1. Attend three general meetings (Fridays at 4 p.m. in room 2208 in the Nest).
2. Contribute three times to The Ubyssey ! This can mean writing three articles, taking three photos or videos, making three illustrations or helping copyedit three times. Or you can mix and match!
3. Attend your third general meeting with those three contributions, and The Ubyssey ’s staff members will vote you in! U
IN MEMORIAM
‘A foundational leader’: Hereditary chief and UBC Allard Law alumnus Bill Wilson dies at 80
Fiona Sjaus Features Editor
“I always wanted to be a fisherman, just like my father. I told my mother that and she says, ‘No you’re not, you’re going to school,’” Kwagiulth (Kwakwaka’wakw) Hereditary Chief Bill Wilson (Hemas Kla-Lee-LeeKla) told Global News in a 2023 interview.
When Wilson doubted his studies, it was his mother who encouraged him to stick to school.
“She said, ‘You’re not quitting, you’re going to go to law school. Stop this bullshit and get on with the work you need to do,'” he continued in the interview. “'You have been given gifts that you have to use to help out people.'”
Wilson died on January 24 “surrounded by love,” his daughter Jodie Wilson-Raybould wrote in a post on X. He is survived by his wife Bev, and his daughters, Wilson-Raybould and Kory Wilson.
“There's a reason there are a lot of sad people across Canada since his passing,” said Indigenous Law Student Association Co-President Kristofer Charlebois. “We have Aboriginal law as a practice area due to his fundamental work.”
Wilson was the youngest of 17, born into a big household made up of three families in Comox, BC. His father started an “empire,” Wilson told Global, building canoes to sell to the majority-white local fishing industry.
It was his family’s footing that helped Wilson, along with his siblings, go through the provincial education system as opposed to the residential school system,
which didn’t close its final doors until 1997.
Then in 1973, Wilson became the second Indigenous person to graduate from UBC’s Faculty of Law, after his cousin Alfred Scow. This would be the beginning of a lifelong career in Canadian politics and Indigenous law.
“If you want to talk about his legacy, it's generational,” said Charlebois. “I would not be a law student if it weren't for him setting the tone and setting a foundation for us … Mr. Wilson was a foundational leader to not just his nation, but to Indigenous former and current and future law students and students in general.”
Before meeting with former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau for the first time in 1970, Wilson worked as the director of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the first Indigenous organization in the country, which was established by the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia. The organization pursued land claims and Indigenous title grievances in BC, transitioning into a trade union.
Wilson would go on to become the vice chief for the Native Council of Canada, a position that would seat him at the table with the country’s top politicians in Ottawa.
At that table, Wilson helped amend a section of the Canadian Constitution for Indigenous people across the country, section 35, which recognizes and affirms Aboriginal rights.
Early drafts of a Canadian Constitution independent from Britain did not include any recognition of those existing rights
and relationships, but through efforts that Wilson helped leverage, Aboriginal rights became enshrined and protected, such that they cannot be overridden by the federal government.
“That was an exciting time because I knew we were building a country — a country that already existed but had no foundation in Indian politics and no relationship to the land or the resources that belonged to the Indians,” Wilson told Global.
“Section 35 is there because of him and the work of others. But he's pivotal in that,” said Charlebois. “Those rights are fundamentally enshrined now because of the work he's done.” Wilson changed minds and opened eyes. He recalled showing BC's then-Premier Bill Vander Zalm around his mother's hometown in 1986, bringing provincial power on the ground to underrepresented communities, he told Global.
As Wilson explained in 2023, he hoped the next generation will “pick up the torch” and combat the political system.
“In terms of my politics, I’ve never been anything but an Indian,” Wilson told Global News. “I never believed that any non-Indian policies designed by white people to be imposed on Indians are right. I maintain that, pure as a driven snow legacy.”
“That impact to have that foundation to stand up when something is not right and move forward with that, that doesn't just take bravery, that takes will of iron,” said Charlebois. “The ability to lead like that and then pass it on to your children — that's the definition of being Indigenous.” U
"If you want to talk about his legacy, it's generational," said Charlebois.
UBC transitions HSBC banking accounts to RBC post acquisition
Sophia Samilski Senior Staff Reporter
On January 16, Providence Research announced UBC has officially transitioned its banking services from HSBC Bank Canada to the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).
This change comes in the wake of RBC’s acquisition of HSBC Canada, a deal that was legally finalized on March 28, 2024 and has since led to shifts in banking arrangements across the country.
The transition at UBC took effect on January 13, with all former HSBC financial transactions now being processed through RBC. The university’s former HSBC accounts remained operational until January 24, at which point they permanently closed.
According to an email statement from UBC Media Relations Director of University Affairs Matthew Ramsey, the decision to migrate the accounts to RBC was driven by a need for continuity, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
“This shift was required to ensure stability could be maintained for UBC’s complex financial needs and was far simpler and more cost effective than moving to another financial services provider at this time,” wrote Ramsey.
Ramsey also said that the transition will not impact students, faculty or ongoing projects, nor will it alter UBC’s current financial strategy. Both UBC and the AMS have worked with RBC in the past. In 2017, RBC took over the Nest’s $68
million construction loan, and saved students up to $50 million in doing so.
However, student and climate advocacy groups such as Climate Justice UBC have opposed UBC and the AMS’s involvement with
RBC since 2021, particularly due to concerns over the bank’s infrastructure projects and ties to the fossil fuel industry. In 2022, the AMS ended its partnership with RBC on the RBC Get Seeded program, but protests among groups trying to get
2024/25 interim AMS services report sees across-the-board uptick
Annabelle Katz Contributor
The AMS released the 2024/25 interim student services report, which shows increased usage in nearly all services.
AMS Services saw a total of 22,771 user interactions between May and December 2023. The AMS Food Bank, the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) and Safewalk were among the services with the highest usage.
In an interview with The Ubyssey, AMS Student Services Manager Kathleen Simpson said the AMS is still prepared
to deal with increasing demand and is happy students are taking advantage of the services.
“Our goal is always to … help as many students as we possibly can,” said Simpson.
The most used service continues to be the AMS Food Bank, which accounts for 70 per cent of all service interactions and saw a 14 per cent increase in interactions from the same period during the 2023/24 school year. This period coincides with April 2023 backlash involving the AMS’s decision to make UBC staff ineligible to access the food bank. The decision was made due
to budget constraints and supply concerns that students would be less supported despite being active AMS members, unlike UBC staff members who are associate members.
Despite the current uptick in interactions, Simpson said costs are on track to stay within the budget, as only $60,768 has been spent of the food bank’s $116,408 budget for the year.
SASC is the next most used service with 10 per cent of total interactions. SASC also reported one of the most notable increases with 1,031 hours in session marking an 84 per cent increase. The service
also saw a 21 per cent increase in intakes and a 324 per cent increase in anonymous interactions.
When asked about unexpected findings in the report, Simpson said while nothing was particularly surprising, Safewalk’s growth in service was an achievement.
“For the last couple years, this was a big priority for us, so we’re really happy to see that come together,” said Simpson.
Safewalk experienced a 53 per cent increase in interactions between May to December 2024 as compared to the same period the year prior. The report said the service was especially busy during Halloween and problems arose with client behaviour, which resulted in an updated policy being published and new training for all staff on how to maintain safety during a shift. While October was the service’s busiest month, heavy use continued after these incidents into November and December.
Simpson said she views the increased numbers as a reflection of trust students feel toward the AMS Services.
On goals going forward, Simpson said she hopes to focus more on “data collection and using metrics to inform the trends of cases and issues that we’re seeing is a big thing.”
“We are always focused on awareness and making sure that students know … when they’re facing some kind of challenge in their time at university, that they can come to us for support.” U
AMS ELECTIONS //
Zarifa
Nawar wins VP AUA by-election
Aisha
Zarifa Nawar is your new VP academic and university affairs (AUA).
Nawar won over candidates Joe Vu and Renee Hui. Nawar was appointed as interim VP AUA since November 2024 after former VP AUA Drédyn Fontana was removed from the position. Previously, she worked as associate VP university affairs from May to November 2024.
Now elected, Nawar will serve as VP AUA until May.
Elections Administrator Sansian Tan announced voter turn-out was 7.25 per cent — Tan also said Nawar won with 62 per cent of the vote. Nawar’s her platform centered advocating for affordability, accessibility and equity. On what she’s excited to do in office, Nawar said she’ll be continuing work on the undergraduate research expansion funding and launching the annual academic experience survey.
“I’m fucking relieved and so excited to get back to work,” said Nawar. U
Ramsey said this transition will not impact students.
ZUBAIR HIRJI / THE UBYSSEY
SAUMYA KAMRA / THE UBYSSEY
Chaudhry & Viyan Handley News Editors
Safewalk saw a 53 per cent increase in interactions and was especially busy during Halloween. MAYA ROCHON / THE UBYSSEY
RBC’s retail branch off campus have continued.
Ramsay said this decision will not impact UBC’s sustainability goals, and UBC is expected to complete its shift to RBC by the end of the fiscal year. U
AMS Food and Beverage employees seek unionization over poor pay, lack of accountability
Viyan Handley News Editor
Citing a need for qualified HR mediation and better pay, members of the AMS Food and Beverage Department have filed to unionize every employee in the department. If successful, the employees would join MoveUP, a union which already represents some of the AMS’s administrative staff.
The Ubyssey interviewed two employees from the Food and Beverage Department who detailed the employees’ collective reasons for seeking unionization and the process’s progression — both of the sources’ names have been changed in accordance with The Ubyssey’s anonymity policy to protect their identities against potential employer retaliation.
A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY
In her interview, AMS employee Jane said employees hope unionization will address what she called a lack of AMS accountability in resolving issues brought forward by workers in the department.
“There are lots of instances of … personnel conflicts, including with management, that have not been appropriately resolved by HR and have resulted in really negative consequences and working environments for a lot of people,” she said.
“[Because of these] instances of workplace bullying … staff are looking for someone else to be in our corner.”
Jane also claimed members of the AMS’s administration office have tended to “fail upwards” in their positions, which she called “very discouraging.”
A group of AMS servers had attempted to join MoveUP back in 2016, but the BC Labour Relations Board dismissed the application in the AMS’s favour. In June of that year, the Board found the AMS engaged in unfair labour practices after Christine Boutrin, a then-man-
ager in the AMS’s Catering & Conferences Department, texted an employee to vote against unionization. The Board also ruled it likely that Boutrin paid two employees to incentivize other employees to vote against unionizing.
According to Jane, Christine Boutrin now goes by Christine Halonen — the AMS’s Senior Manager of Catering & Conferences. As the AMS did not provide comments by press time, The Ubyssey was unable to independently verify Jane’s claim that Boutrin is now Halonen.
Jane said AMS employees are also seeking unionization to help bargain for higher wages, and she cited the AMS’s lack of competitive pay as a problematic contributor to an already high turnover rate of qualified employees.
John, another AMS employee, told The Ubyssey the AMS’s raise schedule is outdated and poorly organized. He said some outlets cap workers at a maximum wage of $1.50 more than their starting wage, but since AMS outlets employ many part-time student workers, he noted this cap isn’t always an issue.
John also said when BC’s minimum wage increased in June 2024, employees in the lowest position at one outlet received a pay increase while the supervisors didn’t — a difference which made many supervisors feel that the AMS undervalued their work.
“We make the AMS a substantial amount of money and many workers make just above minimum wage — despite AMS claims that they offer competitive wages,” John said.
For the past few years, the AMS has run in a deficit, projecting a deficit of nearly $785k in 2021/22, a $1.25 million deficit in 2022/23 and a $738k deficit in 2023/24.
John alleged the AMS told food and beverage employees this deficit was the reason it hadn’t updated its raise system.
“Many of us find [that] a bit funny, because the outlets that we work for are not in a deficit,” John said.
According to the AMS’s 2024/25 Second Quarter Financial Report, John’s statement is not true of all food and beverage outlets — both The Pit and Grand Noodle Emporium are financially underperforming. However, outlets like The Gallery and Blue Chip Cafe have exceeded financial expectations, and Catering & Conferences has earned $431,922 above their projected earnings of $520,473.
The AMS’s 2024/25 budget also projected a surplus, and The Ubyssey asked the AMS if it plans to change its raise system in light of its new financial position. The AMS did not provide comment by press time.
John also added that some of his colleagues have had issues with their pay or raises getting dismissed or ignored by higher management within the AMS, and said unionizing would allow for a smoother problem-solving proces
PROCESS PUSHBACK
The Ubyssey also interviewed MoveUP representative Javed Saheb, who spoke to some of the more granular details of the ongoing unionization process.
According to the BC Labour Relations Board, a union must obtain a specific level of employee support to get certified as the employees’ exclusive bargaining agent. Applying with the support of 55 per cent or more of the employees in the proposed unit allows the Board to bypass holding a representation vote, and, barring any objections, immediately issue certification.
Unionization certification allows unions like MoveUP to advocate on the behalf of previously unrepresented employees, an option which Saheb said can help employees less fearfully negotiate working conditions.
“I hope a lot of students and workers become [more] aware that one day you’re going to be in the workforce, and that there is a way
scratch, a process which could take at least a calendar year.
“We are very cognizant of the fact these workers need representation faster,” Saheb said. “These workers have been mistreated for a really long time, and I’m not going to [mince] my words on that. I think it’s been unfair.”
Saheb also helped represent Capilano University Student Society and BCIT’s student society in their recent efforts to unionize. Saheb said dealing with the AMS as an employer, particularly in comparison to his experience with BCIT, has proved “more difficult” because “the AMS is well aware of unions and how they operate.” ciation
CONCERN OVER AMS COUNCIL
At AMS Council on January 15, student-at-large Safiya Sukkarie asked what the AMS’s position was regarding workers exercising their freedom of association rights, including their right to organize and engage with labour unions.”
you should be treated,” he said.
Unlike unionization efforts in 2016, Saheb said employee support has surpassed the Board’s 55 per cent approval threshold. Immediate certification hasn’t been issued, however, because the AMS as an employer is arguing that the food and beverage employees should be in a separate bargaining unit from currently unionized office employees.
MoveUP (formerly known as COPE 378) has represented “office and clerical employees” of the AMS since around 1971. According to Saheb, employees have two options when they apply for certification:
Option 1: Employees can file a section 18 application for a brand new collective agreement which gets legally negotiated between the employees and employer once employees become union members.
Option 2: Employees can file a section 142 application to join an existing contract between other employees and their collective employer.
Saheb said MoveUP has chosen option 2 in an attempt to add the 200-odd food and beverage employees (a number the AMS has not confirmed to The Ubyssey) to the already-established bargaining unit of AMS office employees. The AMS is arguing employees should instead have filed for option 1.
Saheb said filing to join an existing bargaining unit has many benefits, one being the agreement which exists has already been negotiated multiple times.
Saheb also said joining an existing unit helps employees form “a united front within the same employer,” so that the employer can’t negotiate separate terms for its employees.
“The union does not [think employers] … should be segregating workers in that way,” Saheb said.
Filing for a separate bargaining unit would also mean food and beverage employees would have to negotiate their contract from
“The legal advice, as I understand it, is that, as an employer, we’re not supposed to comment at all,” said AMS President Christian ‘CK’ Kyle, who then deferred the question to AMS Managing Director Justin Lieu.
Lieu has worked at UBC for over seven years. As the AMS’s managing director he oversees the AMS’s Food and Beverage, HR and Catering & Conferences departments.
Lieu told Council the AMS is cooperating with the Labour Board and with the union, and that the AMS will be able to “speak more freely” once it has gone “through the steps and the motions.”
In her interview with The Ubyssey, Jane said she found both responses “very disconcerting,” and that while legal counsel might advise silence, no part of the Labour Board process prevented either party from providing a response to Sukkarie’s question.
Jane also expressed concern that neither CK nor Lieu mentioned the employees’ unionization efforts in their reports to Council.
“That is very odd to me because both of those people have a fiduciary duty to the Alma Mater Society,” said Jane.
Jane’s statement is partially true: all voting members of Council (like CK and other elected student representatives) have a fiduciary duty to the organization and its constituents. As a non-voting member, Lieu does not have the same fiduciary duty.
The Ubyssey also asked the AMS why neither CK nor Lieu included the food and beverage employees’ ongoing attempt to unionize in their reports to Council. The AMS did not provide a response by press time.
Referring to all AMS administration and their thoughts on the situation as a whole, Jane expressed frustration.
“They’re treating people poorly, and I don’t think they should be allowed to do that.” U
— With files from Ishan Choudhury
“These workers have been mistreated for a really long time,” said union representative Javed Saheb.
AYLA CILLIERS / THE UBYSSEY
Nosh Hunt: For all the gluten free readers
Olivia Vos Senior Staff Reporter
I’ve recently become acquainted with someone who has celiac disease, meaning he not only can’t eat gluten (obviously), but also can’t have anything cross-contaminated with gluten — a part of having celiac I wasn’t aware of. Any food made in a kitchen where knives aren’t cleaned and countertops aren’t wiped down is a no-go. After roaming campus with him for a while, I realized there aren’t many (if any) places for him to grab a snack between class or a meal with friends, so we began a hunt to find completely gluten-free (GF) food on campus.
THE GALLERY
Our first stop was one of my favourite places to grab a drink with friends: The Gallery. I had high hopes for this spot. The menu boasts a variety of GF options to try, ranging from salads to fries to mains.
When ordering nachos, I asked the bartender if the GF options were cross-contaminated. She unfortunately noted that they do not clean equipment in between dishes, and the fries are all made in a fryer that also cooks breaded items. She warned that if you are highly sensitive to gluten, this is not the place to eat. The nachos were tasty, but not safe if you have celiac disease.
CHORAL WORKS //
BLUE CHIP
For dessert, we headed downstairs to Blue Chip. They keep their GF pastries in a separate display case, and some of the items are even individually wrapped. When I asked the cashier about their preparation methods, she couldn’t guarantee there was no cross-contamination, but said that they try their best to keep ingredients separate. We tried a chocolate cookie, and it was quite tasty — the only negative we noted was that the texture was slightly grainy, and it was almost too rich.
HARVEST/HERO
At Harvest, they have a variety of food options including a salad bar, hot meals and pre-made sandwiches. The salad bar looked promising: the only glutenous item was croutons, and everything had its own serving utensil.
I asked the chef about their preparation, and she said they unfortunately don’t clean their knives. She couldn’t guarantee zero cross-contamination, but my GF expert said he would still eat the salad as it seemed relatively safe. There are also many snacks, fresh fruits and vegetables available, making Harvest a good place to stop by if you don’t eat gluten.
Hero had a few GF pastry options, all of which were in a separate
basket and individually wrapped. They aren’t made in-house, so I cannot confirm the preparation process, but the packaging says GF.
SWISS BAKERY
The newest cafe on campus is a prime location for studying, chatting and snacking. Right in the centre of University Boulevard, Swiss Bakery has a plethora of pastries to choose from, including gluten-friendly treats. Notice the term ‘friendly’ instead of ‘free’ — a common label used by restaurants and bakeries who
want their customers to know that, despite no wheat flour going into the food, there is still cross-contamination from the kitchen, something I confirmed with the barista.
There are a few gluten-friendly options to choose from at Swiss, including brownies and cookies. I tried the peanut butter cookie, and despite its tougher texture, it still tasted great.
THE CONCLUSION
Overall, I’m disappointed with UBC’s GF food selection. It is
impossible to guarantee anything is completely safe, but it seems as though many places aren’t trying to keep their knives and counters clean, despite it being difficult enough to find GF food already. My top pick from this list is Harvest/ Hero, since they have the widest variety of GF options, but it seems like a restaurant that prioritizes completely gluten-free options is needed somewhere at UBC. If you have celiac or don’t eat gluten for any other reason, I wish you the best of luck snacking and hope this list has been a bit of help. U
Dr. Morna Edmundson CM appointed to the Order of Canada for work in the Canadian choral scene
Stella Griffin Senior Staff Reporter
Dr. Morna Edmundson CM co-founded the treble-voice choir Elektra in 1987 alongside the late Dr. Diane Loomer CM because, in the world of choral music, women’s ensembles were once considered secondary to men’s.
“Diane and I thought, ‘You know, that’s not right,’” Edmundson
said. “We should form this choir and make it very brave and very forward-looking, and rally people around us that also [feel] that this is really exciting music. It’s not second-rate. It doesn’t need to be apologized for, and that really was our mission.”
In the 38 years to follow, the UBC alumna served as Elektra’s artistic director. She has commissioned — requested work from a
composer for a specific choir to premiere, typically based on a theme — around 120 works, with a focus on highlighting composers based in Canada.
Recognized as one of the driving forces behind a choir that elevated women’s choral singing in the classical music world, it comes as no surprise that Edmundson was awarded the Order of Canada in December 2024 for her trailblazing contributions to choral music.
However, Edmundson was not anticipating the honour in the slightest. The nomination was put in three years prior by Sandra Phillips, a member of Edmundson’s other choir EnChor, who had rallied many other people in the choral community to support the nomination and keep the secret from Edmundson.
“You just do your work. You do it as hard as you can, and you do it because you believe in it,” said Edmundson. “The recognition is a beautiful thing on top of that, but it’s not why you do the work.”
The nomination is reflective of the support consistently offered by this community, which is Edmundson’s favourite part of being Elektra’s artistic director and what she will miss the most once she retires this June. With 50 members in the choir, ages 23 to 65, Edmundson thinks there’s beauty in choralists becoming best friends “with somebody who’s actually [in] a different generation.”
Since joining her first choir in high school and later singing with the Vancouver Chamber Choir in
her 20s, Edmundson has found herself enraptured by the power of a collection of voices.
“What has always captivated me about singing in choirs, or any kind of singing together in a group, is just this beautiful teamwork that happens and [how] it engages your brain,” she said. “It’s this multi-beautiful, challenging thing that also affords us the luxury of really being in the moment because it’s a thing that is going forward in time.”
A significant highlight of Elektra’s direction under Edmundson are their concert recordings, which allow the ensemble to capture Edmundson’s unique commissions and reach and inspire other choirs worldwide.
“You might sing it for 400 people one day and never sing it again. Or you sing it for those 400 people, you record it, you put it on a CD — or now on Spotify … and it gets out there to the world,” she said. “It’s this beautiful little ecosystem of audience, choir, conductor [and] composer.”
One of Edmundson’s favourite commissioned collections was inspired by The Lost Words: A Spell Book, a book written by Robert Macfarlane, which she stumbled upon at a friend’s house.
Inside the book were words that had been removed from The Oxford Junior Dictionary “about 15 years ago, because they weren’t being used in children’s literature anymore.”
Many of the words taken out
of the children’s dictionary were related to nature, replaced instead with terms used when talking about technology, like ‘cut-and-paste’ or ‘voicemail,’ which had become more commonplace in children’s lives.
The takeaway was that “kids weren’t playing outside enough, because if they’re not needing the word ‘dandelion’ or ‘fern’ or ‘starling’ … then those words weren’t showing up in stories and kids were losing touch with nature.”
Edmundson began the project before the pandemic, and a concert featuring The Lost Words: A Spell Book was premiered in 2022. It added 20 original compositions by 10 different Canadian composers to Edmundson’s repertoire, making it “the most significant of [her] commissions over the years,” she said.
However, she emphasized “there are just so many beautiful moments” from her repertoire, and “getting to give birth to something new really excite[s]” her.
Edmundson will be leaving Elektra this spring after almost four decades. To capture her lasting contributions and her extraordinary career in the Canadian choral community, she will have her final concerts on May 25 and 31. These farewell performances will pay tribute to Edmundson’s favourite commissions as well as debut brand-new works by Laura Hawley, Cassie Luftspring and Tawnie Olson.
“I think it would not be misplaced to say that Elektra has been my life’s work.” U
“I think it would not be misplaced to say that Elektra has been my life’s work,” Edmundson said.
It seems like a restaurant that prioritizes completely gluten-free options is needed somewhere at UBC.
OLIVIA VOS / THE UBYSSEY
A month in the mountains of Mindanao
Our journey in the Philippines begins in Davao City, a vibrant and culturally rich area that remains off the typical tourist path.
Known as the “Durian Capital of the Philippines,” Davao City felt worlds apart from the fast-paced cities we had encountered earlier in Southeast Asia. The month prior, we were on placement in Bogor, Indonesia, working on a monitoring and evaluation report in partnership with IPB University.
A shared group project sparked our friendship, as an unexpected bond forged amid deadlines and discussions. Little did we know that a month later, we would find ourselves as roommates embarking on an adventure to design and conduct independent research in the Philippines in partnership with a local organization, the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education.
Following our placement in Indonesia, we were invited to
join a small cohort and accompany our professor on a rigorous self-directed study, facilitated by the global resource systems program in the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems. For two international relations majors, this was an irresistible opportunity. What we didn’t anticipate was how much we’d learn — not just about community-based research and engagement or environmental and cultural responsibility, but about ourselves.
SHARING FOOD, SHARING STORIES
We arrived in Davao City separately, but both found ourselves trudging through local airports, bargaining with armies of taxi drivers in an attempt to agree on a fair rate and arriving in the dead of night at our hotel.
With just a mere few hours of sleep and a packed itinerary, we got ready to meet with our guides
from Pamulaan the next morning and toured Davao City’s highlights: the People’s Park, Davao Museum, Crocodile Park and other local attractions.
At some point, we drifted from the group in pursuit of a local fruit market and were eager to purchase local mangosteens, pineapples and durians — what we’d often refer to as “operation fruit market.”
The strong aromas of the various produce enveloped us as we moseyed through the market’s streets. It felt like a sensory maze — each turn offered a new colourful sight, sweet smell and lively sound. As two vegetarians traversing meat-heavy culinary cultures, tropical fruit was not just a treat, but a staple in our daily diets. After securing armloads of fresh fruit, we flagged down a traysikel, a motorized tricycle, to return to our hotel.
When we settled back into our room, we invited our cohort
to join us in an impromptu ‘fruit party’ to share the literal fruits of our labour.
Our group turned it into a celebration. We divided our collection of tropical delicacies across plates between students and professors and sat around piles of fruit, sampling everything and sharing reactions that ranged from “This is amazing” to “I’ll never eat that again.” Durian was polarizing, to say the least.
People shared stories about their adventures too. We were reminded of how travel can often put you in a space where a need to adapt to new circumstances or uncertainty offers the opportunity to learn.
THE MOUNTAINS OF MARILOG BARANGAY
After our first few days settling into Davao City, we set forth for the mountains of Marilog Barangay.
Living in the peaks of Mindanao meant waking up to scenes that looked like something out of a dream. Clouds spread across the horizon, occasionally interrupted by mountain peaks, which created mesmerizing views at sunrise and sunset.
Our home base was at the bottom of a very steep hill. Each morning began with a climb equivalent to the Wreck Beach stairs back home to reach breakfast. The effort was almost forgettable in the face of such beauty.
On one of our first afternoons in the mountains, we were invited as guests to a traditional ceremony centred on the sacrifice of a bird as a spiritual offering. It was an opportunity to witness a closed practice passed down generations.
We also had the chance to trudge through the forests, which entailed encountering the wellknown fire ants of the area.
These pesky bugs would
Words & photos by
Nela Radecki & Valarmathi Vishnu
unexpectedly appear all over us despite our long-sleeved clothing. With a sharp sting unlike any other we had experienced, we were forced to pick them off one by one to carry on with our walk and make it out of the deep jungle, clad in rain boots and construction helmets.
Back on campus, most of our workdays were spent at the Pamulaan Ecohouse, where we had the chance to try out local foods, participate in workshops and work on a balcony overlooking the mountains.
During our free time at Pamulaan, we learned the local process of making chocolate — from harvesting the pods to roasting and grinding the beans.
The campus grew a variety of produce, including its own cacao beans that lended themselves to local dishes we tried including
champorado, a Filipino chocolate rice porridge. It was refreshing to experience this process without the additives or fillers most chocolate contains.
LEARNING AND UNLEARNING
The culmination of fieldwork and our experiences at local agricultural workshops, markets, lectures and ceremonies inspired personal growth and cultural appreciation. Our time in the Philippines was challenging, yet rewarding, a process of learning and unlearning our own perspectives of the world through the totality of little experiences that were starkly different from our lives in Vancouver — from waking up to 35ºC heat to the endlessly bustling roads of the city.
Above all, the Philippines highlighted the immense value
of cultural exchange — an opportunity to learn, grow and gain a better understanding of the interconnected histories, traditions and values that shape our world. This opportunity reminded us of the importance of humility and gratitude when engaging in cross-cultural exchanges, as well as the privilege of being welcomed into these communities and learning from their traditions.
As we approach the end of our undergraduate degrees, our trip continues to resonate in our research projects, travel plans and future aspirations=. The experiences we shared forged a bond that will last a lifetime.
Looking back, it’s hard to believe we had only met each other a month prior to this adventure. No matter where life takes us, we will always have Mindanao. U
Hyperlinked: Of course UBC is full of Redditors
This is an opinion article. It reflects the contributor’s view’s only and does not reflect the views of The Ubyssey as a whole. Contribute to the conversation by visiting ubyssey.ca/pages/submit-anopinion
Colin Angell Media Cultures Columnist
Hyperlinked is a column written by Colin Angell which asks readers to think about how different types of media impact our lives, and how our lives impact media in turn. Put away the tinfoil hats — this is just about the digital age.
Colin Angell is a third-year student in the bachelor of media studies program.
Last week, I’d found a rather lovely spot in the library to set up shop for the afternoon. Though the chair was rather uncomfortable, I settled in and got to work on my to-do’s. I meandered through this reading and then that assignment and — oh, god: it’s only been thirty minutes. I needed to stretch. I yawned and turned to crack my neck.
As I did so, my eyes skated by my desk neighbour’s screen. I’ve grown used to seeing peers in the library with iPads full of Good Will Hunting squiggles or asthmatic gaming laptops crunching lines of code. You may be surprised when I tell you I wasn’t shocked to see her on the UBC Reddit reading about whether salt & vinegar chips are valid or not?
Or, maybe, you’re not surprised. You might even be thinking, “Hey, something like this happened to me in class today!”
Grimace or cringe all you want, you’ve probably encountered the page at some point or another, looking online for details on a class or housing tips or even out of unbridled boredom. Whatever or wherever, I know I’m not breaking news to you that a UBC student was using Reddit.
That’s because of a certain truth at play: UBC is a school full of Redditors.
The UBC Reddit community–plainly named r/UBC - joins over 100 thousand alumni, staff and current and prospective students as well to actively engage on a wide range of topics about seemingly anything relevant or not to campus. A post from 2022 touted it as the fifth largest university page on the site; by 2025, it’d moved up two spots and is now only behind the University of Toronto and University of California, Berkeley, respectively.
But why is it that UBC students favour such a quaint take on student life when other Canadian schools are often known for their immersive and rowdy campus experiences?
Ontario schools go shoulder-toshoulder for street homecomings. McGill and Concordia freshmen live on Le Plateau barstools. Here at Point Grey? Well, we’re just quieter as a whole. Besides our enrollment and a shared campus,
there is no single defining campus experience that bonds us under blue and gold.
I think this is predictable considering just how diverse of a campus population we have. Nearly 30 per cent of students at UBC’s Vancouver campus are international students — collectively representing 137 unique countries and countless cultural profiles. Running clubs pass posses of war-gamers and ski-bums on the Main Mall like they see it all the time. Snakes, Comp-Sci wizards and the ToteBag Bucchananites all make use of the AMS Nest.
As a student body, we are united by the fact we are not united. Being a Thunderbird represents a bouquet of varied, multi-faceted interests. The fact is, there is no ‘average’ UBC student.
Given such a varied and disjunct make-up, it makes perfect sense that a school with a daytime population of over 80,000 would flock to their phones unlike other institutions. It’s a reality of the 21st century that young adults are plugged in and that a university campus full of them would be dialled in.
I mean, that in itself is a reality of school in the 21st century; being plugged in. Webworks, Canvas, digital archives, Workday — all of the institutional imperatives require of its students a consistent degree of engagement with one’s screens.
As UBC has institutionalized virtual components of administration and academics, it implicitly promotes a decentralized model of schooling
characterized by the ability to operate, connect and learn remotely. With no uniting campus identity calling us to be here, our anchor to the physical campus is no longer as heavy. As networks allow us to externalize our education to digital spheres, they too grant us the capability to disperse our social connections by shifting to digital spaces Reddit itself is an awfully decentralized platform. The site consists of scattered communities of which are administered by the communities themselves. Groups write their own rules of play and moderators give force to that, regardless of what credit you give them. Even the founders of the site ostensibly labelled their creation as a “bastion of free speech.”
Regardless of whether you feel his comments are just a big tech mogul spouting off unsolicited opinions, it ideologically supports the function of the medium and its content being steered by its users. The platform lends itself to those with the time for it, regardless if it’s a personal tendency to drift online or someone’s just looking for a few extra minutes to kill behind their screen.
But why Reddit specifically? What about Reddit makes Thunderbirds flock to it? Why not Telegram, or Tumblr or even Rednote?
Perhaps I didn’t give the ‘group identity’ of UBC students enough credit. One theme that, at the very least, seems to find resonance across students regardless of their personal interests or studies is a general
academic inclination. It’s hard to see since it’s the only thing most of us know, but UBC as a whole places a strong emphasis on erudite achievement. I’m not exaggerating when I write that students conduct their studies at par with what an international research university expects of them. Hand all the bookworms and budding scholars smartphones and bam: of course they’re on the nerdy social media.
Yes, Reddit is the nerdy social media. I’m not going to tell you to scroll the site to see what people are putting on there — frankly, I don’t even want to do that. But if you do take a quick look with a bit of objectivity, you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Behind anonymous guises of usernames, people possess the technical ability to say whatever they want without it being held to their name, let alone their face. Go to the school’s page and see what people actually post in this cyber free-for-all. When they could be stoking any controversial fire or hot takes, the impression you get is that UBC users are likely to spend weekend evenings venting about the fine details of classes. They gush about geese returning in the spring. They share tips and tricks on how to get the best marks when in certain profs classes. It’s brainy, it’s introspective, it’s genuinely curious; it’s nerdy.
If you, as a UBC student, aren’t on Reddit — cool. I’m really not aside from looking up stuff for class (or this article). You’re not getting a gold medal, though.
In our big, disjunct campus, digital networking comprises an
intrinsic communicative fabric regardless of who you are. If you’re not on Reddit, what are you on? Is it Instagram? Whatsapp? Are you an old-fashioned email fan? These are all networks that unite remote individuals into larger crowds and I know for a fact you’re using them.
Pick your poison, check your screen time and earnestly tell me your usage — whether for school or just for fun — doesn’t take up a measurable portion of your dayto-day.
Whatever you use, your usage as a whole cheats the light into showing that Thunderbirds’ choice of social media usage is a reflection of how decentralized campus is. Clubs advertise events in multiplatform social campaigns and faculties post research findings to their accounts. For crying out loud, couldn’t even turn down a social photo-op. By every metric — socially, educationally, administratively — UBC embraces digital networks warmly.
I won’t lament as some do as to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. In my mind, it’s just a thing. I use social networking — what’s a class without reels? If you’re online all the time, surely you could benefit from spending a bit more time on the physical campus. We have a school in quite literally one of the most beautiful places in the world. Enjoy it, and not through the lens of a story. Go to clubs — ditch the plug-in and connect with your digital network. Winter and all the rain is just a bit easier when you do.
But hey, you do you. U
UBC is a school full of Redditors EMILIJA V HARRISON / THE UBYSSEY
UBC student takes down Fortune 500, one co-op at a time
Sidney Shaw Senior Staff Reporter
Button-down shirts, free notebooks and workplace safety training are a few of the things that define the new co-op term. For one UBC student, this routine has become second nature.
“Yeah, this is probably the 100th time I’ve started at a new job.”
Fitz D. Bill is one of two students who are targeting some of the biggest companies in the world, including Oogle, Amizon, BMOO and Teslala, to name a few.
“My mom used to tell me, to take down the enemy, you have to join them,” Bill whispered secretively, despite being in his private Oogle office (are they even allowed to give interns private offices?). “So I took it to a whole other level.”
His strategy is simple: get coops at the world’s most powerful and evil corporations, then take
advantage of their benefits until they have hired him at a net financial loss.
Take his internship at Oogle, for example, where interns are given free lunch. Upon getting hired, Bill immediately decided to become a mukbang influencer for the company, using the virality of his promotional content to justify the fact that he would eat the equivalent of his body weight per meal.
“What? I’m taking initiative — and 17 more burgers than the average employee,” he said.
Bill estimated he was responsible for Oogle losing $700 million over his 4 months at the company. Deciding he had done his part, he snagged an internship at Teslala to take advantage of free therapy.
Teslala knows how mentally distressed it makes its interns and, as a band-aid solution, provides free therapy. But Bill wasn’t distressed. He went to therapy
to practice his mind games on a professional psychologist and then, in an ultimate power move, would sleep on the couch.
How does he not get fired from all his jobs you may ask? Well I asked him, to which he said, “Pure Charisma with a capital C.”
Bill flashed a smile with enough charm to undo the massacre that is my last term’s transcript. He then flattered my intelligence until I felt so good about myself that I ran to the nearest ATM and gave him all the remaining money in my bank account ($27.80).
My editor said this is very bad journalistic practice, but who cares about reverse bribing when I feel special?
Bill has big hopes for the future, particularly recruiting more students to take advantage of big companies through their co-ops.
“There’s only so much I can do as an individual and the only other student who is bankrupting the evil companies via co-op… well, I’m not even sure she’s doing it intentionally.” He chuckled wistfully and shook his head. “She’s just a horrible employee.”
Now quite literally a Bill-ionaire, Bill is applying to his final internship and hoping to take down the ultimate enemy.
“I can’t tell you which establishment it is yet,” he said. “But let’s just say that it starts with U and it ends with C.” U
Here’s what the universe wants you to know.
A
very new year ha-roscope
Elita Menezes Humour Editor
New year, new you! Except for those of us stuck in a time loop. Except for those of us stuck in a time loop.
Here’s what the universe wants you to know.
ARIES
Stay away from Hennings. If someone tells you to go to Hennings, be tense around them to the point of constipation. They are cooking up a special soup of disaster for you, which will make you more constipated.
The point is, don’t accept soup from strangers. I learned this the hard way.
TAURUS
Buy a delicious cookie. Now. You don’t have much time.
GEMINI
This season is going to be so academically prosperous. You are going to be the top student in all of your classes and everyone is going to get crazy jealous – so jealous, in fact, that you will be hunted down à la Wicked . Get your grubby paws off the curve, witch.
CANCER
Hey, pal. You’re going to have the worst term of your life. I’d suggest an appointment with your faculty advisor, then with a therapist. Safe travels!
LEO
No comment.
VIRGO
Yes, yes, yes! This is the energy we like to see for the new year. Whatever you’re doing right now, this very second, keep doing it. Perpetually.
LIBRA
Cute outfit! Stay inside during February.
SCORPIO
Be close to a water fountain at all times. As a water sign, this should be a piece of cake. Except instead of cake, it’s water. But in the shape of a cake. Yum?
SAGITTARIUS
You are going to discover a really underground artist. They will be your hidden gem. Really good music, better than what you’ve been listening to. Then, they’re going to blow up and you’re going to look so basic, even though you were an original fan. You will never get concert tickets.
CAPRICORN
Will you watch Sonic 3 with me? Wait, I control what this says. You will watch Sonic 3 with me.
AQUARIUS
Yikes.
PISCES
You’re going to save so much money this year. Lots of economic prosperity. So smile… For your mugshot! You evaded all your taxes! The government is chasing you down! There’s a beaver on your tail! Go! U
“My mom used to tell me to take down the enemy, you have to join them.”
KYLLA CASTILLO / THE UBYSSEY
EMILIJA V HARRISON / THE UBYSSEY
CORWIN DAVIDSON / THE UBYSSEY
‘Birds sweep WolfPack on Pride Night
On Friday night, War Memorial Gym was adorned in rainbow flags as UBC Volleyball hosted their annual Pride Night celebration in partnership with the Vancouver Gay Volleyball Association. Both the women’s and men’s teams dominated the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, winning straight sets in front of a full crowd.
WOMEN SOAR TO VICTORY WITH DECISIVE BLOCKS
UBC’s women’s volleyball team bounced back from last weekend’s loss to the University of Manitoba Bisons, with three gritty set wins.
The Thunderbirds started a little slow, going point for point due to some communication errors. But the team got it together after solid blocks by first-year Leonora Barbulovich-Nad and two Lucy Borowski kills. They went back and forth with the WolfPack, earning points with strategic, soft kills that slipped past defenders. A kill from captain Trinity Solecki earned set point and a TRU attack error gave the T-Birds the first set, 25–23.
During the break, UBC alumni drag queen Acacia gave the crowd a show, complete with a neon green outfit and a dance to “When Love Takes Over” by David Guetta that got the crowd hyped.
It worked in the T-Birds’ favour, starting 5–1 in the second set, and two kills from Solecki increased their lead to 7–2. Their momentum continued and a big block by Issy Robertshaw and Barbulovich-Nad started UBC on a 10–4 run.
“I thought both of our middles, neither of whom have huge amounts of experience ... did a really good job for us on the block in front,” said UBC head coach Doug Reimer.
An Emelie Silvos kill put the score at 19–10, although UBC had a slower time clinching the win. TRU bounced back to 23–16, but a Silvos block got them the 25–18 win.
UBC opened the third set in dominant fashion, starting 5–1 with Borowski and Silvos kills. Borowski continued her attack, adding 5 more kills in the T-Birds’ next 11 points.
“It’s just super important to ... really work with what’s given to us,” said Solecki. “I think so far, all of our offensive hitters have been doing a really good job getting kills and putting the score up.”
After a timeout, TRU stunned the home team with a 6–0 run to come close to the lead, 19–17. But UBC walked away with a win, capitalizing on errors and a Borowski kill to end the match 25–21.
The ‘Birds increased to 14–2 with a Saturday night win over TRU, but for the team, the support and allyship shown in Pride Night was more important.
“I like the fact that a lot of people come and they know it’s gonna be a fun night, enjoyable
night, but with a bit of a purpose, where everybody should feel welcome here all the time,” said Reimer. “I’m really proud of our group for how well they just embraced all aspects of it.”
MEN TOP WOLFPACK IN TIGHT SETS
The UBC men’s volleyball team defeated TRU dominantly in the first set, 25–14. They started with a 5–1 run, with help from transfer Owen Lam on the service line. Their lead increased to 8–3 as the WolfPack hit out of bounds.
As the Thunderbirds continued to lead the game, TRU called two close time-outs to try to generate momentum, but were shut down by the ‘Birds. Libero Mason Greves led UBC in strategic moves, allowing TRU to give them out-ofbounds points. Two consecutive aces from Gavin Moes put the ‘Birds up 20–11 and a kill from first-year Alex Borowski sealed the win.
“TRU is always a really difficult match up. They are a really gritty, really feisty team, and … you could tell they didn’t like the way that they started the match in the first set, and the second two sets were just them going at it,” said UBC men’s head coach Mike Hawkins.
In the second set, there was a lot more back and forth between the teams — neither team was ahead by more than three points ahead until a kill from UBC’s Kieran Robinson-Dunning put them up 14–9. Their lead continued, until a TRU ball-handling error led to a lengthy break, resulting in a yellow card. The break created a mental block for the ‘Birds, whose subsequent errors created a WolfPack tie.
Now 18–18, Moes and Lam retook the lead and errors put the set win within UBC’s grasp. Although TRU wasn’t far behind, kills from Robinson-Dunning and Moes finished the set 25–22.
In the third set, the WolfPack continued to keep the pressure on, the score consistently staying within two points.
The Thunderbirds recovered well from blocked kills or failed blocks, having longer rallies, to the delight of the crowd. TRU pulled ahead near the end, 22–20, but UBC forced errors to be within match point. A kill from Moes ended the game, 25–23.
“I’m just proud of the way that our guys weathered that storm and we’re able to come to win,” said Hawkins.
Their win marked the team’s tenth consecutive win and left the crowd in the gym leaving with high heads, in addition to the colourful atmosphere.
“We have a lot of pride playing on Pride night, and it’s just an incredible environment to play for us,” said Hawkins. “We’re grateful for a great show, great crowd tonight.”
Both teams have their next game in Edmonton against the University of Alberta. U
WORDS BY LAUREN KASOWSKI
PHOTOS BY AMY RYU
UBC researchers propose six strategies for coexisting with wildfires
Kristen de Jager Contributor
Earlier this year, UBC researchers from the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence released a study suggesting six interrelated strategies to help improve BC’s resilience against the impacts of wildfires. The study drew from 2023’s recordbreaking fire weather, with 2,245 active fires in the province.
UBC students and faculty have long called for wildfire solutions and the situation continues with the 2024 season ranking among the top six in the last half-century based on total area burned.
“I think it’s quite clear, based on the impacts of recent fire seasons, that the current status quo isn’t working,” said Dr. Jen Baron, a postdoctoral researcher at UBCO and co-author of the wildfire coexistence study.
Here are the six strategies summarized.
DIVERSIFY WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND RESTORE PRESCRIBED AND CULTURAL FIRE
Fire suppression, BC’s primary strategy for handling wildfires, is a tactic where fire is controlled and extinguished immediately after it is detected by removing at least one of either heat, fuel or oxygen. Due to relying only on fire suppression for so long, BC has built up the fuel and created a uniform landscape, contributing to the severe fires BC faces now, according to the study.
To combat this, researchers suggest BC pivots to allowing fires to burn or having “managed fires” in specific locations under prescribed weather and fuel conditions.
This would lead to fires that are smaller in size. It would also benefit ecosystem resilience, diversify forests and decrease chances of uncontrolled fires.
Researchers also highlighted the need to utilize prescribed and cultural fire, both intentional uses of fire on a specific land area, which the study described as “effective fuel reduction tools.” The Prescribed and Cultural Wildfire Program, led by BC Wildfire Service, aims to support Indigenous stewardship in cultural burning practices.
INCREASE CAPACITY FOR SUPPRESSION RESPONSE
Wildfires that threaten communities and lives still require a suppression response. However, researchers suggest investing more in our current model to make it more efficient.
The new model proposed by the authors would be supported by an early-warning system predicting where extreme fires could occur. BC would also invest in local communities to mitigate their responses to wildfires, as well as help to create jobs in rural areas.
Building up local capacity for wildfires would also alleviate mistrust in government agencies and perceived need for self-reliance caused by past negative experiences during evacuations and perceptions that the government is not fixing the problem.
MITIGATE RISK AND BUILD RESILIENCE IN COMMUNITIES
Programs to encourage wildfire resilience have been around since 2003. The FireSmart BC Program is an educational program that helps reduce
vulnerability to wildfires via home maintenance and landscaping by offering incentives such as receiving grants for education campaigns.
BC would also invest in reducing the vegetation that would fuel fires, including mechanical thinning and the removal of residual biomass in certain types of forests. This would require a lot of work; however, researchers proposed the plant matter removed could be used for heat energy, creating jobs and an alternative fuel source in rural communities.
IMPLEMENT LANDSCAPE FIRE MANAGEMENT
Decreasing severe fire weather would also mean moving away from the uniform landscape of “dense, even-aged conifer forests,” created in part by the timber harvesting industry.
The authors propose diversifying the landscape to reduce wildfire fuel and spread, meaning we would see an increase in the variety of wetlands, meadows, grasslands and mixed-wood forests found in BC.
There would also be a change in firesheds — areas where fires are likely to spread and be contained — to be tailored to match the land’s natural features.
TRANSFORM WILDFIRE GOVERNANCE
Transforming wildfire governance would require a shift in power away from a top-down, largely centralized model toward local, place-based government solutions. In doing so, rural and First Nations communities would have more say in all wildfire processes.
STRENGTHEN AND DIVERSIFY TRAINING AND EXPERTISE
The study stresses a need for BC to train people in more wildfire management skills, invest in learning from different perspectives and areas of expertise and seriously consider Indigenous knowledge when planning wildfire response.
Parts of this strategy are already being seen at play at UBC in establishing the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence. Additionally, UBCO offers a Fundamentals of Wildland Fire Ecology and Management micro-credential program, open to anyone interested.
WHAT CAN STUDENTS DO?
Students don’t have to be experts to spark a change in how BC manages
its wildfire response.
Beyond looking into educational programs at UBC, students can also check out websites like FireSmoke Canada, which tracks air quality related to wildfires in Canada.
Students can also influence how we manage wildfires with their votes.
“Having pressure from constituents to act on proactive management also goes a long way in supporting our leaders to take bold action,” said Baron.
“It is easy sometimes in Vancouver for people to feel distance from wildfires as an issue. It doesn’t impact us as directly, but the continued escalating impacts of wildfire will eventually affect all of us. And so I think it’s important, [and] it’s good to be engaged.” U
How UBC researchers created super-black wood
Stuti Sheth Contributor
Imagine sitting in the movie theatre, enveloped in complete darkness. The walls absorb every speck of light, immersing you fully in the cinematic experience. This sensory journey may soon be made possible by Nxylon (pronounced niks-a-lawn), a new material created by researchers from the UBC Faculty of Forestry that
absorbs over 99 per cent of visible light.
Nxylon — named after a blend of Nyx, the Greek goddess of night, with xylon, meaning wood, — was pioneered by PhD student Kenny Cheng and Dr. Phil Evans. It has captured the attention of industries from astronomy to jewellery, offering a more sustainable alternative to other super-black materials. The discovery was the result
of using high-energy plasma to treat basswood, a North American hardwood often used for handcarving and musical instruments. After cutting and removing moisture from the wood, the team used a plasma reactor to modify the surface structure of basswood samples.
“At high energy, the surface was extremely black,” said Evans, a professor in the department of wood science.
Nxylon’s ability to absorb over 99 per cent of light is due to its unique surface structure, which prevents light from reflecting back. The material remains superblack even when coated with metals, a trait that distinguishes it from other black materials that rely on pigments.
The wood’s properties aren’t just limited to its colour. It’s lightweight, strong and pliable, opening up a wide range of commercial possibilities. Nxylon can be cut with precision and treated with resins to enhance its strength and durability.
This material is also more sustainable than other synthetic super-black materials, which can generate significant waste and use
non-renewable metals. The lab has also experimented with European limewood, demonstrating the generalizability of creating Nxylon across different species.
The potential applications for Nxylon are vast. Its most immediate uses are in luxury goods such as watches and jewellery, where its super-black quality rivals precious materials like ebony and onyx. The lab has already produced prototype watch faces and jewellery pieces.
Beyond luxury goods, Nxylon has applications in a scientific scope. Super-black materials are essential in astronomy for reducing stray light in telescopes, thus improving image clarity. Nxylon could also be used in solar cells, enhancing their efficiency by minimizing light reflection.
One of the most exciting aspects of Nxylon is its scalability. The lab has considered developing a commercial plasma reactor to produce larger samples, which could be used for purposes like non-reflective ceiling tiles in home theatres or recording studios.
The team’s work on superblack wood is part of a broader mission, which focuses on
developing advanced forest products and replacing synthetic materials with more renewable, sustainable alternatives.
“Our projects are always independent and student-driven,” said Evans.
The lab also uses technology like virtual reality to explore the structure of wood at a microscopic level to further drive innovation.
While the exact mechanism behind Nxylon’s light absorption remains a mystery, the team is continuing to study its structure to unlock its full potential.
As the lab moves forward, there are plans to scale up Nxylon’s production and collaborate with jewellers, artists and tech product designers to bring Nxylon to the market in a wide array of products. This accidental discovery has not only opened new commercial avenues but has also breathed new life into forestry research, proving that the future of materials science may very well be rooted in the ancient trees around us.
“The key to a lot of discovery in science is that you actually do something different.” U
“I think it’s quite clear, based on the impacts of recent fire seasons, that the current status quo isn’t working.”
SHAVONNE YU / THE UBYSSEY
FINALLY, SOMETHING TO MATCH MY SOUL //
The lab has already produced prototype watch faces and jewellery pieces.
The Ubyssey’s 2023/24 financial update
Douglas Baird Ubyssey Business Manager
As the business manager for the Ubyssey Publications Society (UPS), I would like to thank all members of the Society for their continued support throughout this past academic year.
This business update covers the period of September 1, 2023 to January 31, 2025. The 2024/25 editorial team, led by Iman Janmohamed, and our web development team, led by Sam Low, have combined efforts to create and produce The Ubyssey’s website and print issues. Since May 2024, student editors and staff have worked extremely hard revising our governance and policy documents while streamlining our workflow procedures.
The 2023/24 Ubyssey masthead received several awards for excellence at the 2024 Canadian University Press’s annual conference held in Edmonton, Alberta under the editorial leadership of Anabella McElroy. These awards are reflective of the outstanding work and unwavering dedication exhibited by our team of student editors, staff reporters, web developers and volunteers.
Moving forward into the summer months and then into the 2025/2026 Fiscal Year (FY), The Ubyssey will continue to publish in both print and online. Print issues will be published twice monthly
(once monthly during the summer) and our website will continue to be updated daily.
The Ubyssey’s operating budget for FY 2023/24 ending on August 31, 2024 was $520,000 in total income with expenditures coming in at $519,000. At the halfway point of FY 2024/25, we are on target to meet our budgeted plans. The UPS is currently debt-free after repaying our $40,000 Canada Emergency Business Account loan, taken out at the height of the pandemic which was due in December 2023. Our continued efforts to modernize our website have been supported by the Canadian Periodical Fund and Canada Summer Jobs grants.
Overall, The Ubyssey projects that student fees, advertising revenues and Government of Canada grants will combine to keep The Ubyssey on solid financial ground through the remainder of FY 2024/25.
Currently, wages account for 75 per cent of the projected budget, equipment purchases and office expenses for 15 per cent and conferences, travel and professional development for the remaining 10 per cent. Monthly reviews and adjustments to the budget continue throughout the budget year to compensate for unforecast shortfalls and/or underspending.
As always, we strive to balance the books by the end of each fiscal year. To that end, we have engaged
Reid Hurst Nagy Accountants to conduct yearly reviews of our expenditures. As a non-profit entity, we are obliged to provide transparency
to our membership on budgetary matters and will make financial information available to members who seek a more detailed breakdown of expenses. I can be
reached at business@ubyssey.ca and would be more than happy to discuss the business side of The Ubyssey, on request, by any member of the UPS. U
This business update covers the period September 1, 2023 to January 31, 2025. EMILIJA V HARRISON / THE UBYSSEY
rowed (and lost)
21. Beloved nugget shape
23. Flying carrier of sleeping sickness
25. Rocket scientist’s prefix 26. Grandmotherly term of endearment
27. Katherine Heigl movie with this clue number
30. One of a pair that friends, Romans and countrymen might lend Mark Antony
31. Baker’s best friend
32. Bardcore or jester aes-
10. Hog-nosed raccoon cousin
11. Stern
12. Garfield deuteragonist 14. Next in line to the throne 22. Fury
24. Indian traditional womenswear
25. Not a liability
26. Adele’s rolling in it
27. Stranger Things actress Natalia
28. Elaborate blood vessel network
thetic music era
37. French suffix meaning small
38. Person who might make love, not war
40. Emily Ratjkowski’s famous Instagram em____
41. Ill-at-ease
43. Having a masculine quality
44. Following due in Italiano
45. Curls and waves
47. Golf partner
50. Travelled on horseback
51. Superlative for Svalbard
29. Chows down
32. Electees through Fed. Election in Canada
33. Remove all traces of 34. Converse competitor
35. Scandinavian name meaning ‘father’
36. ‘Magic Masala’ and ‘ketchup-flavour’ maker facing recall
38. Personal history
39. Fortuneteller’s words
42. Letters following biz names
ACROSS
1. At the Vancouver Aquarium’s feeding times are 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day, and 1:30 p.m. every other day.
6. TURN DOWN FOR ____?!
10. Something to blow. Not that. Something else.
Draws closer. And closer.
Win, take, gain
Loonies
17. It’s above the ‘share’ button and below the ‘comments’ button on TikTok 18. Homes of goalies whose children have grown up and DOWN
1. One step above contributor, for The Ubyssey.
Weepy, morose
Greek bistro
1993 Shakira song
Feed letters
Tots
Over-acts
Dadaist painter Jean
Minecraft exploder
Molten, French
Meal leftovers
Bandstand’s song plan
Seed Vault
52. Preceded by 60D, and his forty thieves
53. Sex Education actor Butterfield
56. — and — ‘em
57. Descriptor for the Gobi Desert
59. Worst places, winning-wise
61. Russian artist known for his Art Deco opera sets
62. Barrier to entry
63. A student might never have enough
43. They come in gold, silver and bronze
45. Barters, exchanges
46. Nickname for Steve Irwin’s son
47. Italian island or ankle-baring pants
48. It can be worse than death…
49. Discourage, dissuade
51. Tallow yielding hard fat
52. What you might teach a dog not to do
53. Sailor state
moved out, leaving them alone. Alone. Should we have another kid?
20. Very, French
21. Ask your mother.
22. Robin Hood’s buddy; he was a rooster, once.
23. Cont. with 54 count.
24. How you might ask a Russian president for a favour.
27. Plural of title of season four, episode one of The Office
29. Between unos and tres
30. Look top left
31. Cheaper and somehow worse airline than Air
13. Vital vibe
19. Ceaselessly speaks
21. Post “hu”
24. American comedian
Larry David does this to your enthusiasm.
25. Garfield’s buddy
26. UBC’s eastern rival
28. Some aquatic pathways
32. With five, underneath two with DEF
33. Avant Septembre, après
Juillet
35. Measure of scale
36. Representative of Van -
Canada...
32. Peanut butter jar with red, blue, and green label
33. You might up it
34. Connected to A6, A24, A50, A65
38. Shrews
41. Teams: CAN - 7 USA - 25
42. Compton → N.W.A.
46. Don’t make me say it. You know what the alternative clue is. Blood-typing system.
Nothing else, ever.
47. |TSS9|��❤Jakey ��❤️��|YVR|
48. Epidermal inks
50. Connected to A6, A24,
couver-Fraserview riding, elected 2017, 2020 and 2024
37. Hungarian-American cartoonist Alexander
38. Greeting derived from Sanskrit
39. Dishonour you and me
40. Activity at SPEEDERS
Richmond
43. Few people pronounce the second ‘T’
44. Uppermost layer of dirt
45. Common bat ingredient
47. Comment répondre “Ça va?”
A34, A65
53. Prescription popper
54. Merchants can make one.
55. Crops with botox
56. Mail
57. Curly hair concern
60. You can sign up to be one at transplant.bc.ca
61. Stanley Park thespian’s company
62. What you might feel for tu novio
63. Casual affair
64. ‘She,’ in Italiano
65. Sometimes it’s more.
66. The answer to A6, A24, A34, A50, A65 combined.
48. These measure period lengths
49. What you might give to the ol’ college try
51. Sister of Napoleon
52. You’d better leggo, according to their commercials
