UBC Steel Bridge wins first place at Canadian National Steel Bridge Competition
The UBC Steel Bridge design team, comprised of 50 UBC Civil Engineering undergraduate and Master’s students, recently won first place at the 2021 Canadian National Steel Bridge Competition. While the team had consistently placed in the top three in previous years, this was their first time winning the top prize. Supervised by faculty members Drs. Noboru Yonemitsu and Carlos Molina Hutt, the […]
Assistant Professor Ryan Ziels develops new method for near-perfect accuracy in portable DNA sequencing
Researchers can now eliminate almost all errors produced by a widely used portable DNA sequencer, thanks to a new method developed by UBC Civil Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Ryan Ziels. This advancement will potentially enable scientists out in the field or in smaller labs to study microorganisms, such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus, much more accurately […]
U-WatR initiative led by Dr. Pierre Bérubé receives $1.6 million in CFI funding
The Used-Water to Resources (U-WatR) initiative, led by Civil Engineering professor Pierre Bérubé, has been awarded $1.6 million through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s 2020 Innovation Fund competition. The competition, which funds up to 40 per cent of a project’s eligible infrastructure costs, aims to “enhance and optimize the capacity of institutions and research communities […]
Dr. Jongho Lee receives NFRF grant to develop artificial trees for extreme weather-resilient cities
UBC Civil Engineering Assistant Professor Jongho Lee has received the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) grant to develop a tri-layer film that mimics natural trees’ water management function – a technology that will help build extreme weather-resilient cities. A naturally effective dewatering instrument, a tree transpires 97% of the water absorbed by its roots […]
Dr. Sara Beck brings global collaboration to UBC Civil Engineering
The Department of Civil Engineering adds to our roster of world-class researchers and educators and welcomes Assistant Professor Sara Beck to the Environmental Engineering research group. Dr. Beck joins the Department after completing post-docs at the University of Colorado and Eawag, the Swiss Federal institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, opportunities that followed a Fulbright at the […]
Dr. Tamara Etmannski receives Killam Teaching Prize
Assistant Professor of Teaching Dr. Tamara Etmannski has been recognized with the 2020/2021 Killam Teaching Prize. This award is nominated by students, colleagues, and alumni and recognizes exceptional contributions through teaching. In addition to serving as a faculty member in the Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Etmannski holds several academic leadership roles in the Faculty of Applied […]
U-WatR initiative led by Dr. Pierre Bérubé receives $4 million in CFI funding
Update on June 24, 2021: Total amount for U-WatR CFI Innovation Fund has been awarded at $4M, which consists of funding from Canada Foundation for Innovation, BC Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF), and various sources. The Used-Water to Resources (U-WatR) initiative, led by Civil Engineering professor Pierre Bérubé, has been awarded $1.6 million through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s […]
UBC Civil Engineering welcomes new faculty members Amy Kim and Zhengbo Zou
The Department of Civil Engineering is pleased to extend a warm welcome to two new faculty members: Dr. Amy Kim joins the Department as an Associate Professor in the Transportation Engineering specialization. Dr. Kim’s research centres on modeling various aspects of multimodal transportation systems, and how this can help support strategic planning efforts and policy decisions. […]
Assistant Professor Jongho Lee sole Canadian elected to Journal of Membrane Science editorial board
Assistant Professor Jongho Lee has been selected to join the Journal of Membrane Science Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB). Among hundreds of candidates from across the globe, Dr. Lee was chosen as one of three from North America and the only scholar from Canada. The Journal of Membrane Science is the preeminent journal in the field of membrane […]
PhD researcher receives Public Scholar Initiative fellowship and investigates impact of Georgia sedimentary basin
Preetish Kakoty (PhD, ’22) has been awarded the 2020-2021 UBC Public Scholar Initiative fellowship. He is one of two UBC Faculty of Applied Science students to receive the honour this year. The metro Vancouver region faces major seismic risk due to its close proximity to the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This risk is further elevated because of […]
UBC Civil Engineering professor brings innovative teaching
The Department of Civil Engineering is pleased to welcome Dr. Tamara Etmannski as Assistant Professor of Teaching within the environmental engineering specialization. As the Academic Director of the Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) degree programs and Co-Director of the Joint UBC/UNBC Environmental Engineering undergraduate degree, Dr. Etmannski is a familiar name in the Faculty of Applied Science and has come […]
Fourth-year student Jezarah Ebel earns rare honour as double recipient of Pipeline Engineering awards
Jezarah Ebel was always destined for a bright future in engineering. After excelling in math and physics in high school, choosing to study Civil Engineering at UBC was a no-brainer. Driven by a newfound interest in project management, she decided to further specialize in pipeline engineering. This year, Jezarah is one of three students (along with […]
MEL students use free public Wi-Fi to increase citizen engagement in New Westminster
How can cities increase public engagement? Students in the Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Urban Systems: Infrastructure for Resilient Cities program worked with the City of New Westminster to explore how adding to the number of free public Wi-Fi spots in the city’s high-pedestrian traffic areas could enhance citizen engagement. New Westminster was one of the […]
In Memoriam: Dr. William Kaye (Bill) Oldham
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. William Kaye Oldham (Bill to his friends and colleagues.) Bill died peacefully on Tuesday, Oct. 6th at his home in Merville, B.C.—just a few miles from where he was born. Born in Cumberland on Vancouver Island, BC on May 27, 1936, Bill graduated […]
Professors Loretta Li and Tony Yang receive province’s top awards for engineers
We are excited to announce that two faculty members in our Department received the 2020 President’s Awards from Engineers and Geoscientists BC. The awards are the province’s top awards for professional engineers and geoscientists and recognize those with outstanding achievement in professional, technical, and community contributions. Professor Loretta Li received the R.A. McLachlan Memorial Award, while […]
Six years after Mount Polley mine disaster, new study reveals ongoing problems
Six years ago – on August 4, 2014 – the Mount Polley mine spill released 24 million cubic metres of waste. The spill flowed into Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake, and other waterways in the Likely, B.C. area and is by far the largest mine waste spill in Canadian history. In the years that followed, tests […]
Impact Report highlights a decade of research, funding, academic success
There’s a reason we are consistently ranked at #1 in Canada and among the top 30 civil engineering schools worldwide by the QS World University Rankings. Over the past decade, our renowned faculty have provided tremendous leadership in educational and research activities, and fostered close relationships with industry and government. Our alumni are also leaders in […]
Pamela Wolf hired as Assistant Professor of Teaching
We are pleased to announce that Pamela Wolf (previously Rogalski) has been hired as Assistant Professor of Teaching with the UBC Department of Civil Engineering. Pamela joined UBC School of Applied Science as a Faculty Lecturer in 2013 and has developed and delivered numerous technical communication courses to students in Civil Engineering, Material Engineering, and […]
UBC Civil Engineering professor Ryan Ziels to develop wastewater testing for COVID-19
Update: July 9, 2020, The team’s research, titled “ Expanding the wastewater-based epidemiology toolkit for monitoring COVID-19 community transmission in Canada,” has received the NSERC Alliance COVID-19 grant for one year. NSERC is providing up to $15 million in total support to stimulate collaborations between university academic researchers and the public and not-for-profit sectors, and industry […]
UBC Civil Engineering standing up against racism
The Department of Civil Engineering stands in solidarity with the global Black community and supports the calls for justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Tony McDade, Trayvon Martin and other Black individuals who have experienced historic, systemic, and ongoing violence and brutality at the hands of police and others. These recent […]
Female-led UBC Engineering student team wins first place at Solar Decathlon
UBC Engineering student design team, Third Quadrant Design, won first place in the Urban Single-Family Division at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, held April 17-19, 2020. Supervised by UBC Engineering faculty members Dr. Adam Rysanek, Dr. Sheryl Staub-French, and Dr. Susan Nesbit, Third Quadrant Design comprises of 25 UBC students across multiple engineering disciplines. It is led […]
Application open for new UBC environmental engineering program launching fall 2020
Have questions for the program directors? We’re hosting a Virtual Information Session this Thursday, April 30th from 11AM to noon PST. Join us on Zoom at https://ubc.zoom.us/j/94665090991! To meet the rising demand for environmental engineers by government agencies and the manufacturing, agricultural, and resource sectors, as well as consulting firms, the University of British Columbia is […]
Civil Engineering alumna Kelsie Priest strives to decrease gender imbalance
Kelsie Priest, a UBC Civil Engineering Alumna and a Structural Engineer with Glotman Simpson, is actively working to decrease gender imbalance in the engineering community. Priest currently serves as the co-chair of Women in Consulting Engineering (WCE), which is focused on “supporting and empowering women in engineering and increasing gender diversity and inclusion in [the] industry.” […]
Alex Bigazzi promoted to associate professor with tenure
Dr. Alex Bigazzi, a faculty member in the UBC Department of Civil Engineering and the School of Community and Regional Planning, has received tenure and been promoted to Associate Professor. Tenureship recognizes exceptional faculty members for their distinguished scholarship, dedication to teaching and mentorship, and exemplary service to the University in helping achieve its vision […]
UBC Civil Engineering and COVID19: Updates, Resources and FAQ
Updated April 6, 2020 – 2:00 pm. PDT For the latest information on UBC’s response to COVID-19, please visit the following resources: UBC’s response: https://covid19.ubc.ca UBC Faculty of Applied Science’s response: https://apsc.ubc.ca/covid-19 Student resources: https://students.ubc.ca/covid19 Graduate student resources: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/covid-19 To support UBC’s social distancing protocols, a number of Civil Engineering staff and faculty will be working remotely. The Student […]
Dr. Nemy Banthia’s new pavement product set to revolutionize road construction
A Canadian-engineered pavement technology that has withstood five South Asian monsoon seasons with flying colours holds significant promises for revolutionizing road and building infrastructure in Canada and all over the world. Pioneered by the Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence IC-IMPACTS , which is headed by UBC Department of Civil Engineering professor Dr. Nemy Banthia, this […]
Dr. Tarek Sayed gives expert opinion on crosswalk safety used in hidden safety report investigation
Back in 2016, the city conducted a pilot project at two crosswalks, which added side-mounted lights to existing overhead flashing lights. At the end of this study it was “found that driver compliance rates increased 100 percent when [vehicles were] sixty metres away from the crosswalk when the lower level lights were used with the […]
UBC Civil Team wins third place in Seismic Design Competition
Congratulations to the UBC students who won third place in the 2020 Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition at the National Earthquake Conference. Over 51 teams from universities across the United States and around the world participated in this competition. Each team designed a complex tall building model made from balsa wood that was tested on a shaking table. […]
Dr. Alex Bigazzi highlights that Vancouver’s car sharing landscape is safe and healthy despite the departure of car2go
Dr. Alex Bigazzi, an assistant professor in UBC’s Department of Civil Engineering, was recently interviewed by the Vancouver Sun on changes to Vancouver’s car-sharing services. Vancouver had four popular services: Evo, car2go, Modo and ZipCar. However, as of February 29th, car2go was pulled out of Vancouver and all of North America citing the “volatile state of the […]
Dr. Jongho Lee featured in The Guardian for novel desalination process inspired by mangrove trees
Dr. Jongho Lee, an assistant professor in UBC’s Department of Civil Engineering, recently published his new study on a clean alternative to clearing up flood water in Science Advances Magazine. The researcher was inspired by how mangrove trees, which like other trees, employ a water transport system that can evaporate moisture from their leaves. This process […]
Dr. Donald Mavinic Appointed to the Order of Canada
Donald Mavinic, a professor emeritus in UBC’s Department of Civil Engineering and an internationally recognized expert in water treatment, has been appointed to the Order of Canada “[f]or his contributions to environmental engineering science and technology in Canada.” One of the country’s highest honours, the Order aims to recognize people “whose service shapes our society, […]
Dr. Carlos Molina Hutt Awarded The Shah Prize by the EERI
Congratulations to Dr. Carlos Molina Hutt, who has been awared the 2019 EERI Shah Family Innovation Prize by the Earthquake Engineering Research Insititute! The Shah Prize is awarded annually to young professionals and academics for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit in the field of earthquake risk mitigation and management. In the press release by the EERI, they stated […]
UBC Civil Design Team Wins First Place at WEFTEC Student Design Competition
Congratulations to the UBC Civil Design Team members who took home first place 2019 WEFTEC Student Design Competition! The 18th annual competition showcased innovative ideas from 30 teams from 26 WEF Member Associations and three countries during WEFTEC 2019, WEF’s 92nd annual technical exhibition and conference. UBC team members Luthfi Subagio, James Craxton, Daniel Luo, and Johnson […]
Annual Undergraduate Student Orientation Welcomes New Civil Engineering Majors
On September 3rd, 2019, the Department welcomed new Civil Engineering majors with its annual undergraduate student orientation. The orientation consisted of a scavenger hunt and popsicle stick model bridge-building competition. This Fall, we welcome over 120 new majors into the Bachelors in Civil Engineering program. The new students started off their first day with an […]
UBC Civil Welcomes International Students for 2019 Vancouver Summer Program
During July 13- August 13, 2019, the Department of Civil Engineering hosted dozens of international undergraduate students for the annual Vancouver Summer Program. The Vancouver Summer Program (VSP) is a four-week academic program offered by various Faculties at the University of British Columbia, Canada for students from cooperating universities. The program provides the opportunity to take two […]
UBC Steel Bridge Design Team Triumphs At 2019 Canadian National Steel Bridge Competition
In May 2019, the UBC Steel Bridge Design Team competed at the 2019 Canadian National Steel Bridge Competition at l’Université de Montréal. UBC Engineering Student Design Team, composed of 14 undergraduate engineering students, competed against 18 teams from Canada, USA, Mexico, and China. Out of the teams that competed, UBC Steel Bridge ranked 1st in lightness, 3rd in oral presentation, and 3rd overall, making this year’s […]
Civil Engineering Welcomes New Department Head & Associate Heads
On July 1st, 2019, the Department of Civil Engineering welcomed Dr. Bernard Laval as the new Department Head. Laval has demonstrated outstanding leadership and administrative skills since joining Department of Civil Engineering in 2002, serving as the Co-director of the UNBC/UBC Environmental Engineering Program and Associate Head of Undergraduate Students. He has also shown a strong commitment […]
Dr. Tarek Sayed announced as Canada Research Chair in Transportation Safety and Advanced Mobility
On June 14, 2019, UBC Civil Engineering Professor Tarek Sayed, was announced as a new Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Transportation Safety and Advanced Mobility. Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced an investment of over $275 million for 346 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at 52 institutions across Canada for research […]
IC-IMPACTS Signs Collaboration Agreement with the Chawathil First Nation Community
On Thursday, May 1, 2019 IC-IMPACTS was invited to the Chawathil First Nations community in Hope, B.C. on Thursday, May 2, 2019 for a groundbreaking ceremony to set up an infrastructure technology demonstration project. IC-IMPACTS advanced self-repairing pavement technology will soon be deployed and the community will see the installation of new pavements using fiber […]
2019 Civil Undergraduate Teaching Award Recipients
After a vote by the undergraduate student body, we are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Civil Undergraduate Teaching Awards: Undergraduate Teaching Award Winner 2nd year Student Appreciation Award Dr. Gregory A. Lawrence 3rd year Student Appreciation Award Dr. Bernard Laval 4th year Student Appreciation Award Dr. Yahya Nazhat Exceptional Commitment to Students Pamela Rogalski, P.Eng Each award […]
Professor Alex Bigazzi speaks with CBC regarding proposed Rapid Transit Lines in Metro Vancouver
Professor Alex Bigazzi spoke with CBC on the $9.4B 4-track rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, proposed by former B.C. premier Mike Harcourt. Recently, both Vancouver city council and the Metro Vancouver Mayors’ Council have voted to endorse a rapid transit extension to the University of British Columbia. The project would bring rapid transit from the VCC-Clark station to […]
UBC Civil Staff and Faculty Team Represents at This Years’ Vancouver Sun Run
Congrats to the Department of Civil Engineering Sun Run Team for completing the 2019 Vancouver Sun Run! This years CIVIL Sun Run Team included (left to right): Professor Bernard Laval, Professor Terje Haukaas, Diego Pastor Bartoli, Professor Alex Bigazzi, Jade Koide, Professor Carlos Molina Hutt, Shannon Remillong, Chris Gorczynski, and Daniela Hajdukovic (not pictured) Despite […]
UBC Civil Engineering Alumnus Wesley Lin to Strengthen Disaster Resilience During Upcoming Trip to Nepal
The Nepal Safer Schools Project (NSSP) is a Department for International Development (DFID) funded project seeking to increase the safety of approximately 250 vulnerable schools in Nepal and build the resilience of pupils, staff and the wider community to disasters. It is a consortium of Crown Agents, Save the Children and Arup international and NSET is implementing […]
Celebrating the 3rd Annual UBC Design & Innovation Day
Celebrating its 3rd consecutive year, the UBC Design & Innovation Day on April 4th showcased UBC Engineering students’ capstone projects, design initiatives, and research activities throughout the academic term. Capstone design projects are a major component of the UBC Engineering curriculum where undergraduate students have the opportunity to design a product or service, and solve an open-ended problem within […]
Gender Gap Remains in BC’s Engineering Sector: Dr. Sheryl Staub-French Discusses the Challenges in Recruiting Female Engineering Students
Recent data from Statistics Canada indicates that despite the shortage in skilled engineers in British Columbia, the percentage of female students enrolled in post-secondary engineering programs (55.7%) continues to lag behind other programs such as health (72.7%) and law/social sciences (66.4%). In industry, women make up 12% of engineering jobs in BC and 20% of […]
Call for Participants: Road User Interactions Survey
HOW WELL DO ROAD USERS INTERACT IN VANCOUVER? We are looking for participants who travel in Vancouver to take our survey. Participation requires about 15 minutes and involves viewing and rating a series of video clips of real-world interactions. All participants will be entered into a draw for one of four gift cards of $25 […]
Professor Nemkumar Banthia wins Distinguished Alumnus Award for excellence in technology & innovation
We are pleased to announce Dr. Nemkumar (Nemy) Banthia’s recent achievement in being honored with a Distinguished Alumnus Award 2018-19 for Technology Innovation Excellence (“TIE”). The award, presented by the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (“VNIT”) and NVIT Nagpur Alumni Association, recognizes leaders contributing a minimum of 25 years of service in their designated professional field, change-makers who […]
Seismic risk study & resilience plan with UBC Professor Carlos Ventura
UBC takes great pride to ensure that all students, staff and faculty are safe and well-prepared in the event of an earthquake in British Columbia. One of the largest earthquakes to strike the coast of BC was on June 23, 1946 with a magnitude estimated at 7.3. More recently on October 27, 2012, a 7.7 […]
UBC Professor Tarek Sayed’s Research on Distracted Pedestrian Cellphone Use in Crosswalks featured in The Globe and Mail
(Photo Credit: KEVIN VAN PAASSEN/THE GLOBE AND MAIL) On Tuesday, February 12, 2019, The Globe and Mail hosted their second annual Globe Drive Mobility Summit, a half-day conference focused on the technology, innovations and societal shifts giving rise to the transformation of urban transportation. One of the major topics for this year’s summit is how the growing trend of […]
Professor Emeritus Liam Finn to be awarded George W. Housner Medal
Congratulations to Dr. Liam Finn, Professor Emeritus at UBC, who will be presented with the George W. Housner Medal in 2019! The award will be presented do Dr. Finn on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at the EERI Honour Ceremony and Annual Business Meeting in Vancouver British Columbia. The George W. Housner Medal of the Earthquake Engineering […]