What is responsible investment? If you choose to align your investment decisions with your values, what impact will it really have on the world? Are “ethical” investments good investments for your portfolio? On this episode of My Financial Life, host Kirk Lapointe, editor-in-chief of Business in Vancouver and adjunct professor at the UBC School of Journalism, speaks to UBC alumnus, Ian Robertson, vice-president, director, and portfolio manager at Odlum Brown Limited.

This episode of My Financial Life is sponsored by Odlum Brown Limited. Odlum Brown Limited is an independent, full service investment firm providing disciplined investment advice and objective value-based research with a singular focus on clients.

My Financial Life is a five-episode podcast mini-series about personal finance, produced by alumni UBC.

What are the benefits of starting your financial planning early? If you made challenging financial decisions in the past, what steps do you need to take to get back on track? On the first episode of My Financial Life, host Kirk Lapointe, editor-in-chief of Business in Vancouver and adjunct professor at the UBC School of Journalism, speaks to UBC alumna, Tracy Theemes, a financial advisor and certified financial planner at Sophia Financial, Raymond James.

My Financial Life is a five-episode podcast mini-series about personal finance, produced by alumni UBC.

Barack Obama cited their insights on inequality from The Spirit Level, now internationally acclaimed health researchers Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett have new lessons to share in their latest offering, The Inner Level: How More Equal Societies Reduce Stress, Restore Sanity and Improve Everyone's Well-Being.

In this talk, Wilkinson and Pickett explain how inequality affects us individually, altering how we think, feel and behave. They share the overwhelming evidence that material inequities have powerful psychological effects: when the gap between rich and poor increases, so does the tendency to define and value ourselves and others in terms of superiority and inferiority.

This talk was presented by the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Arts, and MASS LBP, with support from alumni UBC.

Recorded February 4, 2019 at UBC Robson Square in Vancouver, BC. This recording was produced by the University of British Columbia. We are pleased to be able to share it with you, our alumni and subscribers.

For many people, there is the misconception that their academic discipline must match exactly with the career path they choose or you may have been faced with the question of what you are going to do with your degree by well-intentioned friends and family. While the thought of “choosing the right career” can be exciting, it can also be overwhelming when you don’t quite see the link to your academics.

Listen to our panel of alumni and professionals share their how they navigated their career peaks and valleys, explored their interests and developed skills, and how their networks helped them along the way in non-linear career journeys.

Panelists

• Rick Chung BA‘08

• Chandra Jade BA’13, MEd‘18, R.C.C

• Holman Wang BEd’95, MASA’98 and LLB’05

Recorded January 16, 2019.

Presented by UBC Centre for Student Involvement & Careers with support from alumni UBC

Beloved by audiences around the world, The Joy Luck Club (dir. Wayne Wang) has provoked heated debates about race, gender, and representation. Twenty-five years after its release, and on the heels of the recent success of Crazy Rich Asians, actress Tamlyn Tomita joined UBC Assistant Professor JP Catungal (Social Justice Institute) in conversation. Ms. Tomita shares her favourite memories from production (and the ones she can’t share), which scene was improvised, what she learned from the mothers in the film, and why you need to know yourself first before you can tell other people’s stories.

The Joy Luck Club retrospective screening was presented by the Asian Canadian & Asian Migration Studies Program and the Department of Theatre & Film, with support from the Faculty of Arts and alumni UBC.

Recorded January 16, 2019, at Frederic Wood Theatre in Vancouver, BC. This recording was produced by the University of British Columbia. We are pleased to be able to share it with you, our alumni and subscribers.

In this era of #metoo, #timesup, #letstalk and #blacklivesmatter, story-telling—individually and collectively—matters more than ever. In this talk, famed novelist Isabel Allende unpacks the power of story to, as she says, “make the world good—not just better.” An unrepentant feminist who exhorts audiences to speak with passion and purpose about what must not be forgotten, Allende explores themes of social justice, female empowerment, and personal and political freedom with hope and good humour.

UBC Connects is presented by University of British Columbia President Santa J. Ono, in partnership with alumni UBC. The UBC Connects series is made possible with the generous support of the R & J Stern Family Foundation.

Recorded November 20, 2018, at The Vancouver Playhouse in Vancouver, BC. This recording was produced by the University of British Columbia and originally released on the the UBC Connects series website. We are pleased to be able to share it with you, our alumni and subscribers.

Building a strong professional network is critical to career success, yet some people find it challenging. Listen to this panel discussion and Q&A with four UBC alumni as they share stories of how they navigated the peaks and valleys of networking in their career journeys.

Presented in partnership with the UBC Centre for Student Involvement & Careers.

Recorded November 21, 2018, at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre on UBC's Vancouver campus.

Did you know that nearly one in five Canadians will experience a mental health or substance use problem each year? Young people age 15 to 24 years are more likely to experience a mental health and/or substance use challenge than any other age group. Yet, many find mental health uncomfortable to discuss, leading them to delay, or avoid, seeking help. Open conversations about mental health and stories of recovery can work to remove the stigma, facilitate engagement with services, and improve the outcomes of individuals seeking help. Are there specific groups that have unique mental health needs? How are their needs being met in Calgary? What external factors are impacting the mental health needs in the city? How can society provide ongoing support so that the mental health issues experienced in the community don’t become crises?

Hear from UBC President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Santa J. Ono, as well as UBC alumni and friends as they participate in an important conversation about mental health in Calgary.

Moderator - Professor Santa J. Ono – President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia

Panelist - Karen Gosbee – Mental Health Advocate and Community Leader

Panelist - Laureen MacNeil – Executive Director, Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary Region (CMHA Calgary)

Panelist - John Ogrodniczuk – Professor and Director, UBC Psychotherapy Program, Faculty of Medicine, UBC; Founder, HeadsUpGuys

Panelist - Edward Taylor – Associate Dean, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus; Co-Director of the UBC Interprofessional Mental Health Clinic

Throughout his career, including his three terms as mayor of the City of Calgary, Naheed Nenshi has always emphasized the importance of civic engagement. Hear his talk "Creating the Cities and Country We Deserve." Moderated by Anita Bathe - Reporter, CBC Vancouver

The Master Mind Master Class speaker series is an alumni UBC program that offers an unprecedented look into the minds of modern thinkers making a unique impact on the world, and the lessons they’ve learned.

Recorded November 1, 2018, in Vancouver, BC.

Ensuring sustained economic growth while minimising environmental impact is a global challenge. Access to affordable energy has reduced poverty by more than a half since 1990, and yet approximately 1 billion people still live without access to the most basic energy services. Moreover, the rest of us need to face the mounting evidence on the negative impacts of our energy use (poor air quality, climate change, geopolitical instability, etc.) However, and despite the bad news, there is cause for optimism: UBC is the first Canadian university with a sustainability policy, and its research and innovation are leading the way to a low-carbon economy.

The energy transition will require political will, significant investment, and above all, clarity of thought. In this talk, Walter Mérida, Director, UBC's Clean Energy Research Centre; Associate Dean of Research and Industrial Partnerships; Professor, UBC Department of Mechanical Engineering, will describe the challenges and opportunities in sustainable energy systems. He will provide a few examples of UBC’s world-leading research on some of the enabling technologies including renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, and advanced electric vehicle infrastructure. These new technologies can enable urban assets to become active participants in city-scale energy management schemes. The new technologies, services and business models may enable cities to go beyond zero impact: providing a net benefit to human and planetary wellbeing.

Recorded November 1, 2018, at The Royal Society in London, UK.