In Memoriam: Dr. Jim Frankish

Dear SPPH community,

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our friend and colleague Jim Frankish, Professor Emeritus, on the evening of Sunday, July 4^th.

Dr. Jim Frankish

Jim was a member of SPPH (and HCEP) for 28 years and an alumnus of UBC.  Many will also remember his significant contributions as a Scientist and Director of the UBC Centre for Population Health Promotion Research. Following his retirement from UBC in 2019, Jim continued doing what enjoyed the most – supervising students and trainees working on research related to population health and health disparities.

Throughout his career, Jim focused on community-based public health and taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses. His most recent work focused on gaining a better understanding of homelessness and the health and social conditions that accompany it. He was the recipient of local and national awards for his work in public health, including from the B.C. Health Research Foundation, the Public Health Association of B.C., the Canadian Public Health Association, and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

As a fond remembrance of Jim and his work, we share with you here a link to his contributions to a video on the social determinants of health:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTqknri15fQ&t=754s

Jim was known for his sharp-witted humour, kindness, and deep sense of compassion. We will miss Jim and always remember him walking the SPPH hallways with his beloved dog, Lola, in tow.

We will announce arrangements for a celebration of Jim’s life once that information is available.

Aslam Anis, Director pro tem