November 4, 2022

Learning about teaching and research related to mass timber construction was top of mind when Niall Collins, Ireland’s Minister of State for Skills and Further Education, came calling at UBC’s Vancouver campus this past June. The Office of the Vice-Provost International’s Global Partnerships team coordinated the visit as part of their ongoing work to foster new connections, create worldwide collaboration opportunities and deepen existing international partnerships.

Frank Flood, then Consul General of Ireland in Vancouver, also attended for both a tour of Brock Commons Tallwood House hosted by UBC Sustainability Hub and UBC Student Housing, as well meetings with researchers in the Faculty of Forestry’s Department of Wood Science. UBC faculty and staff included Linda Nowlan, Sustainability Hub Senior Director; Dr. Frank Lam, Senior Chair Professor, Wood Building Design and Construction, Dr. Chunping Dai, Associate Professor, Wood Science; Angelique Pilon, Director, Urban Innovation Research; Global Partnerships Director Emily MacDougall; David Kiloh, Facilities & Building Services Director; and Building Services Manager Sandra Yallop.

(L-R) Niall Collins, Irish Minister of State for Skills and Further Education; Angelique Pilon, UBC Director Urban Innovation Research; Linda Nowlan, UBC Sustainability Hub Senior Director; and Irish Consul General in Vancouver, Frank Flood on the UBC Vancouver campus (photo: UBC Sustainability)

Global Partnerships has arranged a number of international visits over the last six months focused on UBC’s research expertise and practical experience in mass timber construction, including Germany’s Chancellor of the University of Stuttgart, a Swedish delegation with the Governor of Västerbotten, and an American delegation of California State Senators.   

Read more about the UBC-Ireland mass timber connection.

Learn more about global partnership opportunities with UBC.