UBC School of Engineering celebrates the class of 2025

463 graduates will cross the stage to receive their degrees during the UBC Okanagan Applied Science convocation on June 6 – 281 undergraduates and 182 graduates will be conferred.

The 281 undergraduate degrees include 81 in civil engineering, 55 in electrical engineering, 15 in manufacturing engineering, and 130 in mechanical engineering. Six of these students will graduate with a minor in Computer Science and one with a minor in Management. Sixty-six undergraduate students will graduate with having completed an option – a special concentration within their engineering program – including: 21 in aerospace, 20 in resilient infrastructure management (RIM), 15 in biomedical, nine in mechatronics, and one in environmental engineering.

Thirty-seven persent of undergraduate students will receive a degree with distinction – meaning they achieved an overall average of 80% or higher – while 26% of undergraduates will receive a co-op distinction.

The 182 graduate degrees include 97 Master of Engineering, 49 Master of Applied Science and 36 PhD.  Of the graduate degrees, 62 are in civil engineering, 49 are in electrical engineering, and 71 are in mechanical engineering.

A number of students will receive awards at the School of Engineering Graduation Reception & Awards event on the morning of June 6, prior to the Convocation Ceremony.

Students who achieved top grades in their respective programs will receive the Engineers & Geoscientists BC (EGBC) Achievement Certificate. They include:

• Conor Manahan – Engineers and Geoscientists BC Achievement Certificate in Engineering – Overall
• Wilson Holland – Engineers and Geoscientists BC Achievement Certificate in (Civil) Engineering
• Dylan Ashton – Engineers and Geoscientists BC Achievement Certificate in (Electrical) Engineering
• Heanan Bird – Engineers and Geoscientists BC Achievement Certificate in (Manufacturing) Engineering
• Matthew Hinchliff – Engineers and Geoscientists BC Achievement Certificate in (Mechanical) Engineering

In addition to the EGBC Achievement certificate, Matthew Hinchliff will also receive the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering (CSME) Gold Medal for his outstanding work in the mechanical engineering program.

This year’s Gordon Springate Award recipient is Samantha Krieg. The Award is offered by Dr. Gordon Springate Jr. to a student completing a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree who has demonstrated material contribution to their community outside of their program. Throughout her degree, Ms. Krieg founded new initiatives, led major research projects, mentored peers and connected engineering practice to real-world community needs. Her passion, drive, and leadership in her program aims to build a more sustainable, inclusive and disaster-resilient future, make her the worthy recipient of this award.

Samantha alongside Samuel Yousefi, PhD student in mechanical engineering, were selected to be Faculty of Applied Science Rising Stars.  Both students were nominated by faculty or staff and selected as a Rising Star for their work in and outside of UBC and their expectation to continue fostering leadership, developing solutions to current issues, and contributing effectively to society.

The recipient of the annual Dr. Spiro Yannacopoulos Memorial Award in Engineering Leadership award is Master of Applied Science (MASc) mechanical engineering student, Mojdeh Rezaei-Khamseh. Her research on sustainable materials for electronics, outstanding academic performance, and numerous contributions to teaching, mentorship, and outreach exemplify engineering leadership. Through her roles in student organizations such as the Engineering Graduate Students Society (EGSS) and Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Committee, science outreach, and support for underrepresented communities, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to inclusivity, service, and empowering others.

This year’s Head of Class is awarded to the student with the top academic standing – Conor Manahan, who will receive a special acknowledgment during the Convocation Ceremony.

At this year’s Ceremony Abrar Mahir will represent the Faculty of Applied Science Okanagan Class of 2025 as the Convocation Speaker. Abrar demonstrated outstanding leadership, involvement in the UBC community, and a strong academic performance throughout his undergraduate degree.

The School of Engineering sends warm congratulations to the Class of 2025!

For more information about the 2025 Convocation Ceremonies visit: https://graduation.ok.ubc.ca/.

Faculty of Applied Science Okanagan – School of Engineering graduating class by the numbers (degree & programs only):