John Alderete

I first met Doug as a sessional lecturer at UBC in 1999. Initially, I found him somewhat intimidating because he tended to ask challenging questions that targeted the core of a problem. Being on the job market then, I was kind of sensitive to that kind of thing. As I developed professionally however, and interacted more with Doug, I recognized that in these situations he is really acting as a sparring partner who aims to help colleagues improve and prepare for broader challenges. For 25 years at colloquia and phonology groups throughout Vancouver, I’ve smiled whenever Doug enters the room (occasionally a few minutes late) because his input consistently serves the interests of colleagues and advances the field. In other words, I know he’s a force for good.

Recently, I collaborated with Doug on diversity and inclusion language for the Canadian Linguistic Association. During our planning sessions, we established common ground around the principle that diversity and inclusion extends beyond social justice, though that remains important. We agree that diverse backgrounds and experiences truly strengthen long-term scientific advancement, so diversity is a strength to be invested in. While I don’t work directly with Doug and haven’t seen all his work with under-represented groups, my time at UBC and feedback from linguists working in Africa highlight his remarkable career-long commitment to building capacity among Indigenous groups and in African communities. When colleagues discuss working with Doug, I notice they display the same smile I’ve had in the past. In fact, I believe he generates more smiles in our field than anyone else I know, which says a lot.