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Igor Drljača wears a black turtleneck and smiles at the camera on the top floor of the Nest in front of the rooftop garden.

March 11

For Igor Drljača, film is about self-healing and reclaiming truth

As a kid, Igor Drljača could never get through the New Year’s Eve screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey that a local Toronto television station would play before midnight in the 90s.

Fiona Sjaus

Kamakshi Anand smiling at the camera in a green sweater outside IKB on a sunny day.

March 5

Kamakshi Anand’s poetry tells the stories numbers can’t

Kamakshi Anand remembers in ninth grade thinking, “Oh, this is a thing people do — they write their thoughts online.”

Rhea Dinesh, Photos by Saumya Kamra

Sophie Co smiles at the camera while sitting in front of the UBC fountain in a white jacket and black top.

February 26

‘An essential part of life’: Sophie Co tackles food insecurity through the power of community

For fourth-year food, nutrition and health student and AMS Food Bank coordinator Sophie Co, food insecurity lies at the centre of her academics and advocacy.

Nicola Roscuata, Photos by Mehnaj Syed

Christopher Hammerly smiling at the camera against a red background in a white t-shirt under a brown collared shirt.

February 14

Linguistics is a playground for Dr. Christopher Hammerly to study his Ojibwe roots

Having had little exposure to the language, Hammerly studied it first as a learner, not a linguist. He cherished the chance to connect with his culture and language. He mentioned learning Ojibwe was crucial to “making myself whole, because it’s just a part of who I am.”

Arshdeep Khurana

Aatisha Avasthi photographed in front of the Koerner library outside wearing a red coat and orange scarf around her neck.

February 10

Before Aatisha Avasthi becomes an educator, she wants to reform the classroom

Entering the throes of the second term and starting a new class can be daunting — especially one you’re running.

Shubhreet Dadrao, Photos by Sidney Shaw

Naomi Leung photographed in front of a blue, green and red projected art display.

February 10

‘Repetitive motions’: Naomi Leung processes memory, resilience and healing

“I think art really helps you focus on tactile material things, and repetitive motions can be very reflective, at least for me,” said Naomi Leung. "And I find it a way to feel in my own body.”

Krishna Narayanan

A photo of Rosemary Ommer wearing a light blue shirt and looking at the camera in front of a black background

January 24

Dr. Rosemary Ommer casts a line to fisheries and coastal communities

For Ommer, her career has been defined by an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and the goal of producing findings about the humanities and the climate crisis that can be understood across all fields and communities.

Mahin E Alam

Ilsa Cooke smiling at the camera in a black top in front of a grey background.

January 14

Dr. Ilsa Cooke scours the cosmos for the molecular origins of life

“Most people, if they look at the sky, they want to know what’s out there,” said Dr. Ilsa Cooke.

Joyce Park

Guangyu Wang smiles at the camera in a black blazer and shirt inside the UBC Forestry Sciences Centre.

January 11

Dr. Guangyu Wang believes forests are for the people

Wang integrates technology to further his ambition of making forests stand in their purity while providing health benefits to people.

Shobana Shanmugasamy, Photos by Saumya Kamra

A photo of Thomas Lemieux smiling at the camera in a grey shirt with the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre in the backdrop.

December 16

Dr. Thomas Lemieux is leading Canadian research on wealth and income inequality

As a student in the 1980s, Lemieux was introduced to economics in the context of a national recession.

Sophia Samilski, Photos by Saumya Kamra

A photo of William Cheung smiling at the camera in a black button-up shirt with some ocean photography in the background.

December 2

Dr. William Cheung is approaching ocean conservation through collective action

Growing up in Hong Kong, Dr. William Cheung was always fascinated by the ocean and its vastness, beauty and abundance of life.

Sophia Samilski, Photos by Saumya Kamra

Tony Yang smiling at the camera in a black suit and blue tie with his arms crossed.

November 5

Dr. Tony Yang is revolutionizing construction with AI, robotics and 5G

As a leader in structural and earthquake engineering and a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Yang is committed to advancing civil engineering with innovative research.

Kylie Xi

Sebastian Molnar smiling at the camera in a black button-up shirt and standing in front of a dance studio.

November 5

Sebastian Molnar follows the science of Salsa

While Sebastian Molnar was still living in Toronto, he and his buddies took a weekend road trip to Montréal for the city’s annual jazz festival where, at one of the stages, a melodic fusion of jazz and Latin music emanated from the performing band.

Fiona Sjaus, Photos by Isa S. You

Robert Komaniecki in a music room smiling at the camera in a red button-up shirt with white polka dots.

October 15

Dr. Robert Komaniecki cultivates confidence and community in the music room

Komaniecki aims to inspire confidence in his students. And this starts on day one when, according to class tradition, he will have new students stand up and sing together.

Quinn Macins, Photos by Saumya Kamra

September 25

Antoine Bourges' camera slows down time

What happens when a filmmaker’s goal is to chronicle something specifically due to its absence from their personal experience? How do you capture something you haven’t lived (or remember having lived) first-hand?

Raunaq Nambiar

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