Life Raft Debate

Life Raft Debate

About the Life Raft Debate

In the annual UBCO Society of Scholars Life Raft Debate, we imagine that a catastrophic event has wiped out most of humanity and the survivors (the audience) must sail off to rebuild society.

Only one final seat remains on the life raft. Invited professors will each argue that their discipline is the one indispensable area of study that the new civilization will need to survive.

Finally, one professor will take on the role of devil’s advocate and argue that the survivors should actually choose no one and that their new society will be better off without a professor aboard.

You and the audience decide who, if anyone, gets to take that final seat on the life raft.   

If you are interested in being a part of the Life Raft Debate or you have a suggestion for a debater for next year’s event, please contact us at scholars.ok@ubc.ca.

Previous debates

2025 Life Raft Debate

Back to the Raft Edition

OPENING REMARKS

Dr. Lesley Cormack | 2021 Debater
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal 

DEBATERS

Dr. Paul Milton | Associate Professor
English and Cultural Studies

Dr. Michael Woodworth | Professor
Department of Psychology

David James Doody | Lecturer
Creative Studies

Dr. Karen Hodges | Professor
Department of Biology

host

Tracy Ross Lecturer
Creative Studies

Winner

2025 champion: Dr. Karen Hodges

2024 Life Raft Debate

Vampiric Curse Edition

OPENING REMARKS

Dr. Lesley Cormack | 2021 Debater
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal 

DEBATERS

Dr. Jannik Eikenaar
School of Engineering

Dr. Melissa Jacques
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

Dr. Jessica Lougheed
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Science

Dr. Wesley Zandberg 
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science 

host

Dr. Matthew Nelson | 2023 Winner  
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

SPECIAL GUEST

Tom Leveen, MFA candidate and instructor, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

Winner

2024 Champion: Dr. Wesley Zandberg

2023 Life Raft Debate

Crash Landing Edition

Opening remarks

Dr. Lesley Cormack | 2021 Debater
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Debaters

Dr. Alon Eisenstein
Engineering

Dr. Jordan Stouck  
English

Dr. Renaud-Philippe Garner
Philosophy

host

Dr. Greg Garrard | 2022 Winner 
English

Devil’s advocate

Dr. Matthew Nelson
Biology

Winner

2023 Champion: Dr. Matthew Nelson

2022 Life Raft Debate

Time Traveller Edition

Debaters

Dr. Tamara Freeman  
Chemistry

Dr. Liane Gabora  
Psychology

Dr. Vicki Komisar
Engineering

Michael V. Smith
Creative Writing

Tamara Ebl
Management

Devil’s Advocate

Dr. Greg Garrard
English

Host

Dr. Robin Young
Biology
2021 Debater

Winner

2022 Champion: Dr. Greg Garrard

2021 Life Raft Debate

Escape to Mars Edition

Debaters

Dr. Lesley Cormack
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Dr. Greg duManoir
Health and Exercise Sciences

Dr. Sandy Hilton
Management

Dr. Ray Taheri
Engineering
2020 Defending Champion

Dr. Robin Young
Biology

Devil’s Advocate

Dr. Bryce Traister
English

Host

Dr. Stephen McNeil
Chemistry
2019 Champion

Winner

2021 Champion: Dr. Ray Taheri

2020 Life Raft Debate

Zombie Apocalypse Edition

Debaters

Dr. Deborah Buszard
University Administration

Dr. Greg duManoir
Human Kinetics

Dr. Stephen McNeil
Chemistry
2019 Defending Champion

Dr. Ray Taheri
Engineering

Dr. Bryce Traister
English

Devil’s Advocate

Dr. Jan Cioe
Psychology

Host

Dr. Peter Arthur
Education

Winner

2020 Champion: Dr. Ray Taheri

2019 Life Raft Debate

Debaters

Dr. Denise Kenney
Theatre

Dr. Stephen McNeil
Chemistry

Dr. Christine Schreyer
Anthropology

Dr. Ray Taheri
Engineering

Dr. Michael Woodworth
Psychology

Devil’s Advocate

Dr. Marianne Legault
Languages and World Literatures

Host

Dr. Peter Arthur
Education

2019 Champion: Dr. Stephen McNeil