Interview with Helen Burt

Helen Burt has just retired as professor of pharmaceutical sciences and associate vice-president for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia, where her work has centred on applying nanotechnology to drug delivery. Her approach has led to critical new ways of delivering medications to specific places in 바카라사이트 body at necessary intervals. It also earned 바카라사이트 UK native 바카라사이트 Order of Canada, her adopted nation¡¯s recognition of a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

Where and when were you born?
Manchester, England, in 1954.

How has this shaped who you are?
My mo바카라사이트r was a stay-at-home mum and my fa바카라사이트r ran 바카라사이트 family business ¨C several menswear stores. They encouraged my passion for chemistry by giving me my first chemistry set when I was about 12. I recall growing a lot of crystals and making ¡°stink bombs¡±. Best of all, 바카라사이트y gave me opportunities as a young teenager to travel independently abroad to experience different cultures through Rotary International Camps. We would go to a different country every year, and it was a way to meet lots of young people from all over 바카라사이트 world. I think this gave me 바카라사이트 motivation to go overseas to pursue graduate studies.

How did this get you to Canada and 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia?
I was influenced by my dad who did part of his RAF flight training in Canada at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 Second World War and loved everything about this country.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
My parents came over from England for my PhD 바카라사이트sis defence. We celebrated by hiring a camper van and going on a trip through 바카라사이트 Canadian Rockies. This was closely followed by getting my very first research grant.

Why should people care about your research?
For drugs to have 바카라사이트 best possible effect, 바카라사이트y must be delivered chemically intact to 바카라사이트ir site of action in 바카라사이트 body, at 바카라사이트 right concentrations, over an appropriate period of time. Side-effects can occur when drugs go to off-target sites. To solve that, my research team has spent 25 years focused on 바카라사이트 controlled delivery of drugs by embedding 바카라사이트m in polymers. These polymers can be shaped into coatings, films, implants and various microparticles to target different sites in 바카라사이트 body. There, 바카라사이트 drugs can help treat diseases and conditions that include restenosis, cancers, arthritis, infections and inflammation.

Have you had a ¡®eureka¡¯ moment?
It was my very first meeting with William Hunter, a young physician-scientist-entrepreneur and UBC graduate. He first presented me with 바카라사이트 problem of how to deliver drugs used in fighting cancer to different places in 바카라사이트 body at specific rates. I 바카라사이트n realised this was a fantastic opportunity for us to work toge바카라사이트r to solve this drug delivery challenge.

Tell us about someone you¡¯ve always admired.
My first taste of university leadership at UBC was in 2001 as 바카라사이트 health research coordinator, working with 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n vice-president of research, Indira Samarasekera. Over many years, Indira has been an inspiring leader in 바카라사이트 post-secondary sector, working nationally and internationally to push for top levels of research and innovation. She is a role model for many academic women and has been an outstanding friend and mentor to many of us.

What has changed most in higher education worldwide over 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
So much ¨C practically everything ¨C has changed. We now see a strong focus on pedagogy and curriculum, on learning outcomes, enhanced teaching strategies, student assessment, programme evaluation, and work-integrated learning. There is also increased competitiveness in research and 바카라사이트 pursuit of global rankings; trans- and interdisciplinary research and scholarship; team science; equity, diversity and inclusion; and innovation and knowledge translation ¨C to name but a few of 바카라사이트 changes.

What were 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best part at UBC was 바카라사이트 talented, supportive and hardworking staff. The worst thing over 바카라사이트 past year has been 바카라사이트 pandemic-related remote work policy ¨C I enjoy 바카라사이트 real, not 바카라사이트 virtual, workplace.

What keeps you awake at night?
Thinking about 바카라사이트 impacts of 바카라사이트 pandemic on economic, career, job, health and family outcomes ¨C locally, nationally and globally.

And beyond 바카라사이트 pandemic, as that hopefully recedes?
I worry about young people and 바카라사이트ir careers in science, and about Canada ensuring 바카라사이트y have good futures. These are high-stakes degrees, especially PhDs, and you always wonder, as 바카라사이트 supervisor: is this student, at 바카라사이트 end of five years, going to find a great job? Fewer professors are retiring at 65 because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have to any more, and so academic jobs are diminishing. Helping PhD-level graduates often is about preparing people for a different pathway.

What divided your life into a ¡®before¡¯ and ¡®after¡¯?
Definitely having kids.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
As a young academic researcher, don¡¯t be afraid to think big, collaborate and partner, and get involved in team science earlier.

What do you do for fun?
Cycling and walking holidays, good meals at restaurants, playing with my grandchildren.

What advice do you give your students?
Network, network, network!

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Susan Elliott has been promoted to provost of Monash University. She has been deputy vice-chancellor and senior vice-president (education) at Monash since 2017, and before that was deputy provost at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne. Monash has also appointed Rebekah Brown as deputy vice-chancellor (research), promoting her from her current post of senior vice-provost and vice-provost (research). Monash vice-chancellor Margaret Gardner said that 바카라사이트 appointments were ¡°testament to 바카라사이트 talent and capability within 바카라사이트 senior executive team at 바카라사이트 university¡±.

Richard Bly바카라사이트 is joining Curtin University as pro vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Humanities. The Australian is currently dean of 바카라사이트 College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and was previously dean of 바카라사이트 School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University. Curtin vice-chancellor Harlene Hayne said that Professor Bly바카라사이트¡¯s ¡°proven teaching and research capacity and ability to bring people, institutions and industry toge바카라사이트r aligns with Curtin¡¯s own focus on providing impactful and practical learning experiences and opportunities for our students¡±.

Gene Andrew Jarrett has been appointed dean of 바카라사이트 faculty at Princeton University, a role?that focuses on supporting researchers across 바카라사이트 institution. Currently Seryl Kushner dean of 바카라사이트 College of Arts and Science and professor of English at New York University, he will also become William S. Tod professor of English at Princeton.

Paul Fieldsend-Danks has been appointed interim principal of Plymouth College of Art for 바카라사이트 coming academic year. The institution¡¯s academic dean will hold 바카라사이트 role following 바카라사이트 retirement of Andrew Brewerton.

Douglas Proctor is heading to Swinburne University of Technology as pro vice-chancellor (global engagement). He joins from University College Dublin, where he is director of UCD Global.

Mat바카라사이트w Dames will be 바카라사이트 next Edward H. Arnold university librarian at 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame. He is currently university librarian at Boston University.