Fourth-year student receives two 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 recent Integrated Engineering graduate Rene Rao and Materials Engineering MASc student Kaiya Yamada) to receive the International Pipeline Conference (IPC) Foundation Award. She is also the sole recipient of the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada (YPAC) Prize. The IPC Awards, totaling $5,000 annually, recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in the […]
MEL students use free public Wi-Fi to increase citizen engagement
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 first cities in BC to install free Wi-Fi access points in public facilities such as community centres, arenas, city hall and the library. As part of an effort to engage with more citizens through social and civic outreach programs, municipal staff were interested in assessing 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 with a BASc in Civil Engineering from UBC and completed his graduate studies at the University of Texas-Austin. After spending a few years working at Stanley & Associates in Edmonton, Bill joined the UBC Department of Civil Engineering as a faculty member in 1968. “Like several […]
Professors Li and 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 Professor Tony Yang earned the Meritorious Achievement Award. “These awards demonstrate how UBC Civil Engineering faculty members continue to make exceptional contributions through their groundbreaking research and their dedication to excellence in teaching and innovation,” said Department Head Bernard Laval. “On behalf of our Department, my warmest […]
Years after Mount Polley disaster, 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 by B.C. officials have revealed that the water quality met provincial guidelines, while geochemical studies of mine tailings at the bottom of Quesnel Lake have demonstrated it is not releasing metals into the water. However, a new study suggests that the problem isn’t over yet. The new […]
Impact Report highlights 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 their fields who continue to contribute to the enhancement of our society. The report presents a historical analysis of research areas, publications, and industry partnerships, as well as funding success. It also outlines the success of our undergraduate and graduate programs using metrics on diversity, enrolment, […]
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 Engineering Physics. Among Pamela’s most significant contributions at UBC Civil is her steadfast dedication to cultivating communication, leadership and other soft skills in engineering students—a direct response to what she sees as a real cultural shift in the engineering industry. “There is now an expectation of […]
UBC Civil professor 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 to address pandemic-related research and technical challenges. Ryan Ziels, an Assistant Professor of environmental engineering in the UBC Department of Civil Engineering, and Natalie Prystajecky at the BC Center for Disease and Control (BCCDC) and UBC Faculty of Medicine, are developing a method for detecting and […]
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 events in the United States and Canada remind us that we haven’t done enough to address the historic, systemic and ongoing racism faced by racialized groups. In saying this, the Department of Civil Engineering joins UBC President Santa Ono and the Faculty of Applied Science in developing meaningful ways to […]
Female-led UBC Engineering student team wins 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 by three female students, Zoë Le Hong (Integrated, ’20), Aleesha Hsu (Civil, ’21), and Claire Pibrovec (Integrated, ’20), and is majority femme-identifying. The group is also supported by Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Integral Group, RJC, RDH Building Science, and Francl Architecture. Solar Decathlon is an international collegiate competition that challenges teams to […]
Application open for new UBC environmental engineering program
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 proud to announce a new four-year undergraduate environmental engineering degree to begin in fall 2020. The result of an innovative partnership between UBC’s Departments of Civil Engineering and Chemical & Biological Engineering, the four-year program will adopt a collaborative, team-based approach to prepare students with the tools and […]
Civil Engineering alumna 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.” Priest believes with the support of groups like WCE, she has gained the tools and confidence to aspire to leadership roles in engineering despite gender biases. She encourages parents with daughters interested in engineering to talk to a professional in the industry. There are an abundance […]
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 as a globally influential institution. In so doing, Dr. Bigazzi is “helping create an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, promotes the values of a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research,” said UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Santa J. Ono in a statement. Dr. Bigazzi’s research […]
Dr. Nemy Banthia’s revolutionary new pavement product
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 pavement material’s financial, functional, and sustainable advantages have begun to help modernize India’s infrastructure. Compared with traditional concrete, this material’s unique inclusion of fibres that allow for the pavement to be very thin makes it cheaper to produce. It is also more durable, and with 60% […]
Dr. Tarek Sayed on crosswalk safety used in 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 overhead lights.” However, instead of presenting this report to upgrade the additional 170 pedestrian crosswalks with no side lights, it was never made public. In 2018, two separate incidents of young children killed while using crosswalks with only overhead lights occurred. In repose to these tragedies, […]
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. The teams were judged on their oral design presentation, their summary poster, the model’s architectural design, their ability to fit within the design criteria and constraints, their analytical prediction of their model performance, and the response of their model during shaking table testing. Along with their […]
Dr. Bigazzi: Vancouver’s car sharing landscape is safe and healthy
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 global mobility landscape.” This car-sharing service was incredibly popular in Vancouver with 1,200 cars and 20,000 members. Although it would seem that car2go’s departure would create a huge hole in the market, Dr. Bigazzi states that “Vancouver’s car-sharing landscape, which [now] includes Evo, Modo, and Zipcar, […]
Dr. Jongho Lee featured in magazine for novel desalination process
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 further produces tension in their water-conducting tissues that helps to draw water into their roots. In developing a synthetic system using a polymer membrane, the researchers demonstrated through evaporation “a huge negative pressure was generated to drive water flow through a semi-permeable, reverse-osmosis membrane, thereby desalinating […]
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, whose innovations ignite our imaginations, and whose compassion unites our communities.” Mavinic joined the UBC Applied Science faculty in 1973 and has led numerous advances in the field of wastewater management over the course of his career. These include the development of a system that transforms […]
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 “(c)onsidering the breadth and excellence of Carlos’s leadership, research and engineering practice, it was clear to the prize committee that he is on a trajectory to be an outstanding leader in the field of earthquake risk mitigation in the coming decades.” Carlos will receive the award […]
UBC Civil Design Team Places First at WEFTEC 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 Li were led by faculty advisor Noboru Yonemitsu on behalf of the British Columbia Water and Waste Association. Their task was to complete a comparative analysis and design of two treatment, conveyance, and disposal solutions for aircraft de-icing fluid runoff and stormwater runoff at the Vancouver […]
Annual 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 introduction and welcome by the Department Head, Dr. Bernard Laval. The introduction was followed by details of the academic program, services for students, and clubs and community involvement. Following the orientation, the students participated in a scavenger hunt, which is designed to familiarize the students with the […]
UBC Civil Welcomes International Students for 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 academic courses while learning about Canadian practices and culture. This year, the Department of Civil Engineering offered courses in two concentrations: Structural Materials and Advanced Concrete Structures. The courses included field visits, laboratory experiments, as well as, computer modeling. The program this year hosted 41 undergraduate students, between […]
UBC Steel Bridge Design Team Triumphs At 2019 Nationals
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 result the best one they’ve ever achieved in this competition. Congratulations to the UBC Steel Bridge Design Team!
Civil Engineering Welcomes New Department & 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 to supporting student clubs, promoting and recognizing student achievements, enhancing the quality and diversity of the department’s student body and otherwise ensuring that students have a positive experience at the Faculty. In addition to his service to the Department and Faculty, Dr. Laval has received a […]
Dr. Tarek Sayed announced as Canada Research Chair
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 excellence. The Canada Research Chair’s program is part of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top five countries in research and development by attracting and retaining some of the world’s most accomplished and promising researchers. Professor Sayed’s research applies a wide spectrum of transportation […]
IC-IMPACTS Signs Agreement with 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 reinforced concrete. The pavement will be composed of concrete incorporating scrap tire fibers, cellulose fibres, and other recycled material. The deployment is part of an ongoing research project spearheaded by UBC Civil Professor, Dr. Nemy Banthia, who is the IC-IMPACTS CEO and Scientific Director and theme […]
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 recognizes a professor who has demonstrated a commitment to fairness, communication, and quality teaching to students in his or her courses this past academic year. Furthermore, the Exceptional Commitment to Students Award was voted for by students across all years and it focussed on the professor’s […]
Professor Alex Bigazzi speaks on proposed Rapid Transit Lines
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 Arbutus Street, with thecost is expected to run roughly $7 billion. However, former B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt thinks this plan is not enough of a push for long-term plans, and the city needs to think bigger. His pitch is to build a rapid transit line all the way […]
UBC Civil Staff and Faculty Team Competes in 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 some team members having to run through an unprecedented hail storm, the CIVIL Team, which included both staff and faculty, all completed the run within 1 hour 17 minutes. The Vancouver Sun Run is Canada’s largest 10K road race. Run through a beautiful scenic course that […]
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 their chosen discipline. Forming groups of four to six team members, students were responsible for overseeing everything from idea generation to product deployment to prototype building and finally, to presenting their overarching findings and key solutions. The Design & Innovation Day began with outstanding hands-on demonstrations and interactive […]
UBC Civil Engineering Alumnus to Strengthen Disaster Resilience
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 the one of the programme. The project is one part of DFID’s wider ‘Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Nepal” programme seeking to build the resilience of vulnerable people and reduce the impact of natural hazards in Nepal. For more details on Wesley’s journey to Nepal, as well […]
Dr. Sheryl Staub-French Discusses Gender Gap in BC Engineering
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 engineers-in-training (recently graduated category). UBC Civil Engineering Professor and Dean’s adviser on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Dr. Sheryl Staub-French, along with Dr. Kathy Tarnai-Lokhorst, President of Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC), were recently featured in an article published in Business Vancouver. Both Dr. Staub-French and Dr. Tarnai-Lokhorst note that […]
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 each. For more information, or to participate, please visit Road User Survey Link. Principle Investigators: Dr. Alex Bigazzi and Dr. Meghan Winters
Prof. Banthia wins 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 have introduced ground-breaking technologies and innovations, and alumnus who have made social impacts on local, regional, national, and international levels. Dr. Banthia is a cherished alma mater of the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology and praised Faculty Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of […]
Seismic risk study & resilience plan with 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 magnitude earthquake struck the Haida Gwaii region resulting in trigger warnings across north-central BC. The Earthquake Engineering Research Facility (EERF) of UBC, a premier seismic testing laboratory, has been the forefront in conducting research, developing innovative teaching methods, and developing community outreach initiatives that actively reduce or mitigate […]
Prof. Tarek Sayed’s Research on Pedestrian Cellphone Use
(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 pedestrians being distracted by using their cellphones when walking in crosswalks, poses a danger for both pedestrians and vehicle road users. For urban planners the focus now is on how to measure and analyze these sidewalk dangers better and even prevent them. In an article on […]
Professor Emeritus 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 Research Institute is awarded to recognize members of the Institute and others who have made extraordinary and lasting contributions to public earthquake safety through the development and application of earthquake hazard reduction practices and policies. This award is not established to recognize major engineering or scientific […]
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 to Manager, Workshop and Laboratories, which is an M&P position. Harald has spent exactly one-third of a century – 33 years and 4 months – as a member of the Department of Civil Engineering. Best Wishes from all of us at the Department of Civil Engineering!
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 in 1981. In 1979, he joined Environment Canada’s Wastewater Technology Centre, where he worked as a senior process engineer and a part-time Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at McMaster University. In 1992, he came to the Department of Civil Engineering at UBC as Senior NSERC/COFI Industrial […]
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 Competition based on a chosen design problem or allow student teams to bring problems they are currently working on. The winner of an MA competition will be invited to compete at WEFTEC in the coming year. A record number of teams from 22 schools representing 20 […]
UBC Civil Prof. Featured as Keynote Speaker at STEM 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 Math) fields. The Annual STEM Career Conference for Youth brings industry leaders and successful professionals in various STEM fields to share their rich experience in professional careers that are related to STEM. Ths year keynote speakers shared insight, stories, perspectives, and experiences in different STEM careers, […]
2018 Civil 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 new students started off their first day with an introduction and welcome by the Department Head, Dr. Perry Adebar. The introduction was followed by details of the academic program, services for students, and clubs and community involvement. Following the orientation, the students participated in a scavenger hunt, […]
UBC Civil Hosts International Students for 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 academic courses while learning about Canadian practices and culture. This year, the Department of Civil Engineering offered courses in two concentrations: Structural Materials and Advanced Concrete Structures. The courses included field visits, laboratory experiments, as well as, computer modeling. The program this year hosted 46 undergraduate students, between […]
Professor Alex Bigazzi Speaks on Transit Efficiency In Vancouver
According to a study on global traffic patterns , Vancouver has the 203rd worst traffic in the world. In an effort to solve the congestion issue in city, Vancouver Mayoral candidate Wai Young proposed to remove separate bike lanes and demolish the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts if she gets elected. But are these infrastructures really the ones to blame? Vancouver Magazine invited UBC Civil Engineering and Community and Regional Planning Professor Alex Bigazzi to the conversation on transportation. Bigazzi disagrees with Wai Young’s argument and suggests that population growth has a bigger impact on congestion. On the same note, Bigazzi is not optimistic about the city’s […]
UBC Study Examines Distracted Pedestrian Cellphone Use
(Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images) UBC Civil Engineering Professor Tarek Sayed‘s research on pedestrian cellphone use was featured this week in The New York Times and CBC News. In the UBC study, led by engineers, two cameras were mounted at pedestrian crossing intersections monitoring the movement of over 350 pedestrians over a two-day period. Observations from the study found that over a third of those who crossed the intersection were distracted by their phones while texting, reading, and talking. In turn, this distraction led to pedestrians crossing slower and moving unsteadily to the other side of the street. The study is a key factor in the development […]
IC-IMPACTS Conference connects Canada-India infrastructure
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 General of India to Vancouver, Abhilasha Joshi. The Thursday panel session featured presentations by Civil Engineering faculty, Dr. Nemkumar Banthia and Dr. Pierre Bérubé. IC-IMPACTS projects focus on several research areas: low-carbon materials strengthening infrastructure sensors for structural, water, and health monitoring alternative power supplies water treatment systems rapid […]
UBC Team Wins Two Awards at 2018 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 made from balsa wood that was tested on a shaking table. Student teams were judged on their design presentation, summary poster, the model’s architectural design, ability to fit within the design criteria and constraints, analytical prediction of their model performance, and the response of their model […]
UBC CSCE Wins National CSCE 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 25 student chapters across Canada, the UBC CSCE was chosen to receive the President’s Best Student Chapter as the top CSCE Student Chapter in the 2017/2018 school year. Incoming president Arjun Prihar had the honour of accepting the prestigious award on behalf of the UBC CSCE […]
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 Li has carried her father’s positive attitude forward, forging a professional career in engineering at a time when there were few women in the field. Last week, Dr. Li was able to share her experiences in Engineering with young women aspiring to enter STEM fields at […]