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.
|
Name |
Department, Faculty |
Conference - Date Attended |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter FY 2025/26 Q4: | |||
| Dr. Nan Chen | Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Faculty of Medicine | Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain Conference - March 2026 | Oxford, UK |
| Dr. Nicole Knight | Department of Zoology; Faculty of Science | Ocean Sciences Meeting – February 2026 | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Dr. Kashif Raza | Department of Educational Studies; Faculty of Education | The 3rd International Canadian Organization for Gender and Sex Research (COGS) Meeting - March 2026 | Toronto, ON |
| Quarter FY 2026/27 Q1: | |||
| Dr. Gilciane Ceolin | Pharmaceutical Sciences; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences | The British and Irish Longitudinal Studies of Ageing (BILS) Meeting - April 2026 | London, England |
Quarter FY 25/26 Q4
The 3rd International Canadian Organization for Gender and Sex Research (COGS) Meeting – March 2026
I recently attended the 3rd International COGS Meeting in Toronto, presenting my research poster: “Trends in CIHR investment in women-related cardiovascular research in Canada, 2000–2024”. The Early Career Researcher (ECR) Pre-course was highly significant, as it aligned with my study's interrupted time series analysis of Canada’s SGBA policy impacts. Gaining strategic insights into CIHR grant reviews provided essential context for interpreting my results. Moving forward, these insights will refine my research framework to quantify the societal return on investment of women’s health research in Canada. By understanding the funding landscape, I am better equipped to simulate the entire trajectory from research investment to societal returns, ultimately generating robust evidence and recommendations to inform health policy and resource allocation. Additionally, the conference fostered engagement with fellow ECRs. A colleague's suggestion regarding internal CIHR grant data requests offers a promising pathway for deepening my future research. This experience has provided a strong foundation for advancing my work on the societal returns of women’s health investments.
Ocean Sciences Meeting – February 2026
At the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland I was able to attend excellent talks and posters on topics highly relevant to my research program, including seagrass ecology, coastal sediment dynamics, and restoration. I also received very useful feedback on my presentation, “Experimentally testing the effects of seagrass-sediment-light feedbacks on seagrass recovery potential in a remote subarctic habitat“, particularly from physical oceanographers, who understand the aspects of my research that extend beyond ecology. During the meeting I had the chance to connect with current collaborators who work at other institutions (Université de Montréal, University of Manitoba) and discuss ongoing research. I also made new connections with other eelgrass ecologists from the United Kingdom that I hope will lead to future knowledge-sharing and possible collaborations. Based on my positive experience at this conference, I plan to submit a session proposal with colleagues for the 2027 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Vancouver. I am very grateful to the Postdoctoral Fellows Office for supporting my attendance of this conference.
Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain Conference - March 2026
Attending PESGB 2026 at University of Oxford was an intellectually enriching experience that deepened my engagement with the philosophical foundations of education. Presenting my work on "Religious Diversity and Socialization in the Integrative Purpose of Education" allowed me to critically examine how educational systems can move beyond accommodation and socialization toward meaningful integration. The discussions highlighted the tensions between pluralism, social cohesion, and the role of education in shaping democratic belonging. Engaging with leading scholars in this historic academic setting not only refined my arguments but also opened new directions for research on how education can bridge differences while sustaining diverse identities. The conference also provided valuable opportunities for interdisciplinary dialogue, strengthening connections between philosophy, policy, and practice in contemporary educational debates.
Quarter FY 26/27 Q1
The British and Irish Longitudinal Studies of Ageing (BILS) Meeting – April 2026
Attending the British and Irish Longitudinal Studies of Ageing (BILS) Meeting in London, UK, was a valuable opportunity to engage with researchers leading major longitudinal aging studies, including the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), Healthy Ageing in Scotland (HAGIS), The Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA), The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). I presented my oral presentation, “Inflammation Linking Fruit & Vegetables to Depression” based on analyses using ELSA data conducted alongside my postdoctoral research and supported by Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The meeting provided valuable feedback on my analytical approach, particularly regarding sensitivity analyses and future directions for the project. Its small and collaborative format also allowed meaningful discussions with senior researchers and opportunities for future collaborations in nutrition and healthy aging research. In addition, I spent few days prior to the meeting at University College London (UCL) working with Dr. Paola Zaninotto (my research partner) on project-related analyses, which further strengthened my methodological skills in longitudinal data analysis return to table.