Are you interested in helping UBC-UAEM change the world? We’ve got lots to do and there are not enough of us to do it, so we would love some help! You can get involved in direct advocacy, policy development, public outreach, research, writing, proofreading, fundraising, chapter administration… all kinds of stuff!

UAEM is an interdisciplinary student group with diverse backgrounds drawing from all faculties. We are open to all individuals interested in the current and future direction of global health. Feel free to join us at one of our weekly meetings to learn more about how you can contribute.

[October 2012 update] Our meetings are held every week on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Rm. 261.

For those looking for a comprehensive introduction, we also run an introductory seminar every year in September/October; we post all the materials from these seminars online. (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)

Or, read on to learn how you can help:
Current projects
Resources you should be aware of
Getting involved at other schools

Current projects

We’ve managed to organize five groups in order to distribute the UAEM workload. We’re currently working on an upcoming conference in order to discuss issues related to UAEM, and promote social advocacy. If you have any questions or ideas, please contact us at info@ubc-uaem.org.

♦ Promoting access to medicines

Many of the world’s most important medicines are developed by universities, yet millions of people die each year for lack of access to these medicines. Our goal is to help universities take advantage of their opportunity, as inventors, to increase the reach and impact of their technologies.

Leaders: Mike Gretes, Andrew Gray (E-mail them: access@ubc-uaem.org)

Current work:

• We engage with the technology transfer office and administration at UBC to ensure its continued commitment to making its new technologies accessible to poor countries, and work to educate the research community about this commitment.
• Beyond UBC, we encourage the sharing of best practices by the offices around the world that are actively engaged in addressing global access issues.

♦ Promoting research for neglected diseases (ND’s)

Neglected tropical diseases collectively afflict over 1 billion people in the poorest and least developed countries around the world. The poverty of those affected leads to a dearth of resources to find treatments for, and otherwise combat, these diseases.

Leaders: Mike Gretes, Shahla Yekta (E-mail them: nd@ubc-uaem.org)

Current work:

• Developing or supporting new opportunities to increase research activity for neglected diseases, including the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative at UBC.
• Collaborating with Scientists Without Borders to develop an online community of ND researchers, to facilitate communication and collaboration in the field.
• Collaborating with other organizations on specific awareness and advocacy campaigns, such as DNDi‘s Treat Chagas campaign.
• Advocating for more resources for ND research, from organizations such as CIHR.
• Doing research into current gaps in ND research opportunities in Canada, especially funding availability.

♦ Empowerment

Students, and a society at large, that are aware of neglected diseases and the lack of access to essential medicines is the first step in effecting change. We hope to pique interest on and off of campus, and support the in-depth education of our own members. Our goal is to increase the number of people capably advocating for research that reflects global need, and equitable access to appropriate medicines and technologies.

Leaders: Sonja Babovic, Stephanie Woo, Gordana Panic (E-mail them: empowerment@ubc-uaem.org)

Current work includes:

• Organizing the annual UBC-UAEM Introductory Seminar
• Partnering with IRSA and MSF UBC to put on Access Denied: a student conference themed around the lack of access to biomedical innovations and its effects on human security.
• Bringing access to medicines and neglected diseases innovation issues to university classrooms
• Reaching out to other audiences at conferences such as MURC, ISSA Global Health Conference, SLC etc.
• Uploading educational resources, especially for new members
• Event promotion
• Web site maintenance

♦ External affairs

Students are also in a position to make a difference beyond the university. We build links with local and international organizations that work on related issues, and advocate for policy change at the governmental and intergovernmental levels.

Leaders: Kevin Hooi, Jordan Tam (E-mail them: external.affairs@ubc-uaem.org)

Current work:

• Supporting and coordinating the work of other UAEM chapters across Canada.
• Supporting the reforms to Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime proposed by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.

♦ Administration

• Co-Chairs: Jennifer Choi & Kevin Hooi
• Secretary: Goldis Chami
• Treasurer: Stephanie Woo
• Technologist: Matt Reimer

Resources you should be aware of

• Our internal web site, which includes a calendar, more detailed list of current projects, more detailed educational resources, and more.
• Our mailing list.

Active members of UBC-UAEM will find these tools indispensable. Contact info@ubc-uaem.org to request access to these resources.

Getting involved at other schools

• See the list of existing chapters here.
• If your school does not have a chapter yet, please contact us for resources, advice and assistance.