Bracket competition: Who is UBC’s most famous alum?

We’re also inviting all UBC alumni to help answer a question that sparks debate, pride, and conversation: Who is UBC’s most famous alum? Beyond recognition, fame can reflect achievement, influence, legacy, and the power to inspire.  

After receiving suggestions from alumni, we’re featuring 64 graduates in four categories—Arts, Culture, and Media; Health, Science, and Technology; Business, Politics, and Community Leadership; and Sports, Athletics, and Recreation—in a friendly, audience-driven bracket competition. Through a series of head-to-head matchups, alumni voters will help determine which individual stands out most in the public imagination.

Vote in each round as the competition unfolds until the winner is announced later this summer.

Current Vote

Bracket: Who is UBC's most famous alum? (Round 4) - Voting is open from 9 a.m. PT on Monday, July 13, 2026, until 9 p.m. PT on Thursday, July 16, 2026.

Previous Results

Round 3 recap

Round 2 recap

Round 1 recap

Get to know the top 64 

Arts, Culture, and Media

From actors, broadcasters, and digital creators to artists, writers, and musicians, this category celebrates alumni whose work has informed, entertained, and inspired audiences. Their contributions have enriched culture and sparked conversations across Canada and beyond.

Nardwuar

Nardwuar the Human Serviette (BA) is a Canadian interviewer and musician recognized for his distinctive style and deeply researched, high-energy interviews with artists from Snoop Dogg to Kurt Cobain. His often surprising and humorous questions, combined with encyclopedic music knowledge, helped reshape celebrity and music interviews. 

Ben Heppner 

Ben Heppner (BMus) is a celebrated Canadian opera singer known for his acclaimed tenor performances on major international stages. He became one of the country’s most recognizable names in classical music through appearances at the Metropolitan Opera and as a CBC Radio host.  

Ken Lum 

Ken Lum (MFA) is a Canadian-American artist and curator whose works explore identity, class, and urban life, including the iconic Monument for East Vancouver sculpture. Associated with the Vancouver School of photoconceptualism, his photography, installations, and public art have been exhibited around the world. 

Sadia Badiei 

Sadia Badiei (BSc) is a dietitian and content creator best known for her YouTube channel Pick Up Limes, where she shares plant-based recipes and nutrition guidance. Her videos on healthy eating, cooking, and lifestyle have attracted a global audience across digital platforms. 

Hannah Simone 

Hannah Simone (BA) is a British-Canadian actor, television presenter, and former VJ who rose to prominence through her role as Cece Parekh on New Girl. Her career has spanned film and television roles, and hosting media programs in Canada and abroad.  

Nicola Cavendish 

Nicola Cavendish (BA) is a beloved actor celebrated for her award-winning theatre career and versatility. She earned recognition across Canada through productions such as Shirley Valentine, appeared in film and television roles, and won a Genie Award for her performance in The Grocer's Wife. 

Grace Park 

Grace Park (BA) is an American-Canadian actor best known for her portrayals of Sharon “Boomer” Valerii on Battlestar Galactica and Kono Kalakaua on Hawaii Five-0. Her long-running television career has included prominent roles across drama, crime, action, and science fiction series.  

Dan Mangan 

Dan Mangan (BA) is a Canadian singer-songwriter known for his indie-folk albums including Nice, Nice, Very Nice. A two-time JUNO Award winner, he has also composed music for film and television projects and co-founded Side Door, a platform connecting artists with alternative venues. 

Pierre Berton 

Pierre Berton (BA) was an author, journalist, and television host who helped make Canadian history accessible to a broad audience. Through bestselling books and his prominent broadcasting career, he became one of Canada’s most recognizable public intellectuals and storytellers. 

Neetu Garcha 

Neetu Garcha (BMgt) is an award-winning Canadian journalist and news anchor who has reported on major national and international stories. Through her clear and accessible coverage of breaking news and feature stories with Global News, she has become a prominent voice in broadcast journalism.  

Charlotte Diamond 

Charlotte Diamond (BEd) is a Canadian children’s singer-songwriter beloved for her educational music, including her JUNO Award-winning album 10 Carrot Diamond. Her decades of performances and recordings introduced generations of children to songs that nurtured learning, kindness, and imagination. 

Manny Jacinto 

Manny Jacinto (BASc) is a Canadian actor who gained widespread recognition for his role as Jason Mendoza on The Good Place. He later appeared in Top Gun: Maverick and Star Wars: The Acolyte, and built an international screen career across comedy, action, and drama. 

William Gibson 

William Gibson (BA) is a science fiction author best known for Neuromancer, the influential novel that helped define the cyberpunk genre. His writing imagined virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, and online culture years before they became everyday realities. 

Cole Walliser 

Cole Walliser (BA) is a director and entrepreneur known for music videos and viral “GlamBOT” slow-motion celebrity videos from major red carpets. He has worked with the world’s top entertainers and helped popularize a new way of capturing and sharing entertainment moments online. 

Missy D 

Missy D (BSc) is a bilingual hip-hop emcee and community builder who blends rap, soul, and activism. A winner of the 2024 Western Canadian Music Award for Francophone Artist of the Year, she has become a prominent voice in Vancouver’s arts scene, championing representation and collaboration. 

bbno$ 

Alexander Gumuchian (BHK), professionally known as bbno$, is a two-time JUNO Award-winning Canadian rapper whose viral songs include “Lalala.” His blend of humour, catchy hooks, and internet culture helped him build a global fanbase through digital platforms rather than traditional music industry channels. 

Health, Science, and Technology 

Recognizing achievements in research, healthcare, and innovation, this category recognizes alumni whose work has expanded knowledge and improved lives. Through discovery, education, and public engagement, they have deepened understanding in Canada and around the world.

Suzanne Simard 

Suzanne Simard (BSF) is a forest ecologist whose research on underground tree communication reshaped understanding of forest ecosystems. Her work has influenced conservation science worldwide and reached global audiences through her New York Times bestselling books Finding the Mother Tree and When the Forest Breathes.

Indira Samarasekera 

Indira Samarasekera (PhD) is an engineer and education leader recognized for serving as the first woman president of the University of Alberta. A specialist in metallurgy, she became one of Canada’s most influential academic figures and chaired Scotiabank’s board of directors. 

Helen Burt 

Helen Burt (PhD) is a pharmaceutical scientist and co-founder of adMare BioInnovations regarded for innovation in nanoscale drug delivery systems and advancing cancer treatment technologies. An Order of Canada recipient, she helped bridge academic research and life sciences advancement in Canada. 

Jim McEwen 

Jim McEwen (BASc, PhD, DSc) is a biomedical engineer and inventor who developed the automatic surgical tourniquet system used in operating rooms worldwide. An Officer of the Order of Canada, he helped strengthen Canada’s medical technology sector through research, entrepreneurship, and mentorship. 

Penny Ballem 

Penny Ballem (MD) is a physician and public administrator known for influential leadership in health policy and civic governance. She served as Vancouver’s city manager and helped coordinate major public health responses and emergency planning in British Columbia. 

Albert Bandura 

Albert Bandura (BA) was a Canadian-American psychologist whose research on how people learn through observation shaped psychology, education, and approaches to behaviour change. He developed social learning theory and the concept of self-efficacy, and is widely regarded as one of the field’s most influential thinkers. 

Ziya Tong 

Ziya Tong (BA) is a Canadian science broadcaster and author who hosted the television series Daily Planet for nearly a decade. Known for making science and environmental issues accessible to broad audiences, she has written extensively about the unseen systems shaping everyday life. 

Pieter Cullis 

Pieter Cullis (BSc, MSc, PhD) is a biochemist known for developing lipid nanoparticle technology used in drug delivery. His work enabled the rapid development of mRNA-based vaccines, including those for COVID-19, and has helped transform modern pharmaceutical research and global health. 

Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté (BA, MD) is a physician and author known for his work on addiction, trauma, and mental health. His bestselling books and public talks explore the links between emotional stress, childhood experience, and physical health, influencing approaches to addiction treatment and therapeutic practice. 

Ross Beaty 

Ross Beaty (BSc) is an entrepreneur and philanthropist recognized for founding and building companies across the natural resources and clean energy sectors. He is also widely recognized for supporting environmental conservation, public education, and global sustainability initiatives. 

Bing Thom 

Bing Thom (BArch) was a Canadian architect known for designing influential civic, cultural, and public spaces in Canada and internationally. By emphasizing social connection and urban renewal in his work, he helped advance community-centered approaches to architecture that improve public life. 

Nadine Caron 

Nadine Caron (MD) became one of the first Indigenous female general surgeons in Canada and is a researcher known for advancing health equity and improving healthcare access nationwide. She has contributed to medical education and initiatives that improve health outcomes for Indigenous communities. 

Bjarni Tryggvason 

Bjarni Tryggvason (BASc) was an astronaut and engineer who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1997. As a member of the Canadian Space Agency, he conducted microgravity research, contributed to space science and astronaut training, and helped establish Canada’s role in human spaceflight. 

Deborah Money 

Deborah Money (BSc, MD) is a physician and researcher who became Canada’s first dual specialist in obstetrics and gynecology and infectious diseases. An internationally recognized expert and inaugural director of the Women’s Health Research Institute, she has advanced research and care related to women’s health, HIV pregnancy, and vaccines. 

David Hardwick 

David Hardwick (MD) was a pediatric pathologist and longtime UBC professor who advanced medical education and disease research. He helped strengthen UBC’s medical programs, led the International Academy of Pathology, and mentored generations of physicians and researchers. 

Janice Eng 

Janice Eng (BSc) is a rehabilitation researcher known for advancing recovery from stroke, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological conditions. Her work has informed rehabilitation approaches used in clinics worldwide, helping improve mobility, independence, and quality of life for patients.

Sports, Athletics, and Recreation 

Spanning athletes, coaches, advocates, and community leaders, this category celebrates alumni who have excelled in sport and recreation. Their achievements have inspired others and contributed to a lasting legacy of participation and excellence.

Rick Hansen 

Rick Hansen (BPE) is a Canadian Paralympian and activist whose Man in Motion World Tour raised global awareness for spinal cord injury research and accessibility. He founded and led initiatives advancing inclusion and innovation to improve the lives of people with disabilities worldwide. 

Kathleen Heddle 

Kathleen Heddle (BA) was a Canadian rower and one of the nation’s most decorated Olympians. She won three gold medals and one bronze medal across three Olympic Games and helped establish Canada as a leading force in international rowing during the 1990s. 

Gerald McGavin 

Gerald McGavin (BCom) is a business leader, philanthropist, and former rugby player who represented UBC and Canada in competition. Known for decades of community service and philanthropy, he has helped strengthen university athletics, alumni engagement, and sport and innovation initiatives across British Columbia. 

Valerie Jerome 

Valerie Jerome (BEd) is a Canadian sprinter who competed at the 1960 Olympic Games and won national athletics titles. She later became an educator and advocate for anti-racism and youth empowerment, and helped broaden public conversations on equity and inclusion in Canadian sport and society.  

Jama Mahlalela 

Jama Mahlalela (BHK) is a Canadian basketball coach recognized for his expertise in NBA player development. He held coaching roles with the Toronto Raptors, contributing to their 2019 championship season, and has helped shape the next generation of NBA talent. 

Evan Dunfee 

Evan Dunfee (BKin) is a Canadian race walker who won bronze in the 50-kilometre walk at the 2020 Olympic Games and gold in the 35-kilometre race walk at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. He has remained among the world’s leading race walkers for more than a decade.  

Andrea Neil 

Andrea Neil (BHK) is a soccer player who became a key figure in Canadian women’s soccer. She represented Canada at four FIFA World Cups, helped lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to multiple league championships, and was one of the country’s most experienced national team players.   

Thelma Wright 

Thelma Wright (BPE) is a Canadian middle-distance runner and Olympian who competed at the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games. She won medals at the Commonwealth and Pan American Games, set multiple Canadian records, and became one of UBC’s most accomplished track athletes. 

Kelsey Serwa 

Kelsey Serwa (BHK, MPT) is a Canadian ski cross athlete who won Olympic silver in 2014 and gold in 2018. She has captured multiple world championship medals in freestyle skiing and ranks among Canada’s most successful ski cross competitors. 

Marty Zlotnik 

Marty Zlotnik (BCom, LLB) is a business leader and philanthropist whose fundraising initiatives have strengthened amateur sport and university athletics in Canada. He founded the Thunderbird Golf Society and created UBC’s Millennium Scholarship Breakfast, raising millions of dollars in support of student-athletes.  

Alannah Yip 

Alannah Yip (BASc) is a Canadian sport climber who competed at the 2020 Olympic Games. She has won multiple World Cup medals on the international climbing circuit and competed successfully across bouldering, speed climbing, and lead climbing at the elite level. 

Rick Celebrini 

Rick Celebrini (BSc, PhD) is a Canadian sports medicine professional and physiotherapist specializing in elite and professional athlete health and performance. He headed sports medicine and performance programs for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Golden State Warriors, and co-founded the Fortius Institute. 

Doug Mitchell 

Doug Mitchell (LLB) was a football player, lawyer, and sports executive who served as CFL commissioner from 1984 to 1988. After playing with the BC Lions, he became a prominent figure in Canadian sport and philanthropy, supporting university athletics and major sporting initiatives. 

Annamay Pierse 

Annamay Pierse (BA) is a Canadian swimmer and Olympian who set world records in the 200-metre breaststroke. She won international medals representing Canada, including silver at the World Aquatics Championships, and established herself as one of the world’s leading breaststroke athletes. 

Brian Johns 

Brian Johns (BHK, MKin) is a swimmer and former world record holder in the 400-metre individual medley who represented Canada at three Olympic Games. During the 2000s, he ranked among the nation’s leading swimmers in freestyle and individual medley events. 

Tricia Smith 

Tricia Smith (BA, LLB) is a Canadian Olympic rower and sports leader who won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games. As president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, she has advocated for athlete representation and integrity in global competition.