Over the decades, many legendary figures have been affiliated with the University of British Columbia. Whether alumni, staff, faculty or honorary degree recipients, the greats who have graced this University have done remarkable things in their respective fields.
To close out the year, we thought it would be inspiring to celebrate some of these individuals. Using Open Collections to conduct research, we identified 20 legends to share with you. So here is part one, the first 10 ten legends, listed below in alphabetical order (according to first name). We also included a few of their many amazing career accomplishments.
- Alanis Obomsawin – Legendary filmmaker who has made over 40 NFB documentaries focusing on Indigenous issues in Canada. Most notably, Obomsawin made the documentary film Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance in 1993. Order of Canada (1983); Governor General’s Award (2001); UBC Honorary Doctor of Letters (2010).
2. Arthur C. Erickson – Groundbreaking architect whose work includes the Museum of Anthropology at UBC and Simon Fraser University. Former faculty in the School of Architecture; Order of Canada (1981); Governor General Awards (1982, 1983); UBC Honorary Doctor of Letters (1985).
3. Basil Stuart-Stubbs – Visionary UBC University Librarian (1964-1981) and former Director of the School of Library, Archives and Information Studies (1981-1992). Known for his leadership in establishing UBC Press. Fellow, Royal Society of Canada (1984); Order of Canada (2005); Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
4. Bing Thom – Award-winning architect whose work includes UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. UBC alumni; UBC Honorary Doctor of Laws (2008); Order of Canada (1995); Lieutenant-Governor of BC Medal (1992, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2011).
5. Bill Reid – Renowned Haida artist, jeweler and carver, with totem carvings on display at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology. One of his designs is featured on the 2020 Canadian two-dollar coin. UBC Honorary Doctor of Laws (1976); Order of British Columbia (1994); National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1994).
6. Bjarni Tryggvason — Engineer and astronaut who worked for the Canada Space Agency and later became part of NASA Astronaut Group 17. In 1997, he was deployed on a mission to orbit earth 189 times.UBC alumni; NASA Space Flight Medal (1997), CSA Innovator Award (2004).
7. Buffy Sainte-Marie – Iconic Indigenous musician, artist and activist who famously appeared on Sesame Street from 1976-1981. Academy Award (1983); Order of Canada (1997); UBC Honorary Doctor of Letters (2012); Juno Awards (2016, 2018).
8. Dalai Lama (14th) – Global advocate for peace, prolific author and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He holds a Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy. Nobel Peace Prize (1989); UBC Honorary Doctor of Laws (2004); Honorary Citizen of Canada (2005).
9. Cornelia Oberlander – Internationally recognized landscape architect. A Harvard graduate, her work can be seen at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology, Robson Square and Vancouver Public Library. UBC Honorary Doctor of Laws (1991); Order of Canada (2009); Order of BC (2016); Governor General’s Medal (2016).
10. David Suzuki –Famous broadcaster, author and environmentalist who utilizes science-based education to bring awareness to environmental issues in Canada. Well-known for his CBC television series The Nature of Things. Former UBC Faculty (1961); Order of Canada (1976); UNESCO Kalinga Prize (1986); Order of BC (1995); UBC Honorary Doctor of Science (2011).
Is your favourite UBC legend missing from this list? Visit our blog again next week to view Part Two… we’ll be sharing another round of people worth celebrating.
