Camille Leclerc receives UBC Wall Research Award
Antibiotics save lives, but with antibiotic resistance on the rise, traces left behind in water and food are a growing environmental concern—one that can be difficult to detect and monitor. UBC Okanagan School of Engineering doctoral student Camille Leclerc is developing a potential solution, small enough to fit on a microchip. His research uses microfluidic […]
GCRTC panel explores Indigenous knowledge and engineering perspectives on wildfire resilience
As communities across British Columbia confront the growing impacts of wildfire, building resilience requires knowledge and collaboration across disciplines, professions and lived experiences. The Green Construction Research & Training Centre (GCRTC) at UBC Okanagan invites the campus and broader community to an upcoming panel discussion: Indigenous Knowledge, Land-Use, Planning, and Engineering Perspectives on Wildfire Resilience: […]
Donor support helps UBCO Engineering grad research healthier futures
From the soccer field to the engineering lab, Ciana Dawydiuk-Clozza embraced every opportunity during her undergraduate journey at UBC Okanagan. Donor-funded awards gave the ’26 mechanical engineering graduate the freedom to pursue varsity athletics, international learning, co-op and research experiences—helping launch the next stage of her education. This fall, Dawydiuk-Clozza will begin a master’s degree […]
From PhD student to professor: reflections on the road to research and resilience
Dr. Niloofar Akbarian-Saravi shares her UBC Engineering experience At their core, sustainable supply chains are about resilience. For Dr. Niloofar Akbarian-Saravi, those same themes have shaped the past six years of her academic journey at UBC. What began as a PhD in Mechanical Engineering became an experience marked by interdisciplinary collaboration, industry partnerships and opportunities […]
A made-in-BC heat pump with global impact
James Seabrook graduated from UBC Okanagan’s engineering program in 2011 and didn’t leave the region. He walked into a shop in Kelowna, got a job and started building his own business. Today, Vitalis Equipment Technology Inc. employs more than 70 people and counts half its engineering team as UBCO graduates. It’s poised for global growth, […]
Engineering healthier futures through wearable technology
For Brooke Franchuk, engineering is about creating technologies that can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. A 2018 graduate of the Mechanical Engineering program at UBC Okanagan School of Engineering, Franchuk now works at Garmin, where she helps develop wearable technologies designed to support health and well-being. Her journey highlights how engineering skills can […]
From Research to Reality: How Ana Isabel Sarkis Is Rethinking How We Build Safer Structures
Ana Isabel Sarkis Fernandez is a postdoctoral research fellow in earthquake engineering at UBC Okanagan. Originally from Costa Rica, she has lived, studied, and worked across multiple countries, bringing a global perspective to her work on seismic resilience. Her research focuses on understanding why innovative building technologies are not widely adopted in Canada and how […]
Dr. Qian Chen named an inaugural UBCO Impact Research Chair
Dr. Qian Chen, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering, has been named one the campus’ six inaugural Impact Research Chairs in recognition of her leadership in advancing digital construction technologies and sustainable housing solutions. The new program supports researchers whose work is driving meaningful impact within communities, industries and society. […]
UBCO engineering researcher named an international leader in earthquake-resilient construction
Dr. Lisa Tobber’s collaboration with New Zealand researchers aims to strengthen the safety and resilience of prefabricated buildings A UBC Okanagan engineering researcher is helping lead an international effort to make buildings safer in earthquake-prone regions. Dr. Lisa Tobber, Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering, has been awarded a Catalyst International Leader Fellowship from New Zealand’s Royal Society Te Apārangi. […]
Building a solid foundation for sustainable communities: meet Quinn Soon
2026 UBC Okanagan engineering graduate Quinn Soon reflects on leadership, sustainability and creating impact through engineering Meet UBCO 2026 BASc Civil Engineering Graduate Quinn Soon Growing up in the Okanagan, Quinn Soon was drawn to engineering by a desire to help address some of society’s most pressing challenges, including sustainability, housing affordability and community resilience. […]