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Grassroots effort champions inclusive language in science Grassroots effort champions inclusive language in science

A new grassroots effort—announced this month in Trends in Ecology and Evolution—is calling for a reevaluation of some terminology used in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) to make it more inclusive and precise.

The initiative, the EEB Language Project was launched by like-minded scientists across the United States and Canada,…

Engineered Poplar Lignin Has More of a Valuable “Clip-off” Chemical Mansfield Lab- Engineered Poplar Lignin Has More of a Valuable “Clip-off” Chemical

The DOE Office of Science recently published a highlight, “Engineered Poplar Lignin Has More of a Valuable “Clip-off” Chemical,” about Mansfield Lab's scientific research. It is available on https://www.energy.gov/science/listings/science-highlights and will publish soon on https://www.eurekalert.org/doe/ and https://www.newswise.com/doescience…

On the left is a starving provoran. On the right, it has engulfed its prey New branch on tree of life includes ‘lions of the microbial world’

On the left is a starving provoran. On the right, it has engulfed its prey. Photo Credit: Tikhonenkov, Mikhailov, Gawryluk, Belyaev, Mathur, Karpov, Zagumyonnyi, Borodina, Prokina, Mylnikov, Aleoshin, and Keeling, Nature

There’s a new branch on the tree of life and it’s made up of predators that nibble their prey to death.

These…

photo of angert and li Dr. Amy Angert and Dr. Xin Li appointed as new Canada Research Chairs

Two Botany professors are among the nineteen UBC researchers announced as Canada Research Chairs. Learn more here: https://research.ubc.ca/crc-nov-2022!

photo of Dr. Alex Moore, a black person with a collared jacket with nature in the background Factoring in the human element

Originally posted by UBC Science - profile of Dr. Alex Moore, new Assistant Professor with Botany

“Science is influenced by people, people are influenced by science,” says Dr. Alex Moore, whose current research is on predator-prey interactions in mangrove forests throughout the tropics. But after moving to Vancouver this summer to begin…

An image of Sean Michaletz, a Caucasian man with brown side swept hair against a blue background , with text saying Congratulations Dr. Sean Michaletz Dr. Sean Michaletz receives the 2022 AGU Global Environmental Change Early Career Award

September 8, 2022

UBC Botany warmly congratulates Dr. Sean Michaletz, Assistant Professor in our unit, who was recently announced as the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) 2022 Global Environmental Change Early Career Award recipient. AGU, a nonprofit organization that supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space…

Metabolically active cells in cannabis form a "supercell." (Jirawut Seepukdee) Researchers ID the high-efficiency hacks cannabis cells use to make cannabinoids

Originally published by UBC Science on August 2, 2022

For the first time, plant biologists have defined the high-efficiency “hacks” that cannabis cells use to make cannabinoids (THC/CBD). Although many biotechnology companies are currently trying to engineer THC/CBD outside the plant in yeast or cell cultures, it is largely unknown how…

Dr. Shawn Mansfield Welcome to Dr. Shawn Mansfield - the new Head of the Department of Botany!

The UBC Department of Botany is delighted to announce and welcome Dr. Shawn Mansfield as our new Head. He will begin his five-year term on July 1, 2022. 

Dr. Mansfield, Professor in the Faculty of Forestry and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, focuses his research on the molecular biology of plant cell wall development. He and his…

Seaweeds of BC Poster Way Cool Seaweeds of British Columbia: A Poster Project led by Bridgette Clarkston

Dr. Bridgette Clarkston, Associate Professor of Teaching, worked with the Beaty Biodiversity Museum to compile a poster depicting the seaweeds we see around our province. 

Clarkston was inspired to create the poster based on one she had as an undergraduate student. The original striking visual depiction of seaweed diversity was created…

Cross section of a Black Spruce (Picea mariana) tree. Occam’s tree: the simple way that trees and other plants move billions of tons of lignin

Article by the Samuels lab

Trees and other plants need strength to stand upright and move water effectively from their roots to their leaves. That strength comes from the cell walls that plant cells build around themselves as they grow. Cell wall material makes up most of the mass of plants. Trees that live for many years form more and…