Biography

Dr. Lence joined the Department in January 1997. She received her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for research on evaluating the engineering, environmental, and economic impacts of water pollution control policies, in particular emissions trading programs. Prior to joining the Department, she was an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Geological Engineering at the University of Manitoba. She teaches undergraduate courses in decision-making techniques in Civil Engineering, and graduate courses in advanced decision-making techniques and pollution modelling. Dr. Lence is currently the Director of the UBC Master of Engineering Leadership in Integrated Water Management.

Research Interests

Optimizing design and operational strategies of water resources projects; identifying reliable water quality management systems for natural and built environments in the face of uncertainty; adapting to climate change.

Courses

CIVL 301 Optimization and Decision Analysis in Civil Engineering

CIVL 415 Water Resources Engineering

CIVL 445 Civil Engineering Design Project I

CIVL 446 Civil Engineering Design Project II

CIVL 548 Numerical Modelling of Surface Water Quality

CIVL 554 Water Resource Management

CIVL 555 Analysis of Civil Engineering Systems

Awards & Recognitions

• 1980, Walter E. Deuchler Environmental Engineering Award, University of Illinois
• 1980, M. E. Meade Memorial Scholarship, University of Illinois.
• 1979, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M), University of Illinois

Publications

• N. Moosavian and Lence, B. J., “Unified Matrix Frameworks for Water Hammer Analysis in Pipe Networks”, International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 1858451341201411421428157132169713915, no. 12167849113575, pp. 1327 – 1345, 2020.
• N. Moosavian and Lence, B. J., “Fittest individual referenced differential evolution algorithms for optimization of water distribution networks”, ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, vol. 33, no. 6, 2019.
• N. Moosavian and Lence, B. J., “Testing evolutionary algorithms for optimization of water distribution networks”, Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 46, pp. 391-402, 2019.
• N. Moosavian and Lence, B. J., “Approximation of fuzzy membership functions in water distribution network analysis”, ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, vol. 144, no. 7, 2018.
• B. J. Lence, Moosavian, N., and Daliri, H., “A fuzzy programming approach for multi-objective optimization of water distribution systems”, ASCE Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, vol. 143, no. 7, 2017.
• A. Naghibi and Lence, B. J., “Assessing impacts of high flow events on fish population: evaluation of risk-based performance measures”, Journal of Ecological Modelling, vol. 240, pp. 12-28, 2012.
• W. M. Johnstone and Lence, B. J., “Use of integrated hazard, vulnerability, loss, and evacuation estimation models to inform communities preparing for tsunami: a Vancouver Island case study”, ASCE Natural Hazards Review, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 162-171, 2012.