UBC experts on flooding and extreme weather

UBC experts are available to comment on flooding and extreme weather, in light of a state of emergency in Kelowna and other parts of western Canada.

Climate science and natural disasters

Dr. Susan Day
Professor, Department of Forest Resources Management
Email: susan.day@ubc.ca
Phone: 604-822-6652
Interview Language(s): English

• Urban forests
• Urban soils, stormwater, water relations, plant response to climate stress to climate stress

Dr. Simon Donner
Professor, Department of Geography
Email: simon.donner@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

•  Climate change science, extreme events and climate policy

Dr. Sean Fleming
Adjunct Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Tel: 541–250–1248
Email: sfleming@eoas.ubc.ca

• Rivers, groundwater, flooding, water resources
• Weather and climate impacts
• Water and environmental management
• Artificial intelligence, environmental prediction

Dr. Scott McDougall
Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Email: smcdouga@eoas.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Landslides
• Landslide-generated waves/tsunamis
• Shoreline erosion
• Tailings dam breaches
• Mine waste failures

Dr. Michael Pidwirny
Associate Professor, Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences (Okanagan campus)
Email: michael.pidwirny@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Assessing and forecasting the impact of climate change
• Adaptation to climate change

Dr. John Richardson
Professor, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Email: john.richardson@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Effects of flooding and water supplies on streams and lakes, water quality and debris torrents
• Effects of droughts on natural ecosystems
• Impacts of excess water on slopes and floods
• Urban impacts of drainage patterns and loss of natural stream networks in parts of the Lower Mainland

Christopher Rodell
Member, Weather Forecast Research Team, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Email: bluesky@eoas.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Weather Forecasting

Dr. Hans Schreier
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Tel: 604-731-0548
Email: hans.schreier@ubc.ca

• Watersheds and watershed management
• Flooding and water, urban stormwater

Dr. Stephen Sheppard
Professor Emeritus, Director of Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning (CALP), and former Director of the Bachelor of Urban Forestry Program, Faculty of Forestry
Email: stephen.sheppard@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Future climate change scenarios
• Planning for local climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation
• Engaging Canadians on what they can do to climate-proof homes and neighbourhoods

Crisis management and recovery

Dr. Nemy Banthia
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
Senior Canada Research Chair in Infrastructure Rehabilitation
Email: banthia@civil.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English, Hindi, French

• Resilient concrete infrastructure and structural strengthening
• Sensors for structural health monitoring and prediction of conditions that can cause structural collapse
• Low carbon building materials and achieving carbon neutrality in infrastructure
• 3D printing and additive manufacturing for rapid construction
• Performance of buried infrastructure such as sewerage pipes

Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Email: jennifer.baumbusch@nursing.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Special considerations for supporting older people and people with disabilities in the climate crisis

Dr. Roger Beckie
Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Tel: 604-822-6462
Email: rbeckie@eoas.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Groundwater flow and contamination due to flooding, and mitigation
• Mine drainage
• Construction dewatering

Dr. Cole Burton
Associate Professor, Department of Forest Resources Management
Email: cole.burton@ubc.ca
Tel: 778–676–4428
Interview language(s): English

• Impact of extreme weather on wildlife

Dr. Jennifer Grenz
Assistant Professor, Department of Forest Resources Management
Email: jennifer.grenz@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• How extreme weather impacts food security, planning for impacts, Indigenous land healing initiatives

Dr. Trevor Heaver
Professor Emeritus, UBC Sauder School of Business
Email: trevor.heaver@sauder.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Supply chain disruption
• Transportation business, transport policy, international shipping, ports, logistics

Dr. Philippe Le Billon
Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Email: philippe.lebillon@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English, French

• Post-disaster reconstruction, political and economic dimensions, conflicts, corruption
• Climate change mitigation perspectives and initiatives

Dr. Kh Md Nahiduzzaman
Visiting Professor, School of Engineering (Okanagan campus)
Email: Kh.Nahiduzzaman@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Flood non-structural mitigation
• Flood resilience and inclusive governance

Dr. Dwayne Tannant
Professor, School of Engineering (Okanagan campus)
Tel: 250-801-4301
Email: dwayne.tannant@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Geotechnical engineering, geohazards, rock support, rockfall mitigation, excavations in rock
• Landslides and post-wildfire influences on debris flows
• Remote sensing: drones, lidar, satellite

Alexa Tanner
PhD student, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability
Email: alexa.tanner@ires.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Risk perceptions, evacuation, decision making, multi-hazard risks and emergency management

Dr. Babak Tosarkani
Assistant Professor, School of Engineering (Okanagan campus)
Email: babak.tosarkani@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English, Farsi

• Impact of extreme weather on supply chain

Dr. James Vercammen
Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Email: james.vercammen@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

• Potential impacts on agricultural commodity prices, food prices, agricultural markets, agricultural production risk