1915-1924 | 1925-1949 | 1950-1974 | 1975-1999 | 2000-present
1915–1924
1915– University of British Columbia opens with three Faculties: Applied Science, Arts and Science, and Agriculture. Applied Science comprises the Departments of Civil, Mechanical and Mining Engineering, which includes Metallurgy.
1915–1945– John M. Turnbull serves as Head of the Mining Engineering Department (including Metallurgy).1919-1920– The department offers a full, four-year course in Mining and Metallurgy. The department is now called Mining and Metallurgy.
1921– The first student graduates from Metallurgy.
1922– The B.A.Sc. (Bachelor of Applied Science) degree is awarded for the first time.
He was Head of the Department of Metallurgical Engineering (now Materials Engineering) at UBC for 19 years from 1945 to 1964.
1925–1949
1925– The Mining and Metallurgy Department moves into its own building on the Point Grey campus of UBC.
1936– Frank Forward is appointed to the Mining and Metallurgy Department to teach Metallurgy and to develop the metallurgical research capability.
1943– The War Metals Research board is created during the Second World War and funds research and equipment at UBC.
1945-1964– Frank Forward serves as Department Head.
1948– The first two graduate students graduate with an M.A.Sc. in Metallurgy. Frank Forward invents the Sherritt Nickel process.
1948-1950– Intensive research in the hydrometallurgy of uranium expands the department. The uranium extraction research building burns down in 1951.
While at UBC his work on materials processing led to a revolution in thinking for many companies who benefitted greatly from his consulting and research work.
1950–1974
1952– The Sherritt-Gordon Chair of Metallurgy is created.
1956– John Lund is hired by the department and sets up research in Powder Metallurgy.
1956– The new Physical Metallurgy building is opened.
1959– Asoke Chaklader is hired by the Department and sets up the Ceramics division.
1961– The Department of Metallurgy is divided from Mining and forms its own department.
1964-1966– William (Bill) Armstrong serves as Head of the Department of Metallurgy.
1966–1969– William Armstrong serves as the sixth Dean of Applied Science.
1966-1980– Ed Teghtsoonian serves as head of the Department.
1967– The Center for Materials Research is established at UBC.
1968– The Frank Forward Building is completed, housing the Department of Metallurgy.
1975–1999
1980– The name of the department is changed to Department of Metallurgical Engineering.
1980-1985– Fred Weinberg serves as Department Head.
1980– Keith Brimacombe is appointed the first Stelco Chair of Metallurgy.
1984– The Centre for Metallugical Process Engineering is set up by Keith Brimacombe.
1985-1986– John Nadeau serves as Department Head.
1987-1992– John Lund serves as Department Head.
1987– The name of the department is changed to Department of Metals and Materials Engineering.
1989– Keith Brimacombe is appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
1992-1999– Ray Meadowcroft serves as Department Head.
1995– The AMPEL building is completed—home of the Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratories. Two years later it was renamed the Keith J. Brimacombe building in honour of acclaimed Metals and Materials Engineering professor who died in 1997. This building provides space for collaboration between interdisciplinary Applied Sciences departments and fosters industrial research.
2000–present
2000-2008– Steve Cockcroft serves as Department Head.
2002– Indira Samarasekera is appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
2004– The name of the department is changed to Department of Materials Engineering.
2008– Warren J. Poole is appointed Department Head.
