Amount of funding awarded

152

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This event helps Engineering students decide whether pursuing graduate studies is the right path for them, by covering why one should go to graduate school, what the application process is like, and what different fields of study are available. Most students are unaware of the work that applying to a graduate school entails, including deadlines, funding, how many schools they should apply to, how much work they will be expected to do, what they will be expected to accomplish, and more. This event answers those questions.

PAF funding was used to provide dinner for the evening, and to purchase small chocolates as presents to the speakers. By combining dinner and the information session, we were able to bring out nearly 60 students to hear about graduate school. We also had speakers that were happy and willing to mingle with students afterwards, answering more questions.

Outcomes

Nearly 60 engineering students attended this session. This means nearly 60 students learned about the application process to graduate school, the expectations, and their thoughts on attending graduate school. They were exposed to how detailed and work-intensive applying for graduate school is, if they need to take different exams, and how to introduce and meet potential supervisors. These students were exposed to a career in research, answering fundamental questions about the world around us. These students also had a chance to meet students that successfully applied to graduate school and learn from their example.

Being a student myself, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of this session. Students in my program that had no intention of attending graduate school gave the idea some thought, armed with knowledge about the application process, the expectations, and the career ahead. Some learned that it was not for them. Others renewed their passion for research. Most importantly, this information was disseminated amongst students, creating a thriving body of knowledge that can be passed down to future years of engineering students.

This event will be run at least every two years to sustain this impact.

Amount of funding awarded

828

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The seminar series serves to expand engineering students’ knowledge of current research and development and to hopefully inspire them to pursue research throughout their studies and their career. The project brings together professors, industry leaders, and engineering students, promoting interaction between the leaders of today and the leaders of tomorrow.

PAF funding went primarily to snacks and refreshments for students and speakers. A small amount was also spent on small gifts for the speakers, to encourage them to return and contribute to the seminar series in future years. The snacks and refreshments provided an incentive for students to attend seminars. More importantly, it promoted a relaxed atmosphere where students could mingle with the speakers to ask questions and learn.

Outcomes

This year, with help from the Physics Society, we were able to organize a record 11 seminars. From industry, eatART, Dr. D’Souza from COMDEV, and Dan Gelbart from Kardium, came to give talks. From UBC, Dr.’s Hickson, Gopalakrishnan, Hinshaw, Green, Matthews, and McKenna all presented. Dr. Martin Laforest from the Institute of Quantum Computing at Waterloo also presented the latest in quantum computing research.

An average of approximately 50 students attended each seminar. There was a record crowd of about 100 people for Dr. Jaymie Matthews’ exciting talk on the End of Time. The group of students that attended each seminar varied as well, so that a total of about 250 students attended a seminar at some point. The intended outcome of each seminar was to have students leave with a good idea of the fundamental ideas behind the presenter’s work and hopefully have developed an appreciation for it.

The main result of these seminars for students is the accumulation of different ideas to widen their understanding of their chosen discipline. This is fundamental to the development of engineering students as professionals, to understand and apply ideas from different fields to their work. These seminars have led to direct impacts on students’ professional lives, with inquisitive questions during the seminars leading to job placements and a newfound appreciation for different ideas.

Amount of funding awarded

$880.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The goal of the Geological Engineering field trips is to expose students to industry projects that are examples of the type of work graduates from the program will likely be involved with. It also provides an opportunity for networking both between industry and students but also among the students themselves as it provides an excellent opportunity for students to spend time together in a professional setting. The trip also provides students with an understanding of the local geology. This provides an introduction to students of the environment which they will need to work with. PAF funding enabled this to occur by subsidizing the trip and making it affordable for all the students involved. This particularly increased the second year students’ participation since they were excited by the opportunity for an industry and school funded field trip.

Outcomes

The field trip was a great success, 20 students attended the field trip. Of these students approximately 16 were second year students. For many of these students it was their first time on a large construction site. This trip allowed for the students to develop their professional skills by introducing them to a type of work which they could potentially be involved with in years to come. Also due to its large attendance of second years, it has initiated a culture of proactive engagement, which sets the basis for these students to plan field trips of their own in years to come. Additionally it acted as a good opportunity to connect with industry and was a valuable industry interaction experience for the 4 students who were involved with planning the trip.

Amount of funding awarded

450

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The Alumni Dinner is the primary forum through which the Geological Engineering students have contact with alumni of the program. The evening provides time for mingling and reminiscing as well as for both students and industry to present some of their work to the group. Presentations from students include updates on developments in the program as well as presentation of honours thesis projects. Alumni presentations range from motivational expositions of the way ones career unfolds, to technical presentations on cutting edge projects and new techniques in the field of geological engineering.

The funding provided by PAF was used to supplement ticket revenues and industry support. This allowed the event to be held to the standard of professionalism expected by alumni and to keep student prices affordable. Included with the attached claim form are all the expenses incurred for this event.

Outcomes

The 2012 Alumni Dinner was a great success! Approximately 100 students and alumni attended the event. This dinner benefited students in a number of ways. They were able to network with industry and make contacts, which often leads to employment opportunities and important contacts for the future. Students were also able to see the great accomplishments that past UBC graduates have made in the industry and were motivated to look forward to their future and what they will soon be able to accomplish. The dinner also provides for a great evening out, with a chance to reminisce and appreciate what a great program geological engineering is.

The most important outcome of the Alumni Dinner is that it provides an opportunity for students to find a job upon graduation, as well as becoming familiar with industry. It is a chance for students to develop their professional communication and networking skills helping prepare them for success. Also, this dinner helped to keep the bond strong between UBC alumni and students, ensuring that industry will continue to be a part of the UBC community and continue to give back after leaving school.

Amount of funding awarded

672

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The ENVE Aquarium project is meant to counteract overfishing in Canada through careful and widespread initiatives through practical approach of sustaining the demand of fish consumption while educating people about the nature of these fish; their migration, food and lifecycle as a whole. Although education is key to solving the problem in the long run, sustaining the demand through fish farming is more urgent and an immediate approach. This project is thus motivated to first undertake a more immediate role in understanding the lifecycle of the fish themselves in their food, nutrition, behaviour, and waste, and is most effective in amidst the ENVE students to engage in conversation.
The PAF funding allowed the team to purchase the needful equipment such as the tank, related pumps and necessary supplies including test kits, cleansing apparatus and food. We hope to seek further support to expand the project in terms of education too.

Outcomes

The outcomes of this project were plenty. We were able to hatch the eggs and provide exceptional care ensuring more than 95% survival. This project, based in the Environmental Engineering club room, allowed students to constantly be involved and contribute with innovative ideas, trying to merge natural life with an artificial environment.
It has been an inspiration and a source of comprehension from the natural environment and a reminder of the organisms out of the synthetic world that we live in. It has provided experience of handling and caring of fish and given an insight of their spectacular lifestyles and cycles. The 3rd years shall thus engage in improving the quality of the aquarium and the 4th years, whilst providing guidance, work to creating awareness about overfishing, fish farming and associated socio-political issues. We hope that it will inspire more people and become an ENVE tradition.

Amount of funding awarded

$1,598.05

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The purpose of this competition is to both enrich the experiences of participating UBC students studying seismic design, and to also represent UBC in an event that is internationally recognized around the world. This event gives students the opportunity to apply the complex theories of seismic design to a hands on project, and also network with other motivated students and prominent professionals in the field. The event itself aims to promote the study of Earthquake Engineering and spread awareness of its professional organization.

Thanks to funding from PAF, we were able to attend the competition despite the high costs of travel associated. PAF accounted for roughly 20% of our funding, and in addition to industry sponsorship and faculty support, we were able to successfully raise enough funding to accommodate the trip.

Outcomes

In the competition, our model performed very well. Unfortunately, our building was unable to sustain the third ground motion (the last test), and was penalized. Out of 27 teams, 12 teams passed all testing, and our team placed 13th, at the top of the secondary category. Regardless of the penalties, our model, in comparison to others, did very well. We placed near the top in every single category, and was even nominated for best communication. Doing so well, and being so close to the top only brings an even greater desire to see UBC do even better next year.

A great deal of knowledge was learned preparing for this event, and during the competition as well. Students learned to use different structural analysis software in design and the importance of precise construction. While at the competition, we definitely left a positive impression on the EERI Community with our performance.

Amount of funding awarded

$7000

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The team is an opportunity for students to practice technical skills that they have learned in their classes, while improving teamwork and planning skills in a supportive atmosphere. It is the goal of the team to involve engineering students at UBC in design and construction projects, pass on knowledge from experienced to new students, and raise awareness of UBC’s achievements in the engineering community. Support from the Professional Activities Fund allowed the team to construct a high quality toboggan and travel to the competition in Calgary. The Professional Activities Fund accounted for approximately 50% of the team’s budget in the 2011-2012 year, with the remainder coming from industry sponsors and personal contributions.

Outcomes

We had another great year in the competition, placing 3rd in top speed out of 19 teams with excellent braking distance and safety performance. On race day we placed 7th overall. Participating in the competition and placing well has a significant impact on the 13 individual team members as well as UBC engineering in general. Team members gained a first-hand perspective of design, construction, and competition in a challenging atmosphere. Students learned skills including concrete mixing, woodworking, and steel fabrication. UBC engineering has much to gain from these projects that showcase the knowledge and skill of its students. It is encouraging to students and the public, whether they have an interest in engineering or not, that over the course of your education you can still build something cool.

Amount of funding awarded

314.71

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The PAF program has supported me by helping fund this trip to Toronto and giving myself valuable experience presenting our product/business in front of judges and peers. This was a business plan competition and by going we were able to practice our pitch and get feedback on it which is used to continually improve our pitch.

Outcomes

The outcomes were:
Gained valuable feedback from judges and peers on our product/ business strategy.
Gained contacts, and networked. One of these contacts has already proved very valuable and continues to help support our team.

6 students benefited from the PAF funding indirectly, and one student benefited directly.

Amount of funding awarded

2827.15

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

Engineering competitions are a unique way for students to get involved outside of the standard curriculum. Competitions challenge students to apply innovative thought and creativity, something that is often lacking within the average student’s course-load. They are an important avenue for professional development and offer a steep learning curve to those who get involved. They also demonstrate to industry the capabilities of their future employees, as these events are often heavily externally funded.
UBCEC 2011 was the largest the EUS has ever seen, with all six competitions running as a precursor to WEC and just under 200 participants. Of these participants, over 30 were selected to compete in WEC 2011. The PAF money allowed the EUS to send all participants inclusively at a rate all the students could afford.

Outcomes

The expected outcome is that the students who attend WEC will be provided with an experience unlike any other. They learned an immeasurable amount during the three day competition, and furthered their professional development in a way that no other activity could provide. They networked with other motivated engineering students, as well as industry and academic representation who share the belief that the university experience extends far beyond the standard curriculum. On a sustainable level, this continued to demonstrate on a regional and national level the quality of the engineering program here at UBC and the support of our faculty and industry benefactors. The challenges presented through the competition topics are relevant to problems encountered in industry, such as the optimization of energy resources and municipal infrastructure. The support of the Professional Activities Fund towards our UBC delegation showcased the emphasis that UBC puts on finding unique solutions by supporting creative and talented engineering students.

UBC came away with placements in the Impromptu Debate category (2nd), Innovative Design (3rd), Consulting Engineering category (3rd).

Amount of funding awarded

2189.6

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

WESST Retreat is an important conference to attend, as it allows us to voice any concerns we may have, as well as our opinion on any important decisions made by WESST. UBC has had strong representation in the WESST executive over the past years, which would not have been possible without constant attendance. Delegates benefit from this conference through an increased network, providing future industry contacts and sources of information regarding various roles in student societies. A main goal is to exchange ideas and increase openness between different schools, and by obtaining PAF funding, we are able to send more delegates, thereby increasing the information transfer between us and other engineering schools.

Outcomes

Six delegates were sent this year, two of which was a current WESST executive, and with two more departing as future execs. As a society, the EUS has benefited with positive exposure to other schools, maintaining our level of involvement and showing our dedication to our regional CFES organization. Student benefited by meeting engineering students from across western Canada and sharing ideas. Round tables were run, where students with similar roles in each respective society met to talk about what sort of things worked & didn’t for them, which allows for increased foresight for all societies, improving efficiency and allowing for a beneficial impact for all members of the Engineering Undergrad Society.

Amount of funding awarded

2189.6

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The NCWIE conference was held in Hamilton this past year. It is organized as a national forum to discuss issues surrounding female under-representation in the engineering profession, and some steps to take in solving these issues. The PAF funding gave UBC the opportunity to send four delegates to this national conference and take the information provided at the conference back to British Columbia (since we were the only ones from the west coast). The delegates received a lot of information at the conference and were driven to work with both the EUS and WIE to help spread its influence.

Outcomes

Four delegates in total were sent from UBC Engineering to attend this conference. They gained direct insight into the issues discussed at the conference. They learned about how the engineering societies across the nation have been dealing with the problem of under representation of females in engineering and what are some real world issues facing women in the engineering profession. Another important lesson learned at the conference is the importance of outreach to the young students about what engineering is really like and why it is suitable for academically prepared students to enter engineering. All the valuable information obtained at the conference can be passed on to the engineering students at UBC through workshop sessions to increase awareness. Our delegates have shown the drive to work towards this goal in increasing female representation over the next decade. As well, UBC students are planning on bidding to host this conference for the 2013 year, and sending representatives assists us in building up interest in taking part in this initiative, as well as provide some insight into the type of event it is.

Amount of funding awarded

2570

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This program allowed us to send both active CFES board members, and first-time CFES participants to an important national conference. Without sending delegates, our school would forfeit the opportunity to voice our opinions on the direction of our national organization while allowing our students to form a strong network with other schools and Canadian engineering students. Many students have reported forming friendships that have lasted years, and have provided them with opportunities & experience they would otherwise have been without.

Outcomes

We were able to send 7 delegates, due to the proximity of the conference, one of which is now a CFES Executive, and the other is the new president of our regional organization (WESST). If we hadn’t sent delegates to these events over the years, such national involvement would have been greatly decreased, therefore decreasing the overall impact UBC Engineering has on Canadian engineering students, and the impact industry exposure can have on our students. Valuable social networking skills are founded, which are improved upon during our local industry mixers and career fairs. Many students who return from these conferences have a renewed sense of community within engineering, as well as an increased desire to become involved at the local & regional level.

Amount of funding awarded

400

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This program allowed us to train a prominent volunteer skills to train other volunteers and help increase the capabilities of our current volunteer base. It is the hope that we can develop a training program within the EUS, in order to increase our ability to serve the students and the quality of our events & leadership.

Outcomes

The student that participated in this program, Nicholas Zeng, has remained an excellent volunteer, and will use his new skills to train fellow volunteers, and assist in running the annual sympEUSium, which is used as a networking opportunity for the current council and high-level volunteers, as well as some sessions and training opportunities.

Amount of funding awarded

860.20

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This program supported us by allowing our delegates to meet new people, allowing them to expand their network, while learning valuable skills through professional workshops. As many of the members are actively involved in the undergraduate society, they spent time discussing how to spread their knowledge back amongst other volunteers, to maximize the impact for us. Like many conferences, many delegates felt a renewed excitement over being an engineering student, as they had the opportunity to meet many professional engineers and hear about what they are working on or have accomplished. This conference also allowed us to send representatives from the 2012 “Engineer Your Career Fair”, who were able to approach potential companies and spread the word.

Outcomes

By sending delegates to this valuable conference, we were able to build our contacts for the “Engineer your Career” fair, which in turn, benefits all Engineering students by expanding the breadth of the involved companies and the numbers that they can interact with. We had the largest career fair our society has ever seen, with companies all over Kaiser and plenty of students participating. Many students made professional contacts, which assist them in finding jobs & spreading UBC Engineering throughout industry.

Amount of funding awarded

$3508.80

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The UBC Chemical and Biological Engineering (CHBE) Undergraduate Club planned to send 8 students as delegates to the 2011 Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers (CSChE) Conference in London, Ontario. Running from October 23-26, 2011, the national conference consisted of career development and professional networking events, along with industry tours and student competitions. These events directly benefited the attendees, who in turn promoted UBC Engineering students to industry and academic representatives. Delegates to this year’s conference – many of whom are on the CSChE 2012 Vancouver student program organizing committee – sought information and guidance from the organizers to create a more successful CSChE student program in 2012. Thanks to a generous PAF contribution, we convinced 8 delegates to represent UBC at significantly reduced personal expense, and brought back a wealth of information to create a great student program for CSChE 2012 in Vancouver.

Outcomes

Through participation in the CSChE conference, students gained information about services provided by the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers and how they can become involved in the society. Through networking events, career fairs, professional presentations, and industry tours, students developed their professional skills and created connections with CSChE representatives, industry and academic representatives, and fellow engineering students.
Student delegates experienced direct, short-term benefits of attending the conference through exposure to career development workshops, career fairs, networking opportunities, and industry tours. CHBE and UBC Engineering students of all years will experience benefits through exposure to the CSChE and industry representatives. The 2012 CSChE conference is to be hosted in Vancouver, with UBC undergraduates to plan the student program. Through attendance of the 2011 conference, better planning and preparation will be done for 2012, benefitting all UBC Engineers who choose to attend next year.

Amount of funding awarded

$1122.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The UBC/ UNBC Conference provides an opportunity for ENVE students from Prince George to visit Vancouver and become aquainted with the upper level UBC ENVE students and the UBC Faculty. These introductions promote future involvement with ENVE and the EUS. The conference also provides students with the opportunity to go on inspiring tours of land marks or industries related to Environmental Engineering. This year, PAF funded the trip of UBC ENVEs to the Burnaby incinerator and to the Eye of the Wind on top of Grouse Mountain.

Outcomes

This year 6 students came down to UBC from UNBC. Due to this visit, 3 of these students were recruited to being president, VP External, and 3rd year Representative for next year’s ENVE executive. Thus the UBC/UNBC Environmental Engineering Conference successfully brings new involvement to ENVE and the EUS. The conference also included a unifying luncheon where most of the 3rd and 4th year UBC ENVEs, the 2nd year ENVEs, and the ENVE faculty members were in attendance. On Friday, February.10th, ten of us went on a tour of the Burnaby Waste Incinerator, an inspiring display of modern waste management. The next day, Saturday, February.11th, saw 21 ENVEs debark on a tour of the Grouse Mountain Eye of the Wind, an icon for the alternative energy sector. Thus ENVEs learned about waste management techniques and about the economics and mechanics of wind power, two significant areas of Environmental Engineering.

Amount of funding awarded

156.52

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The PAF program was extremely beneficial to our team for this competition. The funding allowed us to send all three of our engineering members to the conference to practice, refine, and update the presentation before the semi-finals. Having all three members was extremely beneficial to have all opinions present to ensure the presentation was the best it could be.

Outcomes

Unfortunately our team did not advance to the final round of the business plan competition. However, we learned a great deal from the feedback of the semi-final judges.

We attended several breakout sessions / workshops where we gained valuable knowledge about the startup business world. We also had the opportunity to network with influential people in the Canadian entrepreneurial community.

Amount of funding awarded

6840.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This project allowed students to see how chemical theories are applied in commercial processes. Durango Hills Water Resource Center had several widely used process units. The first such unit is the clarifier, where impurities were removed using gravity and retention time. The same concept is used widely in hydrometallurgical processes. Another important unit is microfiltration. The theories of filtration were covered in many CHBE courses, and students were able to see how a large scale filter is operated and maintained. Last but not least, students were introduced to the control system that allows the plant to operate continuously. Las Vegas Brewery was especially educational for Biological Engineer students, as they were introduced to a 1.7 million dollar commercial fermenter. Students were showed how to precisely maintain temperature and reaction rates within the fermenter. The Hoover Dam was an awe-inspiring experience, expressing the power of alternative energy.

Outcomes

This field trip allowed students to see Durango Hills Water Resource Center, which was constructed in 2007 and is one of the newest water treatment plants in North America. It uses state of the art waste water treatment technology to turn city sewage waste into clean water, and recycles millions of tons of water annually. For many of the participants, this is their first time seeing a clarifier, a filtration system and a control system of this scale. These observations complemented the materials covered in CHBE 474, 457 and many 3rd and 2nd year courses, as well as the 4th year design project. From the Las Vegas Brewery visit, students learned the importance of heat exchange and reaction control, as minor deviations from ideal condition will cause a taste-able difference in the product. From the Hoover Dam, students were able to see an alternative power source generation process. Overall, students gained invaluable experiences and knowledge from this field trip.

Amount of funding awarded

$2203.20

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The AIChE national conference consisted of career development, industry networking events and student competitions. It enabled CHBE students to share their professional experiences with chemical engineering students from over 100 North American post-secondary institutes and network with industry professional from numerous engineering specialties, greatly supporting professional development. The CHBE Club is an AIChE Student Chapter and our attendance at this conference demonstrated a strong commitment to our involvement in AIChE.

Outcomes

Two main reasons UBC students attended the 2011 AIChE national conference were to compete in the Chem-E-Car competition and the paper competition. CHBE’s Chem-E-Car team placed in 6th place out of 32 national competitors, CHBE’s best placement ever.
Students that attended the conference also learned how to become more involved in AIChE. The institute is heavily geared towards Chemical and Biological engineers, very fitting for CHBE students. Networking and career planning sessions also help develop professional growth in the attending students.
CHBE’s involvement in AIChE has raised awareness in such events about the quality of education and the students in UBC. The 6 participants have directly benefited from the conference, but all CHBE students have indirectly benefited by CHBE’s participation in AIChE with access to invaluable resources and contacts.

Amount of funding awarded

$333.27

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The PAF program was extremely beneficial to our team for this competition. The funding allowed us to send all three of our engineering members to the conference to practice, refine, and update the presentation before semi-finals and finals. Having all three members was extremely beneficial to have a wide range of opinions to craft the presentation to the best it could be.

Outcomes

The outcome of the competition could not have been better, our team placed first in the finals, earning us $5000. On top of that victory, we ranked number one for the People’s Choice Award, winning us a further $1000. The $6000 of prizes from this conference will be extremely beneficial in taking the project forward to create a biomedical device company to bring this technology to market. Additionally, the victory brings the team and project much needed hype and publicity which is extremely valuable to a start-up company looking to establish itself.

Amount of funding awarded

4400

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The Seattle trip was an initiative created by the ECE Student Society, allowing a group of ECE students to visit large scale companies during their working time. Since this was the first year we tried to do this event and planning only started in August, we could not change our budget much to accommodate the event. The Professional Activities Funding provided us with the financial help we needed to make this trip affordable for students, and possible to even do. Having a shuttle bus with us throughout the whole trip saved us a lot of time, kept us on schedule and allowed us to visiting more than just the Microsoft Campus.

Outcomes

During this field trip, ECE students were exposed to historical aspects of the engineering design by visiting the museum of flight, and acquired a better sense of the product life cycle of large scale engineering companies such as Microsoft and Boeing. Students were exposed to the professional engineering environment, having the opportunity to interact with employees and recruiters while touring the facilities of companies that they could potejuntially work at with a professional engineering career. This trip also represented a great opportunity for students from different year levels to meet other students that they might not get the chance of meeting at UBC.

Amount of funding awarded

$4609.76

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

National Conference is EWB’s yearly opportunity to bring its members together to work together on improving the organization and driving change in systematic development both within Canada and in developing communities. Through highly acclaimed keynote speakers, industry sponsors, and 78 workshops, National Conference empowered participants with ideas, knowledge, professional skills, and connections, enabling them to produce positive, systematic change as engineers.
This year’s conference was held in Ottawa, Ontario, from January 11-14. The largest international development conference in Canada, it drew more than 400 passionate students and professionals from across Canada and Africa.
The 2012 National Conference was an incredible opportunity to engage the government of Canada with a Massive Outreach Event to advocate for responsible budgeting in Foreign Aid. The PAF funding enabled one of the UBC Engineering Faculty’s core purposes, ‘to educate globally responsible professionals empowered to effect enduring, positive change for society”, to be realized.

Outcomes

All participants in the 2012 National Conference gained numerous professional skills from hands on workshops, discussions and activities. As a result of PAF’s funding, fifteen UBC Engineering delegates gained an enormous amount of organizational knowledge about EWB and were challenged on a daily basis to brainstorm creative solutions to challenges being faced within EWB’s Canadian Programs. They also learned many frameworks and techniques for creative brainstorming, facilitation, prototyping and system mapping. Many students participated in a career fair where they presented themselves professionally, built contacts and developed networking skills.
Besides the benefits gained during the conference itself, over sixty engineering students attended EWB’s Term 2 Kickoff Meeting, which served as a conference re-cap to share all of the learning and professional growth with those who were not able to attend the conference. All attendees walked away with new skills they could apply in a professional setting.

Amount of funding awarded

7200

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The UBC Civil Graduating Class of 2012 attended a field trip to Las Vegas, Nevada during the beginning of January 2012. During this educational trip, students were exposed to projects and first-hand Civil Engineering knowledge unique to the Las Vegas area. This experience has fostered a broader base of knowledge pertaining to the Civil Engineering practice that the average student would not have access to in Vancouver. The sites and tours attended on this trip gave students insight into large-scale development projects, waste water treatment, energy systems, the construction management life-cycle and how large developments on the Las Vegas strip occur. The knowledge gained from this trip has benefited students in their studies and the trip itself created comradeship between the attendees. The funding provided through PAF permitted the trip to be attainable for students who would not otherwise be able to afford the irreplaceable experience.

Outcomes

The third-annual Civil Grad Field Trip created an opportunity for 39 engineering students to expand their knowledge base and expose them to projects they would not encounter within Vancouver. The educational visits to the Hoover Dam, the Colorado By-Pass Bridge, the North Las Vegas Reclamation Facility and the world’s largest sustainable development, CityCentre have already benefited students in their studies. These projects have assisted innovative thinking and new design approaches from student’s insight into large-scale developments, wastewater treatment, energy systems, the construction management life-cycle, and the occurrence of developments on the Las Vegas strip. The trip as a whole created a bond between the students involved. This union has further passed to students who did not attend the trip, as they have been indirectly exposed to a broader sense of Civil Engineering through communication with attendees and the interactions during group projects, which is largely incorporated in the fourth-year curriculum.

All funding recommended by the PAF Travel and Conferences Committee has been scaled by 68% to fit the total funding available for the Round 2 applications (totaling $10,500)

To see the Travel and Conferences Round 2 Funding Recipients, click here.

If you have not received an email about your Travel and Conferences Round 2 application by Tuesday January 24th, please email paf@apsc.ubc.ca.

Please contact paf@apsc.ubc.ca with any questions regarding PAF funding.

PAF Travel and Conferences Round 3 Applications due March 6, 2012

Amount of funding awarded

$500

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This Memorial has helped students all around campus become aware of the gender prejudice that existed 20 years ago, and that much of it still exists. It helped students remember the women that died pursuing a male-dominated career and brought out the issue of gender equality to the table.

By holding this memorial, I was reminded that it is not okay for people to judge a person based on their gender, background, nor ethnicity. That when something like that happens, a stand must be taken to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

Outcomes

The outcomes of the project included making students across campus aware of the prejudice that existed with regards to gender inequality. With this topic in mind, students encouraged to go out into the professional field with gender equality in the forefront of their minds. Not only in their careers, but while they are in school, they are to strive for inclusivity and equality in everything they do.

Amount of funding awarded

$1680.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

In addition to making UBC the best university in the world for engineering student teams, we also foster the development of new teams, support existing teams, and enable enhanced collaboration between engineering student teams providing maximum benefit and exposure through increased communication and cohesive voice. PAF has been a tremendous support to this cause as the ESTC is non-profit and neither generates income or has sponsors. We run all of our annual events and operations solely on PAF funding.

Outcomes

The ESTC does a great job in promoting the presence of student teams. This year, many team captains have complimented the record turnout in new members! The promotion of the teams allow new and existing students at UBC to join an engineering student team and enhance their educational experience at UBC to new levels unattainable from purely classroom learning; they learn hands on skills and practical applications in addition to practicing theory learned from UBC curriculum.
The opening of the EDC is also a great milestone for the ESTC. PAF fudning has helped us set up the 8 bays (1 of which is the new ESTC workshop) for engineering student team use. We attempt to provide all the teams with communal resources to ensure every team can perform to their best abilities.

Amount of funding awarded

6240

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

PAF funding for SUBC has in large part enabled the team to complete the construction of a human powered submarine and travel with it to compete this summer in the 11th International Submarine Race (ISR 11) in Bethesda Maryland.Specifically PAF funding helped partially cover a portion of our travel expenses (gas and accomidation), PAF covered the materials for hull construction as well as tools to improve our workshop.

Outcomes

As a team we were able to design, manufacture, test and race a human powered submarine at ISR 11, being UBC’s first entry in four years. We were able to bring five team members down to the competition to experience the event and directly participate in the racing.

Even those who weren’t able to come down the the competition(~20 students helped build the submarine) gained valuable skills in this design cycle for the submarine. Other than initial plug shaping done by CNC, the entire composite layup of the carbon fibre, kevlar and fibreglass hull was done by the team. A number of team members were able to learn and use CFD. The integration of the drivetrain with the human pilot gave team members with a interest in bio-medical engineering and ergonomics a chance to design and test an actual product that has humans and machine parts interacting.

Amount of funding awarded

300

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for female engineers at UBC while providing networking and leadership opportunities. Female students in the faculty have been able to find some benefit through funding for networking events. While our networking events were mostly aimed towards females, males were also invited to participate. This is to promote our message of acceptance throughout the faculty regardless of gender, race, and sexual orientation. We were also prevalent throughout faculty fairs and recruitment sessions to show the student and faculty body who we are. PAF funding was beneficial to providing promotional materials for such events. PAF funding also allowed for our student council members to grow as leaders by organizing networking events, providing opportunities to give back to the community, and even by heading up the recruitment booth.

Outcomes

We were able to hold brown bag lunch seminars with members of the engineering profession and from UBC faculty interacting with students. Students can benefit directly by meeting people who have walked in their shoes before and help students see where their degree can take them. Indirectly, they were able to learn networking skills by speaking and presenting themselves in a professional manner. A similar event we held with UBC Computer Science was a student panel with female Microsoft professionals. That too allowed students to ask questions and learn about the industry of software and engineering. We were able to give back to the community by holding a barbeque to celebrate International Women’s Day with the EUS, all proceeds going towards the Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter. We gave out pamphlets and pins to mark the date and indirectly the engineering student body benefited by understanding the importance of the day and to understand that we need to do more as a society to eliminate gender discrimination. All events that were organized by our Student Council directly helped our members grow as leaders. (December 6th Memorial on another report).

http://paf.engineering.ubc.ca/ on the right pane…

Is this correct?

Cheers,
Philippe Kruchten

Amount of funding awarded

8640

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

The Professional Activities Fund has been of tremendous value to UBC Solar over the past year. UBC Solar is building a solar powered vehicle – a very expensive endeavour! We are building a solar vehicle to show that solar power does have applications beyond being installed on a rooftop. The Professional Activities Fund (PAF) has allowed us to purchase safety equipment, consumables, and materials that went towards our rollcage and suspension. PAF funds have enabled us to send some of our team to observe the World Solar Challenge. This is essential to our future performance, as the logistics behind planning to race for 3000km in a week dictate whether a team succeeds or fails at competition and are as important as the vehicle itself. Without PAF’s support, it is much less likely that we will be able to succeed in our goals of building and racing a solar powered car!

Outcomes

UBC Solar has tried very hard to ensure that we benefit not only the 15-20 students involved directly with our team, but other engineering students as well. We were the sponsors of over 20 ECE 4th year design projects over the 2010/2011 academic year. As we develop more areas of the car, we hope to expand this further. This year we are hoping to get some MECH capstone students working on a few projects – and of course we plan on having more ECE projects too! Our focus has been on designing and building our own components as much as possible, so as to allow students to have more hands on design experience. While our components may not be as flashy as a commercial product, we can take pride in knowing that this truly is a student designed vehicle.

Amount of funding awarded

3900

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

The conference represents a large investment of both people and resources for the Engineers Without Borders chapters in Vancouver. Each year it costs around $40000 to run. PAFs contribution provides an integral part of the conferences fundraising, as ticket sales only account for half the total revenue, so the conference team must look for other sources of funding. We also forge partnerships with local engineering firms who provide fundraising as well.

Outcomes

The conference aims to bring together a broad cross section of people and engage them on how individuals, organizations and governments interact with the global community around us, and how we can translate our actions here and abroad to positively influencing peoples and cultures in developing countries. The conference is broken into several workshops that focus on issues such as advocating for change at federal level, exploring global citizenship, or sharing the work and learning that EWB does abroad.

Amount of funding awarded

572

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The objective of the project was to build a functional prototype optical page scanner using a vibrating MEMS mirror. The PAF funding was helpful with the purchasing of basic electrical prototyping equipment as well as various optical sensors so that the optimal one could be found. The competition organizers had provided a MEMS mirror which was dysfunctional, so under the strict time limitations, a new one was bought. This could not have been done without the PAF funding.

Outcomes

The project did not meet the objective because of several unforseen obstacles. For example, due to co-op placements, the members of the team were in different cities in the time leading up to the competition. However, the project helped the students understand how to interact with MEMS devices, specify optical sensors, and filter noisy data as wells as other unique skills that cannot be acquired from lab experiments at university.

$151.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The Hult Global Case challenge allowed us to network and interact with professionals in the field of engineering, but also in business, international development, and micro finance. We collaborated among other students from varied backgrounds to creatively solve a problem that spans the technical, economic, and social, which is a great preparation for the real work of engineering industry with complex problems. The PAF funding we received allowed us to travel to this unique event and build strong connections with our peers on an international level.

Outcomes

This project allowed our team to travel and interact with a variety of professionals, building our connections, international links, and also confidence in collaborating outside the world of engineering. Our team worked across disciplines to apply the design process that we learn in engineering by understanding user needs, creatively proposing a solution, and ensuring the suitability of the idea by performing economic analyses. The project allowed us to take an idea from inception to finish in the course of one day. Following the design stage, our team presented to a panel of judges and our peers which helped develop public speaking skills and confidence. Our experience also was shared and benefited students at UBC through a presentation done to the EWB chapter as well as to other students.

Amount of funding awarded

$8100

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

UBC Orbit is competing in the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge. This competition spans a two-year timeline, the first of which is ending in September 2011. The first year is the design year, where students gain expertise and design the satellite. This ends with the first stage of competition: Preliminary and Critical Design Reviews. PAF funding supported Orbit by allowing us to purchase a design computer to run the approx. $80000 in donated design software for space applications, as well as development boards, small components and a space-rated satellite frame. We also purchased reference books, allowing our members to quickly gain the expertise needed to contribute to the project. We are ready for Design Reviews this September thanks to PAF!

Outcomes

This project has allowed approximately 35 members, from first years to grad students, to gain expertise in space systems and design. Additionally, many of our members gained experience in project management and liaising with industry as they took on leadership roles or sourced critical information. UBC Orbit is poised to gain recognition to UBC in the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge, while in the longer term, they are engaged in revitalizing the spirit of space design that once thrived at UBC. Finally, our space mission with UBC PHAS’s CHIME project will show to the world that UBC Engineering produces students capable of engaging in space design and high-level research.

Amount of funding awarded

$507.05

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The SNAME Annual Meeting is the most important event of the year for students interested in careers in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. It is a unique opportunity for students to attend technical presentations by industry leaders and then meet them in a situation amenable to building relationships personally and as a representative of UBC’s strong engineering program. There are many chances for students to showcase their capabilities, through the design competition and paper track, or as assistant presiding officers in paper presentations. The student governance elections also take place during the Annual Meeting, giving students the chance to play a significant role in the direction of the society as a whole. PAF’s funding money was put towards our hotel costs, making it possible for us to bring seven students at a reasonable cost.

Outcomes

We had a great conference in Bellevue this year. We participated in the design competition, where we met many of our student counterparts in the mixed teams. The networking at the meeting was by no means limited to other students, and our students made good connections with local and international professionals. Our chair Gaelen ran for the vice-chair position of the Student Steering Committee, and though defeated, was appointed to the national leadership committee to run the Student Section Standards Committee. Also, three of our students participated in sailing regatta this year, and the boats on which they sailed placed first, second, and third – cementing our reputation as agreeable and able sailors! These connections will ensure that UBC’s current and future students are known and respected in the international community of Naval Architects.

Amount of funding awarded

$4636.92

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you:

The 2010-11 Autonomous Sailboat team was comprised of ten students from Mech and Igen, who represented our school in the 5th Annual International Robotic Sailing Competition, at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Our program had stalled the previous year and we had a very ambitious goal: to build an entirely new boat and compete to win the Sailbot competition with an unprecedented 35 out of 50. This included construction of a new hull, entirely new rigging, sails, and a complex array of electronics. PAF funding allowed us to work with the highest-performing materials in the construction of Thunderbird 1, gaining for our students invaluable experience in high-end manufacturing techniques. It also payed for our two representatives to fly to Annapolis for the competition.

Outcomes

We achieved great success as a team this year. Thunderbird 1 is a very fine yacht, and we took second place in the competition by a very slim margin to the US Naval Academy, with 40.2 out of 50 available points. In previous years, no team had scored above 30 points. Our approach of attacking the problem methodically to maximize our competition points from the outset at the beginning of the project really paid off in the long run. We scored top marks in four of the five competition events – The fleet race, precision navigation, station keeping, and the presentation on design methodology and construction. Our reputation as a strong engineering school was bolstered internationally and all of the students involved learned a great deal. Often, these lessons involved facing the practical challenges in the designing of a system with the builder in mind or how to deal with the complexities of project management in this inter-disciplinary project. Our success in the this competition has earned UBC the privilege of hosting the 2012 International Robotic Sailing Competition, which will be held in mid-June in conjunction with Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.

Amount of funding awarded

$8,880

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The UBC Supermileage Team’s 2010/2011 goals were to improve performance at the 2011 Shell Eco-Marathon Americas (SEMA), increase public awareness of sustainability and provide a mechanism for students to be able to apply classroom knowledge (such as project management, technical skills and public relations).

The team had increased its number of core members from approximately six people to twelve. PAF funding enabled the team to make core improvements to the Argo, involving more students on a higher level of participation than ever. The PAF fund had made it possible for the team to attend the SEMA in 2011, significantly improving fuel efficiency. This funding also allowed UBCST to more comfortably complete the Argo, enabling the team to attend more events. UBCST had represented UBC at over 12 events in the past year, and had seen an increase in media coverage over the previous year, including a photograph of the Argo on National Geographic.

Outcomes

The second revision of the Argo was overall a success. The UBC Supermileage Team had doubled in size and placed fourth in the 2011 Shell Eco Marathon Americas. Despite the engine computer failing days before competition, the team managed to implement most of their developments in 2011. The Argo’s official score improved significantly despite the carbureted engine, and the team now has a reliable vehicle to build upon.

Despite accomplishing a number of technical improvements in 2011, the Argo was still built slightly under budget. Students in UBCST are from a variety of departments at UBC, and are exposed to not only the technical aspects of design, but are involved in the management of the team: budgeting, sponsor and public relations and student mentorship have become opportunities open to all members of UBCST.

The UBC Supermileage Team also involved the public at over twelve events in the past year and celebrated its 10th Year Anniversary.

$9120

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

This year, in order to elevate the competence level of the competition and attract more teams, we doubled the amount of prize money and gave out more than $10,000 in prizes. In addition to that, we put more resources into organizing the competition this year in order to give it a better face. These improvements required a great deal of support from the university and community and we were extremely privileged to have the help of all of our supports, and explicitly, the help we received from the Faculty of Applied Science through the PAF program. This program was one of the most important factors in our great achievement. Below are some of the ways through which the program assisted us:

1. Helping us double the amount of prize money and thus introducing a much stronger initiative for new teams to attend the competition and for participating teams to increase their efforts in robotics R&D;
2. Providing us with the necessary financial resources to make improvements in organizing the event;
3. Allowing us to elevate the public face of the competition to an entirely new level and therefore attract more community members and families to the event through a strong approach towards promotion. Without the necessary financial resources this would have not been possible;
4. Providing us with the resources to represent UBC as the host of IARRC2011 in a way as to reflect its high standards and values.

Outcomes

Despite being the host of such a big robotics competition for the first time, UBC Thunderbird Robotics achieved a great success in organizing the event. We managed to attract two first-comer teams to the competition and hence increased the number of participating teams. In addition to that, we helped and guided four other start-up teams across the continent to prepare themselves for IARRC2012 and we are expecting to have them competing in the next year competition. Additionally, we were able to successfully engage a greater portion of the general public and community members in our event and steer their attention to this futuristic field of robotics. This was done through a detailed promotion plan and adding a family-oriented aspect to this otherwise tech-savvy competition.

Around 15 UBC volunteer students were directly involved with organizing the competition. We had 50 participants in the competition and around 350 students and community members visited our event during the day.

The most important short-term benefit is the great learning experience that this competition has brought to the students who were involved with it. On the other hand, the main long-term benefit is for the community and other students to look at this event as a model for future similar initiatives and take their own ideas and make the realities!

Amount of funding awarded

8400

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

The Civil Graduating Class of 2011 attended a field trip to Las Vegas, Nevada for the end of
October 2010. On this interesting and educational trip students were given the opportunity to tour facilities and projects that they would otherwise not have a chance to view in Vancouver. This was beneficial throughout the remainder of the school year as students were able to apply the knowledge gained while touring facilities and sites in Las Vegas. The trip also served as a means for students to grow together as a graduating class. The PAF funding allowed this trip to be attainable for those who would not otherwise be able afford this invaluable experience.

Outcomes

The 2nd annual Civil Grad Field Trip allowed 45 UBC Engineering students the opportunity see Civil projects unlike any in BC. Furthermore, relationships that were developed between students will last throughout their engineering careers.
This trip offered students an opportunity to connect with other students they otherwise may not have had the chance to in an otherwise overwhelmingly large class. These relationships helped interactions throughout the duration of 4th year where the assignment of group projects is highly emphasised.

Trip participants were also to able to view monumental projects such as the Hoover Dam and the CityCenter project, which has become known as the new standard in sustainable design. It has achieved LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Counsel. This inspiring example of how a large project can demonstrate such a commitment to sustainability is motivating to incorporate these ideas and principals into the future of BC designs.

Amount of funding awarded

$7800

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

As one of our main financial resources, Professional Activities Fund has provided us with the opportunity to continue advancing our research and development on autonomous unmanned ground vehicles. The means through which PAF has been beneficial to our team include:
1. Giving us the ability to purchase more advanced equipment and sensors to work with and construct faster, smarter and more efficient robots;
2. Allowing us to upgrade our software development platforms by giving us the necessary resources to purchase faster, more efficient computers;
3. Helping us expand our R&D through upgrading our testing environment;
4. Providing us with the opportunity to have enough material and resources for all of the team members to work on different projects at the same time;
5. Giving us the opportunity to publicize and promote our team further through the means that would require financial resources.

Outcomes

This year, competing against top-tier universities from across North America, UBC Snowbots won the 2nd Grand Award at the 7th annual International Autonomous Robot Racing Competition. In addition to that we finished 2nd in both races (Circuit Race and Drag Race) in the competition.
Throughout 2010-2011 we had around 30 students from 3 different faculties directly involved in our team working on different aspects of our projects. We believe that getting to learn first-handed knowledge and technical skills through solving a real-world problem is the most important short-term benefit for all the students who get involved with UBC Snowbots. Additionally, we are certain that the ongoing teamwork and group effort that is being practiced without our team is a great experience for our team members which will be especially beneficial to them in their future careers.

Amount of funding awarded

$8000

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

Formula UBC exists to give students hands-on experience designing and manufacturing a racecar in the context of the Formula SAE competitions. This is a valuable learning experience that complements the academic studies of the team members and allows them to develop practical knowledge and confidence for their future as engineers.

In the spirit of the competition and for the sake of learning, the students work to design and fabricate many components instead of buying premade parts and assemblies. Materials and manufacturing costs take a large part of the team’s budget; this is where PAF funding traditionally goes.

This year the funding went towards the suspension uprights, which were dramatically redesigned to save weight and improve suspension sensitivity. They were CNC machined from aircraft grade aluminum and were a highlight of this year’s car. Thanks to our funding, we are able to continue improving our cars and expanding our collective knowledge base.

Outcomes

This past year, Formula UBC culminated in the completion of a completely redesigned car and a trip to the Formula SAE competition in Fontana, California. A core group of 8 team members attended the competition and obtained a great deal of experience from participating in the events and interacting with the judges, peers, and automotive professionals.

Additionally, students gain an array of skills and experiences from making the car itself: research and development, designing to meet standards, manufacturing and assembly, testing, scheduling, and budgeting. The project provides an oppourtunity for employing technical and academic skills learned in the classroom.
Experience with Formula UBC is excellent material for a resume and is typically a focus of interest when our team members are in job interviews. Students learn networking and communications skills through working with sponsors and attending events, such as the Vancouver International Auto Show. During competition, our team also has to use our presentation skills and ability to justify engineering decisions for the Design Judging.

Our team’s structure and social aspect ensures that the experiences and knowledge of past and present members is passed on to new members; Formula UBC is growing and improving with every year.

Amount of funding awarded

$983.81

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

The conference was a large gathering of professionals and students in the field of transportation engineering. The conference is intended to bring members of the field together to share their experiences so that others can learn about them and expand everyone’s knowledge of issues in the field to better serve the public and improve transportation engineering as a whole. The conference also serves as an environment for members to socialize and create bonds that could potentially be beneficial in the future.
Thanks to the PAF, Brendan was able to get the required funding to attend this conference and enjoy all of these experiences. This conference was a tremendous way for me to gain a greater understanding of transportation engineering and what will be expected of me when I graduate and enter the field as a professional.

Outcomes

The conference helped Brendan gain a better understanding of transportation engineering, an understanding which he will now be able to pass along to members of UBC ITE when school starts in the fall. The conference also made members across the country more aware of the UBC ITE. With that, we will hopefully be able to get more corporate activity and funding at our events such as the annual industry night. This resulting increase in funding and corporate awareness should lead to an increase in student memberships as people start to notice some of the benefits that the UBC ITE can offer. This trend can create a lasting legacy for the chapter to become more active and hopefully sending more members to these types of conferences. These developments in the chapter will give members valuable insight into the field and prepare them for when they graduate.

Amount of funding awarded

$221.76

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

The PAF funding directly contributed to the success and growth of the UBC Thunderbird Toastmasters (UBCTBTM) club and its members. While the bulk of the club’s funding comes from membership dues, the PAF funds were strategically used to promote the service to prospective members, to run the administration of club affairs and to provide material for the proper running of weekly club meetings.

Outcomes

Regular meetings were held every week during the school term and were attended by up to 12 students. While many of the results of membership were intangible, members often saw growth in their confidence as effective communicators and as leaders.

Different aspects of public speaking are practiced at every meeting including: conversations, prepared presentations and impromptu speaking. Proficiency with these skills helps to prepare members for interviews. This often led to an increased opportunity for employment inside and outside of the UBC Engineering Co-op Program as many interviewers ask about Toastmasters involvement.

Non-members, primarily from the Faculty of Applied Science, also benefited from the presentation and public speaking workshops held and run by the UBCTBTM throughout the school year. These workshops provided attendees with simple tools and tips for presentation preparation and delivery and provided UBCTBTM members an opportunity to put leadership and public speaking skills into practice.

Amount of funding awarded

$9024.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The objective of the team is to design a steel bridge that is light and simple to construct, but also minimizes deflection. Students work together and compete against teams from all over North America. Although the team has faculty advisors who are ready to help, the team prefers to do most things themselves to maximize the experience.

This year, the Pacific Northwest Regional Conference was hosted by University of Alaska – Anchorage. In this competition, UBC obtained 2nd place out of 13 schools and advanced to the National Competition. This year’s National Student Steel Bridge Competition was hosted by Texas A&M Univeristy in College Station, Texas.

PAF funding is vital to the UBC Steel Bridge Team, without it, despite our strong fundraising initiatives, it would be impossible to involve so many enthusiastic students on the team, and enable them to participate at the competitions.

Outcomes

The team provides students the opportunity to use what they have learned in class in a realistic environment. The competition is designed to mimic a real engineering project; students are to design and fabricate a bridge, given a scenario and a series of constraints specified by the committee/client. The bridge is judged based on construction time, weight, deflection, and aesthetics. The time required to construct the bridge is multiplied by a predetermined factor and is then added to the total cost of the bridge, thus mimicking construction cost in the real world. The weight and deflection (upon loading of 2500 lbs.) is also incorporated into the total cost in the same way.

Over 20 civil engineering students were involved and benefited from this team. The students learned life-long skills about real-world design considerations (such as constructability), drafting, steel fabrication and welding, and team-work skills.

Amount of funding awarded

2640

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

To send two junior fellows each year, UBC EWB must raise $6500 for each student. This cost covers all aspects of the project requirements, from living expenses and travel to insurance and training. PAF provides an important source of funding for this program. Other sources of funding include student fees donations to EWB, grants and fundraising events put on by the chapter.

Outcomes

Kaitlynn has been working in the Northern Region of Ghana this past summer in the water and sanitation sector at the district government level. She has been working with district water and sanitation teams to better understand the challenges that face districts and the barriers which can prevent effective water service delivery.

Elliot has been working with an agricultural-inputs company in Eastern Province, Zambia. Currently, there is an under-utilized network of half-trained agents which provide greater access to agricultural inputs for small-scale farmers. Elliot’s work was to investigate the challenges of these agents, identify the leverage points for improving the system, and design a support system for these agents.

Going overseas gives students a unique perspective on the issues at hand. They do hands-on, grass roots development work that gives them real world experience working in an area few engineers are able to access.

Amount of funding awarded

9,360

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

1. To compete at the US Open, participate in Robocup 2011 in Istanbul and in the Technical Challenge aspect of the Robocup for the first-time in the team’s history.
a. PAF provided us with the ability to travel and compete successfully in the US Open, placing 1st, and Robocup 2011 where we placed 9th overall with two additional 3rd place finishes in the Technical Challenges.
2. To create well-rounded UBC students by providing hands-on technical experience as well as mentorship, leadership and teamwork opportunities for team members.
a. PAF provided a means for us to participate in open houses, technical workshops and international competitions where we supplemented our learning and gained knowledge and valuable contacts.
3. To foster an awareness and interest for robotics at UBC, in Canada, and in the international community.
a. PAF provided a means for us to hold our Open House and to promote Canada and UBC Engineering at events in Georgia, US and Istanbul, Turkey, which had international media in attendance.
4. To maintain a solid foundation that allows the team to continue to grow and expand our project’s scope each year.
a. PAF allowed us to start off our next year with a positive budget which will allow us to grow and foster our technical advancements.

Outcomes

In 2010-2011, we had over 50 students from 6 different faculties working on our robotics project. All students have gained teamwork experience, learned about necessity for communication and documentation, learned about all aspects of design and had to push themselves to learn beyond the classroom in order to gain the vital technical knowledge needed to successfully complete this project. These new experiences allow the students that work on our team to better be prepared for their professional careers and real-life situations.

Through the MECH Capstone Projects, we partnered with UBC MECH students to work together to design and develop a new kicker that would improve upon our past technology. This was a successful project and has paved the way for more inter-department partnerships.

In addition to technical work, we also provide open houses, presentations, and booths in order to share our passion for robotics with UBC and the community. We have delivered many presentations to engineering students and have presented twice to younger student through the GeeringUp summer program.

Amount of funding awarded

$1156

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

Hosting a booth at SME, an internationally recognized conference, allowed for UBC’s reputation as competitive engineering school to reach a broad audience which was the goal of the UBC SME Chapter. Students from other universities in many different countries approached the students from UBC at the booth to inquire about graduate programs, the possibility of doing a year abroad at UBC, and research opportunities. Many companies also approached to ask about the different engineering programs, the UBC Co-op program and discuss the possibility of hiring co-op students from UBC. All of the UBC Mining and Mineral Processing Student Resume books were distributed.

Outcomes

The students that attended the conference to run the booth all received phone calls and emails with job opportunities. Many other students were contacted for job opportunities from employers that received their contact information and resumes from the student resume book. The professional development representatives received follow up emails from students from other universities that inquired about UBC’s graduate programs at the conference. Unfortunately we haven’t had the opportunity to discuss with international recruiting in the Engineering student service center about the number of students that they have been in contact following the conference as we did refer many of the students in this direction.

Amount of funding awarded

5680.00

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The funding has significantly supported us with our club’s relocation to a new workspace, specifically with the purchase of a MIG welder, a tool storage cabinet, and an assortment of shop tools and accessories. This permitted us to get well underway with the establishment of a significantly more self-sustaining environment for working on the car than previously. In addition to obtaining electrical hardware that will allow us to diagnose and log our car’s performance on or off the track, we allocated a portion of the funds to safety equipment. This will provide our drivers with the necessary certified gear meeting AutoCross II standards as well as safety equipment (ear, eye, face, lung, skin protection) for students in the workspace using anything from our welder to power and hand tools.

Outcomes

This project exposes UBC engineering students to a multi-disciplinary environment where mechanical and electrical skills can be developed in a hands-on manner; there is opportunity for interested students to gain experience in project management, fundraising and marketing, web development, and a variety of specialized skills such as welding, circuit design, and fabrication of materials. Since this project is based on continuous development in order to stay competitive, there is ample opportunity for students to engage in the design, planning, construction and testing of new ideas which the team may be able to implement on the track.
The number of students involved in these projects varies over the course of the year, but ultimately those with an interest in a particular area will be encouraged to pursue a defined objective for the team, with room for creative input and guidance from senior students.

Amount of funding awarded

410.48

Budget Report

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How the program has supported you

The PAF funding made it possible for key members of our team to attend the iGEM Jamboree in Boston. This gave us the motivation to continue steady work on the project through the fall semester despite the demands of school and co-op jobs. Thanks to the the funding we were able to stay together as a team and make the entire summer of hard work worthwhile. Every member of the team agreed up on returning to Vancouver after the Jamboree that “attending the jamboree really showed what iGEM was actually about”. This passion directly led to the team continuing into 2011. With any luck this year the team will bring home a trophy.

Outcomes

Synthetic Biology and genetic engineering are blossoming fields that have applications across all engineering disciplines. The direct outcome of the project is an increased interest in synthetic biology and for some, a lifelong interest. As this field develops it would be a point of pride at UBC to have a well developed community of students, graduate students and professors who have worked together and have begun networking internationally in this important field. iGEM projects provide ample opportunity for every engineering discipline and we are going to recruit hard for next year to continue the team.

Amount of funding awarded

5880

Budget Report

View budget report.

How the program has supported you

The E-Beetle was to be the first electric vehicle to drive across Canada. This accomplishment proved electric car reliability and viability for long distance drives. The trip was completed using a borrowed set of batteries and when they were removed, some damage was done to the car. After the car returned, we secured a new set of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, donated by Winston Batteries in China. The PAF funding covered the shipping and incidentals of installation. As the club was working on plans for this coming year, the beetle was being prepared for the Vancouver Auto Show. It needed a lot to improve reliability and safety. The PAF funding covered the cost of rewiring and replacement of aging parts. The show was a huge success. Our participation brought a great deal of notice to UBC Engineering as a whole. As a result, we were asked to participate in EPIC Sustainability Expo.

Outcomes

The rebuilding of the E-Beetle that our PAF funding covered this year allowed many students from a variety of disciplines to get hands on experience wiring and working on a full-scale electric car. By the end of the semester we had between 12 and 15 students working on the car in some way. One of our major subgroups built a computer program that brings together information from all the vehicle’s systems into one unified display to ensure accurate battery level readings and faster problem diagnosis. We also had students working on complex vehicle wiring and a battery heating system. These students have gained valuable skills and knowledge that will help the club continue to be successful in the year to come. Keeping the beetle on the road has also allowed us to gain notoriety for the club and secure tens of thousands of dollars of sponsorship for our next project.