Department News

UBC Environmental Engineering receives accreditation from Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board

This announcement originally appeared on UBC Environmental Engineering. UBC Environmental Engineering (ENVL) has achieved the maximum allowable accreditation period for a new program by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). The first accreditation period will be for three years for the four-year program at the UBC Vancouver campus, with regular renewal procedures planned to maintain program accreditation […]

Professor Michael Isaacson retires after 47 years from UBC Civil Engineering

Joining UBC in 1976, Professor Isaacson remained at the forefront of research, teaching, and professional engagements.

Dr. Jongho Lee and Dr. Ryan Ziels promoted to associate professor with tenure

This recognition is a testament to their dedication to teaching and exemplary service to the university.

Dr. Amy Kim and Dr. Tarek Sayed receives 2022 UBC Faculty Research Awards

Dr. Amy Kim and Dr. Tarek Sayed are among the 2022 recipients for UBC’s prestigious Killam Research Prize and Accelerator Fellowship.

UBC Civil PhD students compete in Department Heat of Three Minute Thesis competition

Presenters had three minutes to showcase their research to a non-specialist audience.

All CIVL courses to remain online until February 7, 2022

UBC Engineering returning to in-person classes on February 7.

Two years after UIA Flight PS752 tragedy, UBC Civil Engineering remembers Dr. Mehran Abtahi

Two years ago, Dr. Mehran Abtahi was among those who were tragically lost in the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 crash.

Classes moving online January 10-23, 2022

UBC has announced a two-week transition period when students will take most courses online.

Two UBC Civil Engineering community members honoured with Dean’s Service Award

Dr. Michael Isaacson and Scott Jackson honoured by the Faculty of Applied Science with the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Feedback

The Faculty of Applied Science invites your feedback regarding your EDI experiences.

2021 Term 1 Student Advising Protocol

Inquiry Type How to Get in Touch Quick Questions1 to 5 minute question(registration issues, course conflicts, program or process info, resources, contact info, directions, etc.) Zoom Drop-in AdvisingTues/Wed @ 1:30-2pm Undergrad:Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3C5n5YAPasscode: 676321or Phone: 604-827-5821 (Kali) Grad:Zoom link: https://bit.ly/393v7ETPasscode: Amt2F8or Phone: 604-822-4429 (Kevin) No appointment is required. During advising hours, join via the QR […]

Welcome back to UBC Civil

All faculty, staff, and graduate students must complete the UBC Go Forward COVID-19 Safety Training course prior to returning to campus. Guidelines: A daily self-health assessment is required before attending campus. Stay home if you are sick. Use the Thrive Health self-assessment tool for guidance and follow the advice from Public Health. Everyone must follow relevant signage when moving around […]

Department of Civil Engineering welcomes three new faculty members

The Department of Civil Engineering is pleased to extend a warm welcome to three new world-class researchers and educators. Dr. Zachary Bullock joins the Department as an Assistant Professor in the Geotechnical and Structural & Earthquake Engineering research areas. Having dedicated his doctoral studies to soil liquefaction for buildings on shallow foundations, he developed a line […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Congratulations To Harald Schrempp On His Retirement

Congratulations to Harald Schrempp, Manager of Civil Labs & Workshops, who has retired from UBC Civil Engineering after 33 years with the department! Harald Schrempp joined the Department in September 1985 as an Engineering Technician 4. In July 1998, he was promoted to Workshop Supervisor (Eng. Technician 5), and in January 2014, he was promoted […]

Best Wishes to Professor Eric Hall On His Retirement

Congratulations to Professor Dr. Eric Hall, who has retired from UBC Civil Engineering after 26 years with the department! Dr. Hall obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Biochemistry from McMaster University in 1972 and 1974. He then pursued studies in the Water Research Group at McMaster, where he received a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering […]

UBC Civil Teams Wins 2018 WEFTEC Student Design Competition

Congratulations to UBC Civil Environmental students (left to right) James Craxton, Steven Rintoul, Lutz Subagio, Johnson Li, as well as supervisor Professor Noboru Yonemitsu, who won first place in the 2018 WEFTEC Student Design Competition!  The Student Design Competition begins at the Member Association (MA) level. Each MA is encouraged to develop their own Student Design […]

UBC Civil Professor Loretta Li Featured as Keynote Speaker at 2018 STEM Career Conference

On Sept. 16 2018, UBC Civil Professor Dr. Loretta Li was featured as one of the keynote speakers at this year’s STEM Career Conference, held at the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel. The conference is an annual event for high school and university students who excel at or are interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and […]

2018 Civil Undergraduate Student Scavenger Hunt and Bridge Building Competition

On September 4th, 2018, 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, the latter being a new addition to the 2018 activities.  This Fall, we welcome 121 new majors into the Bachelors in Civil Engineering program. The […]

UBC Civil Engineering Hosts International Students for Vancouver Summer Program

On July 14- August 14, 2018, 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 […]

IC-IMPACTS Conference connects Canada-India infrastructure, water and health research

IC-IMPACTS (the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability) marked the completion of its first five years by bringing together researchers to discuss their progress on infrastructure, water and health challenges. Special guests at the two-day research conference included India’s High Commissioner to Canada, His Excellency Vikas Swarup, and the Consul […]

UBC Team Takes Home Two Awards at 2018 EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition

Last week, nearly 350 students participated in the 15th Annual EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition (SDC) at the 11th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering (11NCEE) and 2018 EERI Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. The Seismic Design Competition (SDC) includes over 30 teams from universities across the US and around the world. Each team designed a complex tall building model […]

Another Year of Success: UBC CSCE Wins National CSCE President’s Best Student Chapter Award

The UBC CSCE Student Chapter came first in a nation-wide selection of the best student chapters of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), an organization that aims to unite civil engineering communities across Canada. Having won the same award in 2015, this is another year of great success for the Student Chapter. After thorough review and evaluation of […]

Civil Engineering’s Dr. Loretta Li Speaks at Young WISE Event

Growing up in a family of only daughters and attending an all-girls school run by nuns, Civil Engineering Professor Dr. Loretta Li never thought to differentiate activities between genders. A rarity in 1950s Hong Kong, her father emphasized the importance of education for girls, supporting his daughters’ academic aspirations despite bewilderment from extended family and friends. Professor […]