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 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 […]
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 […]
UBC Study Co-Authored By Professor Tarek Sayed Examines Distracted Pedestrian Cellphone Use in Crosswalks
(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 […]
Professor Alex Bigazzi Challenges the Concept of “Ideological War on Transportation” 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 […]
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 […]
Professor Bernard Laval wins prestigious Killam Teaching Prize
Civil Engineering Professor Bernard Laval has been awarded a 2018 Killam Teaching Prize for the Faculty of Applied Science. Nominated by students, faculty and alumni, the Killam Teaching Prizes are the highest recognition of an exceptional teaching awarded to instructors by UBC. Dr. Laval’s commitment to graduate and undergraduate learning has been a positive impact on Civil […]
Professor Donald Mavinic interviewed by Star Vancouver about new approaches to Canadian wastewater management
UBC Civil Engineering Professor Emeritus Donald Mavinic spoke to the Star Vancouver about the need to update Canadian wastewater management standards. As the chair of a panel that spent six months reviewing water contaminants in Canadian cities, Mavinic discusses the need for treatment infrastructure to catch up with the new pollutants entering our water. The […]
Civil Research Associate Listed in CBC Environmentalist Roundup
Dr. Asha Srinivasan listed among powerhouse Canadian environmentalists like Naomi Klein and David Suzuki for her work in waste reduction To celebrate Earth Day, CBC released an article listing “13 Canadian environmentalists and innovators changing Earth for the better.” In addition to household names like David Suzuki and Naomi Klein, the list included a member […]
UBC-Based IC-IMPACTS Deepens Canada-India Ties with Water Research in Iconic Varanasi City
Clockwise left to right: Dr. Banthia meets with representatives from DBT and DST, the location of Varanasi on the Ganges river, the river rejuvination scoping workshop held in Varanasi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s riding). Organization led by UBC Civil Engineering Professor taps into National River Ganges Rejuvenation The Ganges River is a lifeline for over […]
Civil engineering professor uses UBC electric-assist velomobile pilot to study new patterns in transportation
Civil Engineering Assistant Professor Alex Bigazzi and his students are using the data from these pedal and solar powered rental vehicles to look at how alternate forms of transportation change the way we move. Working with the Veemo pilot project happening across the UBC campus, Dr. Bigazzi wants to see if the app-activated electric-assisted tricycles […]
Civil Engineering graduate students get ready to take clean drinking-water technology to San Francisco in competition for the Hult Prize
An interdisciplinary team of UBC students is ready to take their drinking water technology case one step closer to the $1 million Hult Prize. Rajat Jain, Jatin Maheshwary, and Karan Grover have joined forces to create a business case for the drinking water technology developed under the supervision of Civil Engineering professor Pierre Bérubé. Their entry […]
Receive missile text alert on your phone? Not yet in B.C.
Kent Johansen, a research associate with the earthquake engineering research facility, spoke to CBC about earthquake warning systems. He said traditional SMS text messaging wouldn’t reach everyone fast enough, and that we need dedicated earthquake warning devices. The story also appeared on Yahoo.
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Civil researchers develop EDCC, a new material engineered to help vulnerable buildings stand up to earthquakes
A new seismic-resistant, fibre-reinforced concrete developed at the University of British Columbia will see its first real-life application this fall as part of the seismic retrofit of a Vancouver elementary school. The material is engineered at the molecular scale to be strong, malleable, and ductile, similar to steel—capable of dramatically enhancing the earthquake resistance of […]
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 […]
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
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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, […]
“Does Vancouver Need to Save Water?” Adjunct Prof. Troy Vassos talks with CKNW on the benefits of reclaiming wastewater
Thursday, March 30, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Adjunct professor Troy Vassos spoke with the Jon McComb Show on World Water Day about the benefits of recycling wastewater for non-potable use in buildings and facilities around the world. Listen to the segment here: https://omny.fm/shows/the-jon-mccomb-show/does-vancouver-need-to-save-wa…
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).
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 […]
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 […]
Victoria buildings at risk of earthquake destruction: Study
Monday, February 20, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin MSN published a Vancouver Sun story quoting Carlos Ventura, civil engineering professor and the director of UBC’s earthquake engineering research facility, after a study in Victoria found that almost 4,000 buildings in that city are at risk of complete damage from a major earthquake. Prof. Ventura said all communities in […]
Prof. Sayed’s traffic safety analysis tool helps cities striving for “Vision Zero”
Friday, February 3, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Tarek Sayed discussed his computer vision and automated safety analysis system for traffic safety with Next City. The system is being used in cities all over the world to help strive for the elimination of traffic-related deaths (a plan referred to in some countries as Vision Zero).
CSCE Student Chapter sees real-world cement manufacturing process on Richmond plant tour
Monday, January 23, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Earlier this month, the UBC CSCE Student Chapter visited the Lafarge Cement Plant in Richmond, BC to learn more about the cement manufacturing process. The Richmond Cement Plant is one of the two cement plants that exist in BC and is one of the six cement plants […]
CBC Radio features self-healing road technology
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin CBC’s Quirks and Quarks featured self-repairing technology for roads developed by Professor Nemy Banthia. The new type of concrete has a hydrophilic nano-coating, which helps fills in cracks, and tiny fibres to prevent cracks from growing.
Prof. Banthia’s self-repairing road one of “the genius 15”
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Nemy Banthia was featured in the Deccan Chronicle for his work on a self-healing road. The new type of road is thinner, cheaper, and replaces about 60 per cent of cement with fly-ash, and is one of 15 innovations to be recognized by the Deccan Chronicle […]
15 years later U.S. feds still fail to address deadly problem
Tuesday, November 29, 2016 | By Lindsay Cashin Forbes quoted Professor Emeritus Frank Navin in a story about seat-back failures in cars. “There is no reason on God’s green earth that we cannot design against that sort of thing. I personally feel the North American [auto] industry has been somewhat negligent,” Navin said in an […]