INNOVATION July-August 2015

2015 Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award Doug VanDine, P.Eng./P.Geo., FEC, FGC, is the recipient of the 2015 Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award recognizing outstanding contribution to the development and practice of professional geoscience and advancing public recognition of the profession in Canada. VanDine’s career spans more than 40 years specializing in geological and geotechnical engineering for civil engineering projects and the forestry industry, typically associated with natural hazards and landslide risks. VanDine has a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering and a M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University. After graduation he joined the Geological Survey of Canada, followed by positions with Thurber Engineering and Gartner Lee Associates, and teaching at Queen’s University. He then established VanDine Geological Engi- neering Limited in Victoria, where he continues to practice. VanDine assisted in the development of APEGBC’s Guidelines for Legislated Landslide Assessment for Pro- posed Residential Development in British Columbia , and was scientific editor of and a major contributor to the Geological Survey of Canada’s Canadian Technical Guidelines and Best Practices Related to Landslides. He is past president of the Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique and president of the Canadian Geotechnical Society. The award will be presented at APEGBC’s annual conference in October.

Doug VanDine, P.Eng./P.Geo.

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Visit From New Zealand Delegation Focuses on Seismic School Safety On May 19, 2015, representatives from the New Zealand Ministry of Education met with representatives from the BC Ministry of Education, APEGBC staff, UBC and the APEGBC Seismic Peer Review Committee to learn more about the performance- based approach being used in the seismic assessment and upgrades of BC school buildings. Their visit included a tour of three schools that were recently upgraded using the Seismic Retrofit Guidelines , as well as the UBC Earthquake Engineering Research Facility. APEGBC and the Ministry of Education shared information and insights with the New Zealand delegation through an overview of the Seismic Retrofit Guidelines and the BC School Seismic Mitigation Program, followed by a Q&A and discussion session. The BC School Seismic Program continues to generate interest internationally and showcase the innovative work of BC professionals in improving public safety. The performance-based approach used in the Seismic Retrofit Guidelines is being followed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the US.

Lord Kitchener Elementary in Vancouver is one of the BC schools that has undergone seismic assessment and upgrade.

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