VIU: Lunch and Learn Series Allows Researchers to Share Insights With Community

February 5, 2018

VIU’s Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity Office presentations explore diverse topics

Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Bring Your Lunch and Learn series delves into diverse research topics this semester, including Canadian art, the video game industry and the total solar eclipse of 2017.

Lunch and Learn sessions run on Tuesdays at VIU’s Nanaimo Campus from noon to 1 pm in Building 305, Room 440. The sessions are open to the public and people are invited to bring their lunch, listen to the presentation and then participate in a 30-minute discussion.

“VIU is here to serve the community and is a great resource for learning opportunities,” said Tanis Dagert, Community Liaison with the Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity Office. “You never know what you can learn.”

Dagert said the Bring Your Lunch and Learn series provides both attendees and presenters with opportunities to learn, share and discuss insights and ideas. Faculty, staff and students get the chance to share what they are excited about, test-run presentations that might be presented at other conferences or gain experience at defending their thesis.

The series begins Tuesday, February 6 with Academic Performance and Intercultural Effectiveness: What is the Relationship?, presented by Mackenzie Sillem, Coordinator of Intercultural Learning and support, and Darrell Harvey, Coordinator of International Projects and Internationalization. The session is part of VIU’s Global Citizens Week, which runs February 5 – 9.

During the session attendees will learn about the collaborative research project that aims to explore if there is a relationship between the academic success of international students and the intercultural competencies they possess.

Other upcoming Bring Your Lunch and Learn Series sessions include:

• February 20: Research on the Video Game Industry in BC and the Role of Public Policy in Developing the Sector presented by Dr. Mark Williams, a VIU Political Studies Professor;
• February 27: The Great American Eclipse: The Total Solar Eclipse of 2017, presented by Dr. Gregory Arkos, a VIU Physics, Engineering and Astronomy Professor;
• March 6: Born in the Age of Constant Internet Connectivity: Now that the Millennials are moving on, what do universities need to know about iGens? Presented by Dr. Carrie Chassels, VIU’s Associate Vice-President, Student Affairs;
• March 20: Looking for Affinities: Making Space for Indigenous Knowledge in the Academy presented by Dr. Dawn Thompson, a VIU English Professor;
• March 27: Promoting Intercultural Exchange Through a Cornerstone Engineering Design Project presented by Dr. Brian Dick, Chair of VIU’s Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy;
• April 3: Canadian Art Through the Experience of One Family presented by Dr. Don Alexander, a VIU Community Planning Professor

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Stern, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University

P: 250.741.2020 | C: 250.618.7296 | E: rachel.stern@viu.ca| T: @VIUNews

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