Helen Carruthers

Title: Manager, Public Outreach and Volunteer Programs

What do you do at the SBC?
I maintain the SBC’s Q&A database and records of visitors to the centre, liaise with SFU and maintain the filing system. I also provide front-of-house services for the centre, which involves welcoming visitors and orienting them on the SBC’s features. If a visitor has a specific question about green buildings, I help them use our resources to find an answer.

Why do you think you are qualified to do this?
I am strongly passionate about sustainability, and have a knowledge of sustainable building features and programs such as LEED. As a UBC student, I have been exposed to excellent examples of sustainable buildings on campus, including the C.K. Choi building, the Life Sciences Centre, and the Fred Kaiser building. I also have customer service and research experience relevant to front-of-house responsibilities.

Before the SBC, where did you work?
Before the SBC, I worked at the Mathematics Library at the University of British Columbia. Here I worked at the circulation desk, shelved books, and assisted with research inquiries.

Describe a fun evening
A vegetarian dinner with friends at the Naam restaurant in Kitsilano. Then drinks at a lounge downtown, followed by some Irish dancing at the Blarney Stone in Gastown.

What book are you currently reading?
Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder, a novel about the history of philosophy.

Do you have a role model?
My mother. She has made invaluable contributions to the field of sustainability as the Director of Sustainability at the University of British Columbia.