University of Quadra November 2025 Class Schedule

Join us for University of Quadra Tuesdays at 7pm in the HBI Pub! Each week, one of our island neighbours shares their ideas, innovation and knowledge as Professor—for free! Come early to grab a seat as there’s often standing room only. Our kitchen is open until 7pm, so you can grab dinner or a snack before class, and on Tuesdays our featured beer is on special for only $5/glass.

November 4th: The Wonders of Seaweed! with Professor Courtney den Elzen

An introduction to the awe inspiring, often overlooked, wonders that are our west coast seaweeds. Learn about the types of seaweed we have here on Quadra, their incredible biology, their crucial role in our environment, and ways to incorporate seaweed into your life – recipes, advocacy and more! Courtney den Elzen is a self-proclaimed seaweed super-nerd. A marine naturalist by trade, her greatest joy is geeking out over the wonders of our west coast seas and sharing that magic with others.

November 11th: Pro-D Day – No Class

November 18th: Open Bay, Open [Geology] Book: Reading the Rocks at Open Bay with Professor JoAnne Nelson

The rock outcroppings along the shore at Open Bay tell stories from long ago – hundreds of millions of years ago. Volcanoes; once-thriving ammonite communities; great tectonic forces that brought separate pieces of the earth’s rocky carapace into collision; the assembly of the Canadian Cordillera as a mountain belt; and the upward flow of molten rock (magma) on a grand scale that created one of the Earth’s largest bodies of granite-like rocks, now exposed in the high peaks of the Coast Mountains.

November 25th: Turning a Passion for Diving into a Profession with Professor Stephen Neff

What are the challenges and upsides associated with turning your hobby into a profession? Stephen will cover the trials and tribulations of becoming a small business owner in a niche market while sharing some highlights from the hidden world off the shores of Quadra Island with images from various first-class photographers. At the same time, he will provide some humorous anecdotes and thoughts about diving and moving to the worlds best cold-water diving area.

December 2nd: Strathcona Collective Magazine with Professors Alison Bell & Camilla Sampson

Alison Bell, Co-Owner and Publisher of the Strathcona Collective, and Co-Founder of Boleyn Media, along with Camilla Sampson, Editor of the Strathcona Collective, and Freelance Writer, will share their experience in producing The Strathcona Collective, a bi-annual lifestyle publication here in the Strathcona Region. From content planning, to collaborating with local writers, photographers, and illustrators, and their unique journeys into the world of publishing.