ubcr5004_03may04 5/03/04 11:03 AM Page 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA VOLUME 50 | NUMBER 5 | MAY 6, 2004 UBC REPORTS Nobel Laureates Receive Honorary Degrees from UBC From left: UBC President Martha Piper, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi and UBC Chancellor Allan McEachern. Canada’s national newspaper called it “a one-of-a-kind mind with educating the heart. They also received honorary traveling road show, and we may never see its likes again.” degrees from UBC. The Globe and Mail reporter was referring to the historic The world visionaries came to Vancouver at the invitation visit to UBC’s campus of three Nobel Peace Laureates. His of Pitman Potter, the director of the Institute of Asian Holiness the Dalai Lama, the exiled leader of Tibet and the Research, and his colleague Victor Chan a close associate winner of the 1989 peace prize, South African Archbishop of the Dalai Lama. The event also marked the official Desmond Tutu who won the prize in 1984 and last year’s beginning of a new program being offered by the institute winner Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi all called Contemporary Tibetan Studies. gathered at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. They Thousands of British Columbians were able to see the joined other spiritual leaders in a three-hour roundtable Dalai Lama, many in person at the various events where he discussion of the importance of balancing educating the spoke and many more on television and web broadcasts. ■ SPECIAL ISSUE: CONGREGATION 2004 More than 5,000new graduates will receive their degree from Chancellor Allan McEachern at UBC’s Spring Congregation, to be held May 26 to June 2. Both undergrad- uate and graduate degrees from all 12 faculties and schools will be conferred at 22 separate ceremonies at UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. In addition, nine honorary degrees will be given. Since the first degrees were granted in 1916, UBC’s global alumni community has grown to more than 200,000. Congregation ceremonies will be web cast, allowing family, friends and alumni around the world to participate in the celebration. For more information about UBC’s Congregation ceremonies, visit www.graduation.ubc.ca. PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY: MARTIN DEE ubcr5004_03may04 5/03/04 11:03 AM Page 3 2 | ubc reports | may 6, 2004 IN THE NEWS Highlights of UBC Media Coverage in April 2004. COMPILED BY BRIAN LIN “In the past it was But the Hollywood hype is phrased in slightly more being preceded on all sides by a ambiguous ways related flood of renewed interest in the to supporting a One epic poem about the clash of two China policy.” cultures that is one of the best- sellers of the past 3,000 years. UBC honours Three The appeal of Troy is eternal, Nobel Laureates but the film has helped pique Hollywood actress even more interest, UBC classics Goldie Hawn joined and archaeology professor Hector hundreds of others in Williams told The Ottawa April to see the Dalai Citizen. Lama and fellow Nobel Williams knows of at least three Peace Prize laureates Troy documentaries in the mak- Archbishop Desmond ing, all timed to coincide with the Tutu and Iranian human release of the film. rights fighter Shirin Edabi receive UBC hon- Svend Robinson’s Goldie Hawn was in the audience to see orary doctorate of law Fall From Grace the Dalai Lama at UBC. degrees. NDP MP Svend Robinson tearful- “People are hungry for ly confessed in a news conference U.S. Ready to See Change in answers,” Hawn told CP Wire. to “pocketing” an expensive piece China-Taiwan Status Quo “The human spirit, I guess you of jewellery. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of could say . we innately feel it’s While no charges have yet been State Matthew Daley recently said drying up.” laid by police and the diamond Washington is not opposed to a Hawn, who lives in Vancouver ring — valued in a report by change in the status quo involving with husband Kurt Russell, said BCTV as high as $50,000 — has arch foes Taiwan and China but people are more willing now to been returned to the Vancouver any alteration must be peaceful embrace the Dalai Lama’s mes- auction house, Robinson and mutually agreed. sage of compassion. announced he won’t run for re- UBC political scientist Paul “I watch all political processes election in any near-term cam- Evans says such remarks signal a around the world,” she said. paign and will be taking a medical U.S. desire to see the two resume “They’re driven by fear, the need leave from his duties in the talks frozen since 1999 and thus to dominate. They’re driven by Commons. ease tensions created by moves by ego, the need to conquer and pos- UBC political scientist Phillip newly re-elected Taiwan President sess. These are all very dangerous Resnick said Robinson’s long Chen Shui-bian towards inde- things we need to get over.” record of zero-to-60 moral out- pendence and Chinese threats to rage may be coming back to respond with force. 3,000-Year-Old Story haunt him. “I think it’s a shift not just from a New Pop Cult Hit “He’s sometimes taken posi- a year ago, but a shift from even Hollywood director Wolfgang tions that have put his own party a month ago,” Evans told Reuters Petersen’s production of Troy will in embarrassing situations and News. be released next month amid pre- other times has actually been the “That is the most direct state- dictions that with a $200-million standard-bearer,” Resnick told CP ment I have heard from a senior U.S. budget, a timeless story and Wire. “There was a side of Svend American official that the U.S. the likes of Brad Pitt and Peter which played to that very moraliz- government will not support O’Toole headlining, the film can’t ing, high moral road on broad Taiwan independence,” he said. help but be a blockbuster. issues of public policy.” ■ The Inaugural CIHR Visiting Presidency at UBC Dr. Alan Bernstein, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), will visit UBC May 17-21 to meet with members of the university’s research community. In the inaugural CIHR Visiting Presidency at UBC, Bernstein will participate in an open forum on Monday, May 17th at 3 p.m. to build relationships with investigators at all levels. He will also describe CIHR’s plans for the future and opportunities for researchers. For more information on the forum, visit www.research.ubc.ca . CIHR is Canada’s major federal funding agency for health research. UBC attracted more than $42 million in funding from Dr. Alan Bernstein, OC, PhD, CIHR in 2002/03. ■ FRSC CIHR Visiting President UBC REPORTS Director, Public Affairs UBC Reports is published monthly by the UBC Public Affairs Office Scott Macrae [email protected] 310 – 6251 Cecil Green Park Road Vancouver BC Canada V6T 1Z1 Editor Paul Patterson [email protected] UBC Reports welcomes submissions. Design Director For upcoming UBC Reports submission guidelines, please see Chris Dahl [email protected] www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/ubcreports/about. Opinions and advertising published in UBC Reports do not necessarily reflect Designer official university policy. Material may be reprinted in whole Sharmini Thiagarajah [email protected] or in part with appropriate credit to UBC Reports. Contributors Michelle Cook [email protected] Brian Lin [email protected] Letters (300 words or less) must be signed and include PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40775044 Erica Smishek [email protected] an address and phone number for verification. Submit letters to: RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Hilary Thomson [email protected] The Editor, UBC Reports CIRCULATION DEPT. April Wilson-Lange [email protected] UBC Public Affairs Office 310 - 6251 CECIL GREEN PARK ROAD (address above); by fax to 604.822.2684; or by e-mail to VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6T 1Z1 Advertising EMAIL: [email protected] [email protected] or call UBC.NEWS (604.822.6397) Fran Hannabuss [email protected] ubcr5004_03may04 5/03/04 11:03 AM Page 4 ubc reports | may 6, 2004 | 3 UBC was a Journey of Self-discovery for Dietetics Grad Yuka Asada found her calling. BY APRIL WILSON-LANGE Here is the perfect alternative for a stay in Vancouver. Surrounded by the spectacular beauty of the UBC campus, our fully-equipped, quality suites offer convenience and comfort for visiting lecturers, professors, family, friends or anyone who wants to stay on Vancouver’s west side. 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