Future Global Leaders

Session 1: Jul 2-15, 2017

FGL1: Consumers and Consumption: A Global Perspective – Jul 2-15, 2017 (Full)

What we buy in our daily lives is tied to imitation, inequality, and environmental impacts within a larger global system of consumption. In this course, examine critically what we wear, how we shop, and how we travel, and discuss and debate proposed solutions to the problems of consumption. This course is especially appealing if you're interested in sociology, politics, popular culture, or marketing.

Instructor: Carrie Yodanis (PhD, University of New Hampshire) is an associate professor in the UBC Department of Sociology. She has taught about the sociology of consumers and consumption in Canada, China, and Japan, and is currently writing a book on consumption called Getting Dressed: Imitation in Clothing and Everyday Life.

FGL2: Environmental Science and the Prevention of Natural Disasters – Jul 2-15, 2017

Learn about the causes of natural hazards, and how we can assess, prevent, and recover from natural disasters and other environmental risks. Examine natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunami, tornadoes, and hurricanes, as well as global climate change and the growing environmental and economic effects of pollution and ecosystem collapse. If you're interested in natural and environmental sciences, or fascinated with international aid and the social, political, and economic influences of our environment, this course is an ideal choice.

Instructor: Philip Hammer (PhD, University of California, San Diego) is an honourary research associate in the UBC Department of Earth, Oceans, and Atmospheric Science, and has degrees in physics, engineering physics, oceanography, and earth science. His research interests include active-source seismology, crustal geophysics, tectonics, and science education.

FGL3: Outlaw Economics: A Rogue History of Capitalism – Jul 2-15, 2017

Recent failures and crises in the global financial system are often blamed on so-called rogues: individuals or companies who manage to distort the financial system. Find out what rogue traders on Wall Street, and other economic rogues throughout history – including pirates, street gangs, and the mafia – can tell us about how our global economic system works. This course is a good option if you're interested in history, economics, or business.

Instructor: Sebastian Prange (PhD, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) is an assistant professor in the UBC Department of History. He has degrees in English, history, and global history, and won the 2012 International Economic History Association prize for best PhD dissertation. His current research focuses on the history of trade and traders on the Malabar Coast in Southwestern India.

FGL4: Understanding Globalization – Jul 2-15, 2017

There is a lot of debate about globalization. Those in favour of globalization argue that it transfers new technologies and knowledge around the world, makes savings generated in one country available for investment in another, and can lift entire populations out of poverty through trade and economic growth. Those opposed to globalization argue that it moves jobs from one country to another, causes environmental damage and cultural conflict, spreads economic problems across the world, and increases inequality. Understand the pros and cons of globalization through these debates. You might be interested in this course if you enjoy economics, politics, and international relations, or follow current affairs and major world events.

Instructor: Ashok Kotwal (PhD, Boston University) is a professor at UBC’s Vancouver School of Economics (VSE), a global centre for research and hands-on learning about pressing economic issues, and ranked in the top 20 worldwide and number one in Canada. Dr. Kotwal is also a senior fellow at the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis in Development, an associate at the Theoretical Research in Economic Development, and editor-in-chief of IdeasforIndia.in, an economics and policy portal.

FGL5: Health Psychology: The Intersection of Psychology and Medicine – Jul 2-15, 2017 (Full)

Receive a general introduction to the field of health psychology, which is broadly concerned with understanding the complex nature of the mind-body connection. Get an overview of current research topics, including health promotion, disease prevention, stress and coping, social support, health disparities, management of chronic and terminal illness, and caregiving. Pay special attention to the biopsychosocial model, which emphasizes the interactions among physical, mental/emotional, and social factors in health and healthcare. This course is especially appropriate if you're considering career paths in health-related fields such as kinesiology, nursing, medicine, psychology, and counselling.

Instructor: David King (PhD, University of British Columbia) is a researcher and instructor of psychology at UBC. Dr. King has been teaching at the undergraduate level for the past four years, leading courses in personality, gender, and health psychology. He is the author of multiple papers in peer-reviewed journals and has co-authored two textbooks, including the first Canadian edition of Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial Interactions (Wiley, 2016).

Session 2: Jul 16-29, 2017

FGL6: Climate Change: Context, Drivers, Policies and Solutions – Jul 16-29, 2017

Examine climate change in the context of the many other challenges facing humanity, and study how climate has changed through history due to natural processes. Understand how humans have been affecting the climate system and modifying our ecosystems since we started using fire, and how that has accelerated since the industrial revolution. Investigate how public policy, science, and past experience should be used to design solutions to climate change, and to predict whether climate policies will be successful. This course offers you the opportunity to study with a renowned international expert, and is a good choice if you're interested in science, engineering, politics, public policy development, or international relations.

Instructor: Hadi Dowlatabadi (PhD, University of Cambridge) is Canada Research Chair in Applied Mathematics and Integrated Study of Global Change and a professor in the Institute for Resources Environment and Sustainability and in the Liu Institute for Global Issues at UBC. Dr. Dowlatabadi is also an adjunct professor in the Carnegie Mellon Department of Engineering and Public Policyand a university fellow at Resources for the Future in Washington, DC. He has also co-founded six non-profit and for-profit initiatives focused on developing better solutions to meet human needs.

FGL7: Global Food Security: Challenges, Claims and Solutions – Jul 16-29, 2017 (Limited Seats Remain)

How can we create a world where everyone has sufficient and nutritious food they enjoy eating? How can we produce our food without destroying the very natural resources that food production depends on? How can we create a food system that is more just and more sustainable? Learn about the challenges in our current global food systems, gain a broad overview of the scientific knowledge on different food debates, develop tools to help you navigate and critically examine different food and agriculture claims, and discuss solutions for how we can grow and eat food in a better way.

Instructor: Verena Seufert (PhD, McGill University) is a postdoctoral fellow at the Liu Institute for Global Issues and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at UBC. In addition to a PhD in geography, Dr. Seufert has a diploma in biology from the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany, and a European baccalaureate from the European School of Varese, Italy. For more information, visit her personal website.

FGL8: Health Psychology: The Intersection of Psychology and Medicine – Jul 16-29, 2017 (Full)

Receive a general introduction to the field of health psychology, which is broadly concerned with understanding the complex nature of the mind-body connection. Get an overview of current research topics, including health promotion, disease prevention, stress and coping, social support, health disparities, management of chronic and terminal illness, and caregiving. Pay special attention to the biopsychosocial model, which emphasizes the interactions among physical, mental/emotional, and social factors in health and healthcare. This course is especially appropriate if you’re considering career paths in health-related fields such as kinesiology, nursing, medicine, psychology, and counselling.

Instructor: David King (PhD, University of British Columbia) is a researcher and instructor of psychology at UBC. Dr. King has been teaching at the undergraduate level for the past four years, leading courses in personality, gender, and health psychology. He is the author of multiple papers in peer-reviewed journals and has co-authored two textbooks, including the first Canadian edition of Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial Interactions (Wiley, 2016).

FGL9: Politics, Economics and Diplomacy in a Global Context – Jul 16-29, 2017 (Full)

Examine some of the key global economic, political and diplomatic challenges facing the world today. Learn a variety of concepts and theories of world politics that can be used to help explain some of the big challenges of our time, including global financial crises, the spread of epidemic disease, new outbreaks of violence such as the wars in the Ukraine or the Islamic State in the Middle East, and climate change. This course is a unique opportunity to expand your global perspective if you’re interested in politics, international relations, economics, and diplomacy.

Instructor: Jan Lüdert (PhD, University of British Columbia) is a Liu scholar alumni at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at UBC. In addition to a PhD in International Relations from UBC, Dr. Lüdert has an MA in International Relations from the Australian National University and a bachelor of business administration and public policy from the Hamburg University for Economics and Politics in Germany. He also studied at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and coordinated grassroots community programs in Botswana.

FGL10: Virtual Reality - Jul 16-29, 2017 (Full)

The Goldman Sachs Group predicts that virtual reality (VR) will be an $80 billion market by 2025 and, according to Wired magazine, VR promises to be even more transformative than the early world wide web. Learn about exciting new developments in the field of virtual reality, try cutting-edge VR experiences such as being submerged in the ocean or breaking meteors in space, experiment in your own wizard’s laboratory, and create your own VR experiences using top-of-the-line, room-based VR hardware. Enrol in this course if you are interested in technology, entertainment, and business.

Instructor: Ray Hsu (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison) is director of the Immersive Technology Lab at UBC. Dr. Hsu uses immersive technology (virtual reality and augmented reality) and haptic technology to examine intimacies among bodies, land, social movements, and futurity. Using embodiment as a mode of research, Dr. Hsu explores how immersive performance might bring about the futures we have been theorizing.

FGL11: Global Genetics - Jul 16-29, 2017 (Full)

Explore the basic principles of genetics and how they apply to our changing world. Genetics is important in many aspects of society and the course includes examples from around the world. Consider this course if you are interested in the science of genetics or policy and ethical issues related to genetics.

Instructor: Phoebe Lu (PhD, University of British Columbia) is a researcher and research manager at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Lu’s research background is in chromatin biology with expertise in molecular biology, epigenetics, and genomics. She is currently leading the growth and strategic development of the Healthy Starts Research Theme at BC Children’s Hospital.

Session 3: Jul 30-Aug 12, 2017

FGL12: Clinical Neuroscience: Exploring Brain Dysfunction – Jul 30-Aug 12, 2017 (Full)

Neuroscience focuses on how the typical brain functions and on how the impaired brain functions differently. Learn about neural processing and methods for assessing the brain function, and explore how brain function differs across a variety of conditions, including those caused by stroke (e.g., language impairment), disease (e.g., Alzheimer’s), and select psychological disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). Students explore specific impairments or conditions of interest to them in small group research projects and presentations. This course is ideal if you’re interested in psychology, neuroscience, or medicine.

Instructor: James Kryklywy obtained a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Western Ontario, and completed his training at the Brain and Mind Institute, one of the world's leading research institutes in cognitive neuroscience. He’s affiliated with the Motivated Cognition Lab at UBC which focuses on the interface between emotion and cognition. Dr. Kryklywy’s research focuses primarily on the impact of emotion on the neurocognitive systems involved in sensory processing.

FGL13: Digital Trends and Your Future in a Digital World – Jul 30-Aug 12, 2017 (Limited Seats Remain)

Digital technologies are transforming human experience at an ever-accelerating pace. Your future, while impossible to predict, will ride this global wave. Examine a few exciting digital trends and learn what drives them, and discover what skills it takes to lead them. This is an excellent course if you want to explore the future of digital technologies and your own future in a digital world.

Instructor: Rochelle Grayson (MBA, University of Chicago) is a digital media executive and program advisorand industry chair for the UBC Certificate in Digital Strategy and UBC Award of Achievement in Social Media programs. She has led and launched several digital initiatives, and is equally comfortable discussing digital business models, social media trends, online community building, and internet/mobile technologies. She recently received the UBC John K. Friesen Excellence in Teaching Award, was named “The New Executive Cool Hunter” by Canadian Business Magazine, been included as one of Vancouver’s Top Forty Under 40 by Business in Vancouver, and listed as one of Vancouver's Top 10 Technology Women.

FGL15: Applied Ethics – Jul 30-Aug 12, 2017

What are the social and environmental responsibilities of a corporation? What moral values should drive our medical choices? What obligations do we all have to the global poor? Should voting be mandatory for every citizen? What is a good human life? These, and questions like them, shape the subject matter of applied ethics. Explore some of the ways in which philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines contribute to our understanding of human decision and leadership in practice, and instill tools of critical thinking, argument, rhetoric, and expression from ancient Greek thought to the near future. You will find this course valuable regardless what future studies you pursue as ethics is relevant to all aspects of our lives.

Instructor: Michael Griffin (D.Phil., University of Oxford) is associate professor of philosophy and classics at UBC. He regularly teaches courses in philosophy and the history of Western thought, and is professor-in-residence at UBC’s Totem Park residence for first-year students. His current projects include the Ancient Commentators series, described by The Times (UK) as “a massive scholarly endeavour of the highest importance,” as well as a study of perspective-taking, empathy, and applied values in undergraduate education. Read an interview with Professor Griffin.

FGL16: The Practice of Leadership in Today's World – Jul 30-Aug 12, 2017 (Full)

Based on a graduate-level UBC course, and drawing on the latest literature and practice from organizational development, business, psychology, and communication fields, this experiential course presents new definitions and new practices of leadership. Examine leadership through four segments: Segment 1 focuses on personal leadership – "Who am I and who do I need to become to lead better?"; segment 2 focuses on interpersonal leadership - "How do I work successfully in relation to others?"; segment 3 focuses on teams and organizational leadership – "How do I collaborate in groups?"; and segment 4 focuses on societal leadership – "How do I find leverage points within larger societal networks?" Advance your capacity for leadership within any field of study.

Instructor: Aftab Erfan (PhD, University of British Columbia) is an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Community and Regional Planning and a consultant working in democratic decision making, community dialogue, leadership development, and conflict resolution. She has a PhD in community and regional planning, a master of urban planning, and a bachelor of science in environmental sciences (with a minor in fine arts). Dr. Erfan is one of only three instructors in Canada who are certified to train in the Lewis Method of Deep Democracy (developed in post-apartheid South Africa).

FGL17: International Politics – Jul 30-Aug 12, 2017

Focus on two important issues in international politics: 1) Why states find it difficult to cooperate; and 2) How weaker parties can affect the behaviour of stronger ones. Explore these issues in the context of specific policy areas, such as foreign aid, human rights and the environment. While the instructor presents some material, most of the learning in this course is achieved through collaborative group work involving students from different countries. Choose this course if you’re interested in international affairs, politics, current events, and political science.

Instructor: Arjun Chowdhury (PhD, University of Minnesota) is an assistant professor in the UBC Department of Political Science. He teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in international relations and security studies. His current research includes autocratic survival strategies and the effects of counterinsurgency campaigns.