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Sunlight to Electricity: With a little help from some purple bacteria

Sunlight to Electricity: With a little help from some purple bacteria

Could we efficiently generate electricity through photosynthesis like a plant, store energy organically, use components that do not harm the environment and use up carbon dioxide while doing it? Sounds good but how could we get there? Meet the purple bacteria. Purple bacteria get energy from the sun through photosynthesis like plants. Purple bacteria can […]

Aspect Biosystems: A Vancouver Visionary

Aspect Biosystems: A Vancouver Visionary

The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) identified UBC start-up, Aspect Biosystems, as one of three companies that exemplify Vancouver’s entrepreneurial buzz. The 3D bioprinting company was chosen because it demonstrates the strength Vancouver businesses derive from combining great ideas with a stable business climate, a first-class education system and a close association with the natural environment. […]

BanTheBomb Goes to Vienna

BanTheBomb Goes to Vienna

 UBC students share their public education campaign with international scientists and educators #BanTheBomb brings nuclear politics and science to the public, particularly young people. The goal? To inspire them to demand the end of all nuclear weapons testing. By taking an active role on social media and providing free, interactive online educational tools, the #BanTheBomb team […]

Our new Professor brings ECE a new big data course

Our new Professor brings ECE a new big data course

According to the ex-CEO of Google Eric Schmidt, “every two days we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until  2003″. Massive amounts of data at our disposal and exponential advances in computing technology enabling us to process it, ushered in the era of “big data”. Businesses, healthcare industry […]

APPS4KIDS HACKATHON: Creating digital tools to improve children’s health

APPS4KIDS HACKATHON: Creating digital tools to improve children’s health

Medical care for children with chronic conditions, particularly for those with neurodevelopmental conditions, can be very complex. There are significant advantages to incorporating digital tools into the medical care of children and youth. At the Apps4Kids Hackathon, held at UBC, paediatricians, parents, designers and students collaborated for a week to create apps that will improve […]

What would the Earth and Moon look like from Mars?

What would the Earth and Moon look like from Mars?

Watch the western sky tonight. Prof. Dave Michelson suggests you take a look at Venus and Jupiter to get a sense of the view from the red planet. From Mars, Earth appears to be a second evening star with a dim companion hovering close by. Venus and much dimmer Jupiter are very close to each […]

Re-thinking the AC-DC Balance

Re-thinking the AC-DC Balance

Many home electronics, such as your computer, or anything else that uses a battery, run on direct current (DC). These devices use a converter to transform the alternating current (AC) supplied at the wall socket into the DC they need. Big data centers and telecommunications also use DC. The proliferation of these devices has increased […]

It’s been an extraordinary year: Vijay Bhargava

It’s been an extraordinary year: Vijay Bhargava

Professor Bhargava’s work has had a profound impact in the field of wireless communications. Practical applications of his research include wireless networks that support 3D multimedia, gaming, device-to-device communications, e-health and social networks. Along the way he has published a number of books, the most recent Green Radio Communication Networks, he has mentored  many, many students and […]

Congratulations Roberto and Steve

Congratulations Roberto and Steve

Big congratulations to Roberto Rosales and Steve Wilton who both received a Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service yesterday. Roberto Rosales has worked at ECE in lots of roles, including System-on-Chip (SoC) Test Lab Manager and Engineering Service Group Team Lead. While officially a test lab manager, Roberto Rosales is always ready to take on […]

Registration circa 1915

Registration circa 1915

What courses would you have taken if you were registering 100 years ago? In 1915, UBC’s Applied Science course schedules were quite a bit different than they are today. For a quick break from registration, take a look at the 1915 engineering course schedule. You can get a sense of the ways engineering has changed […]