News + Events

Read about the latest news and events at UBC Vancouver’s Department of Mechanical Engineering!

Read the latest announcements, media mentions and news for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. View all news here.

MECH Research awarded $3.8M support by NSERC Alliance Program Mar 14, 2024
Five projects lead by UBC Mechanical Engineering researchers have been awarded over $3.8 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Alliance 2022-23 grant program. These projects investigate issues facing Canadians such as sustainability in the energy, transportation and building sectors and innovation in industry. These are among thirty-four UBC Engineering […]

Assistant Professor Amanda Giang is one of Canada's newest Research Chairs.

Dr. Amanda Giang named Canada Research Chair in Environmental Modelling for Policy Mar 13, 2024
Assistant Professor Amanda Giang has been named the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Environmental Modelling for Policy. The Government of Canada announced the new and renewed Research Chairs on March 13, 2024, providing $191 million for 230 chairs at post-secondary institutions nationwide, alongside $9 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans […]

Photo of electric vehicle plug charging by chuttersnap on Unsplash.

Driving an electric car is cheaper in some parts of Canada than others Mar 11, 2024
This article originally appeared on UBC News. Electric vehicles are a critical part of Canada’s climate strategy, but a new UBC study highlights how it’s cheaper in some regions than others to drive electric—making it more challenging for certain households to make the switch. Location, location, location The researchers analyzed how far people need to drive their electric […]

Engineering in Action - Patrick Kirchen

UBC Engineering Spotlight: Patrick Kirchen – Developing Sensors And Tools To Monitor Emissions Feb 28, 2024
UBC Engineering | “My research helps industry figure out the practical, immediate things we can do to improve emissions.” When I was a kid, I liked to tinker with things – bikes, vehicles, whatever was around. I realized at a certain point that as an engineer, I could go beyond tinkering to designing and building […]

Engineering in Action - Dr. Tony Hodgson

UBC Engineering Spotlight: Antony Hodgson – Pushing What’s Possible With Orthopaedic Surgery Feb 20, 2024
UBC Engineering | “We always try and identify problems where we can have a meaningful impact. Developing better tools or techniques for orthopedic surgeries can make it more likely that patients will have restored or improved function, better mobility, and less pain. When I started my undergraduate degree at UBC I was enrolled in a […]

Dr. Alex Tavasoli discusses the potential for carbon capture in cities, with CBC's "What On Earth."

CBC interviews Dr. Alex Tavasoli about the future of carbon capture Jan 29, 2024
In CBC Radio’s “What On Earth”, host Laura Lynch explores climate solutions with guest experts and activists. UBC Mechanical Engineering’s Assistant Professor Alexandra Tavasoli was interviewed as one of three experts on carbon capture technology in the January 14, 2024 episode, “War, peace and a changing climate”. After discussing the environmental impacts of war, and […]

UBC Engineering Spotlight: Dr. Adam Clare – Using Engineering To Democratize Design Jan 04, 2024
UBC Engineering | “One of the themes throughout my research is the idea of resilience.” Dr. Adam Clare is investigating how manufacturing technologies can help build a more sustainable future. “When I was in secondary school, math and physics almost seemed like an endless video game to me, where everything just got more and more […]

View past news here.

Learn about upcoming events, department tours, and expert seminars.

Upcoming Defences

Defences held in person are open to the public. Exams held via Zoom are by invitation only and are listed here for information.

Defence: Behnam Karimi – Apr 12, 2024 | 10 AM | Graduate Student Centre, Rm 200
Virtual Blade Machining Candidate: Behnam Karimi Date: April 12, 2024 Time: 10:00 AM Location: Graduate Student Centre, Room 200, 6371 Crescent Road

Defence: Mohammad Zandsalimy – Mar 13, 2024 | 1 PM | Graduate Student Centre, Rm 200
Stability Analysis and Improvement in Computational Fluid Dynamics Candidate: Mohammad Zandsalimy Date: March 13, 2024 Time: 1:00 PM Location: Graduate Student Centre, Room 200, 6371 Crescent Road

Defence: Nafise Faridi Rad – Feb 4, 2024 | 4 PM | Zoom
Adaptive and Predictive Time Domain Passivity Control for Haptic Interfaces Candidate: Nafise Faridi Rad Date: February 4, 2024 Time: 4:00PM Location: Zoom

Defence: Ali Pourzahedi – Jan 24, 2024 | 12:30 PM | Graduate Student Centre, Rm 200
Bubbles in a Viscoplastic Fluid Candidate: Ali Pourzahedi Date: January 24, 2024 Time: 12:30 PM Location: Graduate Student Centre, Room 200, 6371 Crescent Road

Defence: Mahdi Izadi – Jan 22, 2024 | 12:30 PM | Graduate Student Centre, Rm 200
Constant Pressure Invasion of Viscoplastic Suspensions in Thin Conduits Candidate: Mahdi Izadi Date: January 22, 2024 Time: 12:30 PM Location: Graduate Student Centre, Room 200, 6371 Crescent Road

See recent calls for applications to graduate awards. View all awards and funding here.

Walter C. Sumner Memorial Fellowship – Apply by Mar 29
Walter C. Sumner Memorial Fellowship The Walter C. Sumner Memorial Fellowships are available to Canadian citizens engaged in or about to start doctoral studies in Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Engineering or Computer Science at UBC.  The award is valued at $8,000 for one year, but may be extended for a second year. Note that eligible applicants […]

CAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, UBC Dissertation Prize, Martha Salcudean Prize – Apply by Feb 20, 2024
CAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards – PhD The CAGS-ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award recognizes Canadian doctoral dissertations that make unusually significant and original contributions to their academic field. They were established in 1994 and are presented annually by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS), with sponsorship support provided by ProQuest. There are two awards: one for […]

Governor General’s Gold Medal – Apply by Feb 20, 2024
Governor General’s Gold Medal – MASc/PhD One gold medal is awarded to the student who has achieved the most outstanding academic record as a doctoral student. A second gold medal is awarded to the graduate student who has achieved most outstanding academic record as a master’s student completing a thesis. Students must have submitted the […]

Call for Nominations: Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award – Due Mar 1
Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award In recognition of the valuable role that Teaching Assistants play in our programs, UBC annually awards nineteen Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards. Each UBC Killam GTA Award includes a Certificate and $1,000.00. These awards are intended to recognize teaching excellence within our institution and to underscore the importance and value […]

Friedman Award for Scholars in Health – Apply by Mar 13, 2024
Friedman Award for Scholars in Health The Friedman Award for Scholars in Health is open to any UBC graduate student or medical resident studying in the area of health. ‘Health’ is interpreted very broadly, and includes health promotion and disease prevention, mental health research, laboratory sciences related to medicine or health, public health, health services research, or […]

Indigenous Graduate Fellowships competition – Apply by: Feb 16, 2024
Indigenous Graduate Fellowships competition Each fellowship provides a stipend of $18,200 per year for Doctoral students or a stipend of $16,175 per year for Master’s students. Additionally, IGF recipients are eligible to receive tuition funding. Tuition funding will not exceed the current value of the standard Doctoral or Master’s degree tuition fees. In all cases, continued fellowship support is conditional on […]

Mackenzie King Memorial Scholarships – Apply by: Feb 1, 2024
Mackenzie King Memorial Scholarships The Mackenzie King Open Scholarship is open to graduates of any Canadian university who engage in (commence or continue) graduate study (master’s or doctoral) in any field, in Canada or elsewhere. One Open Scholarship is awarded annually. The value has lately been $12,000 but is subject to change. The Mackenzie King […]