Dr. Ian G. Baird is a Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Originally from Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, he conducts most of his research on various topics in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. However, in recent years he has also conducted a considerable amount of research about Japanese Canadians, both from before World War II and since then. In particular, he has focused on the history of Japanese Canadians in Nanaimo and Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island, and in Grand Forks, B.C. However, he has also studied Japanese Canadian history more generally in British Columbia.