UBC BCWWA Student Chapter runners-up at WEF Student Design Competition
L-R: team members Brad Jenks, Kit Caufield, Jenikka Javison, Tim Burton; Tom Kunetz (WEF vice president). Not pictured: team members Antonio Castro and Gregory Vettese. The UBC Student Chapter of the BC Water and Waste Association placed second in the Student Wastewater Design Competition at WEFTEC 2017, the Water Environment Federation’s annual Technical Exhibition & […]
Civil spin-off company highlighted in Business in Vancouver magazine
Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies has been recognized, along with four other APSC-affiliated companies, in a Business in Vancouver magazine feature called 50 BC Innovations to Watch. Professor Don Mavinic invented the nutrient recovery technology that takes phosphorus, in the form of struvite, from wastwater treatment systems and turns it into a valuable, environmentally friendly fertilizer. This technology has […]
Researchers are using tweets to identify transit snarls
Vice reported on transit research by Saeid Allahdadian, a UBC Civil Engineering PhD graduate. Allahdadian is using AI technologies and social media data to map travel routes to identify areas that need better transit service. Read More
Civil researchers take new earthquake-resistant material outside the lab for a real world trial at Vancouver elementary school
A new earthquake resistant, fibre-reinforced composite material developed by Civil researchers has been taken out of the lab and into the real world for a trial application at a Vancouver elementary school. Older buildings in cities like Victoria, Vancouver, and Portland, especially unreinforced masonry buildings, are at risk for structural damage or collapse in a major earthquake event. […]
Professor Dharma Wijewickreme named Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada
Dharma Wijewickreme, PEng, Professor of Civil Engineering and Co-Director of the Pipeline Integrity Institute, will be made Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada.The Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) is a federation of twelve Canadian engineering societies that develops, serves, and advocates for engineering in Canada. The EIC elects up to 20 new Fellows annually, on […]
Civil alumnus donates $1 million to support UBC startups
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | By Lindsay Cashin Thanks to two $1-million contributions from UBC alumni Greg Peet and Glenn Walsh, UBC ventures now have access to additional early-stage seed capital to help build their businesses. Walsh, a Civil Engineering alumnus and founder of mining construction company, the Tercon Group, and Peet, a Sauder School […]
Prof. Staub-French brings outreach expertise to Engendering Success in STEM (ESS)
Prof. Sheryl Staub-French brings outreach expertise to Engendering Success in STEM (ESS), a new partnership working to advance gender equity in science, technology, engineering and math. This important initiative is a collaboration between scholars, experts in computer science and engineering, and educational and industry partners who aim to close the gender gap and improve experiences […]
Civil undergraduate receives S-FRAME Prize
Civil undergraduate student Zhuo Nan Chen has been selected to receive the 2017 S-FRAME Software Inc. Prize in Structural Engineering, a $1,000 award offered to the student with the highest academic standing in CIVL 228 Introduction to Structural Engineering. The donor, S-FRAME Software Inc., is a company headquartered in Richmond, BC, that produces a suite […]
How to thrive in spite of imposter syndrome
Sheryl Staub-French, Goldcorp Professor in Women in Engineering, spoke with CBC about the ongoing efforts to promote engineering as a career choice for young women, the imposter syndrome students sometimes face, and potential ways to deal with it. The Goldcorp Professorship in Women in Engineering focuses on promoting engineering as a creative and rewarding career. Learn […]
Road pricing in Vancouver
CBC Radio’s On The Coast featured an interview with Civil professor Alex Bigazzi about road pricing. He discussed how natural boundaries of downtown Vancouver peninsula could be a good starting point for setting up road pricing. The segment starts at 23:47.
Prof. Victor Lo’s research receives $300,000 boost from BC Innovation Council
A wastewater treatment research project led by Professor Emeritus Victor Lo has received a $300,000 Ignite Award from the BC Innovation Council, to support the continued efforts to bring Prof. Lo’s “sludge-busting” solution to market. The technology, which uses microwave radiation to pre-treat solid sewage, helps reduce the volume of biosolids resulting from the treatment […]
UBC hosts 1st China-Canada Symposium on Structural and Earthquake Engineering
Tuesday, September 5, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin UBC Civil Engineering successfully hosted the 1st China-Canada Symposium on Structural and Earthquake Engineering (CCSSEE) from August 20 to 24, welcoming students, researchers and industry professionals to the Vancouver campus. Beginning in 2008, UBC and Tongji University have enjoyed a strong, collaborative research alliance, and have jointly […]
Media: Civil postdoc finds trees can make or break city weather
Thursday, July 27, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Even a single urban tree can help moderate wind speeds and keep pedestrians comfortable as they walk down the street, according to a new University of British Columbia study that also found losing a single tree can increase wind pressure on nearby buildings and drive up heating […]
Media: Professor Bérubé’s low maintenance water filtration technology aims to clean Canada’s dirty water
Thursday, July 27, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Pierre Bérubé spoke with Business News Network about his gravity- and bacteria-powered water filtration system. Watch Video
Civil grad students host successful fourth annual WEST conference
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Water and Environment Student Talks (WEST) had its fourth annual conference from June 11-13, 2017 at the AMS Student NEST with great success. Over 60 students, professors, and young professionals from seven countries gathered to share research, knowledge and interest in water-related fields. The conference began with […]
Recommended reading list for new B.C. NDP cabinet
Thursday, July 20, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The Georgia Straight quoted two UBC professors in an article that recommends a reading list for Premier John Horgan’s NDP cabinet. Civil professor Perry Adebar is quoted in the book Full Rip 9.0: The Next Big Earthquake in the Pacific Northwest, by science reporter Sandi Doughton, about earthquake preparation […]
Researchers recycle tires to strengthen, clean up concrete
Thursday, July 20, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Research by Ciivl Professor Nemy Banthia was featured on Business News Network. Prof. Banthia’s team worked to develop a stronger and cleaner type of concrete by using recycled tire fibre.
Civil Engineering spin-off company harvests wastewater systems for profit
Thursday, July 6, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Journal of Commerce mentioned a wastewater system that was developed at UBC. Professor Don Mavinic’s research led to the spin-off company Ostara, which employs his nutrient recovery technology to extract valuable phosphorous and nitrogen from wastewater, creating a revenue stream for treatment plants while protecting waterways. The […]
Civil Engineering grad honoured by Environmental Managers Association of BC
Thursday, July 6, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin A UBC Civil Engineering graduate has received the Emerging Environmental Professional Award from the Environmental Managers Association of BC. Alice Kruchten, who accepted the award at a gala at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club earlier this month, was recognized for her “professional achievement, innovation, experience and leadership, […]
Celebrating the Class of 2017
Friday, June 16, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin On May 31, 2017, following the graduation ceremony for Civil Engineering students, a Graduation Celebration for the Class of 2017 took place at Sage Bistro. Graduating students from undergraduate and graduate programs attended with their friends and family members to celebrate the occasion. Several graduating students were […]
Vancouver fulfils promise to hire seismic manager
Thursday, June 15, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Carlos Ventura spoke to the Vancouver Sun about the upcoming hiring of a seismic manager by the City of Vancouver. Prof. Ventura said the person could help identify high-risk earthquake areas and develop mitigation plans.
Media: recycled tires creating stronger concrete at UBC
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin News 1130 reported on concrete material that was developed by UBC researchers using recycled fibres from used tires. Nemkumar Banthia, a UBC civil engineering professor who supervised the research project, said this project could also help reduce the global carbon footprint. Similar stories appeared in Business in Vancouver, Indo-Canadian […]
Pipeline Integrity Institute (PII) undertakes new research with government and industry support
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The Pipeline Integrity Institute (PII), co-directed by Civil professor Dharma Wijewickreme, is maintaining research momentum with a fresh injection of funding to further knowledge and seek new developments in soil-pipe interaction, corrosion, and pipeline materials. The main goals of the PII are to contribute to the pipeline […]
Professors Don Mavinic and Victor Lo tap into significant new funding to scale up research
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Two key research initiatives helmed by members of the environmental engineering group at UBC Civil Engineering are set to receive an unprecedented amount of funding to scale up their investigations at three facilities, with the aim of eventually implementing their new technology as a package to improve […]
When the rubber hits the road: recycled tires create stronger concrete
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin UBC engineers have developed a more resilient type of concrete using recycled tires that could be used for concrete structures like buildings, roads, dams and bridges while reducing landfill waste. The researchers experimented with different proportions of recycled tire fibres and other materials used in concrete—cement, sand […]
Professor Perry Adebar named Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Perry Adebar has been named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. Election to the CAE, one of the highest professional honours accorded an engineer, is based on a nominee’s “distinguished achievements and career-long service to the engineering profession.” Fellows are nominated and elected by […]
Professor Mahdi Taiebat gives keynote presentation at 8th Colombian Conference on Earthquake Engineering
Tuesday, June 6, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Mahdi Taiebat was invited by the University del Norte and the Colombian Association of Earthquake Engineering to deliver a keynote presentation at the 8th Colombian Conference on Earthquake Engineering, held in Barranquilla, Colombia, from May 31 to June 2. His presentation was titled “Elasto-plastic constitutive modeling […]
UBC Steel Bridge wins third place overall at Canadian Nationals
Monday, May 29, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin UBC Steel Bridge earned an impressive third-place finish at the recent 2017 CSCE-CISC Canadian National Steel Bridge Competition. Eight teams converged at Université Laval for the May competition, in a culmination of months of student-driven activity including the conception, design, and fabrication of a scale-model steel bridge, […]
EERF earthquake simulation highlights need for upgrades to older buildings
Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The Vancouver Sun covered a recent simulation in the EERF, that was designed to show how a retrofitted school building would perform in a 9.0 subduction earthquake. The simulation highlighted the need for the retrofitting and upgrading of older buildings. Read the full story here.
UBC Civil Engineering team wins 2017 BCWWA student competition for wastewater treatment design
Friday, May 19, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin A group of third and fourth year UBC Civil Engineering students, competing as team UBSeaTec, placed first at the 2017 BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA) Student Design Competition. This year’s competition challenged students to create a feasibility design for a wastewater treatment upgrade to the Tsawout […]
Honorary Civil Engineering Professor recognized by American Concrete Institute
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Koji Sakai, a UBC Civil Engineering honorary professor, has received Honorary Membership in the American Concrete Institute for his “lifetime achievements and contributions to the global concrete community, including his highly successful efforts to launch a global and collaborative dialogue on the environmental considerations related to the design […]
Civil PhD student awarded major international scholarship for drinking water research
Friday, May 5, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The American Water Works Association has awarded Civil PhD candidate Shona Robinson the 2017 Dave Caldwell Scholarship for her research in the drinking water field. Shona is part of a research group investigating membrane filtration, a popular technology for drinking water treatment. Porous membranes effectively filter out microorganisms and […]
UBC Concrete Canoe, UBC Steel Bridge post outstanding results at ASCE Regional Student Conference
Thursday, May 4, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin UBC Concrete Canoe and UBC Steel Bridge have both returned from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Pacific Northwest Regional Student Conference at Boise State University with excellent results. The concrete canoe competition saw fifteen universities face off in an exciting student team challenge: to design, […]
Prof. Bérubé’s low-maintenance water filtration to help remote communities
Monday, May 1, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The Hindustan Times featured Civil professor Pierre Bérubé’s invention that uses bacteria and gravity to turn non-potable water into drinking water. Prof. Bérubé said the filtration system was developed specifically for small and remote communities.
Dr. Jörg Imberger inspires with EFM special guest lecture
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Dr. Jörg Imberger, a world-renowned expert in environmental fluid mechanics, visited UBC-Vancouver on April 18 to give a special guest lecture on the management of threatened lakes. The lecture was co-hosted by Civil professor Greg Lawrence, APSC Dean Marc Parlange, and professor Rich Wildman of Quest University. […]
Discussing water treatment system
Tuesday, April 25, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Radio Canada interviewed Pierre Bérubé, a UBC civil engineering professor and project lead on an invention that uses bacteria and gravity to turn non-potable water into drinking water. Prof. Bérubé said membranes in the system latch on to particles like dirt, bacteria and viruses.
Professor Terje Haukaas receives UBC’s highest teaching honour
Friday, April 21, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Civil engineering professor Terje Haukaas has been selected to receive the 2016/2017 Killam Teaching Prize. Professor Haukaas teaches courses mainly on structural analysis and structural safety, which include a large, core undergraduate course and a number of in-demand electives at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His excellence […]
The right walking speed to optimize your health
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The Times Colonist quoted Civil professor Alex Bigazzi about his study that examined the optimal speed for pedestrians to move for both health benefits and lower risk of pollution. Bigazzi said the faster you move, the harder you breathe and the more pollution you could inhale.
Concrete Canoe embarks on 2017 competition season
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin After addressing some unique challenges presented by this year’s design requirements, the UBC Concrete Canoe team is set to embark on the 2017 competition season. First, the team will be represented at the American Society for Civil Engineering (ASCE) Pacific Northwest 2017 Student Conference, happening at Boise […]
How clean water in remote communities could be cheap and easy
Wednesday, April 5, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin CTV reported on UBC Civil Engineering researchers who have created a system that uses bacteria and gravity to turn grey water into drinking water. Professor Pierre Bérubé, who led the project, said the technology removes the need for chemicals and complex mechanical systems that make water treatment systems […]
Prof. Bérubé’s water treatment system uses bacteria to purify water
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin A UBC Civil Engineering-developed system that uses bacteria to turn non-potable water into drinking water will be tested next week in West Vancouver prior to being installed in remote communities in Canada and beyond. The system consists of tanks of fibre membranes that catch and hold contaminants—dirt, […]
Civil grad student selected for UBC Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin UBC Civil Engineering graduate student Negar Roghanian has been selected to receive the 2016/2017 Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. Killam Graduate TA Awards are given in recognition of outstanding contributions by teaching assistants, which have led to a “high level of respect from undergraduate students and academic […]
Professor Don Mavinic named Fellow of Engineers Canada
Friday, March 31, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Pictured left to right: APEGBC President Bob Stewart, P.Eng., Professor Don Mavinic, and APEGBC CEO and Registrar Ann English, P.Eng. Photo credit: Andrea Sunderland. Professor Don Mavinic was recently named a Fellow of Engineers Canada. The fellowships honour individuals who have given “noteworthy service to the engineering […]
Profs. Bérubé, Banthia’s IC-IMPACTS work featured in “Troubled Waters” series
Friday, March 24, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The work being done by Professors Pierre Bérubé, Nemy Banthia, and other researchers with IC-IMPACTS is highlighted in “Troubled Waters,” a new five-part series in The Province. The series follows researchers to sites in India and Northern BC, where issues of drinking water contamination are gravely impacting local communities. […]
Professor Zanotti talks sustainable concrete
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Cristina Zanotti spoke with Science for the People about building better, more sustainable modern concrete structures for their recent podcast on the topic of concrete. Listen now (Prof. Zanotti’s segment starts at 30:00).
UBC Civil Engineering ranked top in Canada for 2017
Thursday, March 16, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin For the third year in a row, QS World University Rankings has ranked UBC Civil Engineering as the top civil engineering department in Canada. Regarded as one of the three most influential and widely observed university measures, the rankings by British company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) are based […]
Vancouver’s West End urged to embrace parking sharing
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin CBC featured a UBC study that examines how renting out residential parking spots in the West End can help with Vancouver’s parking shortage. Professor Alex Bigazzi supervised the research which found that there are about 3,700 empty parking spaces, mostly underneath West End apartment towers. Similar stories […]
City of Vancouver engineers traffic-safety solutions
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Business in Vancouver mentioned work by Professor Tarek Sayed in a story about traffic safety solutions in Vancouver. Prof. Sayek conducted video analytics to determine the traffic-flow problem on Burrard Bridge.
Victoria report details potential devastation of ‘Big One’
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Carlos Ventura spoke to CBC after a report in Victoria showed the potential consequences of a big earthquake. Prof. Ventura said the report aims to identify areas in the city where the risk of damage from an earthquake could be significant in order to develop policies […]
Concrete Toboggan scores second place in two categories at GNCTR 2017
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The UBC Concrete Toboggan Team has returned from the 2017 Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race with some impressive showings in competition categories, and a wealth of experience to strengthen the team for next year. 30 team members travelled to the mid-February competition in Winnipeg for the competition […]