For years, unrecycled plastic bottles have been dumped in landfills. Now, thanks to new research from UBC Okanagan, those bottles may have a second life in that landfill—stabilizing its earth walls. Used plastic bottles and textiles pose an increasing problem for landfills worldwide. Researchers say nearly a hundred million metric tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also known as microplastics, are produced globally each year—with a fraction of that number being recycled—making it one of the largest sources of plastic waste. “One way we can manage plastic waste is through integrating it into geotechnical construction,” explains doctoral student Alok Chandra. “By finding new ways to use these discarded plastics, we can divert them from landfills and use them to stabilize cover materials within landfills.” Chandra and his supervisor, UBCO Engineering Professor Dr. Sumi Siddiqua, have developed a new method of incorporating PET waste into clay soil stabilization. “Due to its nontoxicity, low biodegradability and accessibility, it shows considerable potential for use in landfill designs. However, a considerable amount of research is still required,” says Dr. Siddiqua. “This not only solves the solid waste problem but also increases the economic value of waste and encourages its re-circulation back from already polluted lands and oceans.” The study suggests the reused material strengthens the soil and serves as a water-resistant layer that will keep pollutants such as lead from escaping the landfill. “Our results show great potential, but there is still some work to be done before we will integrate the PET waste into landfill soil stabilization management,” says Chandra. The research is published in the journal Waste Management and funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grants Program. The post UBCO researchers investigate new use for plastic bottles appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

  This week UBC Okanagan celebrated the graduating students of 2023. As part of graduation, the top academic students are recognized for their accomplishments which often include high academic grades and community service.

Governor General’s Gold Medal

A passion for research, a personal connection and the desire to help a population often overlooked by researchers took Sarah Lawrason down a path that eventually led to one of UBC Okanagan’s top accomplishments. Dr. Lawrason has been named UBCO’s 2023 winner of the Governor General’s Gold Medal. She completed her PhD in Kinesiology, spending several years researching people who live with incomplete spinal cord injuries (SCI). Her research led to the design, implementation and evaluation of a mobile-based physical activity program for people with an SCI who walk. The goal was to support this particular population to become more physically active. “Physical activity is so beneficial for health and wellbeing, but there is little research and resources to support people with SCI and even less for those with an SCI who can walk,” she says. Dr. Lawrason admits there is a personal side to her drive. Her brother sustained an SCI in 2016—helping him live the best life he can became part of her mandate. The Governor General’s Gold Medal is awarded to the student who has achieved the most outstanding academic record as a doctoral or master’s student completing a dissertation or thesis. While working on her PhD, Dr. Lawrason conducted five studies with the ambulatory SCI population—a growing segment often referred to as the “forgotten ones” because they have been completely overlooked in health research and promotion, she says. Her research engaged with the SCI community and tech-industry partners to achieve significant breakthroughs and help pave the way for further scientific and clinical applications. She conducted her research under the supervision of Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, who describes Dr. Lawrason as someone with an exemplary record of high-impact, novel, interdisciplinary, community-engaged research who has made diverse and considerable contributions to society. “Sarah has established an outstanding reputation for research leadership and conducted her PhD research with unwavering commitment to using community-engaged methods and improving the health of people with disabilities,” says Dr. Martin Ginis. “Of the 13 PhD students I’ve supervised, she ranks among the top in terms of breadth and depth of skill and is more than deserving of this recognition.”

Governor General’s Silver Medal winner

Solomon Thiessen, described as an “exceptionally gifted” School of Engineering student, has been named the winner of UBC’s Governor General’s Silver Medal. It is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the highest academic standing of all students in their graduating year. UBC awards three silver medals each year: one in arts, one in science and one for all other faculties including those at UBC Okanagan. Thiessen recently completed his Bachelor of Applied Science with UBCO’s School of Engineering, impressing his professors by earning a final mark of 100 per cent on 12 of his engineering courses. He has a keen interest in computer engineering and he minored in computer science. During his studies, he worked on a variety of projects including a portable MRI device with Drs. Rebecca Feldman and Sabine Weyand as well as a wireless sensor node network with Dr. Dean Richert. Despite his heavy course load, he also volunteered as a tutor in math, physics, applied science and computer science through the student learning hub and worked as a teaching assistant in the automation lab. Within the School of Engineering, he was held in high esteem among the teaching staff, says Dr. Dean Richert, an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering “It has been an absolute pleasure to witness Sol’s progression throughout his degree and I am delighted to see him being acknowledged as a recipient of this award,” says Dr. Richert. “Sol not only possesses exceptional academic prowess but also demonstrates an outstanding work ethic and professionalism, distinguishing himself as one of the most exceptional students I have had the privilege of working with.” Thiessen has been accepted to the computer science master’s program at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. Following his studies at ETH Zurich, he plans to pursue a PhD in artificial intelligence. In the meantime, he is “tinkering” on a few software projects while working as a contractor for the Western Canadian Learning Network.

Lieutenant Governor Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation

A well-travelled and active member of the UBCO campus community, Haja Mabinty (Binta) Sesay has been named the winner of the Lieutenant Governor Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. Sesay has just completed her degree in International Relations and has been recognized for her leadership and dedication to helping make UBCO a more inclusive campus community. During her four years of study, she volunteered with the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office during back-to-school celebrations and spent two years volunteering with African Caribbean Student Club. She also held an executive role with the UBC Black caucus team and UBC’s Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force. Sesay started her schooling in The Gambia and moved to the United Kingdom for part of her high school education, completing her last year in Jerusalem. She came to UBCO in 2018, having been attracted to the close-knit campus and knowing the programs were academically strong. Although she applied for the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal, she had no expectations of winning the recognition and was surprised when notified she was the winner. “Just getting the email to apply for the award made me feel accomplished,” she says. “I was super shocked when I got the email saying I was selected. I am so passionate about all the work I have done and never expect anything back, but it also feels nice to be recognized. I feel very honoured.” The Lieutenant Governor Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation recognizes students who have distinguished themselves through their post-secondary education with outstanding contributions to the promotion of inclusion, democracy or reconciliation. Madison Tardif, who worked with Sesay at the UBC Equity and Inclusion Office, says she has played a key role in leading and working within various groups and committees to advocate for a more anti-racist and inclusive institution, with a particular focus on supporting the Black community. “Binta has dedicated herself to the promotion of anti-racism across the university and in the broader community, advocating for changes that will continue to shape and improve the experiences of Black students, faculty and staff at UBC,” says Tardif. “Binta’s commitment to addressing structural inequities and advocating for a more inclusive campus shines in her leadership roles and her consistent desire to show up for and in solidarity with diverse communities.”

Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize

Madyson Campbell, who received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree Thursday, is the winner of the Pushor Mitchell Gold Medal Leadership Prize. Knowing she eventually planned to go to medical school, Campbell came to UBCO from Thunder Bay wanting to experience a few years living in a different province and knew the Okanagan would suit her lifestyle. While working on her degree she participated in several multidisciplinary undergraduate research projects in health and worked on a student-led project to develop a pilot curriculum on a restorative approach to improve the experiences of patients who have been harmed within the health care system. Campbell is a proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario and works to advocate for and ensure the voices of Métis youth are heard at the provincial and national levels. “The support provided by this award is immeasurable, as it allows students like myself to continue our academic and leadership goals after graduating from UBC. This award has allowed me to pursue a research opportunity this summer at the University of Toronto. I cannot understate how deeply honoured I am to have been chosen by this committee. I will carry this recognition with me as I move forward in my academic and career pursuits.” As a winner of the Pushor Mitchell award, she receives a $10,000 scholarship which she says will support her journey as she enters the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay this fall. The Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize recognizes a top graduating student who has excelled academically and has shown leadership while earning their degree. “Pushor Mitchell LLP is thrilled to support another exceptional graduate at UBC Okanagan with our Gold Medal Leadership Award, as they make their way to become the next generation of great leaders in our community, both in the Okanagan and beyond”, says Joni Metherell, Managing Partner for Pushor Mitchell. “We congratulate Madyson and all of UBCO’s 2023 graduates on their success.”

Heads of Graduating Class

University of BC Medal in Arts Samantha Barg University of BC Medal in Education Isabela Richard University of BC Medal in Engineering Solomon Thiessen University of BC Medal in Fine Arts Josie Hillman University of BC Medal in Human Kinetics Melina Marini University of BC Medal in Management Aurora Gardiner University of BC Medal in Media Studies Amanda McIvor University of BC Medal in Nsyilxcn Language Fluency Sheri Stelkia University of BC Medal in Nursing Kayla Petersen University of BC Medal in Science Harman Sohal The post UBCO recognizes top students at 2023 graduation ceremonies appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

This week, UBC Okanagan will celebrate the graduating class of 2023. And while hundreds of students will cross the stage to accept their degrees, there will still be a series of unique firsts. On June 8 and 9, UBCO will confer more than 2,300 degrees during six graduation ceremonies. On Thursday, the first-ever Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency degree graduates will receive their degrees. “Graduation provides us the opportunity to recognize and congratulate our students and their successes,” says Dr. Lesley Cormack, UBCO’s Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. “I am incredibly proud of all of our students, with particular note for those receiving our first degrees in Nsyilxcn Language Fluency.” The Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency degrees will be conferred by UBC’s Chancellor, the Honourable xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl Steven Point. Chancellor Point will also confer honorary degrees on suiki?st Pauline Terbasket, Executive Director of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, and Lindsay Gordon, Point’s predecessor as UBC Chancellor. Interim UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Deborah Buszard, who is the former UBCO Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, will share the stage throughout the six graduation ceremonies with Dr. Cormack, the current campus Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. There are three ceremonies on Thursday, the first beginning at 8:30 am, and three on Friday morning with the first also starting at 8:30 am. Of the more than 2,320 degrees being presented this week, more than 450 students will earn their master’s degree, and 60 are being conferred as PhDs. These students have reached the highest level of achievement in their disciplines, says Dr. Cormack. She also notes the students graduating this year continued their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and pivoted to online courses as the university quickly adapted to online and remote delivery of classes in 2020. “I offer the UBC Okanagan class of 2023 my warmest congratulations for their remarkable achievements,” says Dr. Cormack. “These students persevered through an unusual time none of us could have predicted. They stayed dedicated to their studies as they not only transitioned to online learning, but back onto campus last year to complete their studies in-person. I am so grateful for this group of students as they showed grit and passion and worked through an extraordinary time to complete their studies. With these experiences, we know they have the ability to realize their highest ambitions, both personally and by shaping the world they’re entering as UBC alumni.” The 18th annual graduation celebration happens Thursday and Friday inside the UBC Okanagan gymnasium. Parking is free during the day. Quick facts:

• 2,320 students will cross the stage during six graduation ceremonies
• Two honorary degrees will be conferred, one each day
• Thursday, 8:30 am, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
• Thursday, 11 am, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Science
• Thursday, 1:30 am, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies** ** Including the Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency
• Friday, 8:30 am, Faculty of Health and Social Development* * Including nursing and social work
• Friday, 11 am, Faculty of Education: Okanagan School of Education and the Faculty of Management
• Friday, 1:30 pm, Faculty of Applied Science: School of Engineering
• Parking is free both days

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When Doc Brown fed his DeLorean food scraps in Back to the Future as fuel, it seemed like crazy science fiction. Now science is taking over that fiction as UBC Okanagan researchers are looking at the potential of using fruit waste—both solid and leachate—to power fuel cells. While the energy extracted from food scraps still pales in comparison to solar or wind power, researchers are working towards purifying and improving the energy output of discarded food, particularly fruit waste—an item that is in abundance in the agricultural belt of the Okanagan Valley. According to the BC Government, organic waste represents 40 per cent of material in provincial landfills. In particular, food waste is an increasing problem for urban areas around the world. This is partly the impetus behind a push to harness this waste and turn it into energy, explains UBCO researcher Dr. Hirra Zafar. “Today food waste is a sustainability challenge with detrimental environmental, economic and social implications,” says Dr. Zafar. “Current waste treatment methods, such as landfills and incineration, are associated with a wide range of adverse environmental impacts, including acidic waste leachate, air pollution, methane production and the release of harmful pollutants that result in environmental degradation and health risks.” Dr. Zafar, who conducts research in the School of Engineering, says microbial fuel cells convert fruit waste into electrical energy using an anaerobic anode compartment. In this compartment, anaerobic microbes—those that can survive without oxygen—utilize organic matter to convert it into energy. The electroactive microbes consume organic matter in the anode compartment and release electrons and protons. The electrons combine with protons and oxygen at the cathode to produce water, generating bioelectricity in the process. Dr. Zafar, says different types of fruits provide different results when processed through a microbial fuel cell—mostly because of their individual biochemical characteristics. “Carbohydrates are first degraded into soluble sugars and smaller molecules such as acetate, which is then consumed by electroactive bacteria to produce electricity in the process of electrogenesis,” she explains. Dr. Zafar and her supervisors Drs. Nicolas Peleato and Deborah Roberts, a researcher at the University of Northern British Columbia, are working towards increasing the bioconversion efficiency of fruit which they hope will result in higher voltage outputs. Unlike in the fictitious approach in Back to the Future where Doc Brown tosses in peels at random, the researchers found that the process worked more efficiently with better output when the food waste was separated, and ground into small particles before processing. Though challenges remain in converting food waste into bioenergy on a commercial scale, Dr. Zafar says this study reinforces the great possibilities of microbial fuel cells. And turning waste into green and renewable energy serves a dual environmental purpose. “Microbial fuel cells are really at their developmental stage and they have so much potential,” she adds. “At this point, the voltage remains low, but I am excited to investigate how to improve their power output and apply these practices on a commercial scale.” The research was a collaboration between UBC Okanagan and the University of Northern British Columbia. It was published in the latest edition of Bioresource Technology. The post UBCO researchers aim to energize fruit waste appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

A group of UBC Okanagan researchers is trying to take the mathematical mystery out of what could be a person’s biggest investment—buying a home. While the real estate market changes rapidly and is connected to the fluctuations of the economy, there are many other considerations to make when purchasing a property, says UBCO School of Engineering Professor Zheng Liu. Dr. Liu and his doctoral student Junchi Bin, along with Faculty of Management Associate Professor Eric Li, have created a regional house price mining and forecasting framework (RHPMF) and recently published research that tests the tool they created. “Real estate is always one of the largest expenses throughout a person’s life,” says Dr. Liu. “Before making decisions on house transactions, people consult real estate agents to obtain knowledge of the market. And these days, people are more cautious than ever about costly failures such as a real estate investment.” The idea behind the RHPMF is to help people understand the population, growth and historical background of a specific community or even a neighbourhood based on real-world housing data including history, social dynamics and housing costs. “The real estate market has a significant impact on people’s daily life,” adds Bin, who notes there is not a lot of empirical research about the real estate industry. “Therefore, it is crucial to understand real estate from both the spatial and historical perspectives. What’s going on in the neighbourhood where you want to buy?” To fully understand a local market, Bin says people must “mine” the area for data—learn about supply, the location of expensive or affordable houses, the history and current dynamics of an area including crime rates—before they can assess and forecast the house prices and then finally determine if the area is right for them. Specifically, the RHPMF framework introduces a series of filtering algorithms to extract spatial and historical factors about a particular neighbourhood. For example, the users can input a street address into the web-based or mobile matrix tool. The algorithm can analyze the data and release a comprehensive report to users with all the corresponding information. The result, explains Bin, is to assist estate brokers in visualizing, analyzing and forecasting the spatial and progressive evolution of estate prices from multi-source information. The researchers tested their matrix using exploratory trials and experiments in Virginia Beach, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Dr. Li says the forecasting accuracy of the matrix worked well and their series of tests demonstrate the RHPMF’s considerable capability and robustness. “These case studies indicate that the RHPMF framework can accurately capture the market’s spatial distribution and evolution and then forecast future regional house prices compared with recent baselines,” says Dr. Li. “The results suggest the great potential of the proposed RHPMF in real estate industries.” Dr. Liu says the proposed framework can help decision-makers in the real estate industry as it can forecast future regional house prices and also provide explainable price factors for in-depth analysis. “The RHPMF successfully integrates exploratory analysis and price forecasting as a framework,” he adds. “With accurate and explainable analysis, the clients can make smart and reliable decisions related to the estate market.” The research was published recently in Information Fusion. The post UBCO researchers create real estate market assessment tool appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

It’s happened to anyone with a cell phone—dropped calls or dead air because suddenly there is no service available. Or worse, the location pin drops on the navigation app. Researchers at UBC Okanagan are looking at ways to improve cell phone connectivity and localization abilities by examining “smart” surfaces that can bounce signals from a tower to customers to improve the link. A smart surface involves installing reflective elements on windows or panels on buildings in dense urban environments. The goal, says Dr. Anas Chaaban, is to improve wireless services for millions of Canadians. Currently, he says, there are more than 12,000 wireless antenna towers. And yet, a lack of cell service is a common problem. “The increasing use of mobile technologies across the world is necessitating research that unlocks potential new approaches within our existing infrastructure,” says Dr. Chaaban, an Assistant Professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering. “Even though cellphone towers line the rooftops of major cities, and handle the data and phone traffic of millions of Canadians each day, there are still gaps in service.” Dr. Chaaban and his team at UBCO’s Communication Theory Lab have developed transmission schemes that would incorporate reconfigurable intelligent surfaces—smart surfaces—throughout urban centres to serve as reflectors within existing wireless networks. A reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is a panel of many individual reflective elements, each of which can modify an incoming signal and reflect it. This modification can be controlled with an electrical signal, which enables the RIS to improve the connection or generate signals that are useful for locating users in the network. The researchers developed a new localization system where an RIS can work as a satellite to improve accuracy. By making a surface smart, it can bounce signals to cell phones which in turn can use these signals to generate an accurate estimate of location, he says. An accurate location estimate is not only useful for location services but also to improve transmission from the tower to the phone using optimized location-aware transmission schemes that also leverage the RIS. “Users never expect to have a call drop, and they also expect lightning-fast data speeds,” he says. “But to accomplish this, the networks require constant updating.” The researchers tested their theory using multiple modulated RISs that allow for the simultaneous localization of multiple users with low complexity for each RIS. They also developed and tested RIS-enabled transmission schemes that outperform existing schemes. “We simulated the proposed localization protocol and demonstrated its effectiveness in an urban micro-cell street canyon scenario as an example,” he explains. “And the protocol works for multiple users simultaneously. Even in areas with intermittent service, data can be shared and users can be located and enjoy a reliable connection.” Dr. Chaaban and his team have published several papers on this work, which appear in the IEEE Communications Letters, IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society, and IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. The post Researchers test smart surfaces to improve wireless communication and localization appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

While residents in California are still dealing with damage from last month’s floods—after years of devastating droughts—UBC Okanagan engineers are looking at better ways to manage the delivery of safe drinking water to homes. Things to consider include a changing climate, costs and sustainability. Dr. Haroon Mian, a Postdoctoral Research Associate with UBCO’s School of Engineering, says municipalities and water utilities all have drinking water management strategies to ensure the water they provide is safe and plentiful. However, a natural disaster, a breach in the supply or contamination at the treatment plant can put water supplies—and human health—at risk. “Freshwater is essential to sustain ecosystem health and our survival,” says Dr. Mian. “But Earth’s once plentiful freshwater resources are now under increasing pressure due to population growth, urbanization and climate change.” As water supplies become more threatened, not only is providing safe water a priority, but suppliers must also ensure that doing so will have low environmental and economic implications. “The quality of drinking water is contingent on several important attributes such as water extraction, treatment, delivery, cost and the disposal of used water,” says Dr. Mian who conducts research in UBC’s Life Cycle Management Lab. “Those factors can all be impacted by climate change. And they have a significant environmental influence in terms of natural resource depletion, waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions.” Dr. Mian and his fellow researchers have developed an integrated assessment framework that combines water quality with lifecycle assessment techniques. Working with data from small and medium-sized communities, they provided a way to assess the long-term applicability of water systems that can provide safe drinking water to people. According to Dr. Mian, the framework provides a different lens into a more holistic view of drinking water management and its components. “We measure factors such as water quality, changes to the environment and potential costs to determine performance data and benchmarking, thereby providing important tools to ensure these systems experience long-term effectiveness and sustainability,” he adds. By considering these key factors, water can flow to a community at a reasonable cost while conserving natural resources and ensuring environmental protection. The study evaluated the overall performance of several water distribution systems by combining the above-mentioned criteria. Water distributors can apply the framework to determine the best distribution management system that will provide safe drinking water to their consumers with minimal environmental and economic costs. The framework continues to be tested to ensure it is flexible based on any setting, community or system. “There are no perfect decision-making techniques. The results often vary based on the available data and assumptions,” Dr. Mian adds. “But this framework can be useful for all water distributors.” The research was conducted in the School of Engineering’s Life Cycle Management Lab in collaboration with Universite Laval with funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. It was published in the January edition of the Journal of Environmental Management. The post UBCO engineers examine drinking water management strategies appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

A team of UBC Okanagan researchers is investigating a new method to monitor underground gas pipelines with high-tech sensors that can make it easier to find weaknesses, discrepancies and even a diversion in residential natural gas lines. While there has been considerable research into diagnosis methods for steel pipes such as radiography, ultrasonic testing, visual inspection and ground penetrating radar, Master of Applied Science student Abdullah Zayat says little has been done on the commonly used high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, which carries natural gas to homes. “Early detection of structural degradation is essential to maintaining safety and integrity. And it lowers the risk of catastrophic failure,” he explains. Zayat and his supervisor Dr. Anas Chaaban, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, tested a technique that allows for the inspection of HDPE pipes with ultrasonic sensors—which transmit ultrasound signals through the pipe. The new monitoring method limits the likelihood of gas diversions—where gas is siphoned to an unmetered location for unmeasured consumption. “This tampering with the pipe poses many risks since it is unrecorded, violates pipeline quality standards and can lead to potential leaks and possibly explosions. This can pose a significant risk to public safety, property and the environment in the vicinity of the altered gas line,” says Dr. Chaaban. “Such diversions have been discovered in the past through word of mouth, leaks or unexpected encounters with an unrecorded natural gas pipe in a construction site.” Previous research has studied the inspection of metallic structures using ultrasonic-guided waves (UGWs). But this type of testing has not been done to inspect non-metallic structures such as HDPE pipelines. “Given the concealed nature of underground pipes, it is very challenging to inspect them. Existing solutions include ground penetrating radar and endoscope cameras, which are both invasive and expose inspectors to potential risk from the suspects. As a result, it is better to use non-invasive methods to inspect pipes.” This method enables the inspection of buried, insulated and underwater pipelines using ultrasonic sensors. It also provides a larger range of inspection than traditional ultrasonic testing because it uses the structure of the pipe itself as a waveguide, explains Zayat. “UGW sensing is getting a lot of attention from the industry because of its long-range inspection capabilities from a single test location. They can inspect more than 100 metres of pipeline from a single location,” he adds. This type of detection system is unique because the sensors clamp onto the exposed portion of the pipe and connect to the section of pipe that emerges above the ground where it connects to the metre. While the technology is still in the early stages, Dr. Chaaban notes the majority of this current research involved the development and assessment of a deep-learning algorithm for detecting diversions in pipes. The results suggest that the method has 90 per cent accuracy when one receiving sensor is used and nearly 97 per cent accuracy when using two receiving sensors. Future use of the sensors may include the inspection of buried, insulated and underwater pipelines. “By combining classical signal processing with machine learning, we can more efficiently and accurately determine if there is an issue,” adds Dr. Chaaban. The research appears in the latest edition of the journal Sensors, and was funded in part by Fortis BC and Mitacs. The post Ultrasonic sensors can safeguard residential gas lines appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

While research at a university can take on many shapes and forms, students, faculty and staff with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering have found a way to combine winter sports and the thrill of competition into their daily work. This year, UBCO’s School of Engineering is hosting the Great Northern Toboggan Race—a multi-day, student-led event where universities from across Canada race their hand-built concrete toboggans down steep hills. UBCO also hosted the event in 2015. Though the competition is heavily focused on the design and manufacturing aspects of engineering, faculty supervisor Dr. Ahmed Rteil says lots of learning and professional development takes place during the design, construction and eventual race event. “There is a lot of business and logistics planning that goes on behind the scenes so the teams recruit students from other areas of study,” he says. “The experience of participating in this event has helped students make connections with industry and round out their resumes which will potentially help them find employment after graduation.” So, what exactly is a concrete toboggan? It’s not completely concrete, says event co-chair Kyle Lessoway, who is working on his doctorate in mechanical engineering. In fact, the only parts of the toboggan that must be concrete are the actual runners that contact the snow during the downhill race. Competing teams must design and build a custom-made toboggan capable of steering, braking and, most importantly, able to safely carrying five people down the mountain. The toboggan with concrete skis, metal roll cage, and steering and braking mechanisms must weigh in at less than 350 pounds, explains Lessoway. “The competition is unique compared to other engineering competitions in that it adds a spirited side to the event with themes designed into the toboggans,” he says, adding UBCO’s toboggan this year has a cow theme. “The event also allows competitors to also practice their soft skills such as communicating with industry partners and members of the public who are not engineering experts.” For months the students have been preparing budgets, writing funding proposals and engaging with stakeholders. Even getting the team, and the sled, from their home to the competition city is a massive undertaking that a lot of undergraduate students don’t have experience with, explains co-chair and UBCO alumna Janessa Froese. She joined the team while studying sciences at UBCO. “The skills I developed while I was on the concrete toboggan team were the reason I got my first job when I completed university,” she says. First established in 1975, the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race is the largest and longest-running engineering student competition in Canada. This year, there are 15 competing teams, plus four non-competing teams, meaning there will be more than 385 participants arriving in Kelowna this week. Events kick off with a competitor interaction day where the students will participate in downtown tours including the heritage museums along with some events on campus. Students will also participate in a concrete testing demonstration at UBCO’s campus and the Tech-Ex display at the host hotel the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort on January 27. Race day takes place January 28 at Big White’s Tube Town. Before hitting the slopes, each toboggan will be judged on a number of categories, such as the design of the toboggan as a whole, the level of ingenuity and innovation as well as how well it performs on race day. Each toboggan must pass a safety inspection prior to racing and any entries that fail will not be permitted to race. The UBCO team has a track record of success in the event, including podium finishes at several events and placing second overall the last time the competition was held in Kelowna. More information about the 2023 Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race can be found at: www.gnctr2023.ca The post Concrete toboggan race returns to Kelowna, Big White appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

What: Fifth annual Life Raft Debate Who: UBC professors compete to win a role to lead society When: Wednesday, January 25, beginning at 7 pm Venue: COM 201, Commons building, 3297 University Way and over Zoom As the Okanagan winter progresses some people might dream of being cast away on a deserted beach. But a few UBC Okanagan professors have now landed on a fictional island and have their work cut out for them. Each year UBC Okanagan’s Society of Scholars hosts a Life Raft Debate, pitting faculty against each other as they maintain why they alone have the skills to help save the world and therefore deserve the last seat on the life-raft. The premise for the fifth annual Life Raft Debate involves faculty who have crash-landed on a fictional tropical deserted island, explains Society of Scholars spokesperson Aimee Davarani. Recognizing the necessity for governance in their new home, the survivors must hold an election to determine who will become their leader and last hope for a civilized society. “This is their chance to campaign as the new leader of the island,” she says. “With all the resources provided to stay alive, the chosen one must take on the challenge of forming a new culture that can be sustained for the future. Because who knows when help will arrive? But first, they must win the debate.” “The members of the audience are the ones who will vote for their new leader, making this an entertaining and interactive evening,” Davarani adds, a third-year psychology student. This year the debating professors include Dr. Jordan Stouck from the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, School of Engineering’s Dr. Alon Eisenstein and Dr. Renaud-Phillippe Garner from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. “We invite people to come and watch the professors from different faculties debate against each other to prove that their discipline is superior to all others when it comes to creating and maintaining a new society,” adds Davarani. To add intrigue to the evening, the final debater, Dr. Matthew Nelson, will play the role of Devil’s Advocate. The biology professor will campaign that none of the academic debaters deserve to be in a leadership role and the fate of society should rest with the audience as a whole. “We really encourage our community to come watch our faculty members as they deal with this unique twist on defending their expertise,” says Davarani. “The annual Life Raft Debate has become a fun and entertaining way to help people discover how different points of view and areas of expertise can work together, or against, improving our society.” More information and registration can be found at: students.ok.ubc.ca/life-raft The post Life Raft Debate pits professors against each other for survival appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.