2021 UBC Applied Science Dean's Awards presented

Twelve members of the UBC Applied Science community have received Dean’s Awards for their outstanding contributions to the Faculty.

Representing the Faculty's commitment "to lead by example in our actions as individuals", staff members Stephanie Oslund, Emily Zhang, Wonsang Kim, Andre Naval, Debbie Woo and Scott Jackson and faculty members Dr. Boris Stoeber, Elsie Tan, Dr. Michael Isaacson and Dr. Sabrina Wong received Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Service, while staff member Soundous Ettayebi and​ faculty member Dr. Nora Angeles received Dean's Awards for Excellence in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

The awards were presented by UBC Applied Science Dean James Olson at a Faculty holiday event last week. Congratulations to all the recipients!
 

2021 Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Service – Staff

Clerical/Administrative Staff Awards

Stephanie Oslund 
School of Engineering

• a master scheduler​

• “things would not happen without her” ​

• invaluable team member, good support, very resourceful and a great mentor ​

• an expert problem solver​

• work ethics, intelligence, excellent customer service and people relations make her highly deserving of such award​

• loves connecting with people, works hard, is compassionate and kind and always tries to lift the spirits of those around her

Emily Zhang 
School of Engineering

• oversees undergrad planning and scheduling, coordination of software and ensuring labs are properly maintained​

• played a pivotal role transitioning labs online during the pandemic, a monumental task involving collaboration with faculty, teaching assistants, IT, technicians and students​

• faculty credited her efforts to the high student evaluations that many courses received last year​

• eager attitude, ready to accomplish any task at hand​

Technical Staff Awards

Wonsang Kim
Department of Materials Engineering

• assisted and educated generations of students through building custom experimental equipment, performing and supporting testing in student labs​

• instrumental in supporting and volunteering extra time: creating a state-of-the art mechanical testing facilities; equipment installation for numerous projects and research chairs; construction and maintenance of data acquisition and control systems​

• critical role in helping UBC Integrated Engineering students build their capstone design projects

Andre Naval
School of Nursing

• pivoted to help redesign nursing simulation and skills lab classes, covering essential skills needing to be taught in person, compressing these classes to prepare students for their clinical practice ​

• helped run the rapid antigen COVID-19 testing for students and staff in residence ​

• respectful, capable and willing to go above and beyond for students, building culture, exceeding high standard of service within the labs and the school​

• ensuring the many COVID-19 protocols were instituted and followed​

Management and Professional Staff Awards

Debbie Woo 
Development and Alumni Engagement

• veritable force of fundraising whose far-reaching sights are always in the best interests of students, faculty and researchers ​

• exceptional leadership, rooted in core values of integrity, creativity, adventure, agility, strategic guidance, compassion and commitment to being of service​

• enabled her team to achieve steadily increasing success, emerging from a year like no other stronger than ever and poised to take on the most ambitious campaign in Faculty history​

Scott Jackson 
Department of Civil Engineering

• his passion for quality and safety knows no boundaries – he’s synonymous with "safety and security"​

• outstanding leadership skills helped weather unprecedented pandemic challenges​

• diligence and perseverance to oversee the department’s response to changing requirements​

• compassionate, diligent, firm, highly respected​

• leads in all aspects of lab instruction, sets the standards for TA training, brings innovative ideas for equipment upgrades​

2021 Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Service – Faculty

Dr. Boris Stoeber 
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering

• signification leadership as associate head ​

• took charge of the MECH Cyber-E Task Force developing best practices ​

• committed to equity and fairness in supporting students’ virtual learning​

• under his leadership, success of lab‐in‐a‐box project; improving lab activities and learning activities for students to use worldwide ​

• a trusted “go‐to” person when problems arise

Elsie Tan 
School of Nursing

• central to problem-solving clinical placements due to COVID​

• assisted in managing the complex teaching roster and clinical instructor hires when nurses were being redeployed ​

• supported undergraduate faculty in the pedagogical decisions around virtual simulation to augment courses ​

• navigated a flood of undergraduate admissions applications (31 per cent higher than in previous years)​

• exudes tact, kindness, calm and general optimism

Dr. Michael Isaacson 
Department of Civil Engineering

• extensive service contributions to the department ​

• incredible administrative resource ​

• assessed and revamped most of the academic programs policies and procedures​

• efforts to revamp reporting for the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) and developed a robust system for measuring and reporting attributes for the new graduate attributes system

• has put in a monumental amount of effort into interpreting the guidelines and implementing a feasible and practical measurement and reporting system​

Dr. Sabrina Wong 
School of Nursing​

• stepped up amazingly during the pandemic and helped the School of Nursing navigate the complexity of the curtailment of research, supported faculty with exemptions and with resumption of research, mentored new faculty in grants planning and applications​

• provided public health education to the leadership, faculty, schools and departments ​

• helping to organize, launch and oversee key aspects of COVID Rapid Testing site​

• plays a key role in strategic objectives​

• member of the School of Nursing’s Anti-Racism Task Force​

2021 Dean's Award for Excellence in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Staff

Soundous Ettayebi​ 
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

• passionate, gifted and special advocate for EDI at Geering Up, at UBC and across the province​

• integral to Geering Up’s barrier breaking programming (31), which has more than doubled its reach in her three years at UBC​

• tireless leader bringing knowledge and growth to Geering Up and countless youth related to social justice, gender and sexuality and inclusion​

• has organized training, lunch and learns, on-campus activities, programming​

2021 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Faculty​

Dr. Nora Angeles 
School of Community and Regional Planning​

• sustained dedication to the well-being and welfare of all within SCARP’s community​

• tireless dedication and willingness to undertake service requests, assist at short notice to support students, staff and faculty​

• leads in equity, diversity and inclusion​

• builds and nurtures a culture of care​

• admissions chair for the Master of Community and Regional Planning program, led the redesign and restructuring of admissions to include matters of equity, diversity and inclusion​

• increase in applications of more than 50 per cent in the last year​