Blog

In these op-ed style posts, PSI scholars share their thoughts on topics related to their research areas.

Addressing Cisgender Bias in Health Care to Improve Services for Transgender Youth

In Canada and most other Western societies, cisgender bias often goes unnoticed, which holds true in health care services for people of all ages. To overcome the problem, we can begin by understanding some of the ways that cisgender bias impacts children and youth in the health care system....

Unraveling the History of Asian Canadian Theatre

The important contributions of Asian Canadian playwrights to professional theatre has largely been undocumented. As a Vancouver-born theatre artist and scholar of Chinese heritage, my work seeks to fill that significant gap, and highlight the multicultural heritage of Canadian theatre. ...

Bolivia's Indigenous Communities Stand Their Ground

In Bolivia and elsewhere, societies grapple with this important question: how can we protect forests without jeopardizing the livelihood options of forest-dependent communities? The challenge of insufficient inclusion of indigenous communities (IC) in decision-making confronts attempts to...

Reconciliation in Action

Reconciliation is an ongoing process, and if we are truly committed to it, we must welcome engagement with awkward and difficult situations that must be rectified. This is one such engagement story from our campus. Severn Cullis-Suzuki, PhD Student in Anthropology It was exciting to return to...

Cascades Butterfly Project Team (Photo credit: Karlie Roland)

Connecting the Dots: Citizen Science in Biology

Fostering meaningful collaborations between academia and the public, Citizen Science may be what scholarship looks like in the 21st century. The field of biology holds valuable examples. Jamie Fenneman, PhD Candidate in Botany The term “Citizen Science” has been around for a while now, and...

Making Room for Nature in Our Cities, for Our Minds

Access to nature is vital for our physical and mental health, particularly in an increasingly urbanized world. Integrating specific types of nature into the urban fabric is critical to ensure that everyone receives these benefits, especially those individuals who stand to gain the most. Emily...

How Education Changes the World

Education isn't simply about achieving a “higher state of knowledge”; it’s about equipping our students with the tools they need to go out into the world and shape it for themselves. Miranda Meents, PhD Candidate in Botany The British biologist and philosopher Herbert Spencer said “the great...

Why you may be wrong about seatbelts, and why that matters for your children

Most people think that seatbelts are meant to prevent ejection, when, in reality, they are meant to redirect crash forces to stronger parts of the body: the hips and chest. This makes the use of booster seats all the more important to prevent child injuries. Takuro Ishikawa, PhD...

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

From Boeing 787 to BMW I3, advanced manufacturing enables highly sophisticated end-products. Yet future prosperity is threatened by spiralling manufacturing cost and risk. To sustain a resilient advanced manufacturing industry, we must consider the use and practice of this scientific...

The Need for a Social Revolution in Residential Care

Almost half of those living in long-term care homes struggle with loneliness and depression. Peer support is a cost effective solution to address these critical rates, however there are no mental health peer support initiatives specifically for older people. A new movement, Java Group Programs, is...

Public Scholars Initiative