SoE Team’s wellness bench aims to foster a healthier, more sustainable built environment on campus and beyond

Innovate, Design, Sustain (IDS), a student design team from UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering recently earned second place at the national 2023-24 Wellness Bench Student Design Competition administered by the Canadian Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute (CPCI).

This year’s competition saw participation from leading engineering schools across the country. The goal: to challenge students to utilize precast prestressed concrete design and construction in an outdoor bench that blends environmentally friendly construction with wellness, versatility, and innovation.

The team from UBCO is comprised of the following members:

• Kurtis Dezall, 4^th Year Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Analysis
• Mona Sabounchi, PhD student Civil Engineering
  • Architectural and Structural Design
• Chadia Uwamahoro, PhD student Civil Engineering
  • Structural Design and Engineering
• Anoop Takhar, 3^rd Year Mechanical Engineering
  • Research and Mechanical Design
• Arsalan Khan, 2^nd Year Civil Engineering
  • Research and Conceptual Design
• Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Tober, Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering

Team leader Kurtis Dezall says the group rose to the challenge, building on months of hard work and years of learning on their design, dubbed the RenewaBench.

“Our team is incredibly excited and proud of this acknowledgement from CPCI for our design. We are very pleased about the finished product and the positive impact it could have for users and the environment,” says team member Kurtis Dezall who will graduate from UBC’s Mechanical Engineering program this June.

The RenewaBench aims to provide an outdoor seating area with shade, protection from the elements, and charging outlets for devices powered by off-grid solar power. As a convenient study space, the bench aims to help users boost their connection to nature through time spent outdoors, while itself being as environmentally-friendly and low-carbon footprint as possible—thanks to the solar power offsets and use of renewable/recyclable materials.

The team is currently working with UBCO Campus Planning to explore a space to install the bench on campus for a year. Usage data collected from users over that period could help inform future designs for similar solar-powered charging stations, notes Dezall. It could also help demonstrate for users how renewable energy can be incorporated into our daily lives and behaviours.

“Projects like these are a great opportunity to see how we as students can make a positive impact on the world around us, long before graduation,” explains Dezall. “We hope our bench can be a meaningful outdoor space and a beacon of inspiration for students. By sourcing local, environmentally-friendly materials, we’ve aimed to make it as easy as possible to transport and assemble, keeping costs down and making it a viable option for a wide array of outdoor spaces, not just post-secondary campuses. We hope it could eventually see uptake from communities and benefit a wider audience.”

UBCO Engineering students Kurtis Dezall (Left) and Chadia Uwamahoro (Right) with James Lockwood of Rapid-Span (Centre).

The team also engaged local industry for perspective on the project, including Rapid-Span of Vernon, one of Canada’s largest manufacturers of steel and precast components for the transportation industry.

The RenewaBench team is part of a larger group of people who worked on the project as a subset of the popular Innovate Design and Sustain (IDS) student club on campus. Founded in 2020, this organization has grown to over 70 students from various faculties, also including the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon Team and Campus Sustainability Initiatives (CSI).

“Congratulations to the RenewaBench team. This result on the national stage speaks to the extremely high-quality innovation and design work being produced by UBC Okanagan Engineering students. Our students continue to demonstrate through national and international competitions not only their scholarly and technical prowess, but their desire to work together—and with industry—to have a positive impact on our world,” said the team’s faculty supervisor Dr. Lisa Tobber.

Read more in the announcement by CPCI. You can also review the team’s project poster, report and watch their second-place winning design presentation video.

Dr. Sepideh Pakpour, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UBCO.

School of Engineering receives $1.65M grant for interdisciplinary projects engaging students and industry

Imagine a world where the clothing we wear is crafted with both human comfort and environmental sustainability in mind from the outset of the design process. Or a world where our health-care settings have been equipped and furnished to support all aspects of patients’ physical and psychological comfort.

Dr. Sepideh Pakpour, Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering at UBC Okanagan, along with her co-PIs (principal investigators) across the campus, have been awarded $1.65M toward their research in product design for human comfort to help make those goals a reality.

The funding, announced today, was made available through the NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program.

NSERC CREATE grants are designed to support training of highly qualified students and postdoctoral fellows from Canada and abroad through the development of innovative training programs that:

• encourage collaborative and integrative approaches, and address significant scientific challenges associated with Canada’s research priorities;
• facilitate the transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees in the Canadian workforce.

At UBC Okanagan, the funding will allow Dr. Pakpour and a multi-disciplinary team of researchers to engage more than 80 students in research projects involving over 20 industry partners over the next six years.

“These projects will empower students, from undergraduate to their doctoral studies, to re-think the design process altogether. It’s about incorporating human comfort – which encapsulates all aspects of physical, physiological and psychological support – into product design from the very beginning of the process.”

Dr. Pakpour is working with fellow UBCO researchers in engineering, health sciences, computer science and psychology. Her industry partners span a diverse array of sectors, from clothing manufacturers to biomedical companies. Together, they can make leaps toward a future world with safer, comfort-enhanced products, says Dr. Pakpour.

“We are training and building talent for the future of this field, for industry and society. We are no longer living in an era where each discipline can, or should, work solo in the design process. These projects are examples of interdisciplinary teams, seamlessly working together to train the next generation of researchers and solve real-world problems facing diverse users.”

Under Dr. Pakpour’s leadership, the first cohort of students will join the research teams this September. They expect to engage at least 12 undergraduate and 68 graduate students over the next six years. “It’s very exciting we will be able to provide opportunities for this many students here in Canada in such an emerging and untraditional field. It will be very impactful, I am confident” said Dr. Pakpour. “We are grateful to NSERC for this funding which amplifies our research capacity not just within the School of Engineering but across disciplines on campus.”

Dr. Pakpour’s fundamental research interest and contributions fall into two categories: (a) better comprehending forces and factors forming Healthy Buildings and (b) human microbiome and human health. Under these categories, her research has continuously focused on translating basic microbiome discoveries into applications ranging from bioengineering and biomaterials. She has also co-led research on using magnetic levitation to detect airborne viruses. Earlier this year, Dr. Pakpour was awarded a UBC Killam Faculty Research Fellowship Prize.

SEED program offers high school students a chance to get hands-on learning experience

UBC Okanagan engineering student Gurnoor Chawla knew she’d chosen the right path after an inspiring summer learning experience at the university while she was still in high school.

Fast forward a few years later, now a third-year Electrical Engineering student at UBCO, Chawla is encouraging the next cohort of engineering students to follow in her footsteps.

UBCO’s School of Engineering (SoE) hosts the Stewards in Engineering Education (SEED) Program each July to promote engineering research interest and involvement among high school students. Students going into grades 9-12 have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research projects with world-class researchers and graduate students in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities.

The program is free and designed to be a spring board to helping students make decisions and plan ahead.

UBCO School of Engineering student Gurnoor Chawla

Inspired by her experience within the School of Engineering, Gurnoor Chawla is a now a student ambassador for the SoE and speaks highly of the SEED Program.

“I just found it online and it seemed like something I would be interested in, as I had been looking into engineering as a potential career choice at the time,” explains Chawla. “I really enjoyed how realistic and hands on it was. Being able to connect so closely with professors and PhD students so early on really helped me refine my skill set and understand what research in the field looked like.

She recalls stepping into the radioactive materials lab for the first time as being one of the most memorable parts of her SEED experience, and one that helped to validate her decision to study engineering.

“For me, the most memorable part was definitely getting to see the electron microscope and interact with the radioactive materials lab. I enjoyed how intensive and collaborative it was.”

Chawla adds: “Overall, the SEED program provides a very realistic and intensive understanding of what work in university research labs looks like, so it ensures that you are partaking and putting effort into the work instead of simply watching from the sidelines. Anyone interested in SEED should come in with an open mind and a will to explore, because this is such an amazing opportunity and a great way to create a strong network at UBCO!”

Dr. Jonathan Holzman, an electrical engineering professor and faculty lead for SEED, concurs that the program offers a unique, hands-on opportunity for students. “Many incoming students will have never seen—let alone actively experienced—a research lab before. SEED can help them better understand the research environment, and the many pathways in engineering as they are making their post-secondary choices.”

This year’s SEED program runs from July 22 – 26, 2024. Applications are open until May 17 and can be completed online.  More information about the program is available on the SoE’s website under Engineering Summer Programs.

On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, UBC Okanagan announced recipients of the Outstanding Instructor Award for the 2023-24 Academic Year. Among them were five instructors from the School of Engineering, including:

Dean Richert

Deanna Perrin

Loïc Markley

Elizabeth Trudel

Graeme Webb

Please join us in congratulating these instructors for this well-deserved honour.

Read more about the Outstanding Instructor Award.

SOE student projects soar at 2024 Capstone Design Showcase 

Engineering students from UBC Okanagan landed at KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence on Friday, April 12 for the 2024 Capstone Design Showcase and Competition, where their innovative ideas were on display for UBCO faculty, staff, industry partners and the public.  

Following the competition, many of these ideas are poised to have a real-world impact in industry and communities. 

This year’s showcase saw 48 design solutions by 283 students evaluated. The popular annual event is the culmination of students’ learning as part of the ENG499 Engineering Capstone Design Project course. In order to be successful, students had to draw upon knowledge and skills gained in courses throughout their undergraduate program, including engineering design, engineering science, project management, communication, and more, with guidance from a faculty advisor. 

This year student teams worked independently on either industry proposed, faculty proposed, or student proposed problems, with support from engineering industry professionals and local entrepreneurs, to create tangible, interdisciplinary solutions spanning five key themes:  

• advanced manufacturing,  
• biocompatible systems,  
• complex systems,  
• infrastructure, and  
• sustainability. 

“We took a slightly different approach to Capstone this year,” explains Dr. Ken Chau. “In organizing projects by themes instead of by disciplines, we encouraged students to think about what they aspire to be, about what their colleagues aspire to be, and then in turn how they can work together across disciplines to come up with innovative solutions to real problems and needs in our society. It was incredibly inspiring to see how students embraced that challenge. The quality of their work is evidence of their highly effective collaboration.”  

Each project team delivered a comprehensive project report and a formal presentation, some including fabricated prototypes, to a distinguished panel of judges, comprising of industry leaders and esteemed engineering faculty.  

The event concluded with an award ceremony emceed by Capstone faculty leads Dr. Ken Chau, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, and Dr. Alon Eisenstein, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Technology Entrepreneurship and Professional Development. Students also received congratulations from Kelowna City Councillor and Deputy Mayor Loyal Wooldridge. 

RESULTS  

Team 21 – Cable Tray Robot won within the Complex Systems theme, and declared the overall winner of this year’s capstone competition*  

Team 37 – Thrust Cushion Vehicle won within the Advanced Manufacturing theme 

Team 41 – Emergency Cervical Collar for Patients with Abnormal Anatomical Neck Positions won within the Biocompatible Systems theme 

Team 11 – 10080 Chase Road Subdivision Development Feasibility Study won within the Infrastructure theme 

Team 28 – Battery Module for a Solar-Powered Car won within the Sustainability theme 

“Congratulations to all the students – every team worked incredibly hard and yielded insightful, well-thought-out data and applicable solutions. The teams that earned the top prizes demonstrated particularly impressive creativity, a strong grasp of related engineering principles, excellent technical skill, and outstanding collaboration and communication, all things that will serve them well in their futures,” said Dr. Alon Eisenstein.  

“On behalf of everyone at the School of Engineering, we are deeply grateful to everyone who makes the Capstone course and showcase so rewarding for students. Thank you to our industry partners, faculty advisors, and event organizers, as well as to the family, friends and community members who joined us to recognize students for their outstanding achievements.”  

This year’s top overall team and winner of the complex systems category were elated to hear their names called after working right up until the wire.  

The team was comprised of students Kieran McIntosh, Daniel Holmes, Tanner Boutin, James Flood, Jackie Zhou, and Everett Douglas; they were supported by Faculty Advisor Dr. Klaske van Heusden. The team’s solution, a cable tray robot, is designed to help reduce human effort and the cost of placing electrical cables in industrial facilities.  

“Placement and organization of electrical cables into cable trays is a physically demanding and expensive tasks for electricians,” explains the team. “We have designed a novel way to increase efficiency and affordability of this task via the cable tray robot, which can pull cable along the length of the tray.” 

“We’re proud and elated,” said the team. “We finished our prototype the day before the competition. We worked very hard to refine it right up until the event. It feels great that our teamwork paid off like this.”  

You can view a photo gallery from the event and watch recorded video of the award presentation.  

More information about the ENG 499 Capstone course is available on the School of Engineering’s Capstone page. 

SOE students work together to tackle real-world problems

Students in the Applied Science 171 course at UBC Okanagan (UBCO) showcased their skills and knowledge in an exciting and fast-paced design competition on April 12—and the topic was one close to home for the campus and the region.

This year’s APSC 171 final design competition centered around the critical issue of climate change: specifically, the urgent need to address and mitigate wildfires.

For students, the design competition was the biggest test of the semester.

“The course offers an immersive learning experience aimed at empowering students to tackle real-world challenges head-on,” explains Dr. Ray Taheri, Professor of Teaching, School of Engineering. “The primary emphasis this year was on combating the escalating threat posed by wildfires. Through a multidisciplinary approach, participants explored innovative strategies that integrated key engineering principles of user-centered design, CAD and CAM programs, and advanced manufacturing techniques.”

As Taheri explains, throughout the duration of the program, students have the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical settings, utilizing industry-standard software tools such as Solidworks and cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing.

This hands-on approach enables them to develop functional prototypes designed to offer viable solutions to contemporary environmental problems, particularly those associated with wildfires.

“Students come away from the course with essential technical communication skills. They’re better able to recognize the importance of effectively conveying ideas and proposals within the innovation sector, and are equipped with the necessary tools and techniques to articulate their concepts persuasively and professionally.”

Adds Taheri: “We’re incredibly proud of all the students who took part this year. Well done! Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.”

RESULTS

Top SolidWorks Projects

1^st Place:

Group 6 – “Team Valhalla Mountain Resort”

Group 66 – “The Last Taxi” *Also won Best Presentation Award

2^nd Place: Group 13 – “The Aqua Sweeper”

3^rd Place: Group 7 – “Weaponized Vehicle”

Top Final Design Project

1^st Place: Group 50 – “Ember Alert”

2^nd Place: Group 22 – “Fire Turret”

3^rd Place: Group 16 – “Firefighting: A Fight Against Time”

4^th Place: Group 27 – “Project ARIES: Air Refinement Induced Electric System”

Read more:

Explore event photo gallery.

SOE students collaborate and innovate on their way to second place showing at Canadian Engineering Competition

A team of four second-year engineering students from UBC Okanagan (UBCO)’s School of Engineering cruised to a second-place finish at the 40^th annual Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC) in Calgary.

CEC brings together more than 200 engineering undergraduate students from across the nation to compete against each other in eight categories (Junior Design, Senior Design, Innovative Design, Engineering Consulting, Parliamentary Debate, Re-engineering, Programming, and Engineering Communication).

The UBC SOE Jr. Design team included:

Sam Bachnak – 2nd year Mechanical Engineering

Shaleena Egdell – 2nd year Civil engineering

Elliott Friedland – 2nd year Mechanical Engineering

David Manhart – 2nd Year Electrical Engineering

The team earned their berth at nationals in the Junior Design catory on the strength of showings at Western Canada and local competitions earlier this year.

At CEC, the team was given a real-world challenge to solve and only eight hours to design, create, and test a physical prototype of their proposed solution within time and budget constraints.

The challenge: design and construct a hydraulic arm that can perform a mock surgery (in this case: removing objects hidden behind obstacles from within a box roughly the size of a human body).

“Working well together as a team was critical,” explains UBCO Electrical Engineering student David Manhart. “We collaborated and problem solved really well as a group, which allowed us to work quickly and effectively. It was a great experience getting to work together as a team under high pressure and time constraints – that experience taught us a lot and we’re proud of the solutions we came up with together as a group.”

Given the strength of the competition they were up against—seven other teams from leading engineering schools across Canada)—the team was elated when the results came in, notes Manhart.

“There was a rush of adrenaline and joy to achieve second place among all these very capable teams,” says Manhart. “Overall, the competition was a great way to apply what we’ve learned in our program at UBCO, to connect with other engineering students from around the country and to see the solutions they came up with.”

The team has reflected on how this competition result is the culmination of months of hard work and growth:

“From our first competition to our last, the team experienced tremendous growth, both individually and collectively. Each competition served as a learning opportunity, allowing us to strengthen our skills, build upon our teamwork abilities, and innovate on our approach.

“As a team, we grew so much, learning from each competition and improving further with each step of our journey,” said student Shaleena Egdell.

Inspired and informed by their success at CEC, the team plans to compete again next year in the Senior Design category.

“On behalf of everyone at the School of Engineering, our congratulations go to this outstanding team of students. You should be very proud of your accomplishments and the way in which you represented yourselves and the SOE, as we are certainly proud and inspired by your efforts. This result is an example of the many ways in which UBC Okanagan Engineering students rise to the challenge to come up with innovative solutions to real-world problems,” says Professor Will Hughes, Director of the School of Engineering at UBC Okanagan.

More information about the UBCO School of Engineering is available at https://engineering.ok.ubc.ca/.

The below media release was shared on Friday, April 12, 2024 by UBC Okanagan and has been re-posted in this space as it highlights seat expansions in the School of Engineering’s Electrical and Mechanical Engineering programs.

A message from Dr. Will Hughes, Director of the School of Engineering:

“Today is an exciting day for the School of Engineering. We are deeply appreciative of this expansion of seats which adds to our capacity in two high demand areas – Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. This will have a positive ripple effect on our school, UBC Okanagan and the region. It means more outstanding engineering students and graduates who will ultimately contribute to innovative research, fill skills and knowledge gaps, and occupy vital roles within industry in the Okanagan and far beyond.”

UBC adding 778 tech spaces thanks to $14.8M provincial investment

Expanded enrolment will increase opportunities for students and help drive B.C.’s innovation economy 

The University of British Columbia is adding 778 new spaces over six years in technology-related programs on its campuses thanks to additional funding from the B.C. government.

B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, the Honourable Brenda Bailey, was on site at UBC’s Vancouver campus on Friday to celebrate the expansion of technology-related learning spaces as part of the provincial government’s long-term plan to meet growing demand for talent in B.C.’s tech sector.

“The students who will be filling these hundreds of seats at UBC will help increase the supply of talent into the province’s rapidly expanding tech sector,” says B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, Brenda Bailey. “These graduates will be rewarded with well-paying careers while helping to advance health care and research to improve life for British Columbians, and build our clean, innovative economy of the future.”

The funding will add new student spaces to existing programs in the faculties of applied science, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, and science on both campuses. These spaces will be added over six years, including an investment of $5.4 million in capital funding to equip and renovate labs and classrooms, and a total of $17.7 million in start-up and on-going operating funding over the first three years of the planned expansion.

“We are grateful to the B.C. government for this generous investment, which will further enhance UBC’s position as a global leader in technology learning and innovation,” says UBC President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. “This investment not only provides our students with exciting new education and career opportunities, but it also helps meet the demand for talent in B.C.’s rapidly growing tech and life sciences industry. With these new spaces, UBC is preparing even more students to become the engineers, scientists, product developers, and technology leaders that will help propel our society and economy forward.”

The investment will also be used to establish two new programs, a Bachelor of Data Science on the Vancouver campus, and a Master of Science in Biotechnology on the Okanagan campus.

“At UBC Okanagan, we are especially thrilled to be launching a Master of Science in Biotechnology program,” says Dr. Lesley Cormack, principal and deputy vice-chancellor of UBC Okanagan. “With biotechnology’s potential to address local and global challenges in agriculture, health, biomedicine and the environment, this program will empower students to harness cutting-edge technologies for a brighter future for B.C. and the communities we serve.”

UBC Vancouver will see 578 additional spaces added, including 120 spaces in the undergraduate data science program, 160 spaces in the undergraduate microbiology and immunology program, 60 spaces in undergraduate pharmaceutical sciences, 180 spaces in undergraduate chemical, computer and integrated engineering program streams, and 58 spaces in biomedical engineering graduate programs.

Meanwhile, UBC Okanagan will add 200 additional spaces, including 60 in the undergraduate data science program, and 100 in the undergraduate engineering program. The new Master of Biotechnology program will have 40 spaces.

On January 18, 2024 the Green Construction Research and Training Center (GCRTC – UBC and Okanagan College) was proud to host Net Zero Now in Kelowna, along with the Wilden Living Lab partners, AuthenTech Homes, FortisBC, and the Wilden Group; our sponsors, Genesis Building Controls and Total Home Solutions, and in collaboration with Canadian Home Builders Association Central Okanagan (CHBACO).

Net Zero Now was a cross-discipline seminar that provided many different angles on the topic – from the scientific aspect, that of the energy supplier, the experience and implementation of the builders and subcontractors, to the homeowner and general public.

Read the full recap on the Wilden Living Lab page.

Two researchers within the UBC Okanagan School of Engineering (SOE) have been awarded UBC Killam Research Fellowships. These awards enable faculty to pursue full-time research during a recognized study leave.

Dr. Sepideh Pakpour and Dr. Sina Kheirkhah are among the 2023 recipients of faculty research awards announced by UBC this week. You can also read more in the announcement by Faculty of Applied Science.

Dr. Sepideh Pakpour, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UBC Okanagan.

Dr. Sepideh Pakpour, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering with the SOE, is a molecular biologist who works at the intersection of biotechnology and microbiome engineering, seeking ways to create healthier environments in our buildings and bodies. Her study leave will be undertaken at the renowned Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), a non-profit research institution located in Seattle, Washington. Read more about Dr. Pakpour.

“In light of the study leave, I see a valuable chance to invest in advancing my research capabilities at the esteemed Institute for Systems Biology,” expressed Dr. Pakpour. “This experience will enable me to enhance the scope of my laboratory’s work at UBC, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. By leveraging the insights gained, I aim to fortify UBC’s research profile, paving the way for more innovative discoveries.”

Dr. Pakpour is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards from The Fonds de recherche du Quebec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT), as well as Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Dr. Sina Kheirkhah is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UBC Okanagan.

Dr. Sina Kheirkhah is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering whose research explores zero carbon fuels (such as hydrogen) for energy generation and aircraft propulsion. Beginning in July, Sina will spend a year at the Institut de Combustion Aérothermique Réactivité et Environnement (ICARE) at Center National De La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Orléans, France. Read more about Dr. Kheirkhah.

“I am very appreciative of this award that will help me during this leave to further my research and vision at ICARE, which is a leading space in advancing knowledge and technology for combustion of sustainable aviation and zero-carbon fuels. With this award, our teams will be able to work towards addressing scientific problems and engineering challenges of high-pressure hydrogen combustion,” said Dr. Kheirkhah.

“On behalf of the School of Engineering, huge congratulations to Sina and Sepideh on this significant accomplishment. We – your SOE colleagues – are incredibly proud of you and excited for the opportunities that lay ahead through your respective fellowships. We look forward to following your research with interest, and are grateful for your presence within the SOE community,” said Dr. Will Hughes, Director of the UBC Okanagan School of Engineering.