What Is a CBEL project?

To equip UBC’s second-year civil engineering students with the professional skills needed to succeed in their future careers, teams of five to seven from the CIVIL 202 class are tasked with unique Community Based Experiential Learning Projects.  Our CBEL projects vary from team to team with either a transportation, water, or humanitarian/green engineering context.  Each team works with a project mentor from UBC, and a community leader from different local organizations.

City Studio

We have been teamed up with Vancouver’s City Studio.  “CityStudio is an energetic hub of learning and leadership where students co-create projects on the ground with CoV city staff.”  The organization, founded to help Vancouver become the greenest city in the world by 2020, is familiar working with student groups, with a for-credit program for Vancouver’s 6 public post secondary institutions, and partner courses with the schools.  The organization also features weekly guest speakers to host dialogues.

Who Benefits?

The area contained within the red in the below map is where we will identify opportunities that will support the city in achieving their goals outlined in Vancouver’s Transportation 2040 Plan.  The area is one of Vancouver’s main transportation hubs.  Contained are railways, a bus depot, Main St. and VCC Skytrain stations, with retail, industry, and recreation locations scattered throughout.  This project has given our group the opportunity to benefit the businesses within the area, commuters travelling through, and residents living in and around.

Introductions:

(Left to Right)

Hello, I’m Tyler Ezzy.  Born and raised in Surrey, BC,  trips to Main St. – Science world were not uncommon.  I remember it being different back then, but then again, it was much different even five years ago.  I’m excited to work with this project and all of the people involved.  I hope to employ the skills I have honed during both the completion of a business diploma, and throughout the almost two years of engineering, to better the area and community involved.  I study Civil Engineering at UBC because I believe that the knowledge and tools gained through the program will best equip me to conquer many diverse problems, and better communities through improved, smart, and green infrastructure.

Hey guys, my name’s Jordan Yang and I’m a second year student enrolled at the University of British Columbia specializing in Civil Engineering. I’ve wanted to become a civil engineer for a long time because of the possibilities that came with this career path. The ability to create a structure or system that will leave a long-lasting impression has always been a goal of mine whether it were for a small community to see or a big populace to enjoy. As I further began to understand what engineers really do for society, I realized that they are about creating things for the greater good and that is why I’m grateful for this opportunity to give aid to the community and to learn the intricacies of an engineering project being developed.

Hey everyone, my name is Alex Liaw and I was born and raised in Vancouver. In first year, I had the opportunity of paddling at False Creek with the UBC dragon boat team. Upon seeing the different CBEL projects, this False Creek remediation project immediately caught my eye and I realized how rewarding it would be to be able to give back to this beautiful community. This CBEL project will definitely give me some insight to the real engineering field and I look forward to working with my team, alongside the professional engineers, in transforming Vancouver into the greenest city by 2020.

Hello, my name is Jack Stuart Gilbert and I am a second year Civil Engineering student at the University of British Columbia.  Having been born and raised in North Vancouver, BC, I would love nothing more than to have the opportunity to give back to this beautiful city of Vancouver and help it achieve its goal of becoming the greenest city in the world.  I always tell people the reason I have chosen to pursue the field of civil engineering is because I want to make a tangible impact on this world.  Working to improve the False Creek area will directly affect not only me but the many other commuters and residents of this great city.  I am excited to begin working on this project and gain valuable experience that will help to broaden my engineering skill set and knowledge.

Hello, my name is Kellie Liu and I am a second year Civil Engineering student at UBC. I am from North Vancouver, British Columbia.I  have always been interested in the structural features, designs and functions of everything around me and how things are built. In my eyes, many buildings and structures are also a piece of artwork. The science and art aspects of engineering are what motivate me to discover the world of engineering. Engineering requires high scientific and mathematic skills. What appears to be an elegant design or a simple structure embeds tremendous engineering sophistication. I hope I am able to apply my engineering knowledge into this false creek project and I look forward to working on it!

Hi everyone, my name is Kimberly Subianto. I am from Indonesia, and I came to Vancouver two years ago to pursue my dream as a civil engineer at UBC. Why do I want to be a civil engineer? Ever since I was in high school, I have always been interested in the mechanism behind tall standing structures, hoping that this interest of mine can help create a better world for the communities to live in. I then have grown deeper in developing my interests, and I am pretty excited to apply my knowledge and skills to City Studio’s False Creek Flats Project and drive this project to success.