The weird, wacky, and wonderful: Stories from UBC’s colourful past

When UBC economics student Abul Bashar was in ninth grade, he learned that one-third of his country, Bangladesh, would be underwater by 2050 as a result of climate change. This realization set him on a path towards climate action that took him as a UBC delegate to COP27 in Egypt in 2022 and inspired him to cycle across Bangladesh to see the effects of climate change first-hand and hear the stories of some of the people most affected by it. In this episode, Carol and Jeevan speak to Bashar about some of the key moments in his activism and storytelling journey.

Have you ever found love on a dating app? In this special Valentine’s Day episode, hosts Carol and Jeevan connect with UBC student and entrepreneur Connor Rose, who co-founded an app IRLY that offers a unique Gen Z spin on making a match. They discuss the app’s early days in the e@UBC program, share the Cameron Dallas connection, and attempt to uncover what Gen Z is looking for in a partner.

Join hosts Carol and Jeevan in conversation with UBC pharmacy alum Avi Gill (BSc’12, BPSc’16), one of the owners behind Farming Karma, a “farm to can” soda-making company based in the Okanagan. Discover the brand's evolution from a family farm to a thriving enterprise that produces award-winning fruit sodas, and hear insights from Gill as he reflects on his “wild journey” to becoming an entrepreneur.

Join Carol and Jeevan as they sip their way through today’s episode on BC wine. Hear how wine makers in the province are navigating the impacts of climate change, and the ways in which UBC research is helping to boost their resilience and adaptation during these challenging times. Plus, learn about the alumni UBC Wine Club and its December 2023 offer featuring Moon Curser Vineyards, and find out how you can support fellow alumni winemakers while enjoying exceptional Okanagan wines as a member of the club.

Join Carol and Jeevan as they explore advances in cancer detection and prevention with UBC alum Dr. Steven Narod (BSc’75, MD’79), a leading expert in breast and ovarian cancer genetics research. Dr. Narod was among a team of researchers in the 1990s who made the groundbreaking discovery of BRCA1 and BRCA2 — two genes which, in mutated form, are closely linked to breast and ovarian cancers. Learn more about Dr. Narod’s research over the past three decades, including how he and his team have made genetic testing more accessible for Canadians via The Screen Project.

Dr. Narod is also this year’s distinguished recipient of the Research and Innovation Award from alumni UBC.

Join Carol, Rumneek, and new co-host Jeevan Sangha as they dive deep into the world of wildfires with award-winning UBC researcher, Dr. Lori Daniels (MSc’94). From the phenomenon of “zombie fires” to the fascinating paradox of using fire to suppress fire, Dr. Daniels explains what’s behind BC’s increasingly severe wildfires, how climate change is adding fuel to the fire, and what UBC researchers are doing, in close collaboration with Indigenous communities, to increase the resiliency of BC’s forests.

Discover the fascinating changes coming to UBC's campuses — from a deepening commitment to Indigenization to groundbreaking sustainability initiatives — with Ben Johnson, Director of Campus Planning for UBC Okanagan, and Michael White, Associate Vice-President of Campus + Community Planning and the university’s chief planner. Whether you're a passionate planner or simply curious about the future of UBC, this episode reveals what it takes to build world-class campuses. 

Carol and Rumneek chat with UBC alum and the CBC’s Justin McElroy (BA’11) on his path to journalism, the changing nature of the industry, and his love of niche topics (and charts!) that have helped him connect with audiences in creative and captivating ways. 

Carol and Rumneek speak with Dr. Gail Murphy, Vice-President of Research & Innovation, about UBC’s evolution into a world-class research powerhouse over the past quarter century. Dr. Murphy highlights several recent projects that reflect UBC’s innovative and collaborative approach to research, and shares her top tips for thriving in both leadership and researcher roles.

Hear from UBC historians Herbert Rosengarten and Sheldon Goldfarb as they share their extensive knowledge of UBC’s storied past – including entertaining and obscure tales that might surprise you.