Oceans@UBC Symposium

Statement of Purpose 

UBC hosts a remarkable breadth of ocean-related expertise spanning the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, Indigenous scholarship, public policy and community-engaged research. Yet many researchers across campus remain unaware of relevant work in other departments and faculties. The Oceans@UBC Symposium will address this challenge, bringing together UBC researchers who share an interest in oceans, coastal, and Arctic marine systems.

The primary purpose of the symposium is to strengthen relationships across UBC's ocean research community by creating opportunities for people to meet, learn about one another's work, and define where we can have the greatest scientific and societal impact.  By showcasing the diversity of ocean-related research and fostering interdisciplinary conversations, the symposium will help build a stronger sense of community, laying the groundwork for future collaborative work addressing critical ocean challenges. The relationships and conversations emerging from the symposium are meant to inform future community-led discussions about research priorities and catalyze new UBC ocean and Arctic initiatives.

Objectives 

The symposium aims to: 

• Strengthen connections among ocean-focused researchers across UBC, creating opportunities for networking and relationship-building among individuals who may not otherwise interact.
• Foster conversations about current and emerging ocean research interests, challenges, and opportunities at UBC and beyond.
• Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations that build on UBC's existing research strengths, and maximize the use of shared infrastructure, data sets, and other resources.  

Guiding Questions 

The symposium will be organized around three fundamental questions: 

1. What perspectives, approaches, and forms of knowledge are represented within UBC's ocean research community?
2. What emerging areas of shared interest are attracting attention across the UBC ocean community?
3. What opportunities exist for new inter-disciplinary collaborations and shared research infrastructure, and how can these opportunities be leveraged to strengthen UBC’s ocean research community? 

Symposium Format 

The symposium will be designed to maximize interdisciplinary interaction and collaborative discussion through a combination of: 

• Short plenary presentations highlighting diverse ocean research strengths and emerging opportunities;
• Moderated panel discussions focused on cross-cutting ocean challenges;
• Poster sessions showcasing the breadth of ocean-related research at UBC;  and
• Facilitated participant-engaged table discussions and other networking activities. 

Symposium Agenda*

* Agenda is subject to change.

**Research poster registration required.

General note: Symposium guests will be colour coded to ensure individuals are not seated with same people at each panel session.

Participation 

The symposium will engage a broad cross-section of the UBC ocean research community, including***: 

• Faculty members from all career stages;
• Students, postdoctoral fellows, and research staff; and
• Indigenous scholars, leaders, and partners.

***Although the focus will be on internal community-building, we will also invite a select number of outside participants who have close working relationships with UBC researchers.

Desired Outcomes 

The symposium aims to:

• Catalyze a stronger and more connected UBC ocean research community, with increased awareness of university-wide ocean expertise, projects, facilities, and initiatives.
• Stimulate new inter-disciplinary collaborations to tackle complex ocean challenges.
• Identify strategies for enhancing visibility for ocean-related research within and beyond the university. 

Research Poster

For those interested in presenting a research poster at the Symposium, please register HERE.

For any questions or queries regarding the Symposium, contact us at: ubc.prisms@ubc.ca