January 28, 2026
UBC Robson Square Theatre
6:00–9:00 PM
Explore how UBC brain science, emerging technologies, and compassion are coming together to shape the future of mental health.
Mental health research is entering a bold new era. As rates of depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions continue to rise, researchers at UBC are developing groundbreaking tools to offer new possibilities for diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. From brain stimulation therapies like TMS, to ethical applications of social robotics, to movie-based neuroimaging tools, discover how innovation is expanding the ways we support mental wellness across the lifespan.
UBC Connects at Robson Square, in partnership with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, presents leading UBC scholars Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Dr. Julie Robillard, and Dr. Tamara Vanderwal in a conversation about the technologies reshaping mental health care.
Free and open to all.
This event is part of a three-part series co-hosted by UBC Connects at Robson Square and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. Subscribe to the UBC Connects at Robson Square mailing list to receive updates and invitations to future Connects events, including the third instalment on our series on brain health in Spring 2026.
Stay tuned for more event details and registration information!
Agenda
To be announced.
Speakers
Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez is an Associate Professor in UBC’s Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Therapies (NINET) Laboratory. As a clinician-scientist, his work focuses on neurotechnologies to identify dysfunctional brain-circuitry underlying brain disorders and applying neuromodulation techniques to treat neuropsychiatric conditions. One of his primary research interests is the application of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in treatment-resistant depression.
Dr. Julie Robillard is an Associate Professor of Neurology at UBC and Scientist in Patient Experience at BC Children’s and Women’s Hospitals. She leads the Neuroscience, Engagement and Smart Tech (NEST) lab within Neuroethics Canada, where she brings her background in neuroscience and biomedical ethics to the evaluation and development of social technologies to support brain health across the lifespan. A particular interest of her research is the integration of emotion modeling in a wide range of technologies, from social media resources to social robotics.
Talk title: Are friends electric? Social technologies and mental health care
Dr. Robillard will review how new technologies like AI chatbots and social robots can help, and harm, our mental health. She will explore the ethics of our relationships with technology and the role of these relationships in mental health care.
Dr. Tamara Vanderwal is a child psychiatrist at BC Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC. She is also the lead of the Naturalistic Neuroimaging Lab, which uses movies and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study neural and behavioural responses in the brain, with a focus on child psychiatric disorders. Dr. Vanderwal’s work in combining neuroscience and art has been featured at the Imagine Science Film Festival and at MoMA Studios.
Moderator
Dr. Lynn Raymond is a Professor in UBC’s Department of Psychiatry, Co-Director of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and Clinic Director of the Centre for Huntington Disease. As a clinician-scientist, she brings a unique perspective to her work on neurodegenerative diseases, bridging the gap between research and patient care. Her lab investigates the mechanisms that lead to Huntington Disease, focusing on changes in brain circuits and glutamate receptor function.
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