Our Team

As a kid I had a dream that I would be a private detective in the vein of such icons as Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and Kinsey Millhone. With my (imagined) powers of observation and incisive questioning I would uncover all the secrets, catch the villain and make everything right with the world. While this specific dream faded I stayed interested in finding out things and putting the pieces together to make a picture. This interest led me into academia and an incredible opportunity to study masculinities, grief and suicide. My supervisors, who also came with an activist orientation, mentored me in public scholarship and targeting research towards making an impact. They encouraged me to not only to publish for the academic journals but to think about directing my research findings to those creating health services, groups doing suicide prevention and those who survived the death of a loved one.

I realized that, as much as I (mostly) enjoyed academic life, I was even more interested in how all research could make a difference. My work as the Knowledge Translation Manager at Michael Smith Health Research BC, made me deeply aware of the importance of starting the work of research impact at the beginning, not just the end of a project. I learned and helped to pass on strategies for mapping and engaging knowledge users and, embedding principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and working with stakeholders to target dissemination. I got to know many groups and individuals committed to building pathways from health research to better health, especially for those who have been marginalized and de-centered from the research space.

Starting the position of Manager, Knowledge Exchange in the Vice President’s Office, Research and Innovation in May, 2022 was both challenging and invigorating. What has been most inspiring is to see the way that UBC researchers reach outside their discipline and collaborate to try to find solutions to some of the most urgent issues facing society: the climate crisis, drug poisoning, housing shortages, loneliness and disconnection, loss of language and culture and so many more. We know now that we can’t hold the all the answers by ourselves. The day of the lone private eye (or Principal Investigator) working in isolation is far behind us. As folk singer Ani Difranco writes, we try to keep our eye on the big picture but the picture keeps getting bigger.

Want to learn more about creating your pathway to impact, please reach out!

Email: Gen.creighton@ubc.ca 

Over the course of my professional life, I have been fortunate to dabble in various roles. I have worked as a fundraiser for a HIV/AIDS centre, coordinated government funded programs for people with disabilities, supported a research study in the DTES Vancouver, ran drug education programs for youth, and even co-captained my country (Bhutan’s) first ever national basketball team. Most recently, my work with Michael Smith Health Research BC centered around building and advancing knowledge translation capacity in the province. In all these varied roles, I realize that building trusted relationships are vital to achieving a shared vision; meaningful community engagement, open dialogues and collective action have the power to make positive change. As Helen Keller said “alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

I am excited to combine my past experiences in knowledge translation, public engagement, communications, event and project management, and work together with the UBC research community (and beyond) to help create positive societal impact. In my knowledge exchange (Kx) specialist role, I provide Kx supports for researchers and scholars to foster connections and engagement with non-academic stakeholders to increase research uptake and impact.

Seeking knowledge exchange supports, or have questions about upcoming events, please reach out! 

Email: ugen.lhazin@ubc.ca