This spring more than 11,000 students will be receiving their diplomas from UBC, including close to 240 doctoral students and over 1,000 master's students, from nearly every faculty and discipline.
This year's graduates include:
- Dr. Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz (Raybould) (PhD, Forestry), who explored the relationship between people, forests, and fire through time in British Columbia. Her research shows that fire has long been an important natural and cultural process but that transformative change is needed to ensure we can all equitably coexist with fire in the future."
- Dr. Lois Evans (PhD, Library, Archival and Information Studies) "Dr. Evans examined records retention and disposition in Canadian organizations. She found that by aligning information governance efforts and leveraging digital technologies, records managers, archivists, and technologists could significantly decrease the climate impacts of information and communication technology on the environment.
- Dr. Emma Feltes (PhD, Anthropology), who studied the "Constitution Express," a 1980s Indigenous movement to stop the patriation of Canada's Constitution from the UK without Indigenous consent. Guided by its leaders, she found that beyond rights, the movement sought international decolonization. This study challenges Canadian federalism, recentering Indigenous jurisdiction.
"My understanding and commitment to social justice has evolved over the course of diverse experiences working with non-profit organizations, First Nations, and the public service. I do not see my PhD as a departure from the on-the-ground work I have undertaken in the past, but a scholastic extension of it. Throughout my PhD and beyond, I hope to continue to work across sectors, with the aim of contributing to public discourse, knowledge, and policy." - Emma Feltes
- Dr. Enrique Rosales Ruiz (PhD, Computer Science) who developed a novel surfacing algorithm to convert raw VR drawings into usable 3D models. He also created a new VR brush that increases the number of shapes that can be comfortably drawn. This research expands the range of applications of VR drawings and makes VR drawing a practical alternative to 3D modeling for inexperienced users.
- Dr. Jonathan Taggart (PhD, Resource Management and Environmental Studies) who demonstrated the ways new approaches to map-based research can better represent the place-based values and traditions of Canadian Indigenous communities in environmental assessment and regulatory contexts.
- Dr. Patricia Woodruff (PhD, Oceans and Fisheries) who looked at different tools that fisheries managers can use to sustain productive recreational fisheries and how it is necessary to have trade-offs between fishery and conservation goals, to maintain a stable ecosystem.
We wish all of our graduate the very best in their future endeavours, and hope that they continue to share their successes with us as they launch their career!
To view all recent doctoral citations, view our citations archive.
For words of wisdom from UBC alumni, visit our alumni profiles.
The ceremonies, held May 25-27, 30-31 and June 1-2 on the Vancouver campus, are in person, but live-streamed for remote viewing. Visit graduation.ubc.ca for a full schedule of all graduation ceremonies, and information on additional campus events. All graduate ceremonies can also be viewed online.
In addition to the graduation ceremonies held at the Chan Centre, the First Nations House of Learning is holding an Indigenous Graduation Celebration on May 28 for Indigenous students from both Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 classes. For more information, visit their website.