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Thursday is the day I (Sarah, your ISSA Events Director) swim at the Stan Stronge Pool! I absolutely love my position, and we’re always looking for more people. I swim with a lovely woman, Barb Doucette, and through this position I’ve learned wheelchair usage, lifts, transfers, and swim exercises. The pool has been a diverse experience; I’ve swam with individuals with afflictions such as autism spectrum disorder and cerebral palsy. My supervisor, Bonnie Friesen, is also an excellent teacher – she uses exacting but kindly given instructions for proper conduct in the pool.
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Dr. Jackie Stewart’s academic path began right at home, graduating from the Department of Chemistry at UBC with her undergrad. Wanting to stay in chemistry but not necessarily in the department for her master’s, she went to the faculty of Forestry (still at UBC!) and did her master’s in wood science. Her research included looking at the structure of lignin in trees and how that affected their pulping capabilities - still chemistry but in a different environment, so there’s some interdisciplinary there! Many of her group members were doing more molecular biology kind of work, while Dr. Stewart would analyze things like their transgenics; they would grow trees with different genotypes and put them down before she analyzed them. After her master’s, she started teaching right away, doing teaching and learning enhancement in the chemistry department and working with faculty to improve their courses. Dr. Stewart continued on to receive her PhD in educational psychology from SFU. Currently, her research is in chemistry education. Dr. Stewart appreciates having two different degrees in different areas! Sarah: How long have you been involved in Integrated Sciences (ISCI)? Jackie: I’m not sure, four years? Sarah: How do you think ISCI has changed, or have you tried to change it at all? Jackie: It’s definitely grown, I feel like we have a lot more students now. I have not tried to change the program but I think I’ve finally figured out a little bit more about being a mentor. I think I was a really bad mentor at first, poor Rik! We would submit all these applications and he’d be like, “This person doesn’t have this and this credit” and I’d be like “Sorry I don’t know!” So I think now, I’m finally getting up to speed on like “Okay, here are the requirements” - I’m a bit better at figuring things out. Kathleen: Is there a reason why you decided to become an Integrated Sciences mentor? Jackie: There was no reason, and I don’t try to make students feel bad about this, but I do tell some of my students who are asking me to be a mentor, “You know we don’t get anything for doing this, like it’s just extra, so if I take a week or two to get back to you, please don’t be mad!” I like doing this, and I want to do it, but it’s usually not the highest on my priority list. And they’re like “Okay that’s fine!” So I’m not sure, I think I do it just because the programs are interesting and at the time, when I became an Integrated Sciences mentor there wasn’t anyone from Chemistry (now we have Pierre Kennepohl as well) so that was a big reason too, that Chemistry should have a presence in this program, and of course, it’s always fun talking to students and stuff. Sarah: Have you noticed any common characteristics of someone wanting to go into ISCI? Jackie: Well that’s an interesting question because you’re all so different, but I think what would separate, or at least be a defining feature of Integrated Sciences student, would be that they’re very driven. It does take extra work to decide what you want to do and get it approved so I think usually people have very good reasons for why they want to be in Integrated Sciences. Sarah: What do you think is the most rewarding part of being involved in ISCI? Jackie: When students graduate! I look at the list sometimes, and I’m like “how many since have graduated?” and it’s not very many. So graduating and getting an application through, all the rigorous process that goes through after some hard work put in by the student - I think that’s very rewarding. Sarah: Have you ever had anyone start an Integrated Sciences program and then leave for a different program? Jackie: I don’t think so, maybe one, but I don’t really remember - if anybody’s really left. I think some people don’t end up actually completing the application but I think once people are in, they stay in. Kathleen: In general, do you have any advice for students who feel lost and don’t know what major to pursue? Jackie: Yes, I think some of it does have to do with career goals, but I think some people don’t realize there’s many paths towards a particular goal, like medicine or something, so I think keep that in mind. Definitely pick what you’re interested in - finding that one thing that you really want to understand. With many students, especially those ones who are talking about the pharmacology and microbiology thing, it’s some disease they want to understand. And they’re like, “Okay, well then how am I going to go and figure this out and understand it?” Finding the one specific thing that interests you is important. "Finding one specific thing that interests you is important." Sarah: If you were going to advertise Integrated Sciences, who would you target and how would you do it? Jackie: I think it’s important for all students to know this program exists. Announcements in first year and second year classes is, I think, very important. I think advertise to everyone! If we really wanted to increase our number of seats, which I’m not sure if Integrated Sciences is able, I think getting the pre-meds is always good! Then, I think, get students that want to go on and do some interdisciplinary research and become scientists. In the Faculty of Science, we want to prepare future scientists and get them ready for grad school. How to go after those students who we can guide towards the interphase of two things rather than one thing, how to find them, I’m not sure. That’s a hard one. Sarah: What is the most unusual integrated sciences program you have seen? Jackie: The most unusual one may be one of the coolest ones, the program is winemaking, or viticulture. It includes microbiology and immunology, some ecology and some chemistry. A winemaker uses multiple parts of science so that was really cool! Recently, a student just got his application approved for ecology and neuroscience -which, don’t seem to go together at all. The ones that aren’t your standard disciplines and can really set you up for an interesting career are really interesting. Sarah: If a program like Integrated Sciences had been available to you, would you have taken it? Jackie: I don’t think I would have. I picked chemistry mainly because I had a really amazing high school chemistry teacher who set me up to do chemistry from the beginning. Remembering my time at UBC, I’m not sure I would have come into contact with the people who would let me know this program existed. I was very focused on my little world, and I didn’t have a very broad view. I think for those two reasons I was pretty dead set with chemistry, and so I don’t think I would have. Not because it’s not an awesome program though! Kathleen: Although you wouldn’t have taken ISCI yourself, have you mentored a program that you really liked or would have taken? I think chemistry integrated with anything else I would be fine with taking. Especially the programs where students are not taking my least favourite chemistry classes! , I think some integrated sciences students feel this way, they’re like “If I integrate these things, maybe I don’t have to take that” you know “quantum chemistry class”, or things like this. Not that those aren’t really important topics but just not something that comes easy, or that people immediately see the relevance of. I think linking something between chemistry and life sciences would have been really interesting, so I could see myself doing something like that. Sarah: Which chemistry classes were ones that you didn’t like that, and which ones did you really like? Jackie: When I was an undergraduate, I did not really connect well with physical chemistry. To no fault of my instructors or anything like that, but I remember sitting in one class, and just staring at the chalkboard, and the instructor writing a bunch of stuff, and just saying over and over in my head, “I hate this class, I hate this class, I hate this class”. I think the problem was, for me anyways, that some classes are taught in a very mathematical abstract way and it’s very easy not to get the concepts at all, and I didn’t seek them out. I’m sure if I would’ve gone to the instructor and said like “Why are we doing this?” they would have said something useful. I liked math, I just didn’t really like chemistry math. I just didn’t get the purpose. And so now looking back, I would’ve loved to go and take my whole undergraduate degree again, because I think I would learn way more. For example, I’m rewriting our first year chemistry right now for Chem 121, and of course, there’s quantum chemistry in that and I think this stuff is all very interesting! Ten years later, I can see the usefulness of it, but as an undergrad, I didn’t. So those were the courses that were not my favourite. I liked synthesis more, like organic and inorganic, and spectroscopy was my favourite class! Dr. Stewart has received the Killam Teaching Award twice, as well as the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) Teaching Excellence Award in 2010. Sarah: How many times have you won it [the Killam teaching award], and why do you think you have? Jackie: I’ve won twice, in I think 2006 and 2010. Since then, I’ve actually been on the committee, so I’m usually nominated for the award but I don’t accept the nomination. When I originally won in 2006, it was because the course I was teaching had not as friendly people teaching in it as me? So I really think people were just like “Oh she’s so nice! I like her! I’m going to nominate her!” I really don’t know if there was anything amazing I was doing in the classroom. At that time I lectured, and it was only my second year, I’m sure it was fine, but I don’t think I knew as much then as I do now about student thinking. I think that I was nice, friendly and enthusiastic and it was kind of like “Yay chemistry!” And then in 2010 I think I was probably moving a little more toward things like active learning and was trying to get students more engaged in the class, so that may have been a reason. They always write a little blurb about us when we win, I should dig that up and look at the reasons. I think another thing that students appreciate from my teaching is that I do think that everyone can learn organic chemistry! I think all UBC students who have least met the prerequisites have the core capability. Things happen that make some students not be able to be successful but everybody CAN be successful. And I think that comes across to my students and also, I try to be as available as possible to help them. Sarah: Do you think that this understanding of student thinking has really helped you as a mentor? Does being a mentor come naturally, or do you have to think about it? Jackie: I think for the chemistry stuff it came naturally and a little bit from my own experiences of not understanding, maybe some of my colleagues don’t have that experience and everything came perfectly to them and all the theory was magically in place. But for me, it was not like that. So I remember starting with certain things, “I don’t know what this is.” And so the idea that students can have misconceptions or be thinking about something in this other way that’s different than how maybe an expert would think of it is totally normal and expected to me. I think it helps in mentorship. I don’t think I contribute very much when people come to me and they have a big, clear plan, they say “I want to integrate these 2 or 3 things, what do I do?”, but I think where my mentorship really comes out is when a student doesn't really know what they want to do. I like talking through it with them and helping them realize they can make up a new discipline name or they can make this into a new thing. I help them by telling them they need it to become more concrete and empowering them to really just go and figure it out, because they can figure it out! "Everybody CAN be successful." Sarah: If you see a program that could be cool but they’re torn between that one and a more standard one, are you ever tempted to like lean one way? Jackie: I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that, I would definitely lean toward the cool way though? Occasionally, I do have students come and they say, “oh I want to do chemistry and biology” and then I really try to push them into one of our existing programs. You can kind of see when a student isn’t really thinking “Integrated Sciences is definitely for me,” but they’re more like “I like a couple things, and I know I don’t want to take certain courses, maybe I’ll do Integrated Sciences!” That’s an easy way for me to say “How about Chemical Biology?” Because we have a program that is that, that fits their needs, which I think is great. Sarah: What is chemical biology? Jackie: Chemical biology is a joint chemistry and biology undergraduate program and there’s certain sets of core courses from each discipline. We’re rolling out a few new programs in the fall which have a Majors version of these formerly Honours only programs. Right now we have majors programs that will exist in chemistry and biology, chemistry and math, and chemistry and physics, the big advantage to them is that we’ve tailored the chemistry courses to be the ones that somebody interested in say biology, would want to take or somebody interested in math would want to take. These are great programs, not trying to take away from Integrated Sciences, but if somebody is like “Oh I kinda like these two things, but I’m not sure” these programs are a good option. Find out more about chemical biology here: www.chem.ubc.ca/programs Kathleen: That’s separate from combined sciences? It’s separate from combined majors in science, which is a program where students take three topics, so three packages of courses they call them. It’s like a more structured general science, and I would say these programs I’m talking about in chemistry are a bit different because there’s only two disciplines maximum so you would be able to go a little bit deeper. I think the chemistry version of the programs I think you’d be fine to get accepted into say, a chemistry graduate program. CMS, the combined majors in science program, not so much. Because they’re just so few upper level courses that a student takes in a discipline, it’s going to kind of limit their options after, I would say. Sarah: We were wondering about the impact you think your research has had, and what applications undergraduate students would see from it? Jackie: Well that’s easy for me because I do research on undergraduates! So these maybe aren’t the research projects that I’m most excited about, but every year, when we do something, say in Chem 233, which a lot of undergraduates take, we attempt to evaluate it. So we might look at how students are approaching a certain topic, and what their responses are at the end of term surveys, and we make changes. So that’s more evaluation, less research I would say? But I think students would experience kind of our different guidelines for online homework, and how we set that up in the course, in terms of, percent penalties for wrong answers or how many questions we give them, and when they’re offered and things like that. Definitely in my class, I’ve used this technique using carbonless copy paper, where students will try a problem in class on this paper and they’ll hand in one version and then they’ll correct their own. Some people hate it, and it’s funny how much when I say, “we’re going to do a carbonless copy paper!” a lot of the class groans now, and they’re like “oh, we don’t want to.” But I’ve really been looking at how student’s responses change based on the first one, and their original one, and I really do think it has an impact on their motivation. Because if we didn’t have that, and I just said okay, try this problem, MANY students would sit there and wait and not think at all. That’s what I would’ve done as an undergrad. So I think having some of these things built into the class provides a little more motivation. One thing that I hope will have more impact on students soon is an online software program for students to do organic chemistry problem-solving that I’m developing. It kind of has the same correct your own mistakes feel, so I’m hoping that would have a good impact on undergrads soon. Sarah: What big changes will you make with you online software? Jackie: Well, I think it’s important for people to reflect on their mistakes, I really want people to stop and think of the fundamental reason why something was not right. So the program will reflect that. Kathleen: I have a question about your education psychology stuff - in bio, in first year, we’ve been trying this flipped classroom model thing - would that work for chem, or is it different? Jackie: Well, we’re doing that in organic chemistry as well, and we’ve done it for two terms now! But anyways, so chemistry is exploring this, not experimenting. For me, I think, as an instructor, it’s a gradual transition for me. In 2005, when I started it was mostly lecture, and then I started used clickers, and then I started using worksheets, and then some carbonless copy paper - these things in classes that break it up and make it not 100% lecture.Now we’ve gone pretty extreme in one direction where I would say we really don’t lecture at all and we do problems most of the time. I like to think, that at least in my classes, I bring that student thinking aspect, that when students are working on a particular problem on a worksheet, I can imagine what the difficulties are and we can discuss them. That’s a really important skill if you’re teaching the flipped classroom. I’m not sure if keeping organic chemistry 100% flipped is the best way or not, I think it’s good to help students think during class but it’s always a balance with students’ time. Because if you had five flipped classes where you had to watch a 15-min video in all of them, 3 times a week, that would be really time-consuming. So I think as a university, we’re still trying to strike the balance. So, that is a long explanation, but is it working? You know, students’ performance is very similar to what it was before. I think as a student, I would like this more, but learning is hard no matter what kind of form it comes in - right, flipped, or traditional, or a mixture. It still requires a lot of energy from the student’s point of view and the instructor’s point of view. So, yeah, there’s no magic pill. If there was for learning organic chemistry, I would give it to you and it would be amazing! Sarah: What do you do for a thesis [in an educational psychology PhD]? It’s a little bit different. In chemistry you would do your 4-5 years lugging it out in the lab, doing reactions every day - you have a big goal working toward either making this molecule or advancing this theory or whatnot. In education, it can be very broad. Mine was in educational psychology – I observed how students were working with their online homework and related that to some theories. You’re still trying to advance theory and you might be doing experiments but you might be just observing and understanding how people learn, so there could be lots of different kinds of research that you do. For me, it was definitely different than being in a lab every day, because there’s a big time when you’re planning what you’re going to do for your data collection and there’s a short time when you’re collecting data. There’s a very focused data collection time and then there’s the six months of analysis, where I wasn’t interacting with the students who participated in my research anymore but I had to sift through all the data. Sarah: Did you expect to have to do so much data sorting? Jackie: I don’t think I fully understood how much it would be until I was doing it. I definitely have an optimistic personality where I’m like “oh that’ll be fine, that’ll be easy!”. And then sometimes I say to myself, “that was not as easy as I thought it would be”. But you trek through it anyway. So I prefer to be that way, because I still get into things and do them, but it’s still surprising in the end how difficult things are. A huge thank you to Dr. Jackie Stewart for sitting down with us for this interview, and for being an ISCI mentor!
If you were going to recommend a playlist or a few songs that would summarize your experience at UBC, what would they be? "I think if it was a playlist, it would be eclectic, diverse, with something for everyone... but these are a few choices: ‘We’re Not Alone’ by Echosmith (good song, good message, and I think its representative), ‘The Struggle’ by Grizfolk, and “This is Home” by Switchfoot. UBC has always been good to me." What did you integrate, and why? "I integrated ecology, oceanography and environmental science. One of them was actually “global challenges.” I wanted to make my major into environmental sustainability. I also did a minor in economics – it worked hand in hand with my major. My entire academic career was environmental and economic sustainability. There wasn’t really a lot out there that was like that – there was a website that listed the courses related to environmental sustainability, but nothing formal."
How did you choose UBC and Integrated Sciences? Serena enjoyed her Biology 11 and 12 in high school, and knew that she was going into sciences at UBC. Her dad was also was influential in Serena's decision to include economics within her UBC degree. Serena considered selecting to major in chemistry, but "one of my best friends introduced me to Integrated Sciences, and I'm really happy that I did it." Serena then continued to say that Integrated Sciences was a great choice for her.
Are you currently on the career path that you expected to take when starting your Integrated Sciences undergraduate degree? "A different path. This year I wanted to go into event-management and project planning. This is something I am passionate about, and will pursue in the future. For a time I think I was searching for which field to go into, since event planning is so broad. The dream for a while was to work for the Olympics, the biggest event in the athletics world – it’s super exciting. I started applying for jobs to do with athletics jobs – first events, but I was also interested in tech. Technology ultimately ended up where I wanted to be – technology related to event planning. I want to use technology to help others – my goal is to be that person who creates something that can help others help others."
Check out http://www.andysowards.com/blog/2013/what-can-be-3d-printed/ to see more of what 3D printers can achieve, beyond printing 3 dimensional figures based on a photobooth image, as seen above.
How did you come to be a sustainability intern for the 2014 Special Olympics in Canada? Serena saw a posting on a website and promptly e-mailed the people planning for the event - noting that she was "accidentally super keen and [had] e-mailed them a few hours after the posting [went up]". She described working the event as an interesting learning experience, and that you learn about the environment – Serena had an idea about what implementing sustainability was, "but helping to actually plan an event operationally was different [then expected] with sustainability". When describing the event, Serena mentioned that she got to: "...figure out ways to engage the athletes with people who were watching. [Overall, we were there to] tell people how to be sustainable." There were many examples of the activities Serena worked on; for example, one day they talked to individuals about more sustainable modes of transportation. They promoted the bike valet service that was in action for the entire week, for any individuals cycling to the event. Furthermore, Serena advised people at the event about efficient energy and water use. A program that she helped was a "passport" for sustainable actions; if the athletes completed certain tasks to help preserve resources (such as taking a short shower, walking to next venue where an event was held) they got a stamp in their "passport". Overall, her involvement was to inspire people to people think and talk about what anyone can do to be sustainable. Fnally, the last project Serena completed with the Special Olympics (Vancouver, Canada, 2o14) was a report on all the services provided to the event that emphasized sustainability.
In addition to your academic pursuits, what hobbies and activities do you love? Serena mentioned snowboarding, kayaking and in general being in the outdoors. In terms of other athletics, Serena mentioned that: "a large factor in wanting to get involved with the Olympics was the Faculty Cup. That event was on and off years before I came to UBC, and it was brought up to me when I was chair of Student Life and Communications Committee, as part of the AMS. [It was] up to me to bring it back, so I pitched, and my group took it on, and it snowballed from there. Last year I was involved again and overseeing it – it was a lot of fun." http://www.facultycup.com/home.html
Whether you're a UBC student moving into residence or a new apartment, looking for an interesting gift for the holidays, or just wondering what the items seen above are, I assure you getting one is a fun idea. Most of us look for at least one item to dress up our room, and while yes, we love the poster sales, many of us get a plant. Turns out, a novel new option is becoming much more available as people discover the merits of air plants. http://www.airplant.com/artideas.html
Air plants? Essentially, for the care of one, you put it in a glass container/shell/holder in an indirectly lit but bright area (ideally). Then you just have to remember to soak it with water for 20 mins once every 3 weeks (a quick rinse if they're flowering), and spritzed with water once a week. They only use their roots to attach to surfaces in their natural habitat - no soil necessary. So how do they work? Air plants, primarily species of drought-resistant epiphytes, conserve water through the use of CAM (Crassulacean acid metabolism) in which they open their stomata during evening/night hours to uptake carbon dioxide and store it in malic acid to aid photosynthesis. This decreases unnecessary water loss through the stomata, and allows them to survive without a regular supply of water (Benzing 85-86); this helps to explain why air plants do not need to be watered often. Air plants need nutrients too, and they absorb them through structures of cells, hair-like projections, called trichomes. These trichomes also aid in the absorption of amino acids, and higher concentrations of amino acids within the trichomes, against concentration gradients in solution, and hint at an active transport mechanism (Nyman et al. 684). Finally, nutrient acquisition is not limited to acquiring nitrogen in the form of proteins through trichomes - Zotz and Asshoff also indicate that phosphorus may be the most important limiting macronutrient for epiphytic growth (121). While many other processes occur within air plants (often epiphytes), this is a brief look into how air plants function. Where can you buy one? They can be purchased at numerous locations as well as ordered online - however, I recommend Art Knapp Urban Garden at 1401 Hornby Street, or the Southlands Nursery at 6550 Balaclava Street.
Both Marisa de Toledo, (purple and black belted dress, left), and Steven Pete (right), have never experienced pain, and have been this way since birth.
She felt no pain during childbirth, and was comfortable enough to sleep through the experience (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015). This woman, Marisa de Toledo, has a case of what some define as congenital analgesia, or synonymously, congenital insensitivity to pain. Congenital analgesia is a defect that must be present from birth until death, rather than acquired from another disease or a traumatic injury; sufferers must have pain insensitivity occurring evenly throughout their body, and have no general physical or mental retardation (Sternbach 1963:253). Other modern cases, individuals including Steven Pete and Marisa, identify themselves as suffers of the disease (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015), and yet research dictates, “there is no case which appears to be a genuine instance of congenital insensitivity to pain” (Sternbach 1963:254). This blog post will explicitly describe how physically dangerous congenital analgesia is, to what degree it effects personality and social interaction, as well as how Marisa and Steven define their confidence in medical etiology and treatment of congenital insensitivity to pain.
The hazard of feeling no pain: each injury is amplified by lack of a signal to escape damage.
hazards of congenital analgesia, as the individual lacks both a conscious and an autonomic signal notifying them to seek help. The absence of pain with the magnifying effect of absent reflexes results in extensive physical injury that has been well documented by researchers, physicians, authority figures and those with personal experience. In alignment with the clinical description, Marisa and Steven certainly experience dangerous accidental injury due to congenital analgesia (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015). Steven’s family discovered his disease when, teething, he chewed off a quarter of his tongue (Pete 2010:1). Marisa’s doctor formally diagnosed her when she broke her ankle and could calmly walk on it, worsening the inflammation (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015). Both biomedical research and patient narrative describe the necessity of constantly being aware of physical dangers, however research focusses on the individual as the one affected, while individuals with congenital analgesia focus on not only themselves but the impact they have on their families (Genetics Home Reference 2015). Marisa and Steven rely on family; Marisa’s husband has helped lessen the severity of her accidental burns (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015) while Steven notes, “the last time I had a broken bone, my wife actually noticed before I did” (BBC News Magazine 2012:1). While both those with the condition and medical professionals agree that potential physical injury is much higher in those with congenital analgesia, they diverge when describing the number of people influenced in the sickness experience.
Social effects of congenital analgesia do not necessarily render an individual into a superhuman.
Researchers are hunting for a complete explanation of causation for the future, while those with congenital analgesia look for coping mechanisms to increase their quality of life in the present.
patients. According to Sternbach, he did not find a case of true congenital analgesia, just similar but incomplete insensitivities to pain (1963:256). However, other narratives of scientific authorities demonstrate their conviction about the success of biomedicine through ongoing research, as some studies have recently discovered that congenital insensitivity to pain may be linked to the SN9A gene; however, this finding has no direct segue into therapy or treatment (Genetics Home Reference 2015:1). Biomedical methods are determined to define a specific etiology of disease before developing therapy, and this fosters doubt about biomedicine in those who identify as having congenital analgesia, who seek treatments alongside knowledge of causation. Marisa’s mother was skeptic; she did not take Marisa to the doctor for an unfelt back injury, and Marisa herself says that “she still doesn’t understand anything about this condition” despite having visited multiple doctors (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015:1). The two narratives, in relation to their faith in biomedicine, can be also be contrasted by amount of value placed in fostering emotional wealth or research prestige. Emotional wealth, the having of essential relationships, interconnections and social belonging, is highly valued in patient narratives, but those creating clinical definitions prize exact etiology and accompanying publication recognition. Steven exemplifies how important emotional capital is to patients as he, with help, made a website to facilitate its growth through meetings of those afflicted, as “they wanted to connect with others throughout the world who we share this condition with” (Pete 2010:1). Finally, emotional wealth through upbeat outlook and empathy is seen in the patients’ effort to maintain dynamic, healthy narratives. This is indicated in the dialogue between Steven, “try to be as positive in life as you can” and Marisa, “you have to stay positive don’t you… that’s the truth.” (BBC iPlayer Radio 2015:1) Ultimately, scientific research provides eventual progress, using biomedicine, toward an etiology for congenital analgesia while patient narratives exemplify adaptive strategies for building a healthy worldview and immediate therapies that support each other socially.
In summary: Marisa and Steven highlight that key differences exist between their descriptions of congenital analgesia and the descriptions provided by social/medical authorities.
The clinical, research and biomedical authority descriptions of congenital analgesia diverge significantly from patient illness narratives. Both agree that physical dangers are compounded by insensitivity to pain, yet they are dissimilar in their identification of how many individuals are ultimately effected. Marisa and Steven's accounts do not concur with scientific conclusions about personality and social interaction; while clinical observations deem both normal, those effected highlight that social suffering can occur in the absence of physical pain. Finally, in terms of the efficacy of biomedicine and strict etiological research, clinical perspectives place faith on the anatomical search for a cause, while patients define their therapy by utilizing their emotional wealth and coping mechanisms. In summary, the overarching conclusion is that suffering in the absence of pain is underappreciated, and as difficult to treat as it is prevalent in those with congenital analgesia. As Steven clarifies, doctors understand the disease; “they just don't understand the human component of it - the psychology of what can happen when you grow up not being able to experience pain” (BBC News Magazine 2012:1).
Lately I've been making myself a promise - whenever I go out for dinner, to order something I don't normally or haven't had before. It's been quite an adventure, and the result is that I have a few restaurant suggestions for your future culinary escapades. The Famous Warehouse 989 Granville Street This is my #1 stop in downtown Vancouver for affordable and delicious food and drink. With their entrees costing a mere $5, your stomach and your student budget will thank you. I can't help but adore the music in The Famous Warehouse; it's eclectic and danceable, and sets a trendy atmosphere to pair with it's eccentric decor. This restaurant/bar is also a wonderful stop for meeting friends downtown before hitting up Joe's Apartment or any of the numerous clubs on Granville - but beware, sometimes lines can get quite long at this location. I would recommend this location for a classy, upscale seafood adventure for a date or a birthday dinner. Most diners here are semi-formal, and the unwritten dress code is understandable - in a restaurant overlooking the ocean, with a candlelit atmosphere and luxurious seating, those visiting the Sandbar refuse to be upstaged by their setting. For food choices at the Sandbar, I would suggest the Crab & Shrimp Louie. The Sandbar 1535 Johnston Street Creekhouse #102 Granville Island https://plus.google.com/100252449720187180385/about?gl=ca&hl=en
http://travelblog.expedia.ca/vancouver/ La Notte - Ristorante Italiano 3307 Dunbar Street I love this little place for it's homey decor and for the live piano music provided on occasion. My favourite dish is the Linguine Alla Crema, it's a delightful concoction of scallops, baby shrimp, cream sauce and pasta. It's also the closest of my suggestions to UBC, and less travel time is always welcome. http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/la-notte Lastly, two suggestions for dessert (or an everyday sweet craving) are True Confections or cinnamon buns from Grounds For Coffee on Alma Street, both easily reached from the route of the 99.
Also, an honourable mentions that is worth visiting Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ is also a must-see/taste! Thanks for hearing (reading?) me out, and bon appétit! Festival food is amazing - most people eat it occasionally and in celebration, so it's already got the advantage of being a positive part of an event. That being said, I thought I'd ask about the best of the best; what other people's favourite festival foods and what they predicted would be next. I polled through Facebook (definitely a convenience sample, I hope you won't mind), and these were some of the quality replies I received: Favourite existing festival food? · The deep fried pickles with hot sauce because I love pickles, and adding the greasiness of the deep fryer and a touch of spicy hot sauce makes it so unbelievably delicious. –LD · Mini donuts. –ED · Crispy french fries forever and always. –MG · Deep fried cheesecake, hands down. Perfect texture contrast, with chocolate syrup for sweetness. -JS · Funnel cakes with strawberry sauce and whipped cream. It's the perfect combination of things. You've got your hot, salty and fluffy dough with sweet strawberry sauce and a dollop of creamy goodness. It's like the 5.0 version of a waffle. –RL · I'm a big fan of the classics, things like soft ice cream, caramel apples and hot dogs. Its like the original, vintage county fair food that brings back memories. -MT · My favorite food is definitely the mini doughnuts – I’m a sucker for the classics. Getting handed that bag (or bucket) of hot, gooey, sugary deliciousness is what dreams are made of. -MP · Smarties caramel apple because it's amazing and it's basically healthy for you. -KH · My favourite fair food would have to be either the mini drinkable watermelons (with the little tropical umbrellas) or the bacon wrapped foot long hotdogs. -JB Dream festival food? · My dream festival food would probably mini doughnuts, which they already have, no one can go wrong with mini doughnuts. –LD · Deep fried poutine. –ED · Pita and hummus because it's so yummy and also somewhat healthy sometimes? –MG · Old fashioned onion rings. For some reason I could only find strange versions at the festivals I was at this year. –JS · Not typical fried food, probably dim sum to go. But I suppose that's my favourite food anytime and anyplace... -RL · For me, because of what I like, the ideal or dream festival food kind of already exists. -MT · My dream food would be a something to do with a pierogi and poutine combo – love me some cheese and potatoes. -MP · The issue is that there's so many delicious things I can't choose just one, but it's all so expensive you have to. I want more combo options, because it'd be sweet if I could get a mixed platter so I could enjoy the deep fried cheesecake, Oreos and churros all together. -KH · My dream festival food would be cheese filled smokies wrapped in bacon and sprinkled with bacon bits and onion bits with sour cream, kinda like a baked potato. -JB Predicting the next crazy festival food? · Next year I think that the Calgary Stampede will have nachos, but instead of chicken or beef being added they will have alligator meat or some kind of meat you wouldn't find at many restaurants. –LD · Still deep fried poutine. –ED · I feel like those spiralized fried potatoes are the next big thing, but then again maybe they already are. Potatoes are great. –MG · Probably deep fried blueberry pie. I've got a strong feeling about this one. -JS · I'm guessing deep fried lobster. Deep fried anything they haven't already made! –RL · I think the next crazy festival food will probably be something new and really weird that's deep fried. Stampede is all about the whole "the bigger the better" thing, so anything that is oversized or that you would dare someone else to eat will be really popular. -MT · Probably something excessive, like a deep-fried-cheesecake-ice-cream-sandwich-with-a-burger-patty-in-between monstrosity. –MP · I think they're going to start bringing in weird meats, like snake on a stick or kangaroo tail, things that you'd only eat for the bragging rights. –KH · I think the next crazy food at the Stampede should be a one up from the scorpion pizza, so maybe like tarantula or cobra pizza? If that's even legal. -JB Do you want to vote for which food trend you think will be next?
Untappd I've come to ad to the cacophony of internet sensations with more apps - trust me, these are excellent sources of entertainment for social networking and nights out. Besides, focussing on these apps can help tally drinks per night in the most entertaining way, helping to prevent getting out of control. I'm bringing these to the ISSA blog with the hope that they'll enhance your first-month-back alcoholic adventures in the best way - the way you'll remember.
For a location to try out numerous beers within walking distance of campus (or a very short bus ride) try BierCraft in Wesbrook Village. They offer sampler sized glasses of different beers, which is a very quick way to rack up points in Untappd. http://biercraft.com/wesbrook-at-ubc/ Drync
favourite and/or frequented wines, giving you a little help when customizing your beverage choices. Lastly, if friends join you on Drync, based on your recommendationm you can receive a $5 credit toward any wine purchase made through the app. Whether this wine be bought for a girls night with wine/cheese/magazines, a movie night in, or for before a rowdy time at Coppertank or Bims, this app can lend you a hand. http://coppertankgrill.com/ (above) http://donnellygroup.ca/bimini/contact/ (below) Mixology: Drink and Cocktail Recipes
I hope your first month back at UBC is phenomenal, and that you enjoy these apps! And with that, all I have left to say is ...UBC
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January 2022
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