The Ring

The Ring is the University of Victoria’s community newspaper. Its purpose is:

• to advance the mission and objectives of the university as articulated in the strategic plan
• to inform members of the campus community about news and events of interest to them and
• to help build a sense of community among faculty, staff and students at UVic.

Learn more about The Ring and access the print archives and advertising rates and schedule.

Latest stories

Research sings praises of ‘like’

This four-letter word has a bad reputation among language purists, but new research from linguist Alex D’Arcy proves “like” is one of the English language’s most versatile words, with its use stretching back to Old English. Much of her work focuses on two controversial and misunderstood functions of “like."

More eyes on the ocean

UVic geographer Maycira Costa has received $361,500 in funding from the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) and UVic’s Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) to study biophysical processes in ocean waters along the migration route of juvenile salmon.

REACH Awards

This May, the second annual REACH Awards will celebrate UVic scientists, scholars and artists for their extraordinary contributions in research and teaching—from a field school in Cuba to a performance atop a glacier in BC's interior.

A passion for bones

UVic's "bone lady" retires after more than 30 years of student and community engagement. For more than 30 years, Becky Wigen has built one of the largest and most extensive collections of animal skeletons in the Pacific Northwest.

Potential vaccine against syphilis

UVic microbiologist Caroline Cameron has been awarded a patent for a potential vaccine candidate against syphilis. While the bacterial disease dates back to at least 1495 and is treatable with antibiotics, its highly infectious nature makes it an enduring health issue.

Nyoka Light Wand

One morning at the Shambhala Music Festival in the Kootenays a few years ago, young scientist-to-be Paige Whitehead looked around at the vast piles of discarded glow sticks everywhere and was struck by the thought that there surely had to be a more environmentally friendly way to party.

Student brews success in coffee and beer chemistry

Hot coffee and cool science make the perfect pair for fifth-year chemistry student Hannah Charnock. As the co-owner of local coffee roaster Smoke & Mirrors, she’s applying knowledge gained through co-op work terms in the beer and wine industries to create the perfect cup of coffee.

A salty solution to energy needs

Entrepreneur and mechanical engineer Devesh Bharadwaj was still a UVic undergrad when he founded Pani Energy Inc. in March 2017 with a vision of providing clean water and energy to the world through affordable technologies that reduce emissions and costs.

CFI grants lay foundation for discovery

From a cheap and easy way for mining- impacted communities to test their drinking water to a powerful microscope able to observe the tiniest “workhorses” of our cellular system, UVic researchers are putting Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grants to work to address some of the world’s most daunting problems.

President’s Extraordinary Service Awards

The President's Extraordinary Service Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of our people. This year, 15 nominations—representing 38 people (10 individuals and five teams)—were received from across campus in the five award categories.

BCTECH Summit 2018

Visitors to the UVic display at the #BCTECH Summit in Vancouver in May 2018 will be measuring their mental fatigue, checking in on their heart health, or just being dazzled by the discoveries of UVic's engineers as the university showcases the best of its tech innovations.

Masterminds lectures return for 2018

Since 2006, Wednesday evenings in April have belonged to the Masterminds lecture series at UVic. Every year, there’s a new roster of entertaining speakers who delve into their personal passions to bring engaging and visual presentations to the community on an eclectic range of subjects.

Weather puts focus on adaptation for buildings

Climate change affects the trends in temperature and precipitation that many regions in BC are already seeing and will see more of in the future: higher annual mean temperatures; increases in winter precipitation; and drier summers. These changes must be factored into building design to reduce risks to infrastructure and to people's health and well-being, climate experts say.

Human disturbance affects fish diversity

In a study that spans Canada's Pacific Coast, UVic researchers have confirmed that human disturbance of seagrass meadows results in lower fish diversity. While human activity is known to impact a variety of ecosystems, the effect of human activity on coastal biodiversity is largely unknown. Coastal seagrass meadows are important nursery grounds for commercial and ecologically significant fish species.

Program for Indigenous entrepreneurs expands

Aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada will benefit from a $1-million gift from BMO Financial Group to expand the Aboriginal Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACE) program.

Custodians continue a co-worker's legacy

The university lost one of its unsung heroes in January 2017—long-serving member of janitorial services, Greig Cosier. His death is acutely felt by students and staff in the areas he worked.