Vice-President of External
Weixuan (Alex) Huang is an undergraduate student majoring in Conservation Science at UBC. He enjoys sports like badminton, swimming, and biking, and excels in building relationships and fostering cooperation. In academics, he is driven by a deep passion for the environment and a commitment to addressing global environmental challenges. His diverse interests encompass international forestry, ethics, business management, GIS, and environmental policies. Beyond academics, he also volunteers for the Federation of Disabled Persons, advocating for human rights. He strives to practice the philosophical motto of “treat people as ends.”
He likes to explore the unknown and embrace the life of change. To explore these “challenges,” he seeks the power of nature by constantly learning and the power of other people through communication. In his leisure time, he likes walking along the shoreline or within the forest, or just doing nothing to empty himself. He’s a dedicated, communicative student eager to collaborate with people worldwide.
Q1. What personal experiences led you to pursue a role in IFSA-UBC?
WH: As an extrovert, I appreciate communicating with different people. I believe in the power of communication. Meanwhile, as a forestry student, my past learning about natural resources (e.g., wildlife, salmon, and forests) has broadened my vision of spreading this knowledge to a wider public. IFSA-UBC provides me with a unique opportunity to connect with more individuals and organizations that uphold similar visions.
Q2. What qualities do you most admire in a leader?
WH: I prefer to answer this question from three perspectives. First and most importantly, ethically, the leaders I admire possess good moral character. Here, I want to cite Kant’s words: “treat people as ends, not merely as means.” In real life, these leaders seek common ground while respecting differences, take responsibility, and motivate their followers towards common goals. Second, the identifiable leadership skills in a good leader. Specifically, they have clear self-awareness, effective communication, influence, and learning agility (i.e., willingness to learn quickly and easily). If our organization is a ship, these fundamental skills will help our leader play a better role as a shipmaster in facing potential storms. Lastly, a good leader can satisfy their members in the process of goal-seeking. As Ronald Heifetz says: “The key to successful adaptive leadership is disappointing people’s expectations at a rate they will tolerate.”
Q3. How would you describe your life attitude?
WH: I am someone who values constant learning but also appreciates instant gratification. The two most fascinating yet challenging aspects of life are the unknown and change. Constant learning is a fundamental skill that helps me face and explore these uncertainties. For me, learning isn’t just about attending classes or meetings; it’s about combining learning with practice. My best approach is communication. For instance, I am passionate about getting in touch with various people, breaking my personal stereotypes, and understanding what happens in other people’s lives or places. I am also happy to share my personal experiences if you are interested.
While I enjoy exploring the unknown and embracing change, I also recognize the importance of balance. I provide myself with instant gratification, not because I intend to build Rome in a day, but to regain my work-life balance. For example, after long periods of intense learning, I like to reward myself with short-term vacations, good meals, or other enjoyable activities to recharge and stay motivated.
Q4. What forestry knowledge inspires you, and why?
WH: The most impressive and inspiring aspect of forestry knowledge for me is the four laws of ecology:
“Everything is connected to everything else. Everything must go somewhere. Nature knows best. There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
When I first read these four laws, it offered me a supernatural experience and a feeling of destiny. At that moment, I felt my brain go into overdrive, with every piece of existing knowledge starting to connect. This knowledge seemed to transform into a huge mountain, and I, as the climber, was lifted to the top by these four short sentences. This was the first time I deeply felt I was standing on the shoulders of giants. It seemed as if words from the world swarmed into my mind. I guess this feeling is similar to the state of flow. Such an experience of flow pushes me forward into the wider global world.
Q5. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
WH: As a history and nature lover, I would like to time travel. I prefer to visit randomly, so there is no specific time or place I want to visit. It could be within the Anthropocene or the Jurassic period. Maybe, similar to Marvel’s character the Watcher, I would just observe all living creatures without interfering. The things I want to discover include various aspects, such as the living creatures and the natural environmental conditions at that random time. During time travel, maybe I would choose to become a tree or a rock, growing on a mountain, quietly watching time pass.
Q6. For you, what makes IFSA-UBC different?
WH: IFSA-UBC, as a student-led organization, represents the thoughts and attitudes of the younger generation towards forestry. I share the same vision as IFSA-UBC, which aims to spread knowledge about forests to a wider audience. For IFSA-UBC, I intend to connect and unite more young people to strengthen our voices in society. To achieve this, I plan to attract more potential members (i.e., individuals who want to share their forestry or environmental knowledge) and expand IFSA-UBC to provide them with a platform to share their voices and connect with like-minded people.
Q7. What do you hope will be your lasting impact at IFSA-UBC?
WH: At IFSA-UBC, I hope to leave behind strong and meaningful external connections (i.e., with individuals and organizations) as the VP External, to help create a powerful student community. My goal is to establish an inclusive communication environment, involving many stakeholders, including international students, Indigenous peoples, and others, to boost collaboration and intersection of forestry knowledge. Just as natural ecosystems are interconnected, I hope to inspire all current and future IFSA-UBC members (i.e., all UBC students) to participate in our events and projects, amplifying their voices in the field of forestry.
As part of my leadership practice, I am working to integrate more useful knowledge (e.g., organizational management, ethics) into the leadership team of IFSA-UBC. I believe that our organization will become an excellent knowledge-sharing platform, engaging more students who are eager to participate in forestry.
Interviewed by: Yifan Xie, IFSA-UBC Vice-President of Media