Wood innovation and design finally has a home in Prince George, and soon it will also have a house.
Two unique masters programs were announced Friday for UNBC that will reside in the Wood Innovation and Design Centre now under construction in downtown Prince George. One is a degree in Master of Applied Science in Engineering and the other a Master of Engineering in Integrated Wood Design.
The two programs will combine for 36 full-time equivalent students.
The announcement was made by rookie MLA Amrik Virk, the new Minister of Advanced Education who committed $466,000 in startup funding this year. It is expected the two programs will both be operational by 2015.
"I went to university by virtue of the fact I worked in lumber mills," said Virk, who grew up in Williams Lake.
UNBC president George Iwama said the two programs were a long time in development, and it was an important relief for academia and industry alike to have these degrees finally unveiled.
"These new, UNBC-trained engineers will be experts in the use of wood as a versatile, sustainable and cost-effective construction product," Iwama said. "Our programming, housed in the Wood Innovation and Design Centre, will be both inspiring and innovative."
He added that the building will be the "tallest completely built by wood structure in North America" and itself part of the progressive wood culture the programs embody.
Private sector interests are already applauding the decision. Michael Green of Michael Green Architecture of Vancouver and the WIDC architect called Friday's announcement "outstanding for B.C." and positions the province to be a world leader in future wood applications.
Darby Kreitz, CEO of Prince George-based industrial conglomerate Allnorth Consulting, said that "increased engineering capacity in northern B.C. is paramount to the region's success. We will see significant major project development and economic development opportunities arise over the next several decades, and a strong contingent of skilled professionals will be required to implement those developments."
UNBC has one other engineering stream, the Environmental Engineering undergraduate program shared with UBC. It has been operating for the past decade. One of its star students, Stephanie Doherty, winner of a 3M National Student Fellowship and member of the first-place UNBC team at the 2013 Canadian Engineering Competition, applauded this expansion.
"We students walk through the doors you guys open," she told the university and government officials. "These two programs are the next doors that have now been presented to us."
-- See related editorial on page 6
