A new funding initiative at UBC is bringing together expertise from multiple disciplines to tackle one of the most pressing problems of our time: managing the impact of extreme weather conditions, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall. With $53,000 in annual renewable funding, the Collaborative PhD Program is aimed at training students across diverse fields to develop innovative solutions to climate-related challenges while fostering cross-disciplinary knowledge and collaboration.
As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, the need for innovative solutions is greater than ever. This funding will support research focused on stormwater management and heatwave mitigation, specifically through the use of artificial trees that absorb stormwater and cool the environment through evaporation.
“When water evaporates, it absorbs heat, effectively regulating temperature,” explains Dr. Jongho Lee from UBC Civil Engineering. “By mimicking this process with artificial trees, we aim to both manage stormwater and cool urban environments during heatwaves.”
This novel approach requires expertise from a range of fields. That’s why Dr. Lee has teamed up with Dr. Simcha Srebnik from UBC CHBE and Dr. Feng Jiang from UBC Forestry. Together, they are working on developing infrastructure that can act as both a stormwater management system and a cooling mechanism, transforming buildings into “trees” to save space and resources.
A key goal of the Collaborative PhD Program is to train students not only in niche areas but also to expose them to a broad range of disciplines. “This funding allows us to gather diverse expertise from civil engineering, chemical engineering, and forestry,” says Dr. Lee. “By working together, we can train our students to think across disciplines and develop holistic solutions to complex environmental problems.”
Over the course of the two-year program, students will meet regularly in monthly sessions, presenting their research to one another and exchanging knowledge. This format encourages active collaboration, allowing students to learn skills and techniques from different fields.
To further strengthen collaboration, the program is organizing a series of workshops and retreats. The first workshop, organized in July, brought together students and researchers from different labs to share general lab knowledge, ensuring that everyone can benefit from each other’s expertise.
Beyond the immediate research, this funding will also support the development of future proposals and ideas, providing ongoing educational opportunities for PhD students and positioning UBC as a leader in climate-focused research.
The $53,000 annual funding, which is renewable, primarily supports the education and development of PhD students. “It’s not just about solving one problem,” says Dr. Lee. “It’s about developing the skills and knowledge that our students will carry with them throughout their careers, enabling them to address the ongoing impacts of climate change.”