Hoping to give other students the same opportunity he had to attend UBC, resource economist and Professor Emeritus Peter Pearse has committed $500,000 to awards for Aboriginal students in the Faculty of Forestry. The first awards will be made in the 2015-16 academic year.
“Call it a legacy of sorts,” he says. “But I am determined that others, especially Aboriginal students, have a chance to study here at UBC. It just might change their lives. It certainly changed mine.”
Peter completed his undergraduate studies in Forestry at UBC, then earned masters and doctorate degrees in Economics at the University of Edinburgh.
“I feel very indebted to UBC for giving me my start, and I also feel very much indebted to Canada. I don’t think there are many countries where a kid from the hinterlands — I grew up on a farm near Vernon — can end up with a world-class education. I want to give others in our society the kind of opportunities I had.”
A professor emeritus of Economics and Forestry, Peter has educated generations of forestry students at UBC. His book on forest economics became a standard text on the subject and a revised edition, with a co-author, was published last year.
“My gift is for the university to do some specific work, and that’s to help Aboriginal people,” he says. “I think our relationship with Aboriginal people is one of the most frustrating things I see in our society. I think education is key to solving this problem.”
Now retired, Peter is an occasional consultant on natural resource and environmental issues. His expertise has been recognized through numerous distinctions including the Canadian Forestry Achievement Award, the Distinguished Forester Award, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, and the Order of Canada. The Vancouver Sun called him one of the province’s leading intellectuals.