Stories
Stories, interviews, insights and reflections from SFU Public Square and our community and university partners. For summaries of past events, explore our topics section.
Latest stories
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Best Free Public Spaces in the Lower Mainland
Summer has a way of bringing people outside. Parks fill with picnics and conversations, waterfront paths become gathering places, and public squares come alive with festivals, markets, and community events. As we spend more time outdoors, we also spend more time sharing space with one another, creating opportunities for connection in both planned and unexpected ways.
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The Quiet Arc of Growth: Reflections from a Co-op Student
In this thoughtful piece, Events, Communications, and Marketing Assistant Helen Lin shares her experience navigating feelings of uncertainty and imposter syndrome during her first co-op placement at SFU’s Dialogue and Engagement Unit. Through supporting public conversations and working in a collaborative team environment, she explores the quieter forms of growth that emerge from everyday experiences, meaningful connections, and embracing the learning process.
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Jan 5, 2026
Insights from the 2025 Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy
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Oct 15, 2025
Reflections From Our Partners: Nicole Luongo and Melanie Brown
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Aug 28, 2025
Reflections From Our Partners: Bonnie Nish
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Jul 28, 2025
#Marketing: The Dark Side of Social Media Advertising
By Sofia Sokic, Communications Assistant
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Jul 28, 2025
Reflections From Our Partners: Chloe Riley
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Apr 24, 2025
Reflections From Our Partners: Dr. Wenona Hall
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Apr 23, 2025
AI, Propaganda and Misinformation
By Evan Chan, Program Assistant
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Mar 18, 2025
Navigating Identity and Career as a Business Student
By Termeh Moini, BCCAI Events and Communications Assistant
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Mar 4, 2025
A Love Letter to My Time at SFU Public Square
By Sofia Sokic, Communications Assistant
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Feb 12, 2025
Why are libraries being attacked?
By Gabrielle Parent, Communications Manager
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Jan 17, 2025
What do you hope to ____ in 2025?
By the SFU Public Square team
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Nov 22, 2024
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Ahmed Akl
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Manager, SFU Public Square
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Nov 12, 2024
The Crisis of Misinformation and the Possibility of Prevention
By Sofia Sokic
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Oct 28, 2024
Why student engagement matters
By Seth Erais
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Oct 7, 2024
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Evan Chan
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Manager, SFU Public Square
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Sep 9, 2024
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Termeh Moini
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Manager, SFU Public Square
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Sep 5, 2024
This too, belongs
By Janet Webber
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Jul 25, 2024
What is SFU Public Square reading this summer?
By the SFU Public Square team
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Jun 27, 2024
Reimagining Canada Day
By Sofia Sokic
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Jun 20, 2024
What does Pride mean to you?
By the SFU Public Square team
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Apr 4, 2024
How Did We Get Here?
By Athena Samonte
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Mar 28, 2024
Life in B.C. as an International Intern
By Ina Pace
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Mar 27, 2024
Thank you and Goodbye to Silvana
By Gabrielle Parent
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Feb 8, 2024
Ready for 2024 with SFU Ready Fairs!
By Silvana Martinez and Athena Samonte
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Feb 7, 2024
Sustainable Housing: Achieving a Future for Everyone
Victoria Barclay, MA, UBC Department of Sociology
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Dec 11, 2023
Redistributing Power: Drug Use and Safe Supply
Ina Pace, Research and Communications Assistant, SFU Public Square
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Oct 3, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Sofia Sokic
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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Sep 18, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Ina Pace
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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May 24, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Gabriel Alegbeleye
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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May 8, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Silvana Martinez
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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Apr 24, 2023
Squaring Off with Tesicca Truong
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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Mar 27, 2023
Squaring Off with Patricia Massy
Doug Hamilton-Evans, Former Communications Manager, SFU Public Square
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Mar 13, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Nola Mellon
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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Mar 3, 2023
Squaring Off with Am Johal
Doug Hamilton-Evans, Former Communications Manager, SFU Public Square
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Feb 22, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Gabrielle Parent
Yeow Beng Ng, Communications Assistant, SFU Public Square
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Feb 6, 2023
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Yeow Beng Ng
Gabrielle Parent, Communications Lead, SFU Public Square
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Dec 14, 2022
Job Opportunity | Communications Lead
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Dec 8, 2022
Squaring Off with Marissa Lawrence
Doug Hamilton-Evans, Communications Manager
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Nov 29, 2022
VIDEO: September 2022 In Review
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Oct 20, 2022
Job Opportunity | Design Coordinator
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Oct 13, 2022
Squaring Off with Kady Wong
Doug Hamilton-Evans, Communications Manager
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Jul 28, 2022
A decade of community engagement
Janet Webber, Executive Director
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Jun 16, 2022
Canada Summer Jobs | Special Events Coordinator
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May 31, 2022
Thank you and farewell to Chloe and Kim
Doug Hamilton-Evans, Communications Manager
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Apr 29, 2022
Pressing Pause for Mental Wellness: Reflections from Peer Educators
Charlene Aviles, Nikita Banga, Punit Garg and Elena Le, 2021/2022 Peer Educators, SFU Public Square
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Feb 10, 2022
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Des'ree Isibor
Kim Regala, Communications and Events Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jan 20, 2022
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Chris Louie
Sakshi Taneja, Program Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jan 18, 2022
Meet SFU Public Square’s 2021-22 Peer Educators!
Meet our latest cohort of Peer Educators! Four SFU students joined our team this fall to create space for crucial dialogue, inspire action and learn more about the student experience.
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Nov 22, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Naisha Khan
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Nov 16, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Melina Laboucan-Massimo
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Oct 20, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Ruth Mojeed Ramirez
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Sep 28, 2021
Recommended Resources from Chief Leanne Joe
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Sep 28, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Sxwpilemaát Siyám (Chief Leanne Joe)
Kim Regala, Communications & Events Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Sep 15, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Chuka Ejeckam
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Aug 31, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Alexander Dirksen
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Aug 10, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Tina Strehlke
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jul 19, 2021
On Equity: An interview with Meenakshi Mannoe
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jun 17, 2021
"Learn to walk with your head up and smile": A conversation with Elder Margaret George
Kim Regala, Communications & Events Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jun 9, 2021
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Cassandra Graves
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jun 8, 2021
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Dennis Limbo
Kim Regala, Communications & Events Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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May 7, 2021
Pandemonium Series Takeaways
Meg Holden and Aphrodite Bouikidis, SFU Urban Studies
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On Equity: Interview Series
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Mar 24, 2020
A time to keep our distance while strengthening our connections
Andrew Petter, President and Vice-Chancellor, Simon Fraser University
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Apr 1, 2020
Community-driven research supports seniors with technology
Doug Hamilton-Evans, Research & Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Apr 1, 2020
Designing Inclusively: Creating accessible digital spaces
Eliza Lim, Office Volunteer, SFU Public Square
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Jun 19, 2020
National Indigenous Peoples Day
Chloe Sjuberg Assistant, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jun 19, 2020
Reflecting on Black history, racism and slavery in Canada
Chloe Sjuberg, Assistant Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Sep 21, 2020
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Kim Regala
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Oct 6, 2020
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Rachel Dee
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Oct 13, 2020
Michael Alexander retires as Director of City Conversations
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Oct 26, 2020
A conversation with the 2020 Sterling Prize Committee
Kim Regala, Communications & Marketing Assistant, SFU Public Square
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Nov 6, 2020
Meet the SFU Public Square Team: Hân Phạm
Chloe Sjuberg, Communications Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Nov 24, 2020
Meet the Peer Ambassadors!
Kim Regala, Communications & Marketing Assistant, SFU Public Square
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May 15, 2019
Confronting the Disinformation Age
Asmita Lawrence, SFU Community Ambassador
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Apr 18, 2019
Sentiment Manipulation Through False Information
Jessie Strongitharm, Student, SFU CMNS 253
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Apr 13, 2019
Big Data... Bad Data? How Can We Stop the Latter From Occurring
Karugi Gathumbi, Student, SFU CMNS 353
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Apr 12, 2019
In-faux-mation: John Gray
John F. Gray, CEO/co-founder Mentionmapp Analytics Inc.
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Apr 4, 2019
Who Needs Vaccinations When You Have Healing Crystals?
Jasmine Kaur, Student, SFU CMNS 353
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Feb 13, 2019
Introducing the SFU Public Square Peer Ambassador Program!
Kady Wong, Program Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jan 7, 2019
The Post-Truth Era — Should We Be Worried?
Luis Fischer, International Program Intern, SFU Public Square
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Nov 20, 2018
Vancouverites—We Don’t Have to Be Amsterdam to Be a Cycling City.
Renee McMillen
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Oct 24, 2018
Truth and Democracy
Fergus Linley-Mota
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Oct 18, 2018
How Can Youth Be Engaged in Civic Happenings?
Serena Yang
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Sep 17, 2018
The Road to Leadership
Kady Wong
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Aug 8, 2018
The Well-Tempered Volunteer (with apologies to Johann Sebastian Bach*)
Karen Dar Woon
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Jul 24, 2018
The Role of Public Space in Civic Life
Landon Hoyt
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Jun 25, 2018
accessCITY: Creating safe pathways and social connections for all!
Laura Lam, Alex Yallouz, Naina Varshney and Shazeen Tejani
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May 31, 2018
The Devil Plays With Five-Year Plans
Janet Webber
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May 23, 2018
Who Do We Think We Are?
Jillian Stirk
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Apr 12, 2018
Exploring the Future of Work After Graduation
Sarah Duggan
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Apr 3, 2018
My International Experience at SFU Public Square
Emily Blixt
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Feb 20, 2018
My Job Now: Alexander Dirksen
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Jan 31, 2018
What About Me? Older Adults in the Workforce
Karen Dar Woon
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Jan 15, 2018
My Job Now: Charles Gauthier
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Jan 8, 2018
My Job Now: Mohammed Alsaleh
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Canada's World Survey 2018 Report and Findings
SFU Public Square
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Dec 12, 2017
My Job Now: Matt Kump
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Dec 5, 2017
Waste in Vancouver
Asim Waqif
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Nov 23, 2017
The Rise of Solar Power
Henry Tran
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Oct 24, 2017
My Job Now: Kevin Quinlan
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Oct 2, 2017
My Job Now: Lizzy Karp
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Sep 19, 2017
Why Eat Local?
Iulia Sincraian
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Sep 12, 2017
My Job Now: Nathan Nunn
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Jul 2, 2017
Becoming Canadian
Kady Wong
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Jun 30, 2017
What Makes Canada so Unique
Alyn Engelhardt
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Jun 21, 2017
DiverCity Games
Joey Zhang
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May 31, 2017
Student or Citizen
Isabel Cullather
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May 15, 2017
My Experience with 6 Degrees YVR: Are you Home?
Alyn Engelhardt
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Mar 27, 2017
Interview: The Environment Needs Canada
Sandra Hipsz
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Mar 8, 2017
Happy International Women's Day!
Parvin Doroudian
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Feb 28, 2017
What is Cultural Diplomacy and Why Does it Matter?
Kevin Cherney
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Feb 23, 2017
From 2011 to 2036 - Canada: A Look at Ethnocultural Diversity and Immigration
Aishwarya Singh
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Feb 22, 2017
From Simon Fraser University to the World
Alexis Chan
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Feb 15, 2017
Intolerance for Islamophobia: Love Over Hate, a Rally Against Bigotry
Annita Bhuiyan
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Feb 15, 2017
Who Needs Canada? Immigrants Need Canada: My Personal Immigration Story
Tynan van Wyk
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Jan 31, 2017
SFU Public Square 2017 Community Summit asks, Who Needs Canada?
Ian Bryce
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Oct 28, 2016
ReThink Food Follow-up: Spartan Gardens
Marie Louka, Program Intern, SFU Public Square
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Nov 13, 2015
Downtown Vancouver Re-Imagined
Downtown Vancouver BIA (DVBIA)
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Oct 29, 2015
Vancity Guest Post: 2015 Community Summit
William Azaroff, Vice President, Community Investment, Vancity
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Oct 29, 2015
We the City Poem
Andrew Petter, President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University
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Oct 20, 2015
Event Recap: Politics & Planning – Vancouver's Next Planning Director
Christine Ackerley
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Sep 22, 2015
The Future of St. Paul’s Hospital
Katelyn McDougall
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Sep 1, 2015
Re-imagining Our Downtown Together
Sarah Beley
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Aug 12, 2015
Is it time to remove Vancouver's viaducts?
Harleen Khangura
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Aug 4, 2015
How public engagement can help find the right questions
Mark Beaty
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Jul 20, 2015
How the living wage policy could impact post-secondary students in BC
Harleen Khangura
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Jun 25, 2015
New Hires: Introducing Tesicca and Mark
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Apr 16, 2015
Community Engagement Begins with You!
Cherie Wee
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Mar 30, 2015
Vancouver Commits to Shift to 100% Renewable Energy
Yuri Artibise
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Mar 18, 2015
Reflections on the 2015 SFU Surrey Open House
Yuri Artibise
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Oct 22, 2014
Strategic volunteering: Lessons from a mature student
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Jun 10, 2014
Inspiring the youth vote with Elections Canada
Katelyn McDougall
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Jan 10, 2014
"Viable diplomacy" in Taiwan
Mark Friesen
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Oct 21, 2013
An Eye to the Future: A Look at BC Jobs Plan
Linda Watt, Writer, Film and Television, Environmental Sector; Volunteer, SFU Public Square
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Oct 9, 2013
Participants at Our Future, Our Voice are eager for change
Jackie Pichette, Research and Communications Officer, SFU Public Square
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Sep 27, 2013
Youth Employment Stressors
Dan Ward, Research Assistant, SFU Public Square; Political Science degree, Concordia University
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Sep 19, 2013
Our Future, Our Voice: A message to my fellow youth
Jackie Pichette, Research and Communications Officer, SFU Public Square
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Aug 29, 2013
100 Community Conversations Provincial Tour
Marissa Lawrence and Mark Friesen, Provincial Outreach Coordinator and Outreach Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Jul 25, 2013
We Are BC
Sarah Van Borek, Director, We Are BC
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Jun 27, 2013
How far should public decision-making go?
Mark Friesen
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Jun 1, 2013
What Dialogue in a Public Square Looks Like
Mark Friesen
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Innovator Profile: Julien F. Thomas
Kate Affleck, Volunteer Outreach Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Sharon Manson Singer
Jackie Pichette, Research and Communications Officer, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Tara Mahoney
Jackie Pichette, Research and Communications Officer, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: David Sadler
Mark Friesen, Community Outreach Coordinator, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Andrea Creamer
Jackie Pichette, Research and Communications Officer, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Sarah Van Borek
Connor Curson, Community Outreach and Research Assistant, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Mike Yeung
Dan Ward, Research Assistant, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Stephanie Wiriahardja
Michaela Klassen, Volunteer, SFU Public Square
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Innovator Profile: Michael Alexander
Jackie Pichette, Research and Communications Officer, SFU Public Square
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Oct 21, 2013
Why Do We Stay Unconnected?
Novia Shih-Shan Chen, PhD Candidate, Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University; Assistant Festival Director, SFU Public Square Alone Together Film Festival
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Dec 19, 2012
Regional Transportation is Vital to Provincial Economic Growth - Are we Moving Forward or Backwards?
Claire Havens
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Nov 30, 2012
Seeking and sharing the intercultural histories of Vancouver; view to the past, guide for the future
Naveen Girn
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Nov 21, 2012
Rethinking Justice New Perspectives on Old Challenges
Brenda Morrison, Ph.D
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Nov 14, 2012
The role of business in creating resilient cities: Why community relationships are worth it
James Yang
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Oct 11, 2012
Facebook: The social capital network?
Jackie Pichette
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Sep 18, 2012
Connecting a City with One Voice
Sarah Van Borek
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Aug 25, 2012
The search for the modern “third place".
Bob Ransford