2024 Sterling Prize Ceremony and Lecture with Dr. Gabor Maté
Equity + Justice, Health, Engage in Global Challenges, Make a Difference for B.C., 2024
Dr. Gabor Maté is the 2024 recipient of the Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy, in recognition of his work exploring the links between trauma and health and championing the concept of trauma-informed healing.
A retired family physician who worked for years treating addiction in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Maté has spent three decades espousing the mind-body connection and the links between past trauma and illness, including addiction.
Maté has written five books on trauma-informed healing and the relationship between trauma, addiction and mental illness. His work has been published in 43 different languages and his books have sold almost four million copies. He regularly goes on speaking tours, sharing his ideas with packed audiences around the world.
“From my perspective, my work is not in the least controversial,” says Maté. “I mean, when it comes to actual science. I talk about the fact that the mind and the body can't be separated, and that emotions have a huge role to play in health and illness.”
Thirty years in, his work continues to have impact. In addition to his sold-out speaking tours, he gets emails daily, thanking him for his work. The Globe and Mail’s Canadian non-fiction best seller list for Aug. 31, 2024, featured four of Mate’s books, including some that were published more than 20 years ago. His new book, “The Myth of Normal”, written with his son Daniel, spent 19 weeks on the New York Times best sellers list.
“What keeps me motivated is very simple,” says Maté, who admits that despite the popularity of his message, acceptance within the medical community is slow. “I just love looking for the truth, you know? Which doesn't mean I'm always right, but I just want to know what's going on.
“People need the truth. And, you know, if nobody ever paid attention, I might have given up a long time ago.”
The Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy was first awarded in 1993 and remains committed to recognizing work that provokes and contributes to the understanding of controversy, while presenting new ways of looking at the world and challenging complacency. The prize recognizes work across disciplines and departments and is awarded annually by the Sterling Prize committee.
This was an in-person and livestreamed event.
It took place at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, SFU Woodwards.
Jane Pulkingham
Moderator
Jane Pulkingham is a Professor of Sociology, currently serving as Senior Advisor (Academic Affairs) in the Office of the Provost and Vice President Academic at Simon Fraser University. From 2016 – 2021 she served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at SFU. Previously, Pulkingham was Associate Dean (2013-2015) of FASS and served as Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology from 2003-2013. She completed her PhD in sociology and social policy at the University of Edinburgh.
David Zandvliet
Chair of the Sterling Prize Commitee
David Zandvliet will be opening this event as the Chair of the Sterling Prize Commitee. He is a Professor in SFU's Faculty of Education and the UNESCO Chair in Bio-cultural Diversity and Education. His research interests lie in the areas of science, technology and environmental education with expertise centred on the assessment of physical and/or psychosocial learning environments.
In-Person Accessibility
The event was hosted at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema at 149 West Hastings Street at SFU Woodwards (Vancouver campus).
The building is accessible at street level on the Hastings side or via a ramp on the Cordova Street Courtyard side. There are 2 ramp entry points, one is located against the building, near the entrance to the Woodward’s Westbank Atrium (which houses London Drugs and Nesters) and one is located against the building, beside the alley. Both the Hastings doors and the Cordova Courtyard doors can be operated by accessibility buttons located beside the doorways.
The building is accessible by several bus lines. Plan your trip with TransLink’s Trip Planner.
Metered street parking available and a number of parkades nearby.
Public bike racks are located near the Cordova entrance.
Public and gender-neutral washrooms are available. All public washrooms are equipped with wheelchair accessible stalls.
Online Accessibility
Technology requirements
Online attendees will need a computer (laptop or desktop), tablet or smartphone, with speakers or headphones.
We recommend that you use a computer for the best experience of this event. Some interactivity and accessibility features are not available when using a smartphone or tablet.
Protecting your privacy
To ensure that we are using online event technology in a privacy-conscious way, we follow best practices for this online event series:
We will only circulate the event link to those who are registered for the event
We will password-protect the event
We will enable end-to-end encryption
We will not use attention tracking
To protect your own privacy:
We remind you that whatever you say during the event is public, so please do not share sensitive information about yourself or others, and do not say anything you do not wish to enter the public domain.
To protect the privacy of others:
Please do not record or photograph yourself, other participants, or the hosts during the event, unless permission is requested and given.
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