UNIVERSITY NEWS

SFU RESEARCHERS AMONG NEW AND RENEWED CANADA RESEARCH CHAIRS

Congratulations to SFU professors Lorena Braid, Brianne Kent, Kero Lau and David Sivak, who are among the new and renewed Canada Research Chairs.

SFU’s chairholders are advancing research excellence in several areas, ranging from improving autonomous vehicle safety through more accurate sensors using quantum technology, to better understanding how changes in one’s sleep and circadian rhythms contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

MEET THE RESEARCHERS

SFU JOINS INDIGENOUS-LED RESEARCH INITIATIVE TACKLING BIODIVERSITY DECLINE

SFU is one of six universities taking a leadership role in the Ărramăt project, a six-year, $24-million project aimed at addressing biodiversity and health issues through an Indigenous lens.

“It is an honour and a profound responsibility to be part of this Indigenous-led project,” says SFU professor John O’Neil, one of the project’s principal investigators.

LEARN MORE

SFU MENTAL HEALTH RESILIENCY INITIATIVE RECOGNIZED BY NCAA

During the pandemic, SFU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) launched a multi-year initiative to support students' mental health and wellness. SFU has been named a finalist for the 2022 Division II Award of Excellence for this outstanding work. Learn more about the tools developed by the SAAC, their online mental health campaigns and how you can join the conversation.

RESOURCES + OPERATIONAL UPDATES

EXPLORE SFU LIBRARY'S NEWEST READING LIST

In conjunction with SFU's Sexual Assault Awareness Month, SFU Library is sharing books, films and resources that center the experiences of Black People, Indigenous People, People of Colour, migrants and refugees, as well as 2SLGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming people.

BROWSE THE COLLECTION

GRIEF AND LOSS COACHING

Faculty and staff are welcome to access grief and loss coaching through SFU’s employee and family assistance program. This resource may be helpful to those who have lost a loved one or are experiencing other forms of loss in their lives, such as the end of a relationship.

OPEN EDUCATION GRANTS: CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Open educational resources and practices can help make learning more affordable, accessible and engaging. Faculty members and instructors are invited to apply for the Open Education Grant program, running from February to August 2022. To learn more, please register for the information session on Tuesday, January 25.

SPOTLIGHT YOUR RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE WITH THE MEDIA

SFU’s Communications & Marketing team is always on the lookout for experts who can comment to the media about trending topics, new research, SFU-inspired innovation and making a difference with community engagement. If you have an idea or topic, please contact mediarelations@sfu.ca. For past examples, check out our media releases and issues & experts pitches.

For January/February, we are looking for:

New research and stories
Winter and COVID-19 (3rd year of COVID-19, how to talk to young children about vaccines, Omicron variant, staying positive in the ongoing pandemic, borders and travel, business impacts, privacy, new treatments, inequity, hard conversations, vaccination rates, booster shots, layoffs, etc.)
Canadian interest rates and inflation
Possible G7 Russia sanctions
Black History Month (February)
Lunar New Year (February 1)
Winter Olympic Games (February 4)
UN World Cancer Day - new cancer research (February 4)
B.C. Liberals convention (February 5)
Valentine's Day (February 14)

FEATURE EVENT

January 20 | Hosted by SFU Library & SFU Public Square

EMBRACE THE POWER OF STORYTELLING

Celebrate SFU Library’s 2022 Non-Fiction Writer in Residence, Eternity Martis, in an opening launch event. Join Eternity and fellow non-fiction author and journalist Kamal Al-Solaylee for an evening of readings and conversation.

January 20 | Hosted by SFU's Office of the the Vice-President, Academic

SEEKING INDIGENOUS INPUT ON PROPOSED MEDICAL SCHOOL

SFU is engaging the internal community on a new approach to medical education in B.C.—one that focuses on community-embedded, socially accountable and culturally relevant health care that meets the needs of Indigenous communities across the province, as well as diverse, underserved and historically marginalized populations in the Fraser Health region.

The programming will embed Indigenous ways of knowing and being, while teaching cultural safety and humility. This approach will be a key step in addressing the anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination outlined in the In Plain Sight report, tackling inequities and transforming health care. Indigenous students, faculty and staff at SFU are invited to an information session and discussion on the early planning for the proposed school.

ARE YOU DESIGNING A COURSE FOR BLENDED LEARNING?

SFU's Centre for Educational Excellence offers a variety of workshops this spring to support your blended learning course design journey. Topics include identifying suitable scheduling options, creating a user-friendly design and more. Instructors also have an opportunity to build their course during a 10-week cohort program—applications are due on Friday, January 14.