Dr. Kiana Amini Received the Wall Research Award to Tackle Sustainability Challenges
Congratulations to our faculty member, Prof. Kiana Amini, for receiving the Wall Research Award for the project titled “Development of Organic Redox Flow Batteries for Clean Renewable Energy Storage Applications”! In collaboration with Prof. Eva Nichols from Chemistry, and Prof. Qingshi Tu from the Faculty of Forestry, this project aims to enhance the market viability of redox flow batteries. Specifically, to develop cost-effective, environmentally friendly production pathways for the organic materials used in these batteries, alongside innovative advancements in battery engineering to make this promising energy storage system a practical reality.
The Wall Research Award is part of the Wall Legacy Awards program at UBC, funded by the $100M+ Peter Wall Endowment and supports $4M in research annually for UBC faculty and graduate students. The program includes two Wall Fellowships valued at $1M each, and this year includes 19 graduate student awards and a total of eight faculty research awards for individual and team projects. As one of the largest internal university award programs in North America, the awards focus on advancing sustainability, investing in researchers poised to drive progress in British Columbia and beyond.
Undergraduate Students Awarded with CIM Book Prize
Congratulations to Chloe Stanford and Raymond Zhang for being awarded the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (CIM) Book Prize!
Chloe and Raymond, both UBC Materials Engineering undergraduate students, were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements at the recent CIM event. The evening featured networking opportunities, engaging speakers, a sit-down dinner, and games. It concluded with the presentation of awards, followed by a group photo with all recipients.
The CIM Book Prize honors students for their exceptional accomplishments and commitment to advancing their education in mining, materials, and metallurgy. We are proud to celebrate their hard work and excellence in Materials Engineering. Congratulations again, Chloe and Raymond!
Visiting International Research Student: Q&A with Lukas Berners from RWTH Aachen
Currently pursuing a PhD at the Institute for Physical Metallurgy and Materials Physics at RWTH Aachen, Lukas Berners spent six months at UBC as a visiting PhD student in Dr. Ben Britton’s research group, studying atomic changes in Nb-Ni and Nb-Co alloys using advanced Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD)-based methods.
1. Please describe your academic background.
I hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Materials Science from RWTH Aachen, with a focus on metallic materials such as Al- and Mg-alloys and steels. My current research project at Aachen involves exploring the co-deformation of Mg-Al-Ca alloys and using EBSD in Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) to identify small or crystallographically complex phases.
2. What attracted you to UBC and the Department of Materials Engineering?
Dr. Ben Britton’s research group at UBC has strong expertise and support in advanced materials characterization techniques using SEM, and I am eager to further expand my knowledge and skills in this area. The strong collaboration and close ties between my home institution and UBC in the past also played a key role in my decision to visit.
3. Can you tell us about how a typical week is like to you at UBC and in Vancouver?
In our group, we have a rather flexible schedule for conducting experiments under a microscope or analyzing the collected data. Every Wednesday, we hold a group meeting, where group members present their research or dive into in-depth discussions of journal publications. We also follow a hybrid work schedule, and when I need to be on campus, I usually bike up the hill to UBC.
4. How has the RWTH-MITACS-NRC collaboration at UBC enrich your overall graduate experience? Can you share some of your fondest memories here?
“I had many insightful discussions with my colleagues about their research topics. It was fascinating to observe the wide range of materials being studied here, and the many methods used by the group.” I believe I’ve gained new perspectives on how to approach questions, and I hope to assist my colleagues at UBC as well.
“I particularly enjoyed the moments when either I or one of my colleagues here discovered interesting microstructures in our samples.”
Beyond the microscope
5. What advice would you offer to students coming from Europe planning to visit UBC? How can they be better prepared?
Personally, I had a great experience navigating my daily life at UBC or in Vancouver. The campus is very beautiful, with lots of trees and nearby parks, as well as a number of museums, and even a botanical garden!
“Some of the nuances I have noticed throughout my stay here are differing conventions for time, days, and the naming of building floors. It is also important to give time to your body to adapt to the new sleeping cycle due to time zone difference. You will also need to be aware of time difference while catching up with friends and family in Europe during your time in Canada.“
6. What tips would you give to other visiting students for making connections in Vancouver?
I would recommend checking out the student’s clubs at UBC and sports club available in the city. I joined the board games club at UBC regularly and was fortunate to meet some nice people. I was also living in a house with roommates, so it was convenient to get suggestions on where to visit and what to avoid around the city.
7. What’s one surprising thing you’ve discovered about Vancouver/ Canada since arriving?
“Everything is bigger than what I was used to back home – from packing units in the grocery stores to cars and serving sizes in restaurants.”
8. How would you describe your Vancouver experience in three words? And if you could take one aspect of Vancouver back home with you, what would it be?
“Lively,
Nature,
Versatile.”
The proximity to both the mountains and the sea! A one-hour bus ride can take you to the North Shore mountains, but you can also enjoy completely flat bike rides around Richmond and other areas of the Lower Mainland if you’d like.
Matthew Tunnicliffe, BASc ’09 & MASc ’11
From Snowboarding Competitions to Corrosion Research
Currently a Corrosion Researcher at FPInnovations, Matthew Tunnicliffe graduated from UBC Materials Engineering in 2009. He earned a Master of Applied Science in Materials, Corrosion, and Electrochemistry at UBC MTRL in 2011. His undergraduate years were marked by camaraderie and friendships formed while studying materials and metallurgy, and he was involved with the UBC Ski and Board club and UBC Surf club. Matthew was known for studying remotely as he competed in snowboard cross on the BC Provincial team and Canada’s High Performance program, participating in over 20 World Cups during his studies.
1. Can you tell me about your current job? How did you end up with it?
The final course I took during my undergrad was on corrosion, which piqued my interest in completing a master’s degree (and allowed me more time to pursue my dream of making the 2010 Olympics). This course laid the foundation for my continued education and my current position at FPInnovations. After missing out on the Olympics and completing my M.A.Sc, I was searching for corrosion jobs and found a corrosion group on campus in the forestry industry. It hadn’t been updated in some time but I submitted my resume anyway serendipitously just as a researcher was leaving the company. I took over their role as a materials and corrosion expert and have been at it ever since.
2. What does a typical day look like for you? Does a typical day exist?
Corrosion experiments tend to be lengthy and require simulating a specific process environment often running for 24 hours and up to 500 or 1,000 hours. These environments range from room temperature to 1,000°C and pH from 0 to 13. There are usually three main phases to my days:
#1: Beginning every day, I ensure that the experiments are are stable and that no spills or hazards were generated overnight.
#2: After the morning walkthrough, I check in with the technologists who run experiments to determine what’s next to study and what setups require assembly or address specific equipment that isn’t working as anticipated.
#3: The rest of the day involves communicating with industry contacts to better understand the challenges they face daily, reviewing literature for current project work and ensuring our experiments are aligned, and supporting fellow researchers who may encounter corrosion problems in their field of study.
3. How did your Masters degree in materials engineering help shape your career progression?
“My master’s degree helped me to focus on an area of materials research that I find interesting and allowed me to explore a niche subject, narrowing my job search to a specific field. I feel fortunate to have continued working in this same field I specialized in, and especially to have found this position after completing my masters. “
I really enjoy my work at FPInnovations because I have the opportunity to see material challenges in industry, demonstrate it in the laboratory and then present my findings internally and eventually publish a paper on the topic.
4. What opportunities do you see for materials graduates in your field?
From a materials of construction and corrosion perspective, the pulp and paper industry probably has the widest range of corrosion challenges in a single plant.
“I would also say that completing my education at UBC positioned me very well to get my foot in the door at a research institute.”
5. What advice would you give to someone entering this field?
After my undergrad and master’s, I would say I wish I had known how much I didn’t know! Learning theory and completing assignments is one thing at school, but seeing issues firsthand, climbing in and out of equipment, and applying what you’ve learned is where the real fun and satisfaction begins. I would recommend that while digital resources are becoming more prevalent, the answer to many problems I face daily can still be derived from a book in a library.
6. How do you think your MTRL degree sets you apart from graduates of other programs?
“My degrees helped me understand the existence of many industry processes and fields. My exposure to these fields early on helped me be a better researcher in my current line of work.”
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Shannon Hoekstra, BASc ’14
Tackling Water Challenges in Mining Operations
Currently a Senior Consultant for water management/ treatment at SRK Consulting, Shannon completed her BASc in Materials Engineering in 2014. Her favorite memory was the industrial field trips to Ontario and Washington with her peers and professors. She was highly involved in extracurriculars, serving as President of the MTRL UG Club (2013/14) and Engineers Without Borders (2012/13). Shannon also completed four co-op terms during her studies at UBC, including a memorable 8-month placement at a Potash mine in Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan.
1. Could you share about your current role in the consulting industry and the journey that led you to it?
I currently work as a Senior Consultant with a specific focus in water management/ treatment at SRK Consulting. I help mining clients in addressing their water-related challenges. After completing my MTRL degree, I joined Hatch as a hydrometallurgical EIT, where I was exposed to a variety of mining projects and this sparked my interest in the environmental aspects of the industry. This led me to pursue a Masters of Engineering in Chemical Engineering, specializing in water technologies and process design, at the University of Toronto. Since then, I have been working with my current company. Both my degrees work hand-in-hand, providing me with the knowledge and understanding to tackle the projects I work on today.
2. How does a typical day look like for you as a consulting engineer?
It is common to spend the entire day working in front of my desk doing a mix of technical work, project management, meetings, and clients’ interactions. However, the “engineering” nature of my work keeps things challenging but exciting and enjoyable at the same time, as the problems required to be solved are rarely the same. I also appreciate the opportunities to do field work periodically, which allows me to visit mine sites and facilities, meet clients in-person, and gain new perspectives, which can be difficult to acquire sitting in front of a desk.
3. How does your career now compare to how you originally envisioned your career in undergrad?
All my co-op work terms did not involve consulting work; hence, I knew very little about how it was going to be. I definitely wasn’t prepared to sit on my desk for eight hours a day. At the same time, I believe it is also hard to know what engineers actually do when you are in your undergrad because it’s so different compared to working in academia.
4. How does your work intersect with other disciplines/fields and how do you navigate working among a diverse group of colleagues?
I often work with people from different academic backgrounds in science and engineering (environmental, civil, chemical, mining, geotechnical, forestry, biology, etc.) because the environmental aspects of mining intersect with each process/ team in the mining industry.
“I navigate working with a diverse group of people by being upfront with what I do and do not understand. Nobody knows everything and often you aren’t the only one who may not understand what someone else is saying. I strongly believe that communication is key in engineering. Developing the ability to justify your thoughts, reason your answers, and communicate your plan and actions are essential at a workplace.”
5. You did a master’s degree before moving to your current role. How did your graduate degree help you to transition to your current role?
My MEng degree provided the formal education background that I needed on my resume and helped me secure my current role. “Interestingly, water management and treatment apply the same chemistry principles as metallurgy—rather than refining ore to concentrate a specific metal, the focus is on removing or reducing constituent concentrations in water that has come into contact with ore or waste rock before it’s discharged into the environment.”
6. What advice do you give someone when looking at possibly doing graduate school after their undergraduate degree and after having already started work?
Take time to figure out what you want to do in your job, ask yourself what your priorities and goals are when it comes to your career. Once you can answer that, it will be much easier to decide whether graduate school (and/ or the type of degree) is right for you.
7. What do you wish you had known about your career path when you were a student?
I wish I had known that I would be working with people who are doing the same job as me but from a different engineering/science background.
“There is no “right” way to get to where you want to and sometimes a job opportunity may take you somewhere that ends up exposing you to work that you didn’t even know you would have liked. Stay open-minded!”
8. How did materials engineering help you get to the career you have today? How do you think your education at UBC MTRL sets you apart from graduates of other programs?
Honestly, it feels somewhat random—I could have pursued a similar career with a different engineering degree, as many of my colleagues in the same role come from various academic backgrounds. It’s hard to compare since I haven’t experienced other engineering programs directly. Though speaking from my own experience, smaller class sizes at UBC MTRL allowed me to build stronger connections with peers and professors.
“I also found materials engineering to be very diverse, offering exposure to many different applications. I believe people who study materials engineering end up in many different industries and types of engineering jobs.”
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