Recipients 2024

Since its launch in 2011, the PDF Travel Awards have helped many UBC PDFs attend conferences to present their work, enriching their PDF experience and helping anchor them within the academic world. Please read below to find out more about past award recipients.

Quarter FY 23/24 Q4

Dr. Solveig Aamlid

ACerS Electronic Materials and Applications (EMA) 2024 – February 2024

I was invited to present my research from the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute at UBC under the supervision of Alannah Hallas and Joerg Rottler at the ACerS Electronic Materials and applications. My talk “Phase stability and short-range ordering of entropy stabilized oxides with the α-PbO2 structure” was part of the symposium about “Structure and Function in High-Entropy, Entropy-Stabilized, and Related Oxides”. The symposium ended with a panel discussion, where we discussed the upcoming topics and questions to be solved in our field. In this symposium, I found new contacts and was able to discuss my results and get advice from specialists in the field.

The conference overall was more applications focused than my daily work. Attending other symposia at the conference enabled me to consider and discuss potential applications for my materials. An interesting part of this conference was the plenary session called "Failure: The greatest teacher” where senior scientists explained failures in their scientific projects and careers, how they came about and how they could overcome them, and general fallacies and pitfalls to be aware of as an early career scientist.

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Dr. Sara Cannon

World Fisheries Congress – March 2024

I attended the 9th World Fisheries Congress in Seattle, Washington from March 3-7. While there, I gave a talk titled, "Collaboration in Action: Partnerships with Indigenous Communities in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences" in the session "Indigenous people, stories, and local fisheries management." Attending this session was invaluable; in addition to garnering interest in the UBC course I presented about (FISH506i, which was designed collaboratively by a team of UBC-based researchers and partners from the Haida Nation), I met with Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists who are working collaboratively to advance fisheries stewardship across the globe. I also had extensive opportunities to network with scientists and academics to brainstorm organizing future opportunities for connection and to begin conversations about building networks of solidarity agross global contexts, for example such as a session I am helping to organize at the American Fisheries Society meeting in Honolulu this upcoming September. I met with the leadership of the American Fisheries Society for the first time in person which was important and helpful as I am stepping into a leadership role in the International Section of the society starting in August 2024. Finally, attending the conference was invaluable for building connections with others working in fisheries internationally so that I can learn more about how to support them during my tenure as the president of the International Section (August 2024-2025).

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Dr. Xiangjun Feng

The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) 2024 Annual Conference - March 2024

This was my second time attending the American Psychosomatic Society's annual conference, the last being in Washington DC in 2019. As a postdoctoral fellow having received many awards, I had the chance to mentor graduate students at the conference. On Thursday night, I participated in a Round Table on funding applications. Mentoring is very important to me and this is why I want to share experience with future generations of researchers. I was able to discuss and give feedback to several young researchers. Also, I had the chance to discuss with several researchers from Canada and other countries. The conference allowed me to learn about the latest research in the field of psychosomatic sciences, a multidisciplinary field that includes public health, exercise science, health psychology, biology, and so on. Finally, I presented the results of my first study as a postdoctoral fellow with Pr Eli Puterman. An Unforgettable experience marking a great step in my academic career.

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Dr. Tianyu Guo

American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2024 Conference - March 2024

Attending the ACS Spring 2024 was significantly enrich my postdoctoral experience and enhance my research at UBC.

1. This conference is an exceptional platform for networking with leading experts in chemistry and especially my decision - Cellulose and Renewable Materials, which is crucial for establishing collaborative relationships in my area and gaining insights critical to my research.
2. Exposure to the latest scientific advancements through talks and workshops will directly benefit my work at UBC, keeping it at the forefront of innovation.
3. Presenting my research to a diverse audience is not only refine my project but also strengthen my communication skills, essential for academic success.
4. The conference's focus on career development provided valuable perspectives on postdoctoral career paths, aligning with my professional growth objectives.
5. This experience was also foster a sense of community within the broader chemistry field, resonating with UBC's mission of collaborative and pioneering research.

Overall, the ACS Spring 2024  is an indispensable opportunity that advanced my career and contributed significantly to the scientific community.

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Dr. Andreas Novotny

ICES - PICES 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium – March 2024

The 7th International Symposium on Zooplankton Production was filled with interesting talks and social events. This was the first in-person conference I have been able to attend since before the pandemic, and coming to this conference I very much felt like a new member of the scientific community. The week started with a brilliant workshop on new trait-based approaches to zooplankton science. Of special interest to me, as a molecular ecologist, was the session about novel methodological approaches, allowing me to get a feeling for other labs struggling with DNA metabarcoding. In this session, I also got the opportunity to present my current research project at UBC, a presentation that was met with a lot of interest and enthusiasm afterward. I used that momentum and organized a networking lunch to get all the DNA scientists together. On the last day, I also convened a session about zooplankton diets and got the chance to present work from my PhD for the first time. Despite feeling like a stranger when I arrived, I was able to make so many good connections and have expanded my address book with early career researchers, and several senior professors leading the field.

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Quarter FY 24/25 Q1

Dr. Courtneay Hopper

Society for American Archaeology - April 2024

This was my first time attending the SAA's, one of the largest academic archaeological conferences with ~4000 attendees. With such a large number and variety of talks, I was able to attend a wide variety of sessions including ones on ethics, ancient diet reconstruction, as well as pedagogical development. These sessions were thought provoking and I plan to incorporate aspects into my research and teaching. Presenting my recent proteomic research, conducted at the UBC ADaPT facility, at such a well attended conference also allowed me to connect with a large number of local, national, and international peers while simultaneously gaining vital feedback from them. Participants in my invited session are also in the initial stages of compiling a journal special issue. I was also able to make important connections with researchers that have expanded my collaborative research network. I was also able to attend evening meet and greets where I was able to reconnect with colleagues at other institutions. Overall, although large conferences can be impersonal, I found this one to be a thought-provoking experience which will lead to future/new collaborations.

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Dr. Jane Komori

Association for Asian American Studies Annual Conference - April 2024

Funding from the UBC Postdoctoral Fellows Office supported me to engage in a number of events at the annual Association for Asian American Studies conference in Seattle, Washington. I presented an original paper on the history of Japanese Canadian worker organizing on a panel devoted to Marxist approaches to Asian American Studies. Through my panel, I was able to engage the work of junior and scholars in my field and build new professional connections. I also chaired a panel titled “Settler Colonialism in the Commemoration & Representation of Japanese American WWII Incarceration.” In doing so, I supported the work of current colleagues studying Japanese American history and also made new connections with community-based researchers and senior scholars working in the field. I also attended stimulating panels on the history of Asian indentured labour in the Americas, Asian exclusion legislation in Canada and the United States, and the relationship of settler colonialism and environmental conservation projects in the United States and the Pacific Islands. The conference afforded me a crucial opportunity to engage with junior and senior scholars with shared research interests, develop professional connections, and present the findings of my postdoctoral research. 

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