This month we learn about a unique collaboration between UBC, Musqueam and Syilx to create a new typeface. We hear from UBC Professor Douglas Scott on UBC’s involvement in the Euclid satellite which launched on July 1st. Plus we celebrate UBC’s jump to 34th in the QS World University Rankings.
Reconciliation, one keystroke at a time
A new font to typeset Salish languages is the result of a unique collaboration between UBC, Musqueam and Syilx
What does reconciliation actually look like in practice? It’s often seen through policies, ceremonies or strategic plans. But in practice, it’s a process that unfolds slowly, through a whole lot of emails, phone calls, knowledge sharing and taking the time to get the small things right.
In this case, it was a years-long process to create something that many people don’t think much about: the design of letters, called a typeface.
It started with the need for UBC to respectfully express hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, the traditional language of the Musqueam peoples, in a written form. The UBC Vancouver campus is situated within the ancestral, unceded territory of Musqueam. Expressing the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language with respect is an important step in UBC and Musqueam’s relationship, and in moving forward a shared goal of increasing awareness about the land that the university is on.
Canadian scientists celebrate launch of Euclid satellite
On July 1st, the European Space Agency launched its Euclid satellite from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Twelve years in the making, the Euclid mission will construct a 3D map of the universe by observing billions of galaxies across more than one-third of the sky. The goals: to understand the physical laws of the universe and explain how the universe originated and what it is made of.
The satellite will spend more than six years in space to accomplish the mission. More than 2,000 scientists will be involved in analyzing the data it sends back to Earth. This group includes Canadians from many leading astronomy research groups across the country including scientists from UBC.
“Euclid was built to understand the dark universe, but to do that it gathers a huge amount of information about the bright universe,” said Dr. Douglas Scott, a professor in the UBC Department of Physics and Astronomy. “That means that even if we make a list of what we expect to learn, there are going to be additional discoveries that weren’t even thought about. To me, that’s the most exciting thing about Euclid.”
UBC Jumps to 34th in QS World University Rankings 2024
The University of British Columbia has risen to 34th from 47th position in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings released last month.
This marks the first time that UBC has entered the top 40 of the global rankings amongst 1,503 institutions in 104 countries.
The university’s strong academic reputation propelled its position in the rankings, allowing it to place second in Canada and 34th globally. The academic reputation category is weighted most heavily and measures the quality of the university’s research, strength in communicating that research, and the impact of the research around the world.