President Toope, the University of British Columbia
Greetings and warm welcome to all of the delegates of Creating Connections: Working Together to Transform Our World . The University of British Columbia (UBC) is delighted to again host Creating Connections, a forum for dialogue and discussion about the role of women in science, engineering, and technology.
Women continue to be underrepresented in these fields. From academia to industry, attracting and retaining a diverse pool of the best and brightest minds is essential in building Canada’s knowledge economy and moving us forward. To secure our economy, it is imperative to break down barriers to women participating and succeeding in science, engineering, and technology.
Diversity is core to achieving an excellent student, staff, and faculty body at UBC. The University is proud to be one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the fifth consecutive year. By expanding equity, access, and diversity training and programs and engaging in a review of employment systems to identify barriers, UBC has taken a huge step forward in creating an inclusive university community.
Opportunities like Creating Connections provide a place for dialogue, discussion, and sharing of ideas among colleagues. Over the course of the day, I hope that you make meaningful connections with your colleagues and find inspiration in each other.
Please accept my best wishes for a successful and rewarding conference.
Stephen J. Toope
President and Vice-Chancellor
The University of British Columbia