Community engagement is about the power of relationships.
The UBC Community Engagement podcast features conversations with community and UBC members about their innovative and collaborative community-university partnerships. In this podcast, we learn about the people behind these projects and their unique journeys to create a more just and equitable future.
We acknowledge that UBC’s campuses are situated within the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh, and in the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples.
After the Rupture: Positioning BC and Canada in a Changing Global Trade Landscape
For decades, the Canada-US relationship was of two nations bound by an intertwined economic fabric. Now, as the 2026 review of CUSMA looms and global protectionism becomes a new global standard, the strands may be fraying to a breaking point.
On March 19, 2026, a panel of leading experts from the Allard School of Law, Vancouver School of Economics, Faculty of Forestry and Political Science joined a public audience at UBC Robson Square to move beyond the headlines and consider new geopolitical realities and their impact on Canada as a nation and the daily lives of individual Canadians.
25 Nov 2025
Stories of partnership: How Community Veterinary Outreach and UBC are leveraging the bond between people and their pets to improve health access in the DTES
Kyla Townsend, Kelsi Jasmine from Community Veterinary Outreach, Alex Boo, and Alexis Ly discuss how Community Veterinary Outreach and UBC collaborate to improve healthcare access in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside by leveraging the bond between people and their pets in this interview.
20 Nov 2025
Stories of Partnership: How the Nuxalk Nation Is Working with UBC's Museum of Anthropology to Host the First-Ever Exhibit of Their People
Snxakila–Clyde Tallio, Jennifer Kramer, and Emily Jene Leischner discuss the groundbreaking Nuxalk Strong exhibit, highlighting the evolving partnership between the Nuxalk Nation and the Museum of Anthropology in this interview.
12 Nov 2025
UBC Okanagan Students and a Peachland Conservation Group are Using Bats and Bugs to Build Community Conservation
Emma Gaudreau and Lily Liang discuss how UBC Okanagan students collaborate with a Peachland conservation group to study bats and insects, fostering community engagement through ecological research in this interview.
30 Jul 2025
UBC Partnering in Research Conference: Community-Engaged Research Ask Me Anything
Katherine Cheng, Dr. Michelle Stack, and Bruce Moghtader discuss community-engaged research, addressing complexities and sharing strategies for effective engagement, while also exploring equitable funding and overcoming institutional barriers in this interview.
21 Jul 2025
UBC Partnering in Research Conference + Stories of Partnership: Be The Change Earth Alliance, False Creek Friends and UBC Sustainability Hub
Zaida Schneider, Caroline Beninger, Kshamta Hunter, Akuzike Limbanga, and Mutuma Caelan discuss how community-university partnerships overcome obstacles to achieve shared goals, such as climate justice and environmental protection, in this interview episode.
21 Jul 2025
UBC Partnering in Research Conference: Reciprocal Storytelling in Community-Based and Indigenous-Led Research
Derek Thompson, Julie Gordon, and Oliver Mann discuss reciprocal storytelling's ethical responsibilities within Indigenous and marginalized communities' research, emphasizing respectful, restorative narratives in this interview.
15 Apr 2025
Stories of Partnership: Central Okanagan Food Bank and UBC Okanagan's Faculty of Management
We are excited to share the fourth episode of our Stories of Partnership podcast series, produced in collaboration between UBC Okanagan's and UBC Vancouver's offices of Community Engagement. This session was recorded virtually in November 2024, as part of the UBC Community Engagement Network.
Our guests, Trevor Moss, CEO of the Central Okanagan Food Bank, and Dr. Eric Li and Dhorea Ramanula from UBC’s Faculty of Management, sat down with UBC Okanagan’s Community Engagement Strategist, Angela Han, to talk about how their partnership began and has evolved, and share key practices that have helped them sustain their work over time. They also deeply explore the important role of research for nonprofits, as well as mutual benefits and ripple effects for universities, and speak about how flexibility and frank, proactive communication are a bedrock for healthy, reciprocal partnership.
“Stories of Partnership” is a Q&A series by the Community Engagement Network (https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/our-work/ce-network/) (CEN) that is dedicated to shining a light on examples of reciprocal community-university partnerships. These Q&As are meant to centre the experiences of community partners and foster a culture of continuous learning within community engagement and community engagement practices.
31 Mar 2025
Achieving Sustainability in Engaged Research
From navigating logistical hurdles to addressing ethical considerations and maintaining strong, reciprocal partnerships, how can community-university collaborations balance the desire to serve communities with the need to sustain ongoing research activities?
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Henry Yu, Professor in the UBC Department of History and Co-Director of the UBC Centre for Asian Canadian Research and Engagement, and Dr. Vicky Bungay, Professor in the UBC School of Nursing and Director of Capacity: The Centre for Research in Community Engagement and Gender Equity.
This episode is part of our “Challenges in Partnered Research” Q&A series. This series highlights individuals transforming policies, practices, and communities through collaborative research. Each installment features 1-3 researchers from diverse disciplines discussing some of the most common challenges faced in partnered research and their innovative solutions.
Learn more: https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/news/pir-achieving-sustainability-in-engaged-research/ (https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/news/pir-achieving-sustainability-in-engaged-research/)
24 Feb 2025
The Power of Storytelling in Collaborative Research
Explore how storytelling—through comics, podcasts, and apps—can be a powerful tool for engaging audiences, securing research funding, and delivering impactful messages.
Our guests include Dr. Elizabeth “Biz” Nijdam, an expert in graphic storytelling from UBC’s Department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European Studies; Gabriele Dumpys Woolever, Research Manager for Programs and Initiatives at the Centre for Migration Studies; and Dr. Patricia Janssen, a professor in the UBC School of Population and Public Health.
This episode is part of our “Challenges in Partnered Research” Q&A series. This series highlights individuals transforming policies, practices, and communities through collaborative research. Each installment features 1-3 researchers from diverse disciplines discussing some of the most common challenges faced in partnered research and their innovative solutions.
Learn more: https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/news/the-power-of-storytelling-in-collaborative-research/ (https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/news/the-power-of-storytelling-in-collaborative-research/)
29 Jan 2025
Challenges in Partnered Research: Should I Start a Non-Profit?
In our latest episode of “Challenges in Partnered Research,” a Q&A series by Partnering in Research (https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/our-work/partnering-in-research/), we aim to learn from researchers who realized their research and implementation goals had grown beyond academia and how they decided a non-profit organization could advance their policy-relevant research and community change initiatives.
Listen in as Dr. Paul Kershaw and Dr. Elaine Leung discuss their journeys from academia to founding non-profits, the challenges they faced, and their insights on how universities can support similar initiatives. Whether you are a researcher contemplating a similar path or simply interested in community-engaged research, this episode is packed with valuable insights and advice.
3 Jan 2025
Stories of Partnership: Kelowna Museums and UBC Okanagan Library
We are excited to share the second episode of our Stories of Partnership series—recorded live in front of an audience on October 2, 2024, in Kelowna, BC.
In this episode, we feature an inspiring partnership between Kelowna Museums (https://www.kelownamuseums.ca/) and the UBC Okanagan Library (https://library.ok.ubc.ca/). Together, they’ve launched projects like the Okanagan QueerStory podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/2m3rRgDAjkc2JZPohs0wmN?si=ee697ff35427420c) and Kelowna’s first-ever Queer Zine Fair (https://events.ok.ubc.ca/event/queer-zine-fair/). You’ll hear firsthand how this collaboration is amplifying queer history and building essential community spaces in the Okanagan.
Our guests, Erik Beardmore, a queer artist and Programming Associate at Kelowna Museums, and Donna Langille, the Community Engagement Librarian at UBC Okanagan, share the challenges of maintaining momentum in community partnerships and the creative solutions they found to keep their projects thriving. From organizing live podcast recordings to overcoming funding limitations, Erik and Donna emphasize the importance of flexibility, trust, and communication in their work.
Moderating the conversation is Christian Isbister, UBCO’s Indigenous Initiatives Librarian, who helps explore not only the successes but also the hurdles faced by the team—such as the ongoing search for safe, accessible queer spaces in Kelowna—and how partnerships with institutions like UBCO can help address community needs.
Whether you’re passionate about preserving queer history, interested in community-driven creative projects, or looking to learn more about fostering reciprocal community-university partnerships, this episode has something for you.
2 Jan 2025
Lingít: a Love Language for Community — Children of the Taku Society and UBCO Partner to Document Language Reclamation and Resilience
Indigenous language in B.C. is facing a critical state of emergency, largely due to historical Canadian government policies aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples into English-speaking, non- Indigenous society. However, located in northern B.C., the Children of the Taku, a non-profit society working to protect the land, culture and language of the Taku River Tlingit People, is leading a revival of their language.
In this episode, we speak with K’èdukà Jack, executive director of the Children of the Taku Society, and Dr. Christine Schreyer, an associate professor at UBC Okanagan as they discuss their efforts to document language loss and revitalization, and how this work is strengthening cultural identity and community resilience.
This podcast episode and the accompanying written Q&A contain discussions of residential school experiences, cultural suppression, and the long-term impacts on Indigenous peoples and communities. These topics may be distressing or triggering for some listeners and readers, especially for those who have experienced trauma or systemic violence. We acknowledge the deep pain and harm that such discussions may evoke and encourage you to prioritize your well-being.
2 Jan 2025
Challenges in Partnered Research: Moura Quayle, Associate Provost, UBC Vancouver
For our latest episode, we’re excited to bring you a conversation between two influential voices at UBC: Professor Moura Quayle, the Associate Provost at UBC Vancouver and Adriaan de Jager, UBC’s Associate Vice-President of Government Relations and Community Engagement.
Moura Quayle has a long and distinguished career that spans academia, government, and public policy. Until July 31, 2024, she oversaw a broad portfolio at UBC that included faculty recruitment and retention, the President’s Academic Excellence Initiative, and academic planning. Her work has consistently highlighted the importance of community engagement.
In this episode, Adriaan takes on the role of interviewer and, together, they reflect on the evolving role of universities in society. Moura shares advice for academics on navigating traditional structures, calls for boldness and innovation in UBC’s strategic planning, and discusses the importance of knowledge exchange between universities and the wider community.
This episode is part of our “Challenges in Partnered Research” series. This series highlights individuals transforming policies, practices, and communities through collaborative research. Each installment features 1-3 researchers from diverse disciplines discussing some of the most common challenges faced in partnered research and their innovative solutions.
18 Sept 2024
From Oral Tradition to Comics: Homalco First Nation Partner with UBC and Education Without Borders to Create Graphic Novel Based on the Stories of their Elders
A partnership between the Homalco First Nation, UBC's Comic Studies Cluster, and Education Without Borders is bringing together a team of Indigenous graphic artists to create a series of short comics based on archival recordings of Elders from the Homalco First Nation.
Captured in the early 1990s, these recordings explore life in the Homalco First Nation’s traditional territory in Bute Inlet, with Elders recalling their childhoods and sharing stories about traditional customs and their nation’s rich history.
Like many First Nation communities in BC striving to revitalize their traditional ways of being, this project is crucial for the Homalco Nation as it seeks to rekindle their language and preserve their culture in modern ways. By using comics that integrate the Homalco language, the project aims to engage the youth, ensuring that the voices of their Elders resonate with future generations.
To learn more about this project, we spoke with Homalco member and the project’s lead, Tchadas Leo, Dr. Elizabeth Nijdam, the director of UBC’s Comic Studies Cluster, Cecil Hershler, chair of Education Without Borders, and Alina Pete, a Cree cartoonist and one of the artists hired to work on this project.
In our conversation, we dig into the importance of the project and its inception, favorite moments including a road trip where the artists and project team traveled to Bute Inlet to connect with the Homalco First Nation, and, finally, advice for others hoping to develop successful community-university partnerships and how comics can be a powerful tool for this work.
27 Aug 2024
Stories of Partnership: A Conversation with AMSSA & UBC's Centre for Migration Studies
"Stories of Partnership" is a Q&A series by the Community Engagement Network (CEN) that is dedicated to shining a light on examples of reciprocal community-university partnerships. These Q&As are meant to center the experiences of community partners and foster a culture of continuous learning within community engagement and community engagement practices. It’s our pleasure to share the stories and insights of those who drive this essential work forward.
Today's episode features Katie Crocker, the CEO of AMSSA (https://www.amssa.org/), (Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC). She is joined by Antje Ellermann, the director of UBC’s Centre for Migration (https://migration.ubc.ca/) (CMS) and its Community Liaison, Sean Lauer. This conversation was moderated by CMS’ Engagement Strategist, Javier Ojer.
Learn how to support community-university partnerships directly from the perspective of a community partner and hear the panel’s valuable insights on the importance of investing time in relationship building.
(0:36) Introduction
(3:15) Meet the Speakers
(8:46) Origin Story
(15:31) Challenges and Successes
(23:21) Collaborative Initiatives
(41:56) Reflecting on the Partnership and Understanding Reciprocity
(46:26) Insights, Feedback, and Advice to Staff
Visit our website to learn more: https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/ (https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/)
12 Feb 2024
Meet the CEN: A Conversation with UBC’s Centre for Asian Canadian Research and Engagement
UBC’s new Centre for Asian Canadian Research and Engagement (https://www.arts.ubc.ca/acre/) — also known as ACRE —is an incredible initiative that is working to centre the voices, experiences, and expertise of Asian Canadian communities, both within the university and, crucially, beyond it.
ACRE's approach to research, teaching, and engagement is deeply rooted in community engagement and is built on long-standing partnerships with cultural, civic, and non-profit organizations throughout Metro Vancouver. By working together, they aim to build a more socially just future where Asian Canadians of all backgrounds can thrive.
In today’s episode, we spoke with the staff behind ACRE. Specifically, Joanna Yang, Szu Shen, Jennifer Lu, and Shirley Ting to learn more about ACRE and how they are supporting reciprocal community-university engagement.
Visit our website to learn more: https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/news/meet-the-cen-a-conversation-with-acre/ (https://communityengagement.ubc.ca/news/meet-the-cen-a-conversation-with-acre/)
29 Nov 2023
Breathing Life Back into Their Language: A Collaborative ʔayʔaǰuθəm E-dictionary Project
Today, fewer than 47 native speakers of ʔayʔaǰuθəm remain, all of whom are over the age of 60. To help preserve their traditional language, four sister nations—Klahoose, Tla'amin, Homalco, and K'ómoks—are working alongside researchers from UBC and the University of Alberta to develop an ʔayʔaǰuθəm e-dictionary.
In the pilot episode of the UBC Community Engagement Podcast, we speak with Koosen Pielle of the Tla'amin Nation, located in the tiskʷət region, and Dr. Marianne Huijsmans, an Assistant Professor at U of A. In their conversation, Koosen and Marianne discuss how their project is uniting the nations and how the e-dictionary is making their language more accessible.
Who has been a guest on UBC Community Engagement
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Kyla Townsend
Kelsi Jasmine
Alex Boo
Alexis Ly
Emma Gaudreau
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