Rubaiya Rumman is a PhD Student in Civil Engineering and UBC Killam Doctoral Scholar at the School of Engineering. . She works in the Applied Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Structures (ALAMS) under the supervision of Professor Shahria Alam.
Born in Dhaka Bangladesh, her father is a civil engineer and was an inspiration for choosing civil engineering as a career. After graduating from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, she was provided with the opportunity to teach at the same university. That experience motivated her to continue to pursue higher studies.
“Being thousands of miles away from my home is a challenge in itself,” says Rumman, “but having my husband and 5-year son with me has made the adjustment much easier.” Rumman’s husband is also doing his PhD at UBC Okanagan. Both expect to complete their studies by the summer of 2025. “My son is my biggest inspiration going forward, and I’m looking forward to having him say one day ‘I am proud of you, Maa!’”
Rumman’s research focuses on concrete materials. Specifically, the sustainability and life cycle performance of construction materials. Concrete is a huge emitter of CO2 and the main responsible ingredient is cement. A 1000 kg of cement production emits about 900 kg of CO2 to the environment. Supplementary cementing materials are used to reduce the amount of cement to some extent. However, the closure of coal power plants worldwide has posed a serious threat to the availability of fly ash in the near future, which is one of the main supplementary cementitious materials used in concrete. Rumman is investigating the feasibility of the use of wood ash, produced in abundance as a by-product of bioenergy in Canada, to be a potential substitute for coal fly ash. Her research aims to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.
Working with her supervisor, Shahria Alam, has been a fantastic opportunity according to Rumman. “I have a very friendly working environment and the most helpful supervisor. Dr. Alam’s guidance and support have helped me utilize my potential to the fullest.”
Outside her research, she has nurtured a deep passion for music, particularly in the field of vocal performance. She loves to travel and spend time outside in the beautiful Okanagan Valley.
As Rumman explains the Killam recognition means more to her than the funding. “It means that my hard work is being recognized, my perseverance is getting acknowledged, and my sacrifices of staying so far away from home are being appreciated.”
As she looks to the future, she hopes to serve academia and become a well-known researcher in the field of sustainable and green concrete technology.