University of British Columbia (UBC) Podcasts

As the number of persons who are diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias increases, families will continue to be faced with the challenges, rewards and complexities of giving care to a loved one. In this talk by UBC Nursing Associate Professor Jo-Ann Perry, we will visit some of the experiences of wives, husbands, daughters and sons as they tell their stories during in-depth interviews. In addition, some of the issues that emerge when kin have been placed in long term care facilities will be discussed. (Lecture originally presented as part of Alumni Weekend 2006 on 30-Sep-2006)

The BOLD Forensic Lab at UBC studies methods of applying modern scientific techniques to crime scene evidence. Police investigators from Canada and around the world use BOLD as a resource to solve crime and keep people safe. BOLD's Director, Dr. David Sweet, is continually asked by movie directors and crime novelists for up-to-date information on what is possible and what is not. This one-hour talk by one of the world's leading experts on the analysis of trace evidence from unsolved cold cases will inform you and entertain you. Listen and discover how forensic science is used in actual investigations to prosecute the guilty and free the innocent. (Lecture originally presented as part of Alumni Weekend 2006 on 30-Sep-2006)

Climate change is opening up the Northwest Passage and reviving a dispute between the United States and Canada over who controls the potentially lucrative shipping route. The United States calls the passage an international strait, open to all. Canada claims control because it considers the passage an internal waterway. Until recently, the decades-long dispute has been mostly academic; thick sea-ice blocks the passage for about 11 months of the year. But as global temperatures rise and polar ice caps melt, the ice-free season may lengthen, making the Northwest Passage a viable shipping route within decades or, the U.S. Navy says, even a few years.

Michael Byers holds the Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia. Prior to 2005, he was a Professor of Law and Director of Canadian Studies at Duke University; from 1996-1999 he was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford. Professor Byers writes and teaches on issues of military force, the laws of war, international human rights, the law of the sea, and Canada-US relations. He is the author of War Law: Understanding International Law and Armed Conflict (New York: Grove / Atlantic, 2006). (Lecture originally presented as part of Alumni Weekend 2006 on 30-Sep-2006)

Ever wondered what it was like to step onto the stage on opening night? The Theatre at UBC Podcast Series provides an intimate glimpse into the process of mounting a theatrical work. Catch this, the premiere of the series, and listen in as we prepare for the first show of Theatre at UBC's 54th Season -- and the Vancouver premiere of Jonathan Harvey's acclaimed play, Beautiful Thing.

This podcast features original music by Patrick Pennefather, interviews with director Stephen Heatley and his cast of 5th year BFA acting students from Theatre at UBC's acclaimed acting program: Ira Cooper, Kevin Kraussler, Evan Frayne, Olivia Rameau, and Joanna Rannelli.

First performed in 1993 at the Bush Theatre in London, Beautiful Thing was a West End hit and won author Jonathan Harvey an Olivier nomination as well as the John Whiting Award. This celebrated play was subsequently made into a BBC film and developed a cult following. The play completed successful revivals in London's West End, Chicago and San Francisco in 2006.

For more information on Theatre at UBC, visit www.theatre.ubc.ca.