton—a multinational team representing Russia, Kenya, China and Canada—took home the top prize in UBC Okanagan’s seventh annual student challenge, which was sponsored this year by Argus Properties Ltd.

Every year, third-year Bachelor of Management students at UBC’s Okanagan campus are challenged to solve a real, or “live,” problem on behalf of an organization based in the region. Students must draw on the knowledge from a wide range of management courses to analyze the organization, research industry practices, and develop a comprehensive presentation with recommendations and an implementation plan.

“Live Case Challenge provides students with the experience of drawing upon their extensive management learning when faced with a complex, real and live organization and its future,” said Faculty of Management Dean Roger Sugden. “This has both a transformative effect on the students, and the questions and solutions offered by student teams transforms the community partner’s possibilities in addressing both challenges and opportunities in their future.”

Pro Builders Supply-Home Hardware Building Centre asked students to consider a range of growth opportunities that would build on their present business model and strategy. As a chain of full-line home improvement building supplies, Pro Builders started in Penticton in 1998 and has since grown to include five locations in the Okanagan and in Canmore, Alberta. The company is part of the Home Hardware network.

“Pro Builders is proud to have partnered with UBC’s Faculty of Management in being the client for this year’s Live Case Challenge. It was very rewarding to contribute to the educational process and to hear the many quality proposals put forward by the students,” says Paul McCann, President and CEO of Pro Builders Supply-Home Hardware Building Centre. “The high calibre of the proposals is a testament to the high-quality education the students are receiving at UBC’s Faculty of Management. Congratulations to the winning team and thanks to all of the students who worked hard to provide their assessment and recommendations.”

The winning group proposed that Pro Builders focus on expanding operations into a region experiencing significant growth and new building starts. Students identified a potential company to acquire and proposed they build on existing strengths with additional customer service programs. Their analysis and projections showed the recommendations would help Pro Builders outperform the competition in the new region within three years and grow its footprint in Western Canada.

Live Case Challenge is a partnership between UBC’s Faculty of Management and Argus Properties Ltd. The partnership delivers on the shared commitment to collaborate with organizations throughout the region and develop flourishing and sustainable organizations, businesses and communities. The winning group receives the Argus Cup and a $5,000 award.

“Argus is proud to support the community, education and what UBC’s Okanagan campus means to the entire region. It’s really exciting to see the opportunity the students have to learn from a live case that’s local. They are the future of the Okanagan, and we congratulate all the students for their efforts,” says EJ (Ted) Callahan, President and CEO of Argus Properties.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Industrial Research Chair partnership will advance sustainability measurement and management

As a leading Canadian expert in sustainability, UBC’s Nathan Pelletier has been awarded a prestigious Industrial Research Chair by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The award will advance Pelletier’s research activities that focus on sustainability measurement and management, life-cycle thinking and resource efficiency, with an emphasis on the Canadian egg industry.

Pelletier, an assistant professor at UBC’s Okanagan campus, teaches in both the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Management. He has spent roughly a decade researching the science of sustainability, with a focus on food systems. Since 2016, he has collaborated with Egg Farmers of Canada as their Research Chair in Sustainability, exploring opportunities to improve resource efficiencies and reduce the environmental impact of egg supply chains.

“I am passionate about the development of food systems that are environmentally sustainable, economically viable and that contribute to our health and well-being,” says Pelletier. “Achieving this in modern food systems requires considering food supply chains in their entirety, from the beginning of production to the consumer’s end use of a product—in other words, a truly holistic evaluation of sustainability risks and opportunities.”

Only a handful of researchers are awarded an Industrial Research Chair from NSERC each year, making it a great honour for Pelletier, explained Marc Fortin, VP Research Partnerships at NSERC. This support will allow Pelletier to grow his research program as the first-ever NSERC/Egg Farmers of Canada Industrial Research Chair in Sustainability.

“NSERC’s Industrial Research Chair program provides for dynamic research and development collaborations between Canada’s brain trust and partners,” says Fortin. “We are proud to support this chair, which is developing the knowledge and supporting innovation necessary to advance the success of the sector and improve the sustainability of that production. The results this team will deliver could have broad benefits across Canada.”

“We are very proud that Nathan is doing his innovative work at UBC Okanagan,” says Phil Barker, Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “His insights on sustainability and agriculture are benefiting industry, our community and the environment. This cutting-edge and relevant research will have direct impacts on our region and on global production methods. His work is a wonderful example of the outstanding and impactful research performed at UBC’s Okanagan campus.”

“Food systems sustainability is a subject of increasing importance. Egg Farmers of Canada strives to promote innovation and the continuous improvement of egg production through the latest scientific research,” says Tim Lambert, CEO of Egg Farmers of Canada. “His work helps us understand the link between environmental sustainability and egg production, while developing processes and technologies with environmental and social impacts in mind.”

Local MP Stephen Fuhr also wanted to highlight the significance of the partnership and the good work coming out of UBC Okanagan.

“Food systems and sustainability are two topics that are very important to our government,” said Fuhr. “We know that partnerships like the one between UBC Okanagan’s Nathan Pelletier and Egg Farmers of Canada, supported by organizations like NSERC, lead to discoveries that benefit all Canadians.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

 

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Mould on a substance will affect its strength and durability

When something goes mouldy in the fridge, it is annoying and wasteful.

However, at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering, mould is proving increasingly important in the domain of engineering materials and can lead to early deterioration and structural failure. This is especially the case as manufacturers adopt more bio-derived materials in the drive towards a greener future, explains researcher Bryn Crawford.

At UBC’s Okanagan campus, a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the Composites Research Network and the Department of Biology, in collaboration with MIT and the National Research Council of Canada, have been studying the development and application of bio-sourced composites—specifically flax and hemp fibres. These materials are plentiful in Canada and can be mixed with other materials to create cheaper, recyclable, and effective composite material products that are used by a range of industries, including in transportation.

“Canada has a lot of biomass that can be used to produce materials that are both light and inexpensive,” explains Crawford. “We’re looking at ways of using biomass in engineering, but there is a level of natural deterioration in these products that is still not fully understood.”

In the study, researchers conducted a number of experiments to determine if and when mould will grow on bio-materials and how it might affect the final product.

“When we bring microbiology into engineering, it raises some extra questions; some questions we’ve never thought about before,” says Crawford. “But because we’re now using biological matter, we have to think of fungal growth and how this fungal growth will affect a product.”

The research team examined flax and hemp fibres alongside other natural materials to determine what would happen over time to these fibres. They created ‘fibre sheets’ and then added fungi to some, water to others, and left another group of sheets untreated.

Crawford says they are not surprised that the materials grew mould; the idea of the project was to determine the types of environment where the fungal spores would grow and then test mechanical properties of the affected materials. The team conducted a variety of tests examining them for strength, stiffness, or the amount of energy that can be absorbed before the materials failed. They also used scanning electron microscopy to take an extreme close-up of the interior of the sample to determine fungal growth patterns, examine fractures, and failure zones.

“It was a huge experiment and we found that in both the hemp and flax fibres, when no fungi were added, we still had fungi growing,” Crawford adds. “Basically, when raw natural fibres are exposed to high relative humidity, mould will grow and the potential for premature structural failure can occur.”

Crawford says that this susceptibility to mould growth is important for supply chains and factories to understand and manage in order to ensure they’re creating robust products.

“Bio-composites made from natural fibres are good for both the environment and the economy and could help usher in the next revolution in manufacturing. More inter-disciplinary research of this kind is vital to producing high-quality and durable bio-materials that help make that leap.”

The research was recently published in Materials and was partially funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et technologies. It was conducted in collaboration with Sepideh Pakpour, Negin Kazemian, John Klironomos, Karen Stoeffler, Denis Rho, Joanne Denault and Abbas Milani.

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