February 26, 2019 The Update is a bi-weekly roundup of news in the Department of Asian Studies for our Students, Faculty and Staff |
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Asian Studies Annual Careers Night March 5 | 6pm Don’t miss one of our best events of the year! Gain advice and network with people who have found exciting careers after an Asian Studies degree. We will be inviting alumni with diverse experiences – at home and in Asia – to come share their inspiring stories with you. |
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The 2019 summer course schedule is now available! Check out all our ASIA and language courses offered this summer. |
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| EVENT RECAPS |
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Video: 2019 Lunar New Year Celebration On February 8th, the Department of Asian Studies and the Chinese Language program welcomed the Year of the Pig at their 2019 Lunar New Year Celebration. Students, teachers and other curious participants gathered at the Nest to explore Chinese and Korean cultures through engaging cultural activities and entertainment. Thanks to all the staff, volunteers and participants that made this event such a success. |
| OPPORTUNITIES |
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Korea-Thailand Field Studies: Business and Historical Culture This is an interdisciplinary program with three courses involving business, history and culture. By visiting various top ranking universities, including Yonsei, Seoul National, and Korea University in Seoul; and Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Bangkok, students will get a glimpse of university life through lectures on campus.The deadline to apply is February 28, 2019. Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese Ministry of Education are offering short-term scholarships to Canadians wishing to study abroad in China. Scholarships are awarded for studies, research, language studies or a combination of studies and language studies at participating Chinese institutions. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2019. Dartmouth South-South Forum: Call For Papers The Dartmouth South-South Forum’s First Annual Workshop (August 12-16, 2019) welcomes submissions in English as well as in Chinese. The theme of this year’s workshop is “Home Lost.” Deadline for abstract submissions is due on March 1, 2019. Think Global, Link Local 2019 Networking Breakfast Registration is open for this year's Think Global, Link Local 2019 Networking Breakfast, hosted by the United Nations Association in Canada Vancouver Branch. This is an event for students and recent graduates to meet and learn from professionals in local charities, non-profit and civil society organizations and will be held on March 7, 2019. Early bird tickets now available for $25 plus fees. After February 12, tickets will be $30 plus fees. Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition: Workshops and Heats The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. There will be workshops and training events to help graduate students prepare their talks, as the competition is still recruiting graduate students to particpate. Furthermore, from February to mid-March, a number of preliminary heats will take place on campus. Heat winners will compete at the semi-finals on March 12 and the finals on March 14. The winners of the entire competition go on to compete at provincial, national and international 3MT competitions. Nepali and Tibetan Language Courses for Summer 2019 The UBC Himalaya Program is offering Nepali (ASTU 204E) and Tibetan (ASTU 204F) language courses for this summer. These two-week, intensive language courses blend classroom instruction with experiential learning off-campus will be offered between April 29 – May 10, 2019. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2019. Modern Language Association Forum in Pre-14th Century Chinese Literature: Call For Papers The Modern Language Association Forum in Pre-14th Century Chinese Literature welcomes submissions for two panels. For those interested in contributing to the panel "What Is (Chinese) Poetry?", please send abstracts to Jack Chen (jwc8v@virginia.edu) no later than March 15. For those interested in contributing to the panel "Posthumanism and Premodern China", please send abstracts to Daniel Fried (dfried@ualberta.ca) no later than March 15. The 2019 Taiwan Scholarship Program The Taiwan Scholarship Program was established by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to encourage outstanding international students to undertake degree programs in Taiwan.The deadline for applications (undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs) is on March 31, 2019. The 2019 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship Program The MOE 2019 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship was created to encourage international students to study Huayu courses in the Republic of China (Taiwan) and provide them with opportunities to increase their understanding of Taiwanese culture and society, and to promote mutual understanding and interactions between Taiwan and the international community. The deadline for applications (undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs) is on March 31, 2019. Explore China for Free with Gotoco Interested in traveling abroad this summer? Join Gotoco in China to gain a TEFL certificate and useful work experience in teaching, education and activity leadership. No prior experience in China, Chinese or teaching is required—just a passion for education and travel. Positions will be filled by late Spring 2019. The Asian Undergraduate Research Symposium 2019 Call for Submissions The Asian Undergraduate Research Symposium 2019 will be held in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday the 3rd of November. AURS provides undergraduates with an exciting opportunity to present and learn from researchers and professionals from around the globe. Here, students will share their academic research experiences and the knowledge they have acquired as undergraduates working with professors, academic mentors, peers, and the symposium leaders. The deadline for abstract submission is August 22, 2019. UBC Tadoku Club (Japanese Reading Club) The Tadoku Club meets on Mondays and Tuesdays in the Asian Library. Join other JAPN students, TAs and senseis to enjoy fun Japanese books in a supportive atmosphere, and improve your Japanese reading skills. Attend once or twice a week - no need to sign up! You can follow on the Tadoku Club Twitter at @UBCTadoku. |
| ON & OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS |
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Promoting Positive Attitudes for Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Higher Education in Japan February 26 | 12:30pm | Room 604, Asian Centre, 1871 West Mall Song and Dance and the Sonic Territorialization of Xinjiang February 26 | 4pm | Multipurpose Room, Liu Institute for Global Issues, 6476 NW Marine Drive February 26 | 6pm | Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Road Will China Rescue Nuclear Power? February 27 | 4pm | Multipurpose Room, Liu Institute for Global Issues, 6476 NW Marine Drive 100 Years of the March 1st Movement March 2 | 1pm | Korean Community Centre, 1320 East Hastings Street China’s Policy toward North Korea in the Era of Deng Xiaoping March 8 | 3:30pm | Case Room, Liu Institute for Global Issues, 6476 NW Marine Drive Discover Dance! Series: South Asian Arts March 14 | 12pm | The Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street The Ladder of Art Lies Flat: Yolngu Art and Discourse on Abstraction March 14 | 4pm | MOA Room 213, 6393 NW Marine Drive Award-Winning Author and Environmentalist Barry Lopez in Conversation with Wade Davis March 25 | 7:30pm | Granville Island Stage, 1585 Johnston Street July 4-14 | Multiple venues |
| Alumni Spotlight – Laura Sparks |
The Alumni Spotlight is an interview series where we interview Asian Studies alumni about their career paths, how they became interested in Asian Studies and for any advice that would be useful to our students. This interview features Laura Sparks, BA ’09. Ms. Sparks currently works in Bogotá, Colombia as a Foreign Service Officer at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. |
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What sparked your interest in Asian Studies? I did a year long Rotary Youth Exchange to Kanazawa, Japan in high school. Getting an Asian Studies degree was the ideal way for me to return to Japan and improve my language skills while getting a degree in a topic that interested me. In what ways did your goals or plans change during your studies or once you had started your career? After I graduated, I worked as an Associate Producer at a media company with many Japanese clients where I also did translations from Japanese to English. I then applied to the Canadian Foreign Service and now work as a Migration Officer at Canadian Embassies around the world. When I got the job offer for the Foreign Service, I had to make a choice between a career I knew I enjoyed and a new opportunity in a completely different field. But after my Go Global exchange, I knew that I wanted to live abroad again and discover new countries, so I decided to go for it. Are there opportunities for recent graduates in your industry? What does a typical entry-level position entail, and how can graduates market their degree for these positions? My current job requires an undergraduate degree but foreign language skills and overseas experience are an asset. An Asian Studies degree is a definite plus given Canada’s diplomatic presence in Asia. The best advice I can offer is to do an exchange to your country of study. International experience is always beneficial no matter what line of work you end up doing. How has learning an Asian language helped you succeed in your professional/personal endeavors? In the Foreign Service, you may not spend your entire career in Asia, but learning a language at the university level will train your brain to pick up the local language no matter where you end up working. |
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