News + Events

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

Immune Profiling project by Dr. Hongshen Ma supported by New Frontiers in Research Fund May 4, 2023
Dr. Hongshen Ma’s project “Immune profiling using single cell cytokine secretome and transcriptome analysis” has been awarded funding from the New Frontiers in Research Fund’s (NFRF) Exploration Stream. The NFRF supports world-leading interdisciplinary, transformative and rapid-response Canadian-led research.

German President visits UBC Hydrogen Testbed May 3, 2023
Last week, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier toured Dr. Walter Mérida’s Smart Hydrogen Energy District (SHED), as part of his visit to Canada. SHED is a unique testbed that re-envisions how hydrogen technologies, energy storage and renewable energy generation could be integrated into infrastructure solutions. SHED is scheduled to open shortly, transforming the area next to Thunderbird […]

NSERC CREATE funding awarded for Care Anywhere project April 25, 2023
Congratulations to Dr. Antony Hodgson and his collaborators on receiving NSERC CREATE funding for Care Anywhere: Smart Biosensors to Promote Healthy Aging and Transform Healthcare. This project will train the next generation of multidisciplinary researchers, developers and clinicians to develop and make the best use of biosensors – anywhere from the hospital to everyday life. […]

SLAS Graduate Education Fellowship awarded to PhD Candidate Samuel Berryman March 20, 2023
Congratulations to Samuel Berryman, PhD candidate in Dr. Hongshen Ma’s Multi-scale Design Laboratory, on being awarded the 2023 Graduate Education Fellowship Grant from the society for Laboratory Automation and Screening. “I feel extremely grateful and enthusiastic to have been chosen as the recipient of the SLAS fellowship,” says Berryman. “This fellowship award is certainly one […]

Two pigeons cuddle on a rooftop in front of a hazy landscape. Photo by Mrinmoy Chakraborty.

Millions of Kitchens – Are they Safe: PhD student explores energy use and air pollution through photography February 14, 2023
A new photography exhibit by Mechanical Engineering PhD student and Liu Scholar Mrinmoy Chakraborty explores the kinds of residential energy sources used in rural India and their effect on indoor air pollution. Usually, he investigates this issue using numerical simulations and field studies under the co-supervision of Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Naomi Zimmerman, but […]

Photo by Andy Li on Unsplash

Tackling urban freight emissions with improved measurements & models January 16, 2023
Photo by Andy Li on Unsplash Researchers Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Patrick Kirchen are working to improve urban freight systems emissions through mitigation planning in a new five-year project. Looking at marine, road and rail freight transport, they will develop planning tools that integrate real-world data, allowing government and industry to make informed decisions […]

New model highlights importance of virus size in SARS-CoV-2 replication December 21, 2022
EurekAlert, Physics.org: As the world recovers from the economic and social impacts of COVID-19, researchers like Mattia Bacca continue to study SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses to be better prepared for future pandemics. Dr. Bacca, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, used his particular expertise—micromechanics, the study of extremely tiny structures—to develop a simple […]

View past news here.

Learn about events and tours happening in our department and expand your understanding of Mechanical Engineering topics. View all events or all seminars.

  • 22nd Jun 2023 | 5:30:pm
    Mechanical Engineering Alumni Social
    UBC MECH alumni are invited to join us at a networking social the evening June 22nd, at Gastown's Steamworks Brew Pub. Mingle with fellow alumni old and new, and catch up with Mech professors!

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: Seyed Arman Abtahi – Dec 2, 2022 | 1:00PM | CEME 2202
Hydrodynamic Interactions: Microswimmers Near Boundaries Candidate: Seyed Arman Abtahi Date: December 2, 2022 Time: 1:00PM Location: CEME Building, Room 2202, 6250 Applied Science Lane

Defence: Athena (Xiaohe) Liu – Nov 15, 2022 | 3:00 PM | CEME 2202
Liquid Jet Impingement on a Moving Wall Candidate: Athena (Xiaohe) Liu Date: November 15, 2022 Time: 3:00PM Location: CEME Building, Room 2202, 6250 Applied Science Lane

Defence: Behzad Zakani – Oct 20, 2022 | 9:00 AM
Lubrication Performance of the Cellulose Nanocrystalline (CNC) Aqueous Suspensions as Potential Green Lubricants Candidate: Behzad Zakani, for the PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering Date: Thursday, October 20, 2022 Time: 9:00 AM Location: Zoom Exams held via Zoom are by invitation only and are listed here for information.

Defence: Chunlei Song – Sept 9, 2022 | 12:30 PM | CEME 2202
Modeling of Chip Formation Mechanism in Machining Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Candidate: Chunlei Song, for the PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering Date: Friday, September 9, 2022 Time: 12:30 PM Location:  CEME Building, Room 2202, 6250 Applied Science Lane

Defence: Hamed Helisaz – Sept 9, 2022 | 10:30 AM
An Investigation of Cancer Effect on Viscoelastic Properties of Prostate Gland via Quasi-Linear Viscoelastic Model Candidate: Hamed Helisaz, for the PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering Date: Friday, September 9, 2022 Time: 10:30 AM Location:  Zoom

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

Call for Applications: John Tiedje Fellowship + Paul and Helen Trussell Scholarship – Deadline: Jun 1 (8AM)
John Tiedje Fellowship Details: John Tiedje Fellowship Award Description: Fellowships totaling $66,900.00 have been made available through an endowment established by Dorothy Tiedje in memory of John Tiedje (BASc 1944, MASc 1945). Eligibility: To one or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are enrolled in a Master of Applied Science or PhD Program in […]

Call for Applications: Robert Allan Scholarship in Naval Architecture – Deadline: June 30
Robert Allan Memorial Scholarship in Naval Architecture Application Deadline: June 30, 2022. Value: The award value is currently up to $5,000 per year which is payable towards the cost of tuition fees. A scholarship fund for students wishing to pursue a professional career in Naval Architecture or Marine Engineering was created in 1982 by a […]

Call for Applications: Order of the White Rose – Deadline: June 17, 2023
Order of the White Rose The Order of the White Rose scholarship is open to women in engineering graduates of any engineering undergraduate program who are planning to pursue an MASc or PhD in engineering. Amount: $30,000 Deadline: June 17, 2023 at 15:00 (3:00 pm) Pacific Standard Time (PST) Eligibility and How to Apply To be eligible for […]

Call for Applications: Inclusion and Belonging Award – Deadline: May 7, 2023
Inclusion and Belonging Award An annual award of $2,000 has been made available through a donation from Dr. Katherina Tarnai-Lokhorst (BASc, MBA, DSocSci, P.Eng) to recognize engineering students in the Faculty of Applied Science who demonstrate leadership and sustainable practice in fostering inclusion and belonging in engineering education. Dr. Tarnai-Lokhorst is a Fellow of Engineers […]

Call for Applications: Canada Graduate Scholarships Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) – Deadline: May 19
CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements – Spring 2023 Competition The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) Program supports high-caliber Canadian graduate students in building global linkages and international networks through the pursuit of exceptional research experiences at research institutions abroad. By accessing international scientific research and training, CGS-MSFSS […]

Call for Applications: Spring Graduate Awards Competition – Deadline: May 8 (8AM)
Spring Graduate Awards Competition A number of university awards for the upcoming academic year are available to current and incoming graduate students.  The maximum value of funding that can be offered to a student is $16,000, or $22,000 for the #6495 Andrew Nord Fellowships in Rheumatology.  Applicants will apply via their graduate programs with a single […]

Call for Applications: Schmidt Science Fellowships – Deadline: Mar 23, 2023
Schmidt Science Fellowships The Schmidt Science Fellows program provides the world’s best emerging scientists with new skills and perspectives to develop novel solutions to society’s challenges, become scientific and societal thought leaders, and accelerate ground-breaking discoveries. The program is looking for the brightest minds in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computing who are interested […]