Christine Zeindler

Email: christine.zeindler@ubc.ca


 

Currently there are more than 1,600 active research projects underway at UBCO.

UBCO stories you may have missed in 2019

UBCO Okanagan has grown to a student population of more than 10,000. With this growth, has come new research opportunities—currently there are more than 1,600 active projects. UBCO researchers are challenging established assumptions, innovating solutions and creating new knowledge that will have broad impacts on our society. Here are some of the accomplishments reached in 2019.

Promoting resilient environments

UBCO biologists have discovered a new source of carbon dioxide in lake water that is used for irrigation. Their findings have practical applications for agriculture-based communities in arid regions. For more

Ecologists from UBCO and the University of Alberta have developed non-invasive methods for tracking animals, using DNA found in their feces, saliva and hair. These approaches will provide improved understanding of wildlife migration and population trends. For more

Supporting healthy people

UBCO has joined with international partners to determine how the human heart has adapted to engage in endurance physical activities. The findings will bring new insights to the international effort to reduce hypertensive heart disease—one of the most common causes of illness and death in the developed world. For more

UBCO researchers partnered with an international research team to complete 15 major scientific studies in Peru’s Cerro de Pasco to better understand how high altitude affects newcomers and Indigenous populations. This research is relevant for people who suffer from low oxygen health conditions including those with lung or heart disease. For more

A new Faculty of Medicine Research Centre, the first such facility outside the Lower Mainland, was established at UBC Okanagan. The Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management will serve as a provincial leader for research, knowledge translation and exchange in the urgent research field of chronic diseases. For more

Developing emerging technologies

UBC Okanagan researchers have discovered a new class of anti-ice surface coatings. These low interfacial toughness (LIT) materials ease the force required to remove ice from large areas, such as car windshields. For more

Researchers at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering have developed a low-cost sensor that can be interlaced into textiles and composite materials. While the research is still ongoing, it may pave the way for smart clothing that can monitor human movement. For more

Building thriving communities

UBCO researchers were involved in an international study which found that people are more charitable if allowed to quickly claim tax credits for their donations. Their findings showed that changing the deadline for donations so they land close to tax time increased contributions by nine per cent. For more

Thanks to a visiting international fellowship, a UBCO professor is collaborating with the University of Exeter to promote and disseminate environmental humanities research. This field speaks to the interconnectedness of climate change, factory farming and human health. For more

Rob Shaw, doctoral student in UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Health and Social Development.

Rob Shaw, doctoral student in UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Health and Social Development.

Rob Shaw earns Canada’s first podium finish in Parapan American singles wheelchair tennis

UBC's Rob Shaw served up victory for Canada at the recent Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Shaw is the first-ever Parapan American Quad-tennis champion and the first Canadian tennis player to a win a singles medal at a multi-sport games.

“This is definitely the biggest win so far of my career if you consider the magnitude of the stage and the number of fans in the crowd," says Shaw a doctoral student in UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Health and Social Development.

He adds that he’s had bigger emotional wins, but as far as a complete package, winning a gold medal is as big as it gets.

Rob Shaw is the first-ever Parapan American Quad-tennis champion and the first Canadian tennis player to a win a singles medal at a multi-sport games.

Rob Shaw is the first-ever Parapan American Quad-tennis champion and the first Canadian tennis player to a win a singles medal at a multi-sport games.

Shaw came to UBC Okanagan in 2016 as a doctoral student in professor Kathleen Martin Ginis’ spinal cord injury research group. Their work focuses on improving the health and well-being of the 85,000 Canadians living with spinal cord injury. In particular, Shaw is investigating the impact of peer mentorship for people with spinal cord injury in both hospital and community settings.

“I have experienced firsthand the benefits of peer mentorship as both a mentee and mentor,” he says. “This personal knowledge drives my passion for investigating how to maximize the effectiveness of this service.”

Martin Ginis, a professor with the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, says Shaw is an outstanding student-athlete and a recognized leader within the spinal cord injury community and beyond.

“I am absolutely thrilled for Rob,” she says. “He is truly a difference-maker—on the court, in our lab, and in the community. We are cheering him all the way.”

Shaw is the highest-ranked member of the Canadian wheelchair tennis team, ranking ninth in the world and is the reigning four-time national quad singles champion. In addition to completing his doctoral degree, Shaw has his sights set on qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

“I’m just really happy to be part of the massive tennis movement in Canada,” says Shaw. “There’s a really big tennis wave going through the country right now and it’s just nice to contribute a little ripple.”

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

About four per cent of Canadian children are living with a disability and their level of physical activity has been unknown, until now. A new partnership led by UBC Okanagan researchers aims to determine the extent to which school-aged children and youth are meeting the Canadian movement and screen time guidelines. Their goal is to provide evidence-based protocols and policies to improve physical activity opportunities for all Canadians with disabilities.

“Our preliminary findings from the Canadian Disability Participation Project indicate that children and youth with physical disabilities are not meeting the Canadian guidelines,” says primary researcher Kathleen Martin Ginis, a professor with UBC’s Faculty of Medicine and UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Health and Social Development. “Our new project is expanding the pilot study to include a much larger population of children and youth and to examine both the types of activities they participate in and for how long.”

Martin Ginis will be collaborating with colleagues Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos from the University of Toronto and Rebecca Bassett-Gunter from York University.

This first-ever Canadian-wide project is made possible thanks to nearly $500,000 in funding over the next five years from Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities.

“At Jumpstart, we understand how important sport and recreation is for kids, and not simply because of the physical benefits,” says Scott Fraser, President of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. “Although we often hear about the impact sport has had on a child’s life, it can be hard to measure. We are proud to support UBC’s research in this field, which will provide valuable insight as we work towards giving even more kids a sporting chance.”

“Until now, the two biggest barriers to expanding our pilot study have been funding and difficulties identifying and recruiting large number of children and youth with disabilities to the study,” says Martin Ginis. “This partnership with Jumpstart is providing a tremendous opportunity to overcome these challenges.”

Kids who receive Jumpstart funding can have a wide range of disabilities including non-physical limitations, such as learning disabilities, chronic physical limitations (heart disease, asthma, etc.) and speech conditions.

“We see the impact of physical activity in health and quality of life in adults both with and without disabilities. We are hoping our research will support children with disabilities to move off the bleachers and into the game,” adds Martin Ginis.

“The university is thrilled to partner with Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities,” says Deborah Buszard, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal at UBC’s Okanagan Campus. “We have shared values on the importance of health, well-being, and creating opportunities for youth, regardless of background. I am personally delighted for Jumpstart's first gift to arrive at the Okanagan campus of UBC, where Professor Martin Ginis and others are creating a cluster of research excellence in chronic disease prevention, physical activity participation, and cardiometabolic health. By enabling leading-edge research on physical activity for children and youth with disabilities, your gift will help inform future policy development, enhance health programs for Canadians, and, in turn, improve lives in communities across the country.”

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.