Canada Research Chairs
BCIT has one Tier 2 Canada Research Chair:
and two former Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs:
- Dr. Fitsum Tariku, former Canada Research Chair in Whole Building Performance
- Dr. Jaimie Borisoff, former Canada Research Chair in Rehabilitation Engineering Design
The Canada Research Chairs program is committed to excellence in research and research training in eligible degree-granting institutions across the country. The Canada Research Chairs program invests approximately $265 million per year to attract and retain some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. They improve our depth of knowledge and quality of life, strengthen Canada’s international competitiveness, and help train the next generation of highly skilled people through student supervision, teaching, and the coordination of other researchers’ work.
Mastercard Chair in Digital Trust
Dr. Aaron Hunter, Faculty in the BCIT School of Computing and Academic Studies, has been named the first Mastercard Chair in Digital Trust, and Director of the Centre for Cybersecurity at BCIT and will lead the development of faculty and student research activities in this important and emerging field. In a world where cybercrime is dramatically increasing, systems are reliant on software calculating whether financial transactions can be trusted. Once a fraudulent transaction is detected, it can take significant time and effort to trace the origin—and during this time, there is a risk of further damage. Dr. Hunter’s research takes real world problems like this and explores how AI can be used to not just speed up that process but build up defenses.
“Thanks to the support from Mastercard, we will be able to continue the research and development in this critical area of cybersecurity,” said Dr. Hunter. “We know we need to help shut fraudulent transactions down faster to protect vendors, clients, and banks, and artificial intelligence can play a key role in that work.”
Research Chair in Advanced Building Technology
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), in collaboration with BC Housing, is pleased to announce that Dr. Fitsum Tariku has been appointed Research Chair in Advanced Building Technology. This newly established Research Chair will focus on advancing education and research in housing, with particular emphasis on decarbonization of new and existing buildings, and development and integration of advanced building technologies.
With a $200,000 investment from BC Housing, the Advanced Building Technology Research Program will support the federal and provincial governments’ efforts in meeting the net-zero carbon buildings target by 2050. The program will run until 2027 and findings, including the long-term performance, impact on occupant health, and life-cycle costs and benefits of integrating new technologies will be compiled as research reports available on the BC Housing website. It will also be shared with local building industry practitioners, engineers, architects, builders, product manufacturers, policy makers, researchers, and others in the field.
Centre of Welding Technologies and Metallurgy Research Chair
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) have established the Centre of Welding Technologies and Metallurgy Research Chair. This Research Chair will be the first at BCIT to be exclusively based on funding and collaboration with an industry partner and will enhance BC-based industrial research capabilities in advanced welding and metallurgy. Seaspan has agreed to invest $1.65M over five years to fund the new research chair and a supporting Centre of expertise managed by an industry professional, with instructors, analysts, and associated research equipment and materials.
Dr. Mathew Smith, PhD, PPhys, PEng has been appointed Director of the Centre for Welding Technologies and Metallurgy Research in the School of Construction and the Environment (SOCE).
Rudy North Chair in River Ecology
A leading gift of $1 million from Rudy North, president and founder of North Growth Management Ltd., established the Rivers Institute at BCIT and funded Canada’s first Chair in River Ecology. The Institute will support research and travel, facilitate public awareness activities and provide financial support for students with a particular interest in river conservation for a period of three years. Additional investments will be sought to extend the reach of the Rivers Institute and support future activities.