There’s tough, and then there’s Tough. It’s unlikely anyone would ever say that Dr. Emmanuel Twumasi Osei travelled Easy Street on the long and bumpy road to his doctorate. Today, though, Dr. Osei will tell you he is extremely proud – delighted, really – to be an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology UBC Okanagan and Associate Member at the UBC – St Paul’s Centre for Heart Lung Innovation. Just a few years back, that eventuality seemed all but unattainable. It was the UBC joint PhD program that was the catalyst – essentially partnership arrangements with other universities around the world designed to share doctoral candidates, and the costs, as they work towards earning their PhD.
Responsibilities
Pieter works with campus partners to host and promote events and workshops, including 3MT and orientation. He also manages communications and marketing, including the COGS website and social media accounts.
A $20,000 entrance award (payable at $10,000 per year) has been made available annually through a gift from the Stober Foundation, along with matching funds from The University of British Columbia, to a domestic Masters or PhD student supervised by a Biology faculty member in the Biology or Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program in the Faculty of Science at The University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus. Preference given to a student with a focus in the health science field. The award is renewable for a second year subject to the student maintaining academic standing. The award is made on the recommendation of the College of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Faculty of Science. (First award available for the 2021/22 Winter Session)
Award winner: Savanna Maddock
Program of study: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Supervisor(s): Mike Deyholos and Soheil Mahmoud
Career Aspiration: Plant geneticist
Hometown: Summerland, BC
Awards and Scholarships: Stober Foundation Graduate Award in Biology
“My goal is to gain a better understanding of terpene gene regulation in plants. Terpenes are used for communication and as defense mechanisms in plants. Many terpenes have medicinal properties such as anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-malarial activity. My research aims to identify transcription factors that regulate terpene synthase genes in medicinal plants.
I have always had a passion for plants and as an adult, my gardening obsession knows no bounds. My dream is to develop a vast understanding of plant genetics and to work as a plant breeder to increase the concentration of medicinal compounds in plants and to improve plant resistance to pests and pathogens.
To the Stober Foundation
“I am so thankful for the Stober Foundation and the generosity they have bestowed upon me! Receiving the Stober Foundation award felt like a miracle and I am eternally grateful.”
From left: Kimberley Kaseweter, Logan Volkmann and Geoff Coombs
Prestigious award provides funding to pursue ongoing research
A trio of UBC Okanagan researchers have each been awarded the UBC Killam Doctoral Scholarship, marking the first time in three years any nominee from UBC’s Okanagan campus has captured the most prestigious award available to graduate students.
Presented each year to the top candidates in the Affiliated Fellowships competition, the award will allow doctoral candidates Kimberley Kaseweter, Logan Volkmann and Geoff Coombs to continue their respective research.
“We are delighted that these three researchers have been formally acknowledged by the Killam Foundation,” says Phil Barker, vice-principal research at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “The Killam Foundation is synonymous with advanced research and scholarship that has global impact. These awards show that UBC’s Okanagan campus is emerging as an important Canadian centre for research and innovation that is attracting top talent to the region.”
The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are awarded annually from the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies and provide up to $30,000 a year plus a small travel allowance over a two-year term.
Kimberley Kaseweter
Kaseweter holds a deep interest in the field of forensic psychology. Through her research, the second-year doctoral student is attempting to gain insight into the emotional shortfalls contributing to the high rates of criminality in psychopathy.
Through her research, Kaseweter is hoping to gain a better understanding of the emotional deficits contributing to the high rates of criminality in psychopathy. It is her hope that improved insight into these shortfalls can provide direction for more effective treatments that could possibly reduce the economic, social, and emotional costs of their crimes.
“I am deeply humbled to be in the company of the talented winners of such a prestigious award. What attracted me to research was the potential it has to influence social change based on empirical results, and to be recognized for pursuit of this passion is an incredible honour.”
Logan Volkmann
Logan Volkmann, a biology and wildlife researcher, studies the American marten and how the marten responds to the impact of wild fire and logging on its habitat. The biology researcher and doctoral candidate has dedicated his career to studying carnivores, most recently the American marten and how the marten responds to the impact of wildfire and salvage logging on its habitat.
Volkmann says there is great opportunity to inform the management of fire-prone forests and to promote the recovery of these ecologically sensitive carnivores on burned landscapes.
“There are so many unanswered questions around how these animals react to fires and through my research, I hope to fill in some of these knowledge gaps.”
Geoff Coombs
A burgeoning physiologist, Coombs’ area of research revolves around how the human body responds to external and internal stimuli. His study on the implications of heat stress on vascular function is intended to advance the understanding of the extent and duration of heating necessary to achieve positive therapeutic responses.
Coombs, who grew up in Ottawa and moved to Kelowna last September to begin his PhD, hopes his research will positively impact the lives of those around him.
“Not only is it important that our research is novel scientifically, but a crucial aspect of research is the translation to a practical outcome that will benefit the public. It is currently unknown how much heating is potentially beneficial and for whom it might be effective. I hope to be able to provide a clear answer to these questions and develop guidelines that can be followed by anyone in order to achieve a true impact on health outcomes.”
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