VIU Media Highlights: Top 21 of 2021

Please find below the top 21 VIU stories of 2021, ranked in order by number of people reached. 

Top 21 VIU stories of 2021

1. Yahoo Finance: New evidence of spawning Pacific sand lance found in Salish Sea. Story details the results of a study published by VIU and World Wildlife Federation – Canada. Reach: 94.88 million.
2. Yahoo News: How COVID-19 opened the door to a new era in psychedelic medicine. Article (also picked up by Time Magazine) mentions the Roots to Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy program developed by VIU Nursing Professor Dr. Shannon Dames and partners. Reach: 93.2 million.
3. Yahoo Finance: Government of Canada announces over $5 million in clean tech funding for BC fisheries and aquaculture projects. VIU received more than $52,000 to purchase an algae photobioreactor to reduce the amount of electricity used to grow algae. Reach: 72.62 million.
4. Yahoo News: In America’s sandwiches, the story of a nation. Story features Dr. Imogene Lim, VIU Anthropology Professor, and her research into chow mein sandwiches. Reach: 71.65 million.
5. Yahoo Finance: CCAB announces lineup of prominent Indigenous women for June Indigenous Women in Leadership event. Dr. Deborah Saucier, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor, was one of the panelists at the Empowering Women to Lead live event. Reach: 66.06 million.
6. Yahoo Finance: Indigenous educator to lead first ever Coast Salish-owned charitable foundation. Story features Dr. Sharon Hobenshield, former Director of the Office of Indigenous Education and Engagement. Reach: 54.15.
7. Policy Options Soundcloud: Episode 119 of this podcast features VIU student Geri-Lee Buyck, who participated in a treaty negotiation simulation. Reach: 50.2 million.
8. Associated Press and CTV News: BC scientists look at climate change impacts on aquaculture production. Story based on VIU News Release. Reach: 46.4 million.
9. The Indian Express: How hungry sea otters affect the sex lives of sea grass. Story details study conducted by Biology Professor Emeritus Dr. Jane Watson, VIU alum Erin Foster and others. Reach: 44.2 million.
10. CTV News: Vancouver Island man heading to Culinary Olympics in 2024. Story features Culinary Arts alum Ottis Crabbe. Reach: 26.77 million people.
11. CTV News: BC invests $2 million in three Vancouver Island food hubs. Story includes the Centre for Shellfish Research at Deep Bay Marine Field Station. Reach: 23.2 million.
12. CTV News: VIU expands mental health worker program to meet provincial demand. Reach: 21 million.
13. CTV News: BC funds rapid drug-checking technology amid opioid crisis. The province is funding HarmCheck, a collaborative project between VIU and Victoria-based Vancouver Island Drug Checking Project. Reach: 19.5 million.
14. CTV News: VIU expands awards named after alumni killed in 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash. Reach: 18 million.
15. CTV National: Indigenous-led literacy program in BC helps residential school survivors learn to read and write. Reach: 17.1 million.
16. Sports Illustrated: Breaking the grass ceiling: more women are playing college baseball than ever before. Article mentions that the VIU Mariners baseball club signed Alli Schroder as the first woman to suit up in the Canadian College Baseball Conference. Reach: 14.7 million.
17. Rolling Stone: The secret history of the ‘worst’ Legally Blonde musical production ever. Article references a musical production performed in the Malaspina Theatre by an outside theatre production company that was renting the space. Reach: 13.6 million.
18. Global News: COVID-19: Vernon considering street closure to bring vitality to downtown during pandemic. Mark Holland, a Master of Community Planning Professor at VIU, offers his opinion. Reach: 12.5 million.
19. National Geographic: How sea otters help protect underwater meadows. Article features VIU alum Erin Foster and Biology Professor Emeritus Jane Watson talking about their study published in the journal Science. Reach: 10.5 million.
20. CBC News: UPEI writer-in-residence to help students tell their stories from afar. VIU Creative Writing Professor Jay Ruzesky is offering readings and workshops online from BC as UPEI’s writer-in-residence. Reach: 7.4 million.
21. CBC News: Virtual ceremony officially welcomes Judith Sayers as Vancouver Island University Chancellor. Reach: 7.38 million.