-
May 20, 2026Who is Heard? Age, Gender, Belonging, and ‘Genius’ Music
This lecture-recital, as part of Dr Judith Valerie Engel’s doctoral degree requirement, explores how ideas of ‘genius,’ meritocracy, and success shape—and often constrain—the careers of contemporary women composers. Drawing on her thesis research with members of the Association of Canadian Women…
-
May 11, 2026Am I Unethical?
Journalism ethics have been, historically, a murky and inconsistent field where reporters often find themselves just doing what feels right. But are there specific considerations needed in investigative journalism, or in the coverage of sensitive topics? And should there be specific considerations…
-
May 5, 2026Occultism, History, and Literature: Why the Margins Matter
On this panel, three scholars will share insights on the roots, significance, and impact of modern occultism gained from their recently-completed major research projects— for Dixon, the monograph Sexual Heresies: Religion, Science, and Sexuality in Modern Britain, soon to appear from Stanford…
-
May 4, 2026Not all Habit is Harm: Social Goals and the Development of Habitual and Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescence
Why do we reach for our phones without thinking? When does a phone use habit become a problem—and when might it not? As adolescents navigate a world where peer relationships matter, their phones become tools for connection, status, and belonging.In this talk, I explore the difference between…
-
April 27, 2026Colours, Cells, and Stories to Tell
In this talk, I will share how my journey with art, shaped by studying abroad and by my love for painting and photography, has transformed the way I see the world. Art has been a constant source of reflection, inspiration, and connection throughout my life in Canada. During my time at UBC, I have…
-
April 20, 2026Monkey See, Monkey Imagine, Monkey Do: Mechanisms of Motor Learning
Can we get better at physical skills by simply imagining practicing, or even just by watching someone else practice? According to the research, it turns out that we can! Actual physical movement and an imagined simulation of that movement activate the brain in quite similar ways, and both…
-
April 13, 2026Inventing “Arctic Hysteria”
What does it take to invent a disease?This talk outlines the rise and fall of “arctic hysteria,” a DSM-identified condition diagnosable exclusively among Arctic Indigenous peoples. “Arctic hysteria” emerged in the diaries of settler explorers as a term for an imagined Indigenous-specific form…
-
April 9, 2026Secrets on our Doorstep: Vancouver and the Shadow on the World Cup
As Vancouver prepares to host 2026 World Cup games—a crowning feat for hometown FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani—a chilling local history haunts the celebration. While Montagliani scaled soccer’s elite ranks, a shadow spread across the city and country he helped lead. In 2008, Canada Soccer…
-
April 8, 2026A Community Reading of Bronwen Wallace's "Signs of the Former Tenant"
Signs of the Former Tenant gives voice to the hidden lives of women. The collection begins in childhood memory, teasing out the sores and slights of gendered socialization alongside the hushed attention of games of red light, green light and searing moments of girlhood intimacy. A second…
-
April 7, 2026Should Destroying the Planet Be a Crime?
Calls to criminalise severe environmental harm have gained remarkable momentum in recent years, most visibly through proposals to recognise ecocide as an international crime. Advocates argue that criminal law can deliver accountability, deterrence, and symbolic recognition of environmental…
Past events