Sophia Russo

Living with IBD isn’t just about learning to cope with symptoms, manage a treatment plan or fend off family member’s fad diets. It’s sifting through an immense amount of literature, data and medical advice. Gut Feelings is a column to highlight the stories of IBD warriors and researchers, while bringing a bit of flair to IBD education. UBC alumna Dr. Navjit Kaur Phulka was a driven student and now is a dedicated community member.

Elora Van Jarrett is no stranger to wildfires. Having grown up in BC, she’s been around them her whole life. But unlike many of us who were raised in the province, Van Jarrett doesn’t just read or hear about forest fires — she’s on the frontlines fighting them. The UBC forest resource management alum has spent summers with the BC Wildfire Service in helicopters, on intensive hiking expeditions and at the frontlines of the province’s wildfires.

After many years toiling in the depths of the Life Sciences Institute as a graduate student, my post-defence clarity has me reflecting on ways to improve STEM education at UBC. Science is getting way too good, and we need to do something about it. Because technology is constantly evolving and improving, people are losing sight of the past — the old ways, fueled by pure human curiosity and a stark disregard for standardized practice. The solution? Bring back mouth pipetting.