The Research Commons at Koerner Library is a resource for graduate students.
Since opening in September 2012, Koerner Library’s Research Commons has supported UBC’s graduate students with services including thesis-formatting support, citation management assistance, and interdisciplinary discussions called FIREtalks.
FIREtalks let students present research to peers and discuss shared areas of interest. Heather Fisher, a Master’s student focusing on Science Education, presented at a FIREtalks session on Ethics and Dissemination last term. She has since re-connected with the Research Commons to develop a network for graduate students conducting education research. “The Research Commons has supported me in many capacities and has been the only source of community development outside of my own department,” she says. “I couldn’t be happier with their services.”
“The FIREtalk series connected me with many peers considering similar questions I’ve had about the challenges and benefits of working in multiple disciplines,” adds Sarah Eden, Graduate Student Coordinator at the Research Commons.
Eden, also a graduate student in the Department of English, notes that the Research Commons has been well received since its launch. “I’m always excited when I see a look of relief on a student’s face in a workshop or at the service desk,” she says. “Often I’ll meet with students who have been working on a problem alone, for many hours, by the time they come to the Research Commons. Then, in a few clicks, I’m usually able to show them how to make the change they need and it feels great to see how happy they are.”
The Koerner Library Research Commons is a collaboration between UBC Library, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Read more from UBC Library’s Community Report (2013).