UNBC joins PIMS as affiliate member

Vancouver, BC – On April 1, 2011 the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) officially becomes an affiliate member of the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS). This new partnership brings exciting research and collaborative opportunities for both parties and increases the scope of PIMS in Western Canada.

This affiliation gives UNBC access to PIMS scholarships, eligibility for increased funding support and access to PIMS’ excellent assortment of education and outreach programs for K-12 students.

PIMS Director Alejandro Adem remarks on this new association, “PIMS is delighted to welcome UNBC as an affiliate member. For its size, it is among the most research-intensive universities in Canada, with a special focus on the social, economic, environmental, and cultural issues of the North. The mathematical and statistical sciences play a key role in this and I look forward to having UNBC faculty and students involved in PIMS research and outreach activities.”

“Increasing awareness of the importance of mathematics for economic diversification and social well-being is perhaps a greater challenge in Canada’s northern areas, and we look forward to utilizing PIMS’ resources, programs and expertise to help us with this mission,” commented Gail Fondahl, UNBC Vice-President of Research.

UNBC joins Portland State University and the University of Lethbridge as affiliate members.

The Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) was created in 1996 by a community of mathematical scientists in Alberta and British Columbia, and subsequently extended to both Washington State and Saskatchewan. The PIMS mandate is to promote research in and applications of the mathematical sciences, to facilitate the training of highly qualified personnel, to enrich public awareness of and education in the mathematical sciences, and to create mathematical partnerships with similar organizations in other countries (with a particular focus on the Pacific Rim).