UBC School of Kinesiology offered a new Summer Graduate Course this term, led by visiting Professor Dr. Simon Gandevia.
This 3-credit course, which ran as a mini-workshop May 24th – May 27th, focused on the examination of the human physiological processes under three themes; central and peripheral muscular fatigue, proprioception and hand function, and respiratory function. The course featured a daily keynote lecture delivered by Dr. Gandevia.
Dr. Gandevia has published more than a hundred papers in the Journal of Physiology and two Physiological Reviews, one on supraspinal muscle fatigue and the other on proprioception, as well as critical reviews on respiratory control and dypnea. He is currently the Deputy Director and Foundation Scientist with NeuRA, and a Senior Principal Research Fellow with National Health and Medical Research Council in Sydney, Australia.
The daily lectures by Dr. Gandevia were accompanied by lectures from guest speakers:
Dr. Chris McNeil (Assistant Professor, UBC – O, School of Health and Exercise Sciences), Dr. David Collins (Professor, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, The University of Alberta), Mr. Yannick Molgat-Seon, Ph.D. candidate working with Dr. Bill Sheel at the UBC, School of Kinesiology.
Dr. Tim Inglis, Dr. David Collins, Dr. Simon Gandevia, Dr. Chris McNeil and Mr. Yannick Molgat-Seon
While 8 students were taking the course for credit, the lectures and demonstration laboratories were attended by between 35-50 students. On the first day, the Faculty and students had a two-hour laboratory demonstration on the different types of cortical, corticospinal and peripheral stimulation (Brachial plexus stimulation).
On the last day of the course, the 8 students registered officially in the course had to give a 15-minute public presentation of their chosen research area, based on the nature of the course. They are to required to hand in term papers based around their presentations on June 12th, for final grade completion.
Dr. Simon Gandevia also was a speaker in the Distinguished Speaker Series on May 30th entitled, “Research and reproducibility: messages from Charles Darwin”, and spoke to a full crowd at the Rudy North Theatre in the Centre for Brain Health.