Originally appeared on APSC News.
“Ships are complex systems of systems that require naval architects to use creativity, innovation, and leadership to deliver vessels built to operate in the future maritime environment.”
I was born and raised in Jonquière, Québec and decided to join the Canadian Armed Forces straight out of high school to serve as a Naval Combat Systems Engineer. I received a B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business. My naval career has spanned over nineteen years, serving as the Project Integration Engineer for the Protected Military Satellite Communications project, the Weapons Engineer for the Canadian Surface Combatant project, Head of the Combat Systems Engineering Department onboard the HMCS Montréal, and most recently as the Project Security Manager and Information Manager for the Canadian Surface Combatant Project.
People would have to be at the top of the list! The industry experience of each professor allowed them to provide real-world examples and exercises that would benefit everyone when joining the industry. They consistently strived to pique our professional curiosity, challenged us to achieve our full potential and were always there to support us during difficult times. Our cohort had a wide array of knowledge and experience, which made every lecture more interesting since we were always encouraged to share stories with fellow classmates. Coming from a naval background, I particularly enjoyed learning more about the practices and operations in the commercial side. Besides people, I think another aspect of the program that should be mentioned is the ship design project. It gave us a chance to navigate the design process as a team while providing the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge we gained during our studies. As a finale, the student design celebration was a unique event where we were able to showcase our design in front of representatives from local shipyards and naval design firms.
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering is a vast field of study. I have learned so much this past year and I often feel like I barely scratched the surface. Be curious, be engaged, ask questions and have fun!
Chronic ship noise can lead to stress, hearing loss and feeding problems for marine mammals like whales, dolphins and porpoises. UBC researchers are diving in to help address the issue.
According to project lead Dr. Rajeev Jaiman, an associate professor in the department of mechanical engineering, propeller noise accounts for much of the acoustic barrage from ships.
“Propeller noise can hit 170 decibels, the equivalent of a jet engine or a rocket lift-off,” said Dr. Jaiman.
The reason for the noise is bubbles. The ship’s movement and its propeller’s rotation create steam bubbles that then implode. This creates popping effects and a high-pitched “singing” that can irritate crew and passengers onboard and disrupt marine life within a 100-kilometre radius.
To reduce noise, the researchers are studying solutions like injecting a jet of fluid to help control propeller movement or introducing wavy and serrated edges to break up flow patterns that cause noise.
Researchers Jasmin Jelovica and Rajeev Jaiman are studying solutions like adding wavy and serrated edges to propellers to break up flow patterns that cause noise. Photo: Devan Power/UBC Faculty of Applied Science.
Dr. Jaiman and his colleagues are also developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based framework to rapidly analyze the fluid interactions and dynamics behind the noise. They’re hoping to eventually provide marine engineers with a new suite of tools to design and manufacture quieter propellers.
The team also aims to improve other ship parts and systems through better structural components and materials that have the ability to dampen noise.
Project co-lead Dr. Jasmin Jelovica, a naval architect and assistant professor of mechanical and civil engineering in the faculty of applied science, noted that innovative material layouts could reduce the weight of structural components by up to 50 per cent. “Advanced structures could be better noise barriers. They can be stronger and have other benefits as well.”
He added that a few ship manufacturers have started using sandwich panels made of metals and composites in the hulls of their ships. However, structural change can potentially affect safety and other aspects, so this type of change needs to happen slowly.
“The good news for us, as researchers, is that the marine industry is receptive to these innovations. They recognize the need to change and to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly,” said Dr. Jelovica.
The researchers are working closely with industry partners such as Seaspan Shipyards, Robert Allan Limited and Vard Marine in this five-year project, with funding support from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
AI and machine learning are a big part of the team’s work, enabling them to perform analysis and simulations in a fraction of the normal time.
“Modelling a ship using traditional computational methods takes time. Modelling even a tiny proposed structural change can take weeks. With AI, that work can be done in a matter of seconds,” said Dr. Jelovica.
The researchers recently received additional funding from Transport Canada’s Quiet Vessel Initiative to build a machine learning-based noise-prediction toolkit that will allow ships to adjust their noise based on the location of nearby marine mammals, and new AI software tools that can predict underwater vessel noise early in the design stage.
“Efficient AI-based predictions together with novel flow control devices and structural modifications can help us to tackle ship noise pollution while reducing carbon emissions,” said Dr. Jaiman.
CBC: B.C. man reunites with the Space Age hovercraft he built in the 1960s. David Scott made the hovercraft — now at a Vancouver museum — in his basement over two years in the mid-1960s. They occupied visions of a utopian future during the 1960s, when the Space Age was in its heyday. But while hovercrafts — which can travel over land, water, and other surfaces — never quite took off, one man’s own realization of that vision was exhibited to his loved ones on Friday. That was when David Scott of Gabriola Island, B.C., showed off his creation to his extended family for the first time.
Erik Wilson has made a tangible impact on students’ hands-on, experiential learning at UBC Mechanical Engineering. His many contributions include providing dedicated set up for student lab work; reconfiguring their learning environment in MECH’s modular Undergraduate Lab so students can gain different design, prototyping and testing experiences; finding innovative solutions to help the department support student design teams, and technical mentorship for students. His insights and problem solving have continuously improved our laboratory curriculum and he is an invaluable resource for Mechanical Engineering instructors, our facilities staff, and our student services team. This is the second time Erik Wilson has been recognized for his contributions to UBC; in 2018 he and colleagues Roland Genshorek, Bernhard Nimmervoll were awarded the President’s Staff Award by former UBC President Santa Ono.
Enhancing the student experience for over 10 years, Heather Gerrits leads the Mechanical Engineering Student Services team in assisting students throughout their journey at MECH – from prospective student to member of our alumni community. Her team not only provides advising to current undergraduate and graduate students, as well as graduate admissions expertise, but also facilitates teaching by providing support to instructors and department leadership, as well as engaging the wider community through alumni events and research and student news. Her in-depth knowledge of UBC policies and resources and her dedication to engaging student feedback ensures decision-making in the department accounts for student needs. Gerrits has also championed EDI.I improvements to the MECH curriculum, and built connections with other units to cooperate in pursuing larger APSC inclusion goals. She provides an inclusive and supportive work environment for her team, encouraging them to cross-train, as well as pursue their own professional development.
Congratulations to Heather and Erik on this recognition of your outstanding work! Read about all the recipients of the 2022 Staff Dean’s Award for Excellence in the announcement by the Faculty of Applied Science.
In a brief awards ceremony, Department Head Dr. Steve Feng recognized students’ academic achievements, awarding Degree with Distinction to outstanding UBC Mechanical Engineering graduates. Adjunct Professor Dan McGreer of the the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program presented the award the NAME Design Award for outstanding accomplishments in design by the program’s Master of Engineering students.
Graduate students who achieved an overall average above 90% throughout their program were awarded a Degree with Distinction:
The award was given to the team that designed a BC Emergency Health Services Ambulance Vessel in the 2022 Computer Aided Ship Design course:
The November 2022 issue of Assistive Technology features research by members of the Collaborative Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CARIS) Laboratory, UBC’s Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD). The group, including Mechanical Engineering alumna and CARIS PhD graduate Dr. Mahsa Kalili and CARIS Director Professor Mike Van der Loos, studied how wheelchair users’ sense of autonomy changes with the type of mobility device and environment they are navigating. CARIS is dedicated to researching human-robot interaction in a variety of spheres, including the use of AI in enhancing assistive technology such as wheelchairs.
Different types of Wheeled Mobility Assistive Devices (WMAD) can inhibit or promote their user’s independence, accessibility to different places and involvement in life events. It is common for WMAD users to use more than one type of assistive device to navigate different environments. This paper explores the level of autonomy offered across various WMAD: manual wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs with add-ons that allow for navigating different types of terrain, and powered wheelchairs/scooters, contextualizing users’ experience of autonomy within the different environments where the devices were used.
The group collected data on which mobility devices users favoured across a range of indoor, outdoor, home, public and transportation environments, and when they would switch devices. Overall satisfaction due to perceived autonomy was highest with manual wheelchairs and manual wheelchairs with add-ons, though powered wheelchairs/scooters were preferred outdoors on different terrains. Manual wheelchairs with add-ons seemed to allow for the greatest flexibility between environments and activities while reducing strain on the user, and this study suggests that further development of modular add-ons that address issues such as ease of installation, weight, size, surface traction and addition of powered capabilities could expand users’ autonomy in varied environments.
“Perception of autonomy among people who use wheeled mobility assistive devices: Dependence on the type of wheeled assistive technology” can be viewed at doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2021.1934611.
While graduates were formally recognized for their academic and leadership achievements during virtual receptions in 2020 and 2021, the Department held a brief awards ceremony to capture photos of our attending honorees. Another in-person graduation tradition, the celebratory cake was cut by 2021 President of the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Club, Émilie Boras.
Major awards recognize students for their top academic achievement in their graduating class or in a specific subject area.
Leadership Awards are given to students who continually excelled at being effective leaders among their peers and in their communities while at UBC.
Academic Achievement Awards recognize undergraduates who achieve a first-class average and graduate students who achieve a 90% average throughout their MECH program.
For the full list of Major Award, Leadership Award, and Academic Achievement award recipients, visit our 2020 and 2021 virtual graduation reception pages. Congratulations to our class of 2020 and 2021 on your well-deserved convocation! We were honored to celebrate this important achievement with you on campus once again.
