Ess?) 14 Opinion September 12 2012 - Over the Edge GRADUATE ST PHOTO COURTESY JOHN HALL PE DENT SPOTLIGHT LEILA MAHEIDDINIBONAB STUDENT LIFE EDITOR UNBC's Graduate Programs have almost doubled in enrolment in recent years to encompass 15% of the student body. With such an increase in numbers, Over the Edge wanted to showcase some of the students and their research. Who is Jessica Shapiro? Jessica Shapiro is a writer and traveler from Toronto. Her first solo trip was to Montreal, where she escaped to do an undergraduate degree. Her next stop was Barcelona, Spain on a summer study exchange, where she learned Spanish. Later she traveled to Israel and then to Vancouver for the first time. She then partnered up and left to Argentina before finally ending up in Prince George. What are you studying/researching? | am studying forest values surrounding the ancient cedar stands located just east of Prince George. | look at the Ancient Forest Trail guestbook, media pieces, and interview local residents to get their perspectives on if the trees are important to them, and in what capacity. Why did you choose this topic? | chose to study environmental values because they are increasingly becoming hugely important for decision making surrounding natural resources and natural areas. Social science plays a big role in shedding light on what it is society is really concerned about. How was the research conducted? | spent two months living in the woods, knocking on people's doors and making them like me enough to let me in on their values. Where would your research be implemented? What are some applications for this research? The research can be used to help northern BC decide which parts of the Inland Temperate Rainforest they should preserve, and which sections they should continue harvesting in. When will you be graduating? Before the first week of classes ends | hope to have passed my thesis defence, and will be driving back to my hometown, Toronto! Thanks a bunch Prince George! If you could give one piece of advice to the new grad students this year, what would it be? Find something that really makes you curious, and go out and get those answers. Make the project your own, and feel empowered by your ability to add to the knowledge bank known as science. UNBC STUDENT OPINION: CANADA CLOSES IRANIAN EMBASSY LEILA MAHEIDDINIBONAB STUDENT LIFE EDITOR On September 7th John Baird, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, closed the Canadian Em- bassy in Tehran, lran and declared all remaining Iranian diplomats in Canada personae non grata. As a result, diplomatic relations be- tween the two countries have been suspended; all Canadian diplomats have left Iran and Iranian diplomats in Ottawa have been "instructed to leave within five days.” actions These have effectively Over the edge.indd 14 “AWE PHOTO COURTESY HDW.EWEB4.COM serail alle allt at broken off communications with the Iranian government, as well as the Iranian people in Canada. The Canadian government has osten- sibly aligned itself with ideals trad- itionally associated with Canada — the importance placed on human rights, our status as a beacon for international immigration, and a place of acceptance based on skills and not origins — while acting in the opposite manner and hoping no one will notice. Personally, | seem to have had a stroke of luck in this situation. | have been a Canadian citizen for years and thus the embassies clos- ing are more a symbolic issue than a tangible one to me. | worry about what this means to me living in Canada. | think of how this act will affect the average person’s view of Iran and Iranians. | think about other times in history where com- munication lines have been cut and what happens as a result of silent assumptions. What will happen to the refugee statuses and pending immigration cases? What will hap- pen to the Canadian press in Iran, individuals who often risk their lives to report on a situation so the rest of the world is aware? How do these decisions make me, as an Iranian, feel? Despondent? Sad? Isolated? Targeted? These are the things | think about. The tangible issues with the em- bassies closing are another mat- ter altogether. As immigrants and international students know, the ® consulate is where you acquire pa- pers from your country of origin or get papers verified and translated so they are valid elsewhere. This ranges from passport renewals, to criminal record checks from country of origin, to degree transfers. While many of these services are offered by Iranian embassies in the United States, what | see as affect- ing the student population the most is the renewal of passports and the degree transfer programs. Current international students as well as incoming students are required to have valid passports from their country of origin. Without these passports they cannot get visas and subsequently study permits, mak- ing them ineligible to attend an educational institution. Graduat- ing students face another problem. They have come here, paid fees and studied to get an education from a Canadian institution and now have degrees which cannot be trans- ferred back to their home country; after all, only an embassy within Canada is authorized to verify the degree they received is genuine. As a Canadian I’m upset, and I’m noticing a difference between what the government is saying and what they are doing. Mainly, I’m upset because the government's actions reflect poorly on me and everyone who still strives to live up to Can- adian ideals. Do you think the embassy closings are a good choice? Take the poll on- line at ote.unbc.ca 09/09/2012 9:26:17 PM |