30-second bio: Hilary Reid (née Clark)

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November 14, 2022

Name:

Hilary Reid (née Clark)

My Pronouns:

she / her

Title:

English Language Instructor

Department/Unit:

English Language Institute, Faculty of Education

Location:

Vancouver

Year I started working at UBC:

1982

Describe what you do at UBC in 10 words or less:

I teach English Language at the ELI, Faculty of Education

What work achievement are you most proud of?

2022 is my 40th year of teaching at UBC, the third generation of my family to do so. My grandfather Robert H. Clark was a founding member of the Chemistry department in 1916, retiring in 1948. Robert M. Clark, my father, taught Economics from 1946–1985, and my UBC career began in 1982. This span represents 106 years of continuous pedagogy by the Clark/Reid family at UBC – a privilege and an honour!

What is your favourite quote and why?

“Good leaders take people where they want to go; great leaders take people where they don’t want to go but should.” I believe we need visionary leaders to move society beyond exploitative short-term economic goals to prioritize environmental stewardship and legacy conservation. And we can be those people:

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent on things that matter." – M.L. King

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I love music, photography and the outdoors, notably swimming, hiking, and backpacking in wilderness places. Cycling to work also brings joy to my day. A fair bit of my personal time is spent on advocacy on conservation issues, as I fear that time is running out for our imperilled old-growth forests, wild salmon, and many species at risk.

How can we empower the next generation to feel they can advocate for issues they care about?

Martin Luther King said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

We need first to raise awareness of pressing issues in the world today. If we can then model through passion, through example, and through giving students tools and opportunities to find their own voice, we can help empower them.

I believe that education is a privilege; with it comes the responsibility to make the world a better place.