Scientists predict that there is a 30% chance that British Columbia will experience a major earthquake in the next 50 years. That major seismic event has the potential to register higher than magnitude 9.0. Only five earthquakes have been recorded over 9.0 according to the US Geological Society, and all but one were located in densely populated areas. The 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake in Japan resulted in more than 15-thousand fatalities and over $309B in economic loss including damage to hundreds-of-thousands of buildings, thousands of roads, and over fifty bridges.

In an effort to address the possibility of a catastrophic seismic event in BC, and its ensuing infrastructure impact, researcher Shahria Alam and his team from the School of Engineering’s Applied Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Structures (ALAMS) have teamed up with Spannovation Consulting Limited from BC’s Lower Mainland. Alam, who is a Professor and Principal’s Research Chair in Resilient and Green Infrastructure, will spend the next six years evaluating and predicting the performance of a variety of existing and future bridges. He and his team will also design new technology to retrofit these bridges, and strengthen new bridges.

“Our research focus is to investigate single-span bridges, which make up a third of the bridges in BC, but are also the most susceptible to damage from earthquakes,” explains Alam. “Better understanding factors such as abutments, foundation, and soil-foundation interaction are pivotal to designing technology to safeguard existing and new bridges in our province.”

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada overall loss after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake in BC is estimated to be almost $75B while a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the Quebec City-Montreal-Ottawa corridor would cause a $61B loss. Alam says it is clear that Canada’s bridge infrastructure is vulnerable. “It is imperative to seek new approaches for seismic analysis and design of bridges, and that’s why we are collaborating with Spannovation.”

Spannovation is a bridge and seismic engineering consultancy that specializes in developing retrofit and rehabilitation strategies through seismic analysis including response spectrum, push-over and time history analyses.

The multi-phase project will commence later this summer with analysis and modelling of different bridge structures across the province in conjunction with the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The findings will then be used to create a robust predictive modelling program that can help evaluate existing bridges and future bridge designs.

The researchers will also investigate how multi-span bridges respond to non-uniform ground movement. Alam sees this phase as one of the really fascinating components of the research. “Since seismic wave behaviour isn’t always consistent, we will analyze how the individual parts of the bridge respond structurally through displacement and strain responses in order to develop design guidelines and recommendations.”

The project will investigate these scenarios and find solutions using advanced analysis tools such as Elastic Dynamic Analysis (EDA), Inelastic Static Pushover Analysis (ISPA), nonlinear time history analysis, and incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). The findings will help advance the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code.

The research is funded by the Mitacs Accelerate Grant cluster, and is expected to train more than 30 interns in the next six years.

Two teams comprising of School of Engineering student-led projects finish in the top 2 at the 2021 AquaHacking Challenge – Western Canada Finale.

Read the Western Canada AquaHcking Challenge 2021 News Release

Both teams originated from last year’s APSC 169 Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering Design, and were both recipients of funding from the School’s inaugural Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Impact Fund. The fund helps student-led start-ups to solve real-world problems.

The SIP Project, a mobile filtration station in the form of a gravity filter backpack was awarded the top prize at the 2021 AquaHacking Challenge. The primarily second-year team includes Yosamin Esanullah, Elana Wood (third-year, electrical), Mana Tokuni, Yamen Shaheb, and Sarah Adelaja. Using carbon and membrane micron filters, the team has designed a portable filtration system that fits in a backpack, and is designed to last up to 128 weeks. It is a solution ideally built for remote communities to address drinking water contamination.

As the 1st place team, SIP Project receives $20-thousand in funding, a spot in a local start-up incubator, credits for legal services from Lavery Lawyers, and are eligible for additional funding through Mitacs.

Another APSC 169 team, Eledigm, placed second in the competition. The team consists of second-year engineering students Sydney Strocen, Mikhail Ignatyev, Alex Wiggins, Sam Keeble, and Emilia Dyck developed a water filtration system that removes dirt, biomaterials, and foreign objects from the water supply while the cistern is being refilled and idle. The system is intended for Indigenous communities. They receive $15-thousand in funding along with other supports highlighted above.

Learn more about the AquaHacking Challenge at https://aquahacking.com/en/

School of Engineering researcher among international collaboration to address extreme heat events in urban environments.

Associate Professor Joshua Brinkerhoff is among an international group of over 25 researchers from across the globe who were recently awarded nearly $6-million in funding to promote healthy and resilient cities during high-temperature events. Brinkerhoff joins researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnical University, Hong Kong University., City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Sydney, Waseda University, Tongji University, Concordia, UC Berkeley, and the National University of Singapore.

“Increasingly we are seeing the dire consequences of rising temperatures across the globe,” says Brinkerhoff. “Extreme heat events can be especially harmful in large, dense cities. This new collaboration will lay the foundation for microclimate hubs within high-density urban environments.”

Through advanced computational modelling and simulation, the researchers will model wind, heat, moisture, thermal and wind comfort to create outdoor localized comfort hubs. Brinkerhoff describes these hubs as specially-designed, high-tech parks. “Together, we are looking to design spaces that combine vegetation, water, surface materials and structures to create a comfortable sanctuary inside urban areas. These comfort hubs will be sustainable, rooted in an in-depth understanding of how the built environment interacts with the local climate.”

Although his main research uses massive computer simulations to understand turbulent fluid flows in industrial processes, Brinkerhoff and his team at the UBC Okanagan Computation Fluid Dynamics Lab are beginning to focus on similar processes occurring in the atmosphere.

“This research combines several of my research interests including large-scale numerical simulations, turbulence, and wind and thermal modelling.”

According to the project’s proposal document, “The ultimate aim of the research is to bring the state-of-the-art of computing power into conventional architectural design and planning practice to address contemporary and future urban livability and sustainability issues, particularly in the context of a rapidly changing climate.”

The research is made possible through Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council Collaborative Research Fund which is intended for research groups in University Grants Committee-funded universities to engage in collaborative research across disciplines and across universities. The project is already underway, and will run through 2022.

New fourth-year course bridges data mining and machine learning with control systems to innovate manufacturing production facilities.

One of the newest courses at the School of Engineering launches in September, and will introduce students to the latest in industrial standards, and research challenges such as process monitoring and human-machine interaction through practical case studies.

“We’ve developed a course that will truly put students at the cutting-edge of manufacturing,” explains Ahmad Al-Dabbagh, an assistant professor and principal’s research chair in control systems. “By combining data analytics with control systems within a state-of-the-art manufacturing lab, MANF 465 students have an opportunity to see where digital entreprise is heading in the future.”

Digital Enterprise, MANF 465, is a fourth-year design elective, industry-oriented, project-based manufacturing engineering course. It covers systems integration and data analytics in industrial automation systems. Students will be introduced to different hardware, software and communication networks used in modern production facilities, and will use those tools to design data-driven solutions.

“Data generated within a digital enterprise, and modern manufacturing operations, can be very useful,” says Al-Dabbagh. “Students in MANF 465 will not only learn how to use it, but they will test their findings within laboratory-scale experimental platforms that mimic full-scale production lines.”

Over the last year, UBC Okanagan has been building one of the comprehensive advanced manufacturing training labs in the country according to Manufacturing Engineering Associate Director Homayoun Najjaran. “When our Manufacturing Engineering students return to campus in September, most of their courses (such as MANF 465) will take place in the new NC3-Festo National Coalition of Certification Centres Manufacturing Lab.”

The new lab offers automated platforms that has a variety of sensors and actuators, programmable logic controllers, human machine interfaces, manufacturing execution systems, communication networks, and simulation software.

The first graduating cohort of Manufacturing Engineering will be entering their final year of studies in September, and for many of these students this new course is an important step towards employment.

“The on-going evolution of Industry 4.0 requires engineers that are creative in finding solutions to practical problems with available resources,” says Al-Dabbagh. “In MANF 465, students will use operational data to improve engineering processes.”

Al-Dabbagh sees MANF 465 as an excellent gateway for Manufacturing Engineering students as they prepare to enter the workforce. “Courses like MANF 465 provide the tools and expertise to our students to succeed in today’s manufacturing sector.”

The School of Engineering welcomes four new faculty on July 1. The new research faculty bring a wealth of experience in digital health, smart structures, smart transportation, and microbial ecosystems.

“Not only do our new faculty bring an impressive breadth of research that complements our existing research clusters, but they bring a passion for innovation and changing our world for the better,” says School of Engineering Executive Associate Dean Rehan Sadiq.

Dr. Lisa Tobber, has been appointed a UBC Okanagan Principal Research Chair (PRC – Tier 2) for Women in Engineering. She is an expert in developing innovative structural systems for tall buildings that can withstand catastrophic events. Dr. Tobber uses advanced numerical simulations and large-scale experimental testing to help design resilient, sustainable, and smart cities. She is a UBC Civil Engineering alumna.

In her role as PRC, Dr. Tobber will develop initiatives for engaging and retaining female students through building positive and effective relationships in engineering pedagogical and research contexts. Furthermore, she will engage in improving training of both female engineering students and female practicing engineers.

Dr. Christopher Collier joins UBC Okanagan from the University of Guelph, where he began as an assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering in 2016. At the University of Guelph, he established the Collier Research Group through funding from numerous sources including NSERC and CFI. The Collier Research Group has also moved to UBC Okanagan, bringing a research program on hyperspectral imaging, terahertz technologies, microsystems, agri-food applications, and optofluidic technologies. Dr. Collier is an alumnus of the UBC Okanagan Electrical Engineering BASc and PhD programs.

During the pandemic, Dr. Collier’s research efforts were largely focused on lab-on-a-chip systems. His agri-food microfluidic devices were featured as the cover article for the journal Electrophoresis, and his optical annealing techniques can be applied for rapid polymerase chain reaction, as is used in the detection of COVID-19.

Within anaerobic digester environments, Dr. Alyse Hawley’s research explores microbial metabolic interactions and the roles of micro-diversity (diversity within a species) and viruses that infect microbes using the tools of multi-omics (DNA, RNA and protein sequencing). Dr. Hawley uses big data to uncover ways to better understand the inner workings of natural and engineered microbial ecosystem (such as viruses). She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Suliman Gargoum develops smart sensing technology for advanced road safety analytics and informed design and management of transportation infrastructure. A former Chief Research Officer at Nektar Inc., Dr. Gargoum’s research supports transportation infrastructure projects related to digitalization, virtual transportation management, and automated LiDAR data processing. Dr. Gargoum completed his PhD at the University of Alberta.

“We are very excited to welcome our new faculty, and uncover new collaborations to seek out solutions to pressing challenges facing our community and industry partners,” says Lukas Bichler, School of Engineering Director pro tem. “They join a Faculty that continues to grow and broaden its reach in the world of engineering research and education.

All four members of faculty start July 1^st as assistant professors in their respective programs.

Thank you for taking the time to explore the Indigenous context, as it relates to the School of Engineering, with us (the School’s Indigenous Caucus) this month. UBC Okanagan and the School of Engineering wish to acknowledge that the land on which the campus is situated is part of the unceded territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples. The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) was formed in 1981 as the inaugural First Nations government in the Okanagan which represents the 8 member communities: Okanagan Indian Band, Upper Nicola Band, Westbank First Nation, Penticton Indian Band, Osoyoos Indian Band, Lower and Upper Similkameen Indian Bands, and the Colville Confederated Tribes.

British Columbia and the Okanagan have an evolving relationship with First Nations. See, for example, the recent op-ed from Westbank First Nation Chief Christopher Derickson. Chief Derickson suggests that we start our journey towards reconciliation through “reflect(ing) on our present day realities.” Hopefully, our letters this month have led you to reflect and contemplate how you can contribute to reconciliation.

Don’t let the end of Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month stop you from continuing to learn more about the history and current circumstances related to Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Find ways to incorporate Indigenous themes into your day-to-day, whether that be in studying, teaching, or working. Consider reviewing the Aboriginal Peoples Survey to learn more about the social and economic conditions of Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

Together, all of us can play a role in moving towards reconciliation.

Drs. Benoit and Foulds

and

Drs. Collier and Tobber (incoming engineering faculty for July 2021)

School of Engineering Indigenous Caucus

Less than a week before National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Federal Government passed new legislation aimed at aligning Canada’s laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted by the General Assembly in 2007. 144 countries voted in favour, 4 voted against and 11 abstained. The Declaration established a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples around the world. In 2016, Canada officially expressed support for the spirit of the declaration by adopting and promising to implement the declaration fully (Canada did not formally ratify the document). The Province of British Columbia passed legislation to implement the UN Declaration in 2019.

Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission highlighted UNDRIP as it relates to the rights of Indigenous Peoples to maintain, control, identify, and protect their cultural heritage, and to the responsibility of Canada’s federal government to integrate Indigenous heritage into their policies and practices.

From the perspective of the School of Engineering Indigenous Caucus, UNDRIP is an important document and serves as a framework towards reconciliation. As an engineer, or an engineer in training, understanding the context of the relationship between Canada and Indigenous Peoples provides a more holistic perspective that can improve interactions and approaches when it comes to collaborations with Indigenous groups.

Here are additional UNDRIP and BC’s DRIPA resources:

• https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html
• https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/un_declaration_on_the_rights_of_indigenous_peoples/
• https://en.unesco.org/indigenous-peoples/undrip
• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/indigenous-people/new-relationship/united-nations-declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples
• https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/19044

This month, we will continue to share topics and resources as we open a dialogue about reconciliation, and the role we all play in this process. We welcome your participation and input.

Kind regards,

Drs. Benoit and Foulds

and

Drs. Collier and Tobber (incoming engineering faculty for July 2021)

School of Engineering Indigenous Caucus

Canada prides itself on being a just and accepting society, but off on the periphery of our society is a dark shadow. News reports over the past few weeks have focused on the discovery of child remains at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, and in the midst of that news, the Federal government responded to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls with their “Federal Pathway” report. Within the report, the government laid out a holistic approach to end violence directed towards Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA. The plan calls for more spending to promote Indigenous language and culture plus improvements to infrastructure, health, and policing in Indigenous communities.

As the UBC Okanagan Engineering Indigenous Caucus, we think it is important to build awareness about these tough subjects, and maintain a dialogue to uncover what we can do as engineers, and aspiring engineers, to seek out reconciliation while ending a negative cycle.

Whether it is residential schools or missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, this is all transpiring in recent history. “Reclaiming Power and Place” was the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Published in 2019, the report includes the voices of over 2,380 family members, survivors of violence, experts, and Knowledge Keepers. The Inquiry’s Commissioner Michèle Audette puts the onus on all Canadians to address the over-arching issue of keep Indigenous women and girls safe. “This is not just a job for governments and politicians. It is incumbent on all Canadians to hold our leaders to account (and dismantle the structures of colonialism within Canada society).” The report outlines specific issues such as language barriers, health and social services provided by religious congregations and interaction with Indigenous and provincial police forces. This content is very powerful, and some people may require support after watching them. If so, here are some support resources through UBC:

• UBC Wellness: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/health-wellness/
• UBC Employee and Family Assistance Program at 1-800-387-4765

Every year in June, you may notice red dresses on hangers around Kelowna and the Okanagan campus. The annual Red Dress campaign is intended to raise awareness on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. We direct you to the following resources to learn more about this campaign:

Here are some other resources available:

• https://guides.library.ubc.ca/mmiwg
• https://indigenousfoundations.web.arts.ubc.ca/about_the_redress_project/
• https://lilreddressproject.ca/

One of the biggest steps we can take is talking about these tough subjects. By taking part in this dialogue we can find solutions. That’s what we, as engineers, do. We uncover solutions to the seemingly impossible.

During this month, we will continue to share topics and resources as we open a dialogue about reconciliation, and the role we all play in this process. We welcome your participation and input.

Kind regards,

Drs. Benoit and Foulds

and

Drs. Collier and Tobber (incoming engineering faculty for July 2021)

School of Engineering Indigenous Caucus

With the heartbreaking news from Kamloops earlier this month about the discovery of 215 children found buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, the UBC Okanagan Engineering Indigenous Caucus and our allies the EDI advisors met this past week to discuss how we can help our community better understand and process this tragic news.

The work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has made the history of residential schools in Canada widely known. Before the TRC, few Canadians learned about how Indigenous children were taken from their families and communities, and forced by law to attend residential schools designed to strip them of their culture. This is not distant history, and there are many living victims in every indigenous community.  We first encourage you to learn about the Residential School System in Canada.

The stories of these children are difficult to hear, but they are important.  We encourage you to watch some of these stories to better gain insight into the history of Canada, and its relationship with Indigenous Peoples. This content is very powerful, and some people may require support after watching it. If so, here are some support resources through UBC:

• UBC Wellness: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/health-wellness/
• UBC Employee and Family Assistance Program at 1-800-387-4765

June is Indigenous Peoples History Month, and is a time for us all (regardless of our background) to reflect on the history of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples.

Many resources are available about the history of residential schools in Canada, and the Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Report and Recommendations, including the following:

• http://www.trc.ca/about-us.html
• https://ok.ubc.ca/about/indigenous-engagement/
• http://irsi.aboriginal.ubc.ca/
• https://indigenous.ubc.ca/indigenous-engagement/featured-initiatives/indian-residential-school-centre/

History needs to be remembered in order for us to take steps towards reconciliation, and move our country to match its aspirations. It is the same foundational principle for the discipline of engineering. As engineers we learn from our mistakes and grow. Together, we can work towards a lasting and impactful change.

During the month of June, we will continue to share topics and resources as we open a dialogue about reconciliation, and the role we all play in this process. We welcome your participation and input.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this.

Kind regards,

Drs. Benoit and Foulds

and

Drs. Collier and Tobber (incoming engineering faculty for July 2021)

School of Engineering Indigenous Caucus

Kaila Spencer completed her Bachelors of Applied Science in Civil Engineering in December 2020.

What inspired you to go into engineering?

I always knew I loved science, but wanted something more applicable to everyday life that would impact the world we live in. I didn’t even know engineering was a degree choice until I went to an open house at UBC and discovered more about the discipline, and realized it was exactly what I had been looking for.

Why did you choose UBC Okanagan?

Having visited the Okanagan multiple times each year growing up, I knew how beautiful the region is, and the people are all so friendly. Academically, the smaller class sizes, access to professors, and the available opportunities that only come from a smaller campus including access to undergrad research, student clubs and organizations, and more all really appealed to me.

Favourite courses(s) during your time at UBC Okanagan?

The courses I loved the content the most were ENGR 331 Infrastructure Management, ENGR 433 Construction Engineering and Management, and ENGR 429 Rehabilitation of Concrete Structures.

Why was it important for you to be involved in extra-curricular activities?

Throughout my degree I have been involved in the Engineering Society, the Engineering and Technical Science Sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon, Women in Engineering, and was able to be a student ambassador with the school of Engineering.

My roles in the Engineering Society as VP Internal and VP External allowed me to both represent and advocate for engineering students to the faculty and the university, and represent our campus at national conferences and meetings regarding our programs and student experiences. These experiences allowed me to bring back concepts and ideas to better the student life of my peers, and implement changes for the future of engineering students across Canada.

My roles with A.O.E. and Women in Engineering helped me grow a network of amazing women who are all passionate about building a stronger future for women in the field. We all shared the same drive to collaborate with the School of Engineering on ways female students can be better supported while helping to educate our peers on ways they can help and support their friends as well.

My involvement in these groups made my experience as a student extremely memorable and allowed me to grow as an individual and as a future engineer.

What was your approach to handling the workload?

My trick for handling the engineering workload, especially combined with my extra-curricular activities, is to recognize your limits and ask for help. If you don’t understand a concept in class, ask a friend for help, and if you still don’t understand then reach out to the professors who all have amazing office hours and open-door policies. I also relied heavily on my friends and family for emotional support throughout my time in the program. There were times I thought I couldn’t make it in Engineering, especially in my first year, but a call to my parents or a talk with my friends was always got me back on my feet again.

Describe your research? Why is your research important?

During my second and third year, I worked in one of Dr. Shahria Alam’s labs developing high damping rubber bearing for large structures, that incorporates the use of superelastic shape memory alloy wires (wires that revert to their original shape after being manipulated) to reduce residual deformation of the damper after experiencing an earthquake. This type of research is vital in many parts of the world, even within Canada (such as the lower mainland), where there is a high risk of large earthquakes. This research, and other research like it, could one day reduce the large-scale damage and catastrophe resulting from  earthquakes.

What’s it like to be woman in engineering?

Being a woman in engineering is a bit daunting at times. I sometimes feel like I have to give more than my male peers to prove myself as an equal both in class and in my extra-curricular involvement; which seems to be a common thought amongst other women in the program as well. An interesting thing I noticed while at national conferences, is that even though the national average for female enrollment in engineering is quite low, the ratio was more even and sometimes even greater amongst those involved in extra-curriculars. This may illustrate how female students need to give a lot more not only because we feel we have to, but also because many of us are very passionate about making our programs more inclusive and inviting to students (identifying as female) all across Canada. The School of Engineering has been putting in a lot of effort towards encouraging young women to pursue engineering through hosting events like Go-Eng Girl for local middle and high schools; and hopefully with Engineers Canada 30% by 2030 initiative, we will see a future that includes more women pursuing engineering as a career.

What is your most memorable experience at UBC Okanagan?

The most memorable moment from my time as a student at UBC Okanagan was representing the School of Engineering at a conference in Santiago, Chile. The conference brought together members of Engineering Societies from around the world, and included multiple streams of students from leadership to research. We were able to meet students from the United States, Singapore, other schools in Canada, and Chile. We even met the Canadian Ambassador to Chile. This is the kind of opportunity I likely wouldn’t have had at a larger campus, and it really impacted my student experience by allowing me to form a stronger bond with the other UBC Okanagan students that attended. It also allowed me to learn more about some of the opportunities other students have on our campus and at schools around the world.

What does the future hold for you?

Currently I’m still searching for a job as an EIT, hopefully in Kelowna since I’ve come to love it here so much, and then I’ll see where life takes me!