Past Events
UBC Library Meditation Walk | Feb 28
The Meditation Walk: Mindfulness and Community Together at UBC
When: February 14 and 28 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Where: UBC Octagonal Labyrinth (6000 Iona Dr)
International Longevity Centre Lecture | Feb 28
Redefining lifelong learning: Lessons from across the globe
Lifelong learning has long been touted as a solution to challenges the UK will increasingly face as our population ages. However, worthy aspirations to keep us learning have not driven enough change. We still see rates of learning drop significantly in later life.
Across the world, there are brilliant examples of government policies and learning schemes that help bridge that gap. Through our research, we’ve brought together an international perspective on lifelong learning. These pockets of good practice should, and could, become everyday practice.
We have a wide range of speakers, including UK experts, representatives from the OECD, and learning specialists from around the world.
Rescheduled | Wine Appreciation Group | new date Feb 27
A wine tasting discussion: the grand opportunities in attending a grand wine festival - new discoveries, new palettes of flavour, new friends in wine!
Expertise level: all levels.
Aare you searching for best value wines to have with casual dinners? or best quality wines that have a “wow!” effect... or just new and different wines that can excite your senses?
The Wine Appreciation Group has a limited number of spaces available in this year's group. Please reach out to David MacArthur at david.mcarthur@ubc.ca to register.
Tuesday, 27 February 2024 - 6:30pm
AROHE Webinar Series | Feb 27
A New Webinar Series on Life as a Retiree
The UBC Emeritus College is pleased to announce a newly developed series of three webinars tailored for university academics who have retired more recently and for those approaching retirement. The sessions will explore the social, psychological and emotional dimensions of pre-and post-retirement.
The series, developed by AROHE*, is open to all members of the UBC Emeritus College, is free of charge and will be recorded for later viewing. It will feature prominent speakers from Canada (Dr. Michelle Pannor Silver) and the US (Dr. Stacey Gordon) who specialize in the realm of retirement within academia.
For more details on the seminars or to register visit arohe.org (https://www.arohe.org/Reimagining-Retirement)
The webinars are hosted by AROHE*, the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (UBC Emeritus College is a member). They are supported financially by Fidelity who will not have access to registrants’ names, email addresses or solicit business.
Inquiries may be directed to linda.leonard@ubc.ca Chair, Transitions to Retirement Committee, UBC Emeritus College.
Tuesday, 27 February 2024 - 10:00am
AI and Photography | Feb 23
A special presentation with photographer Rick Hulbert, FRAIC, RCA, M.ARCH – Hosted by the photo group – all College members and their partners are invited to attend.
The Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on Photography . . . the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
by Rick Hulbert
The impacts of Artificial Intelligence on Photography have emerged as the hottest and most controversial topics of today. Rick’s presentation takes a relatively quick look at both the upsides and downsides of AI technology from a photographer’s perspective as well as from a beholder’s or viewer’s impression.
Rick’s presentation will provide a taste of his evolving thoughts on AI’s impact on the art of photography.
The following 3 opinions highlight the controversy:
Cole Haddon writes, “AI – as artists currently discuss it -- is not genuinely artificial intelligence. It’s not sentient . . . All it can do is take your prompts, pillage public domain and copyrighted material from across the Internet, and then piece it together in what appears to be original ways, but is, in fact, wide-scale theft.”
Deepak Chopra writes, “AI’s role is to make access to infinite possibilities a universal gift, through vast computing ability, machine learning, and superhuman speed... But it takes human intelligence to actually have the experience, to want it, to benefit from it personally. . . The future belongs to users who can sort out potential deception and dismantle it.”
Antti Karppinen writes, “It’s a blessing and a curse in one nifty package.”
Speaker Biography
Rick Hulbert’s photography is informed from his 4-decade background as a Professional Architect and Urban Designer. He is an Academician of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, and a “Fellow" of The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. As an international award-winning photographer, Rick is currently an instructor of photography at Simon Fraser University and has lectured and taught at Langara College and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He has led multi-day photo-workshops throughout Europe and North America. His teachings reflect his knowledge of the History of the 2-Dimensional Arts of Drawing and Painting along with the Sciences of Human Vision. Rick was one of only 2 photographers from North America invited to attend and display his Fine Art Photography at the World Art Games held in Bratislava, Slovakia where he also addressed the global group of artists that participated.
To learn more about Rick and his photography, consider viewing his website: https://www.rickhulbertphotography.com
Check out the Photo Group’s Flickr account to view photos from their last meeting.
Friday, 23 February 2024 - 2:00pm
General Meeting | Feb 21
Join us at our Third General Meeting of the 2023-2024 year.
AbCellera: How a UBC start-up grew into a global leader in antibody drug development
with Murray McCutcheon, PhD, Senior Vice President, Partnering, AbCellera
Since the first antibody medicine was approved in 1986, therapeutic antibodies have grown into one of the most important classes of medicines, with more than 160 approved products treating diseases such as cancer, auto-immune disease, and neurodegeneration, amongst many others. Founded as a start-up out of UBC in 2012, AbCellera has become a global leader in the discovery and development of new antibody medicines, with over 500 employees, sites in three countries, and a portfolio of 100+ antibody drug programs with 40+ partners. In this talk, I will first introduce the basic principles of immunology and antibody medicines. I will then highlight the key factors that have led to AbCellera’s success, including a focus on developing enabling technologies, a partnership-based business model, and our prowess in treating infectious disease, which led to the development of two therapeutics that treated millions of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, looking forward, I will talk about the critical importance of scaling up innovation-based companies in Canada in order to retain our talented graduates, grow our economy, and improve the health and productivity of Canadians.
Murray McCutcheon is Senior Vice President of Partnering and part of the executive team at AbCellera. In this role, Murray leads AbCellera’s business development, alliance management, and marketing teams. As a leader in the discovery and development of antibody medicines, AbCellera has partnered with 40+ companies, including many global pharma, to bring new medicines to patients. Murray and his team are responsible for identifying new strategic partners, negotiating the agreements, and managing the collaborations.
Prior to AbCellera, Murray worked at Harvard University’s Office of Technology Development, where he helped to commercialize intellectual property developed at Harvard and bring industry sponsored funding to researchers. Murray started his career post academia as a consultant at Lux Research, an advisory firm specializing in science-driven innovation, where he advised clients on technology development and commercialization strategy.
Murray completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in 2011 and attained Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. degrees in physics from the University of British Columbia, where he specialized in nano-photonics under the supervision of Prof. Jeff Young. He also earned a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Trinity College in Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
Murray is an active contributor to his community and is an elected Director on the Board of the University Neighbourhoods Association at UBC. He has also served on the Board of Triathlon BC.
Schedule:
1:00 - 1:45 pm Coffee and tea
1:45 - 2:00 pm Business Meeting
2:00 - 3:00 pm Speaker Murray McCutcheon
3:00 - 3:30 pm Q&A
Location:
Ponderosa Commons Ballroom, located in Oak House
Enter across from Harvest Market and continue to lower level
Stairs and elevator available
6445 University Blvd
Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2
Parking: The closest parking is either UBC West Parkade (2140 Lower Mall) or Fraser River Parkade (6440 Memorial Rd).
Please note this is an in-person event. A recording will be made available on the Emeritus College YouTube page after the event but there will be no hybrid option.
Wednesday, 21 February 2024 - 1:00pm