Dr. Guy Faulkner and Dr. Madelaine Gierc Were Interviewed on the CSEP Podcast

Dr. Guy Faulkner and Dr. Madelaine Gierc Were Interviewed on the CSEP Podcast

This Season’s Podcast focuses on equality, diversity, and inclusion. It takes a different approach to the typical format, and instead of a single host conducting a 1-on-1 interview, there is a different panel of guests on each episode.

In Episodes 24 and 25, Dr. Guy Faulkner and Dr. Madelaine Gierc are interviewed by Joseph Gibbons on the importance of mental health and the role exercise professionals can play in assisting both their clients and colleagues in maintaining good mental health.

CSEP members from across Canada and internationally help host this podcast. If you would like to be on an episode of Season 3, please email memberships@csep.ca.

Click here to find all CSEP podcast episodes and listen to them on Spotify or Apple Music!

Paralympic Games left behind in the race towards gender equality, UBC expert says

Paralympic Games left behind in the race towards gender equality, UBC expert says

Air pollution and high-intensity interval exercise: Implications to anti-inflammatory balance, metabolome and cardiovascular responses

Congratulations to KIN alum Dr. Sarah Koch and to Dr. Michael Koehle for their newly published article on the effects of air pollution in high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE).

Highlights of their study include: Urban air pollution impairs physiological responses to exercise associated with health; HIIE under air pollution exposure inhibits the expected anti-inflammatory responses; and metabolic pathways related to energy supply and blood pressure were also impaired.

Click here to read the article.

KIN Senior OL Experience: Rebecca Tsow

I volunteered as a senior OL because I am passionate about fostering a warm welcome for new-to-KIN students of varied backgrounds and contexts. Reflecting on when I transferred to KIN as a second-year student, I found that my positive orientation experience helped to replace fear with excitement and affirm that I had made the right decision in joining the KIN community. I love being a part of other students’ first KIN memories and watching them discover what our faculty is all about!

My time as a senior OL was incredibly valuable and empowering. Whether it be leadership soft skills or problem-solving strategies, I gained insights from the senior OL experience that impacted my life in tangible ways. If I were to narrow it down, I’d say that the most important lesson I received from my role is to always approach individuals with a curiosity towards who they are and what they bring to the present moment, rather than to impose words of ‘wisdom’ or ‘help’ them find their way. This outlook definitely reshaped my understanding of how to form relationships with others and carry myself within society.

Being a senior OL is a rewarding experience that grounds you in your KIN community. For students who have previously been OLs, I think it is particularly special to be able to step into a senior role that offers a new lens and harnesses different skills, yet that is still within the realm of welcoming new-to-KIN students. I would highly recommend the senior OL role as a way to learn more about yourself, develop your leadership capacities, and give back to our KIN community in an enriching and fulfilling way!

Even with our very early wakeup time, the whole of Imagine Day was so exciting and memorable for me – I still remember every detail of the day almost half a year later! One of my top moments of the day was standing on the roof of Osborne to film the KIN Coaster cheer for the @ubckin Instagram. Seeing our giant sea of green (complete with KIN students, profs and staff) instilled a sense of happiness and belonging that I’ll never forget.

KIN Senior OL Experience: Naina Dhiman

Hello everyone! My name is Naina, and I am in my 4th year of the Interdisciplinary KIN stream. I have truly enjoyed studying Kinesiology and am looking forward to what is to come after finishing my degree!

I volunteered as a Senior OL to help facilitate a positive and impactful welcome to UBC. The first week of university is so exciting and being a Sr. OL helps to make the first experience of university a special one for the new and incoming students. I wanted to use my ideas and skills to help create a positive start for the KIN community. The highlight of the day was seeing Imagine day come to life with all the planning that happens leading up to it!

I learned a lot from being a Senior Orientation leader, and these learning opportunities came from pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Public speaking and ensuring that things were flowing as smoothly as possible was a little nerve-wracking, but through putting myself in these situations, I learned to be able to accomplish things that made me nervous that I may not have done if It wasn’t for being a Sr. OL alongside working with an amazing team who was so supportive along the journey.

If you are looking for an opportunity to challenge yourself and help positively influence the UBC KIN community, I would encourage you to apply! Not only does being an OL help you create special memories for the new incoming students, but you also always create amazing long-term memories for yourself all the way!

Celebrate Black History Month

February is Black History Month – a month when all are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities and to open our eyes to Black Canadian excellence, achievements, and contributions.

Black History in Canada

Black Canadians have been a part of shaping Canada’s heritage since the arrival of navigator, Mathieu Da Costa, in the early 1600s. The role of Black Canadians has largely been ignored as a part of Canada’s history. There is little mention that some of the Loyalists who came here after the American Revolution and settled in the Maritimes were people of African descent, nor the fact that many soldiers of African descent made many sacrifices in wartime as far back as the War of 1812. And few people in Canada are aware of the fact that African people were once enslaved here, or of how those who fought enslavement helped to lay the foundation of Canada’s diverse and inclusive society.

Black History Month is a time to learn more about these Canadian stories and the many other important contributions that Black Canadians have made to the history and continued growth of this country.

It wasn’t until 1995 that the House of Commons officially listed and recognized February as Black History Month in a motion carried by the Honourable Jean Augustine.

Whose History is it Anyway?

While we often try to encapsulate a complex, rich, and layered history of a community for one month each year, it is important not to over-simplify with cliches and celebratory images. The School of Kinesiology recommends this brief video, titled “Whose History is it Anyway?: Reflecting on the Place of (Black Canadians’) Past Sport Narratives in the Mainstream,” with permission from our Human Kinetics colleague, Associate Professor Ornella Nzindukiyimana, at St. Francis Xavier University.

 

The School of Kinesiology salutes the KUS BIPOC Committee’s Efforts to Take Action

In the UBC School of Kinesiology, undergraduate student Shalom Howe (BKin 21), founded the KUS BIPOC Committee in 2020. The committee began in hopes of bringing Black students, Indigenous students and students of colour together in Kinesiology. The Committee has created digital platforms where they curate online resources such as podcasts and mental health resources for BIPOC students and produce social and educational events for Black communities and communities of colour.

Read BKIN student Zoë Balbosa’s stirring personal story: Unapologetically Black

In accordance with our commitment to diversity, the School of Kinesiology encourages students, staff, faculty, and alumni to take this time for self-reflection and education about Black history and the Black experience. Demonstrating active allyship means to commit to the unlearning and relearning of worldviews and perceptions that may be contributing to cycles of oppression. It includes reflecting on unconscious biases and self-correction. This is not an easy task, but is important for true self-awareness and growth.

In celebration of Black History Month, the KUS BIPOC Committee produced a highly successful event titled, the Black Health and Wellness Professional Panel.

The KUS BIPOC Committee states that as a result of a lack of racial diversity amongst the faculty in Canadian Kinesiology programs, finding role models becomes increasingly challenging for racialized students. Many students of colour feel discouraged to pursue career options related to Kinesiology post-graduation. As a primary outcome of the event, the KUS BIPOC hoped to encourage students of colour to pursue careers related to Kinesiology after seeing and engaging with a representation of Black professionals working within the health and wellness arena. Consequently, the panel showcased Black individuals within the health and wellness industry; creating a space to share their contributions and achievements. It also promoted discourse revolving around the inequities that Black individuals face in this industry. The panelists provided advice to those transitioning into the workplace and introduced culturally sensitive practices while encouraging allyship and solidarity among non-Black members of the audience.  The event provided an opportunity to network and build relations among students, faculty, and panelists.

The four inspiring panelists included:

  • Christopher Applwhaite, Family Medicine Physician, BSc, MSc. P.T, M.D.
  • Clayton Cross, Certified Athletic Therapist, S&C Coach, Co-owner COAST, B.Kin.
  • Kendra Coupland, Yoga Grandmaster, Meditation Coach, Transformational Trauma-Informed Yoga.
  • Lolade Shipeolu, Resident Physician at the University of Ottawa, BA, M.D.

Ways to Engage

Of Interest

 

Sexual dimorphism in physiological and bioenergetic responses to aerobic exercise

Principle Investigator:
Dr. Robert Boushel

Details:
Background and purpose: Physical activity is a necessity for healthy living and dependent on the delivery of oxygen to the working muscles to generate energy. However, our understanding of the body’s response to physical activity has primarily been defined using the “typical 70-kg man”. Substantial “sex-based differences” in the lungs, heart, blood vessels, blood, and muscle may lead men and women to use different mechanisms to deliver oxygen and produce energy during activity. The purpose of this study is to compare how the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscle respond to aerobic exercise in females versus males.
What is involved: We are looking for active volunteers between the ages of 19 and 44 years old who are generally healthy with no smoking history. If you choose to participate you will be asked to complete 7 visits over at least 3 weeks. The total testing time is approximately 21 hours.

What we offer: You will be given an honorarium and supplied with detailed assessments of your lung size and function as well as your fitness (including aerobic fitness, training zones, body composition, and muscle fibre type). Your fitness results may be incorporated into your exercise training following the study.

For further information please contact Josh Bovard: josh.bovard@ubc.ca

End date:
06/30/2022

Unapologetically Black, by BKin student Zoë Balbosa

Unapologetically Black
by Zoë Balbosa

My journey into the School of Kinesiology is similar to many of my peers: I was an athlete who became injured and underwent rehabilitation. Naturally, the realm of kinesiology was attractive as a result, which is why many athletes pursue it. Although this path may be common, my experience has been quite different than the majority. Being a Black woman in predominantly white spaces (i.e., high school, the School of Kinesiology, my softball team) has made my journey unique and at times, challenging.

When I think about who has inspired me within the Black community, I find it difficult to choose. Since I played competitive softball throughout my life, I tried to think of someone who I looked up to. I learned about Jackie Robinson later in my youth and found his story captivating. The fact that he pushed boundaries and elevated the game of baseball, while simultaneously being Black, has always felt special to me. Additionally, my two older sisters have always been role models for me. My eldest sister competed in middle distance track events while my other sister also played competitive softball for many years. My sisters have been influential components in my development as an athlete and a Black woman.

Black History Month hasn’t always been something I’ve been cognizant of. Prior to my time at UBC, I felt disconnected from the Black community. Although my curls distinguished me from the rest, I found it difficult to identify as Black. Upon meeting like-minded Black individuals through UBC events, clubs and committees, I started to embody what I now call being unapologetically Black. Although Black individuals need to be celebrated day in and day out, this month can be powerful for Black communities. Despite the controversy on whether one month is “enough” or over what this month tries to achieve, I believe that anything that sparks conversation, ignites awareness, and spotlights those within Black communities, is worth being a part of.

It can be extremely hard to actualize dreams when you don’t see someone who looks like you in certain spaces. A lack of diversity in the toys, books and tv shows we grow up on makes it that much harder to make dreams a reality. Sure, The Proud Family, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Akeelah and the Bee have been central to my childhood; but Black representation has always been limited. Growing up, there was no kinesiologist or health care provider from the Black community that inspired my navigation towards kinesiology. However, I am certain that shifts towards inclusivity and representation in the field will encourage Black people in the future to pursue any path that they choose with those who came before them, guiding their journey.

Zoë Balbosa (she/her) is a fourth-year Kinesiology student in the interdisciplinary stream. She is the Professional Development Coordinator of the KUS BIPOC Committee in the 2021/22 academic year.

Dean’s Statement on the crisis in Ukraine


The Faculty of Education is deeply troubled by Russia’s unjust attacks on Ukraine and the related impact on our community members.

We express solidarity with Ukraine and join the international chorus of leaders calling for an immediate end to violence in the region. We support Ukrainians in Canada and abroad. We stand with all people, including those in Russia who are protesting at significant personal risk, who oppose the unprovoked violence. The Faculty of Education recognizes that many students, faculty and staff are affected by the conflict. Please draw upon resources that the Faculty of Education and UBC have made available to you.

Support for students

UBC Vancouver

International

UBC Vancouver international students in need of support can contact International Student Advising advisors at isa@students.ubc.ca or 604.822.5021.

Support for faculty and staff

If you see friends or colleagues who are struggling, encourage them to seek support.

Take care of each other,
Jan

Cindy Sha

Cindy (Hsin) Sha is a 5th-year BKin student in the kinesiology & health sciences stream. Her interest in the field stemmed from learning physiology at a young age. And in high school she took a course in International Baccalaureate Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences that motivated her to pursue post-secondary studies of the human body through sports and exercise.

Although Cindy is a full-time student, she has taken opportunities to expand her learning and resume. Currently, she works as a receptionist at Kids Physio Group Cambie. She is also a Work Learn student at the UBC Aging, Mobility and Cognitive Lab, working as both an exercise intervention instructor and research assistant. In her spare time, she plays rugby for the UBC Women’s Rugby Team and has participated in the biggest interscholastic Kin competition in Canada, the Kin Games. In March 2021, she and the UBC Kin team won first place in the competition, marking her proudest moment as a Kin student.

When Shalom Howe, BKin 2021 alum, founded the BIPOC committee in 2020, Cindy was eager to be a part of the initiative. “As an international student, I felt really out of place when I first came to UBC Kin,” reflects Cindy. “Throughout my undergrad at UBC, I felt that there was no space for students similar to me and there was a lack of support from the student body and the school. For this reason, I wanted to help future international and BIPOC students to feel like they belong and are supported.” Now as the committee’s director, she leads her team to support these students and raise awareness on their unique social experiences. Cindy remarks how important the committee’s work is to the Kin community: “Topics around anti-racism tend to get swept under the rug. When racism makes the news, it’s common to see workplaces “address” it by having a single workshop, but never make any policy or value changes. The committee’s work is important because if we don’t hold other people accountable, it will be rare for them to do it on their own.”

Cindy believes that her time at the School of Kinesiology was nothing short of a compelling experience. As she prepares to graduate in Spring 2022, she reflects on how the Kin undergraduate program helped her concentrate on her passion and find opportunities to deepen her knowledge. “I believe that the UBC Kin program can be amazing, if you put the time and effort into catering your studies. There is a lot of room for customization and I was able to really focus my studies on different aspects of exercise physiology as that was my passion.” Cindy credits the Kin faculty for their support and encouragement in helping her succeed at UBC.

After graduation, Cindy is planning to return to UBC in the Fall for her master’s degree. She plans to do her MSc in either Kinesiology or Rehabilitation Science, and hopes to later attend medical school to eventually become a pediatrician.

Cindy’s advice to prospective students: “Go into each class with an open mind and you’ll be able to take the most out of them. KIN is a tight knit community, and it may appear daunting on the outside, but everyone is super kind and friendly! The hard part is taking the first step.”

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