News & Events

For Brooke Franchuk, engineering is about creating technologies that can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. A 2018 graduate of the Mechanical Engineering program at UBC Okanagan School of Engineering, Franchuk now works at Garmin, where she helps develop wearable technologies designed to support health and well-being. Her journey highlights how engineering skills can […]

Ana Isabel Sarkis Fernandez is a postdoctoral research fellow in earthquake engineering at UBC Okanagan. Originally from Costa Rica, she has lived, studied, and worked across multiple countries, bringing a global perspective to her work on seismic resilience. Her research focuses on understanding why innovative building technologies are not widely adopted in Canada and how […]

For wheelchair users, snow-covered paths can create significant barriers to independent mobility. Capstone Project Name: Wheelchair Accessible Snow Shovel Team Members: Axcan Alba Gonzalez – Mechanical Engineering Ian Schoeman – Mechanical Engineering Marcus Chan – Mechanical Engineering Aidan MacKenzie – Mechanical Engineering Lewis McCombie – Mechanical Engineering Michael Zidkovich – Mechanical Engineering Students in the Capstone […]

Dr. Qian Chen, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering, has been named one the campus’ six inaugural Impact Research Chairs in recognition of her leadership in advancing digital construction technologies and sustainable housing solutions. The new program supports researchers whose work is driving meaningful impact within communities, industries and society. […]

Dr. Lisa Tobber’s collaboration with New Zealand researchers aims to strengthen the safety and resilience of prefabricated buildings  A UBC Okanagan engineering researcher is helping lead an international effort to make buildings safer in earthquake-prone regions.  Dr. Lisa Tobber, Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering, has been awarded a Catalyst International Leader Fellowship from New Zealand’s Royal Society Te Apārangi. […]

2026 UBC Okanagan engineering graduate Quinn Soon reflects on leadership, sustainability and creating impact through engineering Meet UBCO 2026 BASc Civil Engineering Graduate Quinn Soon Growing up in the Okanagan, Quinn Soon was drawn to engineering by a desire to help address some of society’s most pressing challenges, including sustainability, housing affordability and community resilience. […]