Explore the secrets of "Babies" with Dr. Janet Werker, a world-leading developmental psychologist.

Following a special screening, Dr. Werker leads a discussion about the acclaimed documentary Babies, directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmès.

Babies joyfully captures on film the earliest stages of the journey of humanity that are at once unique and universal to us. It explores the differences and similarities in early childhood development through following the first year of four babies from around the world, from Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo.

These earliest moments of childhood have also been the focus of Dr. Werker’s award-winning research that has transformed our understanding of language acquisition and has had an enormous influence on child development, parenting, education and clinical practice, both in Canada and around the world.

In conversation with Dr. Krista Byers-Heinlein, Associate Professor of Psychology at Concordia (and a former graduate student of Janet’s), Janet sheds light on how the foundations of language begin in early infancy, and that the acquisition of two or more languages from birth comes as naturally as learning a single mother tongue.

The University Killam Professor Lecture Series is presented by UBC's Office of the VP Research and Office of the Provost VP Academic in partnership with the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies and alumni UBC.

Around the world, popular app- and web-based services such as Uber and AirBnB have disrupted traditional business models and sparked explosive growth in the sharing economy. Consumers have embraced these services for their convenience and cost savings, but as they enter highly regulated industries, they face friction from both traditional operators and hesitant governments who raise legal and safety-related concerns. In some jurisdictions, legislators have responded to their constituents by making regulatory changes allowing these types of companies to legally operate. Vancouverites, however, have seen nothing but delayed decisions and increased regulations that make it difficult – if not impossible – for these services to exist.

Hear from UBC and community experts, from Mobi, Car2Go and the City of Vancouver, as they examine the pros, cons, and unanswered questions about the state of the sharing economy in Vancouver.

Recorded November 28, 2016, in Vancouver, BC.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder leading to dementia. About 11% of the population age 65 and older and about one-third of people age 85 and older suffer from the disease. The world is facing a dementia epidemic, and the number of people affected will reach 81.1 million by 2040. Annual global cost is estimated to surpass $1.1 trillion in 2030. Less than 1% of Alzheimer’s disease are familial cases with early onset caused by genetic defects, and a majority of cases are sporadic without known causes. Unfortunately the mechanisms leading to development of Alzheimer’s disease remain elusive, and currently there is no effective prevention and treatment for AD. There has been tremendous scientific progress in uncovering the myth of this “most dreaded” disease and many potential preventions and treatments have being tested. Alzheimer's disease is a global health priority, and we are at a critical time to find effective preventions and a cure for this prevalent aging-related disorder.

Hear about the current understanding of the development of Alzheimer’s disease as well as the future of prevention and cure from Dr. Weihong Song, Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer's Disease and a Full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC.

Recorded October 27, 2016, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong.

From his Oscar-winning score for The Red Violin to his opera The Ghosts of Versailles, his acclaimed Symphony No. 3, Circus Maximus, and his Grammy-winning Conjurer: Concerto for Percussionist and String Orchestra, American composer John Corigliano has built one of the richest, most unusual, and most widely celebrated bodies of work of any composer in the last forty years. His “architectural” method of composing has allowed him to forge a strikingly wide range of musical materials into arches of compelling aural logic. Take a look into the mind and method of this internationally-renowned composer.

Professor Santa Ono recently took office as the 15th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. In this, the second in a series of In Conversation events, presented by alumni UBC, Professor Ono shares his early priorities and interests as well as gathers input from alumni and friends on how we can continue to strengthen our university. Hear from this accomplished researcher and educator, who is a firm believer that dialogue is crucial for sharing ideas and bringing about transformation.

Recorded November 10, 2016, in Richmond, BC.

Nature would not exist without chemicals. In recent years, however, consumers have become suspicious of all things artificial or chemical, leading to an explosion in claims about the benefits of “organic,” “natural,” and “pure” foods and products. Where did these fears originate? How should we address them? Does marketing drive chemophobia or does science back up our fears? While we may be right to be concerned about what’s in our food, products, and environment, we may be surprised about where the real dangers lie.

Recorded November 17, 2016, at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna, BC.

With all the world mad to travel to Cuba and having to content themselves with crowded resorts, it’s still possible to go behind the scenes and to explore, first hand, the culture, food and Cuban communities of this most amazing little country on the cusp of change. Hear from tour leader and agrologist, Wendy Holm, MSc'74, as she shares stories about this very special journey highlighting sustainable agriculture, architecture, private restaurants (paladares), a 5-night stay at Havana’s fabulously iconic Hotel Nacional, a discussion about Cuba from a Canadian perspective, plus more delightful opportunities to meet local experts.

Learn more about this April 2017 Cuba travel experience at alumni.ubc.ca/travel

Professor Santa Ono recently took office as the 15th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. In this, the first in a series of In Conversation events, presented by alumni UBC, Professor Ono shares his early priorities and interests as well as gathers input from alumni and friends in the Okanagan community on how we can continue to strengthen our university on both campuses. Hear from this accomplished researcher and educator, who is a firm believer that dialogue is crucial for sharing ideas and bringing about transformation.

Recorded October 27, 2016, in Kelowna, BC.

On November 8th, U.S. citizens decided the long-awaited question: Who will be the next President of the United States? The 2016 presidential election has defied predictions and mystified experts. Two days post-election, experts in the areas of elections, economics and the environment provided an analysis of the results and discussed what the next four years may hold for the U.S. and its relationship with Canada and the world.

At the December 2015 Paris climate conference (COP21), 195 countries agreed to reduce their carbon emissions and limit global climate change. While the agreement was ambitious, it also recognized that less developed countries would require more time to begin reducing their emissions. While some question whether it is fair to hold them to the same standard as societies that grew wealthy from carbon-driven industry, it is also clear that many of these countries have the most to lose. What structural changes need to be made to allow less developed countries to combat climate change as equal partners? Are there technologies that will allow them to leapfrog carbon and achieve sustainable economic growth?

In this provocative UBC Dialogues program, experts examine the challenges and opportunities facing less developed countries in the years ahead.