Innovation Spring 2026

News survey results | Registrant engagement strategy | Bill M216 overview

INNOVATION ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA SPRING 2026

Navigating NEURODIVERSITY in the professions

Kelowna project tackles flooding

MUSHROOM-PICKING ROBOTS: How AI & tech are changing agriculture cultivation

PM40065271

Innovation Spring 2026

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Modern regulation for a resilient world

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Spring 2026

Innovation

CONTENTS

COMMENT 4 Viewpoint

NEWS 5 Bill M216 overview

6 Registrant engagement strategy 7 New Chief Regulatory Officer 8 Board meeting highlights 11 News survey results

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AI & robotics a 'game changer' in agriculture The process of merging technology with biology – and a twist of AI – is improving how produce is cultivated.

FEATURES 14 AI in agriculture

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Neurodivergence Understanding how neurodiversity can be a challenge and a champion in the professions.

22 Neurodivergency in practice 30 Mill Creek flood mitigation

DEPARTMENTS 10 Continuing Education 12 Guidelines and advisories 13 Professional Practice 36 Discipline and enforcement 38 Display advertisers’ index

G raphic : M aisei R aman /S hutterstock

30 Mill Creek mitigation Addressing flooding in a prominent Kelowna creek was one of the city's most complex projects.

P hoto : C ourtesy of CIMA+

ON THE COVER Customized silicone suction cups attached to robtical picking arms allow mushrooms to be picked with just the right amount of pressure to avoid damage . Story page 14. P hoto : AI/C opilot

Digital Innovation Interested in receiving Innovation digitally instead of by mail? You can change your preferences in your online account, under General/Overview/ Communication Preferences. View the digital version by scanning the QR code or by going to egbc.ca/Innovation.

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V I EWPO INT

SPRING 2026 | volume 30 number 1 INNOVATION

Volunteering is impactful, rewarding

ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 | Toll free: 1.888.430.8035

Email: info@egbc.ca | Web: egbc.ca

BOARD 2025/2026 Chair: Karen Ling, P.Eng. Vice Chair: Dr. Jens Weber, P.Eng. Immediate Past Chair: Mark Porter, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC BOARD MEMBERS Bill Chan, CPA, CGA, MBA, ICD.D; Veronica Knott, P.Eng.; Michelle Mahovlich, P.Eng., P.Geo., FCSSE; Cathy McIntyre, MBA, C.Dir; Matthew Salmon, P.Eng.;

As we approach the spring season and Engineers and Geoscientists BC continues its search for volunteers to fill roles within the organization, it has made me reflect on my own experiences volunteering and how rewarding they have been personally and professionally. I have appreciated the opportunity to give back to the industry and greater community, and I would highly recommend anyone interested to seek roles to contribute your skills, time, and energy to volunteer where possible. One of my most enjoyable volunteer experiences involved going into local elementary school classrooms and speaking about science and engineering. Teaching kids about STEM fields and seeing them develop passion and excitement for engineering and geoscience has been rewarding in many ways. Showing children my perspective of a fulfilling career path helps encourage them to consider pursuing our professions. I am grateful for the experiences I have had as a Board member, and now Chair, for Engineers and Geoscientists BC, which I have found to be rewarding and educational. It has provided me with the opportunity to meet insightful and engaging fellow engineers and geoscientists and see the contributions they are making in their fields. These experiences help strengthen my connection to the industry and our peers, and the evolving world around us. I would also like to express my appreciation and admiration for those who volunteer in their communities as well as in our industry and organization. I encourage anyone interested in volunteering to seek out one of the many opportunities available through Engineers and Geoscientists BC ( egbc.ca/volunteer) . These opportunities include involvement on committees, presentations in your field of expertise, and Board roles. Our contributions have a great impact on our community and professions. I am confident that you will find the experience just as rewarding as I have.

T.J. Schmaltz, JD, FCPHR, SHRM-SCP, ICD.D; Malcolm Shield, P.Eng.; Colette Trudeau, MA; Dr. Gordon Zhou, P.Eng.

EXECUTIVE TEAM Heidi Yang, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Cho, CPA, CGA, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Alison Dantas, MA, CEC, C.Dir, Chief Operating Officer Jason Ong, Chief Regulatory Officer & Registrar

MANAGING EDITOR Shelley Nicholl

EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Ryan Bird, P.Eng.; Ian Rodriguez, EIT; Raya Smertina, P.Eng.; Aman Tanvir, P.Eng.; Stefano Vitucci, P.Eng. Innovation is published quarterly by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. As the official publication of the organization, Innovation is circulated to all registrants of Engineers and Geoscientists BC as well as architects, contractors and industry executives. The views expressed in any article do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Board or Engineers and Geoscientists BC.

Printed in Canada by Mitchell Press Ltd. on recycled paper.

ADVERTISING SALES

Sales Representative: Wing-Yee Kwong Tel: 604.681.1811 Email: advertising@egbc.ca For information see: egbc.ca/About/Publications/Innovation/How-to-Advertise

CONTENT PROPOSALS Innovation does not accept unsolicited articles or photos, but we do welcome article proposals and ideas. Proposals should be of interest and relevant to our readers and recognize the regulatory role of Engineers and Geoscientists BC in ensuring public safety and environmental protection. They should not be a "sales pitch" for a company or organization. Send suggestions to: innovation@egbc.ca . LETTERS All submitted letters are subject to editing for length, clarity and accuracy. We reserve the right to reject unsuitable letters and we do not publish open letters to third parties . REPRINTS & COPIES All material is copyright. For reprint permission or extra copies, contact: innovation@egbc.ca. PRINT & DIGITAL EDITIONS All registrants with Engineers and Geoscientists BC receive Innovation in print or digital form. Registrants can choose how they prefer to receive Innovation by updating their communication preferences for Innovation in their accounts at egbc.ca/account .

Karen Ling, P.Eng. Board Chair info@egbc.ca

ISSN 1206-3622 Publications Mail Agreement No 40065271. Registration No 09799. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Innovation , Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC V5C 6N2.

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REGULATORY NEWS

Regulators urge pause to consult on Bill M216 A private member’s bill introduced in the BC legislature last fall proposes changes to the way local governments review development permits in BC.

The stated intent of Bill M216, the P rofessional Reliance Act , is to streamline development projects and reduce administrative costs in the approval of these projects by local governments. If enacted, Bill M216 would alter this process by requiring local governments to accept submissions certified by a registered professional instead of using the local government’s technical review processes. Engineers and Geoscientists BC and the five other regulators under the Professional Governance Act have had several meetings with Nanaimo-Lantzville MLA George Anderson, who introduced the bill. On January 6, the regulators jointly provided a submission to the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Bills. The joint submission notes: “We appreciate the intent of the Bill is to streamline approvals, but as currently drafted it does not adequately account for the spectrum of technical and discretionary aspects of development permits across BC, which require balancing technical requirements, design standards, and regulatory oversight.” The regulators recommended pausing the bill’s progress to allow for collaborative consultation with local governments, Indigenous peoples, the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance, and others. “A pause would give time to assess impacts, identify safeguards, and co-develop evidence-informed solutions that uphold the public interest.” The government committee met on February 2 and will report back to the House by April 2. If the Legislature passes the bill, it proceeds to Royal Assent and becomes law, unless specified to come into force later.

P hoto : S hutterstock

What is a private member's bill? Bill M216 is a private member's bill, which are usually introduced by an MLA. Like all bills, private member bills must pass several stages in the Legislature: • First reading (introduction) • Second reading (debate on the bill’s principles) • Committee stage (clause by clause review and possible amendments) • Report stage (where the committee reports the bill back to the House of Commons) • Third reading (final approval)

Professional Governance Act regulators The six regulatory bodies under the PGA are: • Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC)

Scan to see the PGA regulators' submission.

• Architectural Institute of BC (AIBC) • BC Institute of Agrologists (BCIA) • College of Applied Biologists (CAB) • Forest Professionals BC (FPBC) • Engineers and Geoscientists BC

Scan to view Bill M216.

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REGULATORY NEWS

Clear, consistent approach to registrant consultation

The Engineers and Geoscientists BC Board recently approved a Registrant Consultation and Engagement Strategy that will guide how the organization collects and uses registrant feedback. The strategy sets a clear, consistent approach to when feedback is sought, what topics are open for input, and how feedback informs decisions. What we heard Throughout 2024 and 2025, we listened when registrants told us they want engagement to be consistent, transparent, and respectful of their time. They prefer low-barrier virtual formats like surveys, clear communication about the purpose of each initiative, and a closed feedback loop that shows how their input is used. This strategy reflects those expectations and formalizes our commitment to meeting them.

A new consultation strategy will guide registrant engagement. P hoto : W endy D P hotography

3. Close the feedback loop: clearly show how feedback is considered and how it informs decisions, so registrants can see the impact of their participation. A new hub for consultation As part of this work, we’ve launched a new Consultation and Engagement webpage. This page brings feedback and consultation activity together in one place, making it easier for registrants to: • Find current, past, and upcoming consultation opportunities; • Understand the purpose of each initiative and how feedback will be used; • Follow initiatives over time, including updates and outcomes; and, • Learn more about the Registrant Consultation and Engagement Strategy and how it guides this work.

What this means for registrants The strategy establishes a more predictable and coordinated approach to collecting feedback across the organization. Registrants can expect opportunities that are intentional, timely, and clearly connected to decision-making. The strategy is guided by three goals: 1. Engage on aligned topics of interest: create opportunities for feedback where registrant interest and expertise align with organizational priorities, so input is meaningful and relevant. 2. Tailor engagement methods to stated registrant preferences: use low barrier, virtual engagement channels (such as surveys and focus groups) with deeper engagement opportunities offered selectively for topics that require more nuanced input.

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Further information:

Visit the Consultation and Engagement webpage to see what’s ongoing, what’s coming up, and how you can share your feedback.

(778) 697-2146 bill@ppmp.ca www.ppmp.ca

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REGULATORY NEWS

New Chief Regulatory Officer and Registrar appointed

Engineers and Geoscientists BC is pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Ong as the organization’s Chief Regulatory Officer and Registrar. In this role, Ong oversees the organization’s regulatory functions for individual

and firm registrants, including registration, practice standards, enforcement, legislation, investigation and discipline. Ong has been with Engineers and Geoscientists BC since 2008, joining the management team in 2012 and serving as Acting Chief Regulatory Officer since July 2025. Throughout his time with the organization, he has held a variety of positions that have advanced registration policies and practices. Most notably, he was instrumental in the introduction of competency based assessment – an important evolution that changed how professional experience is evaluated for licensure, focusing on the skills and attributes that engineers and geoscientists must have. BC’s online system to deliver competency-based assessment was later rolled out to other jurisdictions across Canada and remains in use today. “After an extensive search, I’m very pleased to be appointing Jason to this role,” said Heidi Yang, P.Eng., Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s

Chief Executive Officer. “Jason has a trusted track record of regulatory expertise and an in-depth understanding of our organization and legislation. He’s a collaborative leader who is a strong addition to our executive team as we work towards our vision of modern regulation for a resilient world.” In his previous role as Director, Registration, Ong also oversaw the alignment of Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s registration policies and registration practices with provincial legislation – including the Professional Governance Act and the International Credentials Recognition Act – and modernized admissions practices to meet growing volumes. “I’m honoured to step into this role and to continue contributing to the important work we do at Engineers and Geoscientists BC,” said Ong. “I look forward to working with our dedicated staff team, volunteers, and industry to strengthen our regulatory practices and support public safety while enabling professionals and firms to meet the evolving needs of BC.”

Jason Ong

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BOARD NEWS

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: FEBRUARY 20, 2026

CEO report CEO Heidi Yang, P.Eng., discussed the following: • the Enhancing Credentials Recognition Admissions Comprehension Project, funded by the Credentials Assessment Improvement Fund (CAIF). The project saw 21 registration and reinstatement policies published on the website on January 30, which enhance transparency and accountability; • the largest Induction Ceremony to date, which welcomed 241 inductees and guests at the Vancouver Convention Centre on February 10; and • the Engineers Canada Board meeting on December 8, 2025, which included an update on the Engineers Canada Board’s governance review and its proposed fee increase ($1 per registrant). Engineers Canada is scheduled to present the final recommendation at the Engineers and Geoscientists BC April Board meeting. The Board also received an update on the Strategic Plan and the organization’s KPI Report from COO Alison Dantas, including on the organization’s continued work on improving the registration processing wait times. Appointments Discipline Committee • Ron Yaworsky, P.Eng., Discipline Committee Chair • Larry Spence, P.Eng., Discipline Committee Vice Chair

Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Board meets throughout the year. The following are the highlights of its February 20, 2026, meeting. The Board confirmed the 2026 Annual General Meeting will be held in Victoria, October 14, using a hybrid format, in conjunction with the Annual Conference, October 14-16. Financial statements For the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, the organization saw $70,000 lower revenues than forecast, a shortfall 0.4 percent, attributed to lower Continuing Education seminar attendance, and lower than expected registration and application volume from first time applicants. These were offset by higher disciplinary recoveries than expected, and higher annual registration fees from individuals and firms due to volume increases. Expenditures were $443,000 lower than forecast, attributable to lower salariy expenses from vacancies, lower overall contract services, and lower expenses in events, travelling and office. Engineers and Geoscientists BC had planned a $900,000 deficit budget for FY2026. As at the end of Q2, the organization has accumulated a surplus of $828,000. Truth & Reconciliation Strategy The Board approved the organization's Truth & Reconciliation Strategy, which will guide how the organization integrates reconciliation into its operations as a regulator and as an employer. The strategy’s vision centers on safeguarding the public interest by advancing reconciliation, strengthening professional competence, and fostering respectful, trust-based relationships with Indigenous Peoples, and is guided by the 5Rs Model of Indigenous principles: Respect, Reciprocity, Relevance, Responsibility, and Relationship. It establishes the foundation for future organizational actions, policies, and implementation planning, which will be developed through a phased approach following Board approval. The strategy is grounded in Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s obligations under the Professional Governance Act and reflects reconciliation frameworks such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ( UNDRIP ), and the provincial government’s broader reconciliation commitments, including Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act ( DRIPA ).

Nomination Committee • Stuart Venables, P.Geo. Credentials Committee • Bryan Brassington, P.Geo., FGC. • Rick Gambrel

BOARD MEETING: DECEMBER 5, 2025

The following are the highlights from the Board's December 5, 2025, meeting. Q1 financial statements In the first three months of FY2026, the organization observed a surplus of $400,000. This surplus is attributed to higher late fees on Continuing Education (CE) and Annual Reporting compliance, and stronger CE seminar revenues and lower-than-expected spending on contracts, travel, and meetings.

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BOARD NEWS

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: DECEMBER 5, 2025

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CEO report In the update from CEO Heidi Yang, P.Eng., she noted: • the Enhancing Credentials Recognition Admissions Comprehension Project, funded by the Credentials Assessment Improvement Fund (CAIF). This project aims to enhance how registration information is displayed from a pre-arrival standpoint as well as transitioning key admissions policies to be outward facing and publicly available; • the organization’s participation at the Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR) in Calgary on October 20-22, 2025, which saw Amy Fehr, P.Eng., Acting Associate Director, Professional Practice represent Engineers and Geoscientists BC on a panel discussing the regulator’s role guiding artificial intelligence integration in professional practice; • the Engineers Canada Board meeting on October 9, 2025, which included an update on the national harmonization process development; and • an Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG) audit update that will see the OSPG follow-up on the 2022–2023 performance report and will review the actions or changes Engineers and Geoscientists BC has implemented in response to recommendations regarding complaints and investigations.

Appointments Discipline Committee • Marten Geertsema, P.Geo. • Roz Nielsen, P.Eng. • Ed Bird, P.Eng. • Peter Bobrowsky, P.Geo. • Larry Spence, P.Eng., PMP. FEC, FGC (Hon.) • Reshmeena Lalani, CAP, CA • Pierre Gallant, Retired Architect, AIBC • John Wilson • Denise Mullen, MPA, BA, CCR, CPL • Jurgen Franke, P.Eng. Nomination Committee • Lianna Mah, M.Eng., P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Credentials Committee • Peter Christian Friz, P.Geo./P.L.Eng., FGC • Robert Collier Gale, P.Eng.

Investigation Committee • Daniel Kunimoto, P.Eng.

Scan the to see Board meeting agendas, minutes, and highlights.

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REGULATORY NEWS

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Here are upcoming Continuing Education (CE) courses available for CE credits.

New Perspectives on Mine Closure This online learning module is hosted on UBC’s learning module platform. Participants complete about 40 hours of work in eight weeks from May 4 to June 28. Two live seminars are held:

Influencing Skills April 2: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Richmond, BC (In-person)

CE Hours: 7 hours in Communications and Leadership One’s level of influence can be dramatically improved by carefully adjusting ideas to the concerns and communication styles of others, and by formulating ideas in a compelling way. As influencing skills are used more often, resistance to change decreases along with the need to use authority/positional power, leading to stronger relationships and increased commitment. In this workshop, participants bring their own case studies and use the theory presented to hone their idea to maximize acceptance by their stakeholder group.

May 4 at 4:30 p.m. May 19 at 4:30 p.m. CE Hours: Self-reported

Mine closure is an issue of growing importance for mining companies, the communities that host operations, Indigenous peoples, and governments with regulatory oversight of closure planning. For many interested parties, there is a growing expectation that successful closure plans will go beyond remediation and short-term technical solutions to consider the complex socio-economic aspects of closure. This course will examine the social and environmental dimensions of mine closure. Registrants will take guidance from best-practice frameworks for closure, examine applied cases to analyze issues of interest, and hear from experts working in the field. Career Boost: Authentic Networking for Impact May 7: noon - 1 p.m. (online) CE Hours: 1 hour in Communications and Leadership This workshop will guide attendees on how to network with confidence and build meaningful long-term connections. Participants will learn essential networking strategies that go beyond mere introductions, focusing on creating authentic relationships that foster professional growth, and will acquire the skills to navigate networking events, leverage existing connections, and leave a lasting impression in their industry.

Energy Infrastructure Operational Technology Cybersecurity June 12: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (online) CE Hours: 7 hours in Technical

This course is designed to provide a deep dive into the critical concept of Operational Technology (OT) Cybersecurity, exploring its pivotal role in securing the present and future of critical energy infrastructure, especially in BC. Participants will gain a fundamental understanding of OT cybersecurity within the context of energy systems, cyber vulnerabilities that could pose potential risks to energy infrastructure integrity and functionality, and Cyber Vulnerability Scoring Systems (CVSS).

CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS The Continuing Education (CE) Program is mandatory and applies to all registrants with practice rights. Participation in the CE Program is optional for Engineers-in-training, Geoscientists-in-training, Non-Practising, Retired, and Life Non-Practising registrants. By June 30 each year, registrants must complete CE requirements in their online reporting system and then submit their CE declaration in the annual reporting system.

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REGULATORY NEWS

Survey reveals high value of eNews and Innovation

The vast majority of respondents in a recent survey said they value Innovation magazine and eNews. A total of 87 percent indicated Innovation is valuable to them; fully 48 percent said it was extremely or very valuable. For eNews, 85 percent found value, of which 33 percent found it extremely or very valuable. About 1,800 respondents completed the survey conducted by Engineers and Geoscientists BC from February 2-16. “Innovation has been around for many decades and has a stellar reputation,” said Shelley Nicholl, Publication Manager and Managing Editor of Innovation. “I was pleased to see it still has solid value for registrants.” For content, respondents indicated in comments they preferred to see articles about projects and technical subject matter. “I really appreciated the time registrants took to complete the survey and offer their comments," said Nicholl. "It looks like we’re going in the right direction with our articles, and I was very impressed by the many thoughtful suggestions for content going forward.” Innovation is currently distributed in print (73 percent) and digitally (27 percent). The survey showed 56 per cent would prefer the print version and the balance, 44 percent, would prefer digital. Respondents indicated their preference for receiving organizational news was divided equally between eNews and Innovation . Where is Enews? Registrants are emailed a monthly newsletter with regulatory updates and notices. But, as many respondents noted, it’s easy to miss. The eNews, which is sent out

the first Thursday of the month, looks like other Engineers and Geoscientists BC emails; although labelled “news,” it’s not defined as a distinctive entity. To rectify that, a re-designed, more robust, branded

eNews is being developed this year. Survey results showed the main topics of interest in eNews are regulatory updates, reporting reminders, Continuing Education courses, and discipline summaries.

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PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE Professional practice guidelines and advisories

Newly published professional practice guideline

Practice Advisory – Metal Leaching and Acid Rock Drainage Characterization and Prediction of Mine Geologic Materials

This advisory, developed with support from the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, provides guidance on the professional practice expectations and obligations for characterization and prediction programs for mining-related, produced or disturbed, geologic materials with metal leaching and acid rock drainage (ML/ARD) potential. It addresses considerations related to planning, data collection, interpretation considerations, and deliverables. Competency expectations are also outlined for registrants practicing in this area. While this advisory is focused on BC-based mineral exploration and mine planning projects, it may be applied to other activities that may generate ML/ARD.

Professional practice guideline in development

Professional Practice Guidelines – Pumping Tests These guidelines will establish expectations and obligations of professional practice in characterizing pumping tests for engineering and geoscience projects. It will address appropriate scoping based on project complexity and risk, clear documentation, and alignment with Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s quality management standards, while also ensuring that pumping tests consider regulatory requirements. It will further outline considerations for each phase of the pumping test program, from planning to final deliverables. For more information about professional practice guidelines and practice advisories, contact Leane Holloway, MSc., GIT at lholloway@egbc.ca.

Guidelines and advisories

Scan to see all professional practice guidelines and practice advisories.

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PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Professional practice inquiries

What are the documentation requirements when directly supervising a subordinate?

Direct supervision is fundamental to the practice of engineering and geoscience, ensuring work delegated by a registrant meets the requirements established by the Engineers and Geoscientists BC Bylaws and quality management standards, including the Guide to the Standard for Direct Supervision . These requirements are compliance obligations and may be audited by Engineers and Geoscientists BC under Individual and Firm Compliance Audit Programs. Documentation is a primary means of demonstrating that appropriate direct supervision occurred throughout the work and reflects the complexity and level of risk involved. As the registrant supervising the subordinate is taking ultimate responsibility for the work, they are responsible for ensuring records are kept that accurately reflect their level of involvement as deemed appropriate for the project. If Engineers and Geoscientists BC receives a complaint related to the work that was delegated, the supervising registrant will be asked for documented evidence of their direct supervision. Registrants may face disciplinary action if direct supervision is not adequately documented. Thorough documentation safeguards registrants and subordinates by clearly demonstrating that work was performed under appropriate direct supervision. Records should, at a minimum, include the scope of work, duties and responsibilities, communication plan (method, frequency, etc.), key decisions made and associated rationale, and any limitations with respect to the subordinate’s independent actions. Records must also indicate any concerns raised in the course of the

activities performed under direct supervision, how those concerns were addressed, and what corrective action, if any, was identified, approved, and undertaken. It is important for records to demonstrate that the registrant exercised direct supervision and decision making throughout the project, not merely at the final review stage. Simply being available for questions or signing off at the end does not meet the standard. Subordinates may assist the supervising registrant in demonstrating compliance by documenting and retaining working files that show what tasks were performed, guidance received, and when work was reviewed or revised following supervisory input. Documents, including calculations, field notes, and correspondence, form part of the project records and should be maintained in a manner that allows registrants to review, verify, and rely on the work. Registrants must keep complete project records, including those related to supervision, for at least ten years after project completion or ten years after documents in ongoing projects are no longer in use. This requirement supports continuity, decision-making, legal defensibility, and regulatory compliance. Whether records are maintained individually or through a firm’s Professional Practice Management Plan, they should be accessible, organized, and preserved in accordance with Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s requirements. Leane Holloway, MSc., GIT Practice Advisor

Regulatory Learning Module Practising registrants must complete the mandatory Regulatory Learning Module in the current reporting year (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026). This year’s module focuses on deepening awareness of Indigenous Peoples, their histories, and the ongoing impacts of colonization. Scan to see the course in the Knowledge Centre.

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AI

in action in agriculture

BC-based 4AG Robotics has developed the first deployment of commercially available mushroom picking robots in the world. P hoto : C ourtesy of 4AG

Innovation Innovation

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Spring 2026

By Shereen Lee

L ong before a plant wilts, it reacts. As electrical signals ripple through its tissues, growth dynamics shift and stress emerges below the threshold of human observation. By the time these signals reach the surface, it may already be too late to intervene. The next wave of agricultural automation is built around capturing these first distress signals and protecting the crop. Using agentic AI systems with robotics, advanced sensing, and machine learning, growers can interpret faint signals from plants to react before stress becomes visible or irreversible. It's changing the agriculture industry.

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The precision of robotic systems is married with AI to optimize food product cultivation. P hoto : J oshua N eurfeld

AI-assisted robots may be a game-changer in agriculture

Mushroom-picking robots In agriculture, actuation – how technology interacts with crops – can be one of the most complicated aspects of automation because of plants’ dynamic sizes. Take, for example, the case of mushroom farming. Mushrooms grow rapidly at variable rates across a single bed. Harvesting therefore requires repeated passes, selective thinning, and precise handling to avoid bruising or overcrowding. These are all constraints that challenge conventional robotic grippers designed for rigid, repeatable objects. This crop-specific challenge is now being tackled for the first time in industry. BC-based 4AG Robotics (pronounced “forage”) is using machine vision combined with custom robotic actuators to precisely harvest mushrooms at scale. “We have the first deployment of commercially available mushroom-picking robots in the world,” said James Gibson, P.Eng., Director of Mechanical Engineering at 4AG.

While produce at the grocery store may look similar to years before, new mechanisms and technology are changing the way some growers cultivate and harvest food products. The food and beverage industry over the past century has been focused primarily on developing the scale and control required to process large quantities of food. Now, in the same way that mechanization transformed food processing, machine learning has the potential to create systems capable of handling complicated cultivation and harvesting skills autonomously. At Simon Fraser University (SFU), researcher and Associate Director, Mechatronics Systems Engineering, Dr. Woo Soo Kim, P.Eng., frames the future of agricultural automation around innovation in three interwoven components: actuation, sensing, and intelligence. “Engineers today want to create networks, utilizing the combination of intelligent robotics, sensors, and AI, to create full systems,” said Kim.

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Now being piloted at farms across North America and Europe, 4AG’s core innovation comes from its development of a specialized Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm (SCARA), which enables precision and reliability when harvesting mushrooms at scale. Here, “compliance” is the key challenge: the idea that the devices need to apply force precisely, repeatably, and safely across thousands of biologically variable targets. “Getting there was not easy,” said Gibson, who was responsible for mechanical work on the initial prototype. “If it’s never been built, we don’t know what it’s going to look like.” For 4AG, the key challenge with mushrooms lies in consistently gripping and picking them by their slippery and rounded caps. “We tried every custom finger, soft gripper – everything we could find in the world at that time,” said Gibson. Ultimately, the company’s approach was to customize a silicone suction cup attached to the system’s actuator. After fine tuning the actuation process to provide the right amount of pressure without damaging and customizing the kinematics of their robot arm, 4AG began deploying its prototypes in farms across BC. Eventually, the SCARA system reached a key milestone of being able to harvest full mushroom beds without human intervention. Recent developments across mechatronics and electrical controls provided compact options for its prototypes, allowing 4AG to quickly develop a viable, modular product. “The ability to get all of that technology in such a small form factor wasn't achievable until about five years ago or so, where it's become reliable and achievable,” said Ken Kovacs, P.Eng., a controls electrical engineer at 4AG. “That, in combination with the integration of AI, is where I think the big technology focus is.” Extracting signals from biological noise If actuation defines how a system interacts with crops, sensing defines what the system can perceive. In agriculture, perception is inherently constrained. Plants lack centralized electrical or mechanical signaling organs, and the signals they produce are faint, distributed, and highly sensitive to environmental noise. For crops with extended growth cycles, precisely dosing fertilizer and water has become the primary automation challenge. Kim, who specializes in agricultural mechatronics and their AI applications at his SFU Additive Manufacturing Lab, has specifically been interested in the potential of developing cost effective, accurate sensors that can monitor plant health in real time.

” The ability to get all of that technology in such a small form factor wasn't achievable until about five years ago or so, where it's become reliable and achievable. That, in combination with the integration of AI, is where I think the big technology focus is. Ken Kovacs, P.Eng. Controls Electrical Engineer, 4AG

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Innovation Spring 2026

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A customized silicone suction cup attached to the system’s actuator ensures the right amount of pressure can be applied to grip the mushroom without causing damage. P hoto : C ourtesy of 4AG

Sensing devices in agriculture have typically focused on creating a picture of a plant’s health through devices that measure certain variables in a plant’s environment. Substrate sensors – probes that plug into coco coir, soil, stone wool, and other grow mediums – are commonly deployed in the industry and can provide information about factors like moisture content, electrical conductivity, and pH. However, they may not accurately reflect a plant’s real time health. Alternatively, sampling a plant’s chemical condition in more detail typically involves a multi-day laboratory analysis. For high-value crops, this delay in monitoring can mean the difference in a thriving batch and one that provides sub-optimal yields. Kim experiments with a variety of sensing options, ranging from image processing to detecting plant electrical signals, or “electrophysiology,” to gather and process real-time data from crops as they develop. “Image processing is dominant right now in AI-based prediction, but electrical signals may let us detect problems earlier,” he said. “Before water stress, nutrient stress, or pathogen attacks become visible on the leaf through RGB cameras [which accurately capture colour

images], there may already be electrophysiological (EP) signals. Filling that gap with early detection is the key thing we want to do.” Kim’s recent work introduces several iterations of robotic systems designed to measure faint EP signals from plants in real time. “The challenge is not just measuring the signal,” Kim said, “but measuring it without disturbing the plant.” Traditional EP probes are costly and invasive, often altering the very signals they aim to capture. By contrast, Kim’s approach emphasizes low-cost, minimally intrusive sensors that can be deployed densely across growing environments. One option, presented in the July 2025 issue of Advanced Intelligent Systems , describes a prototype combining a mobile robot, an EP sensor, and a portable Faraday cage (an enclosure that blocks electromagnetic fields) to isolate plant signals from environmental noise. As the robot moves from plant to plant in a greenhouse, it collects electrical data that is analyzed by a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a type of machine-learning algorithm, trained to classify irrigation levels.

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The robot’s ability to move around, collect data, and independently process the information is the main innovation distinguishing Kim’s work. It’s grounded in a significant industry need: high-precision EP sensors can cost tens of thousands of dollars, making it cost prohibitive to buy these sensors for each row or plant. Nourish Labs, a precision fertilizer and irrigation company, is now working with Kim to deploy and commercialize advanced sensing technology across farms. “Technological development from engineers is important, but their adoption is more valuable than anything else,” Kim said. “Building the space between engineers and growers is important.” Most recently, Kim’s research group has been developing a more precise sensor that minimizes plant stress by probing crops with microneedles. “We’ve been talking to our customers, and growers are excited about the potential that this type of technology could have,” said Nourish Labs co-founder and CEO Blake Ponuick. “For the industry, in my view, this type of development could be a game changer.” Ponuick’s co-founder Justin Valmont, who entered the industry as a hydroponic cultivator himself, sees the development of precise fertilization and irrigation informed by real-time data as a solution to a challenge he has long faced as a grower. “Being a cultivator myself, I know that a single crop loss could be catastrophic for the business,” he said. “Better sensing technology is a form of crop insurance with some very high potential.” Ultimately, Nourish Labs is looking to develop systems that predict water needs before stress becomes visible on leaves, enabling more precise and efficient irrigation. “Every single day, these plants are growing one to two percent,” said Valmont. “If we can get data directly from the plant – almost like an x-ray, or an ultrasound – and proactively react to what it's telling us, we're able to feed the plants with an optimized fertilizer recipe.” AI to the rescue Sensing alone does not improve agricultural outcomes. “AI is the backbone that connects sensing to action,” said Kim. At the beginning of the process, data points are transformed into representations suitable for learning. Systems must then identify individual biological entities, separate them from dense clusters, and explain how they change over time. CNNs form the backbone of most modern agricultural vision systems because they learn spatial features directly from data.

Before water stress, nutrient stress, or pathogen attacks become visible on the leaf through RGB cameras, there may already be electrophysiological signals. Filling that gap with early detection is the key thing we want to do.

Dr. Woo Soo Kim , P.Eng. Mechatronic Systems Engineering, SFU

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CNNs learn hierarchical representations across different “layers” of processing. Early layers can capture factors like local texture and shape cues, while deeper layers encode higher-level structure such as object boundaries and relative size. This approach resolves many of the issues encountered in classical image processing. For example, the EP signals captured by Kim’s prototype sensing robot consists of small voltage fluctuations distributed across multiple sensing sites on a leaf. These fluctuations do not act independently. “Plants are living, fluid-based organisms, but they don’t have any strong mechanical or electrical signal generating organs,” noted Kim. CNNs compensate for that trait by finding patterns between the raw inputs to create coherent estimates that take interdependency into account during processing. Time data introduces an additional element that makes these systems more accurate and useful. Vision systems combine space and time, allowing algorithms to predict tasks such as estimating time to harvest. This data can also be useful throughout the whole

We’ve been talking to our customers, and growers are excited about the potential that this type of technology could have. For the industry, in my view, this type of development could be a game changer.

Blake Ponuick Co-founder and CEO, Nourish Labs

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growing process. At 4AG, intelligent automation extends throughout the growth cycle. “To pick the whole bed, you actually have to manage it from the start,” Gibson explained. “We identify small pins as they emerge, classify primary mushrooms, and remove anything that will interfere with growth later.” A new approach to growing These systems, in addition to optimizing setups, are also fundamentally changing how growers think about the farming process. For example, the trade-off between harvesting time constraints and maximizing crop yield has traditionally been a significant issue for mushroom cultivators, since mushrooms grow rapidly. “Humans do two eight-hour shifts and leave overnight,” said Gibson. “Mushrooms double in size every 24 hours. A human might see a 40-mm mushroom at the end of a shift and pick it so it doesn’t oversize by morning. Our robots see the mushroom, know they’ll be back in an hour, and wait.” That ability to return repeatedly, without rest or interruption, changes the economics of harvesting. Over time, “We optimize yield and get more energy out of the same amount of compost,” Gibson said. For the industry, introducing robotic harvesting could relieve growers from labour shortages. Harvesting requires long hours of precise labour, making it strenuous and high-turnover; according to the

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The path from to the grocery store for produce is changing as technology finesses the cultivation process. P hoto : AI/C opilot

Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, two in five employers were unable to fill all the positions they needed during 2022’s growing season. Still, automation does not remove people from farms entirely; instead, it changes the nature of their involvement. The early adopters piloting automation with 4AG’s machines often find that humans are still very much involved in the process. “It's a bit of a shift,” said Gibson. “Yes, we’re removing harvesters from the room, but we’re also adding more technical and more enjoyable jobs.” Kovacs, who regularly works on client sites setting up new control systems for mushroom farms, describes the process as a flurry of human coordination working in tandem with robot coworkers. “The rooms are very clean and well organized, but managing them is intense,” he said. “Dozens of people are moving in and out, climbing onto harvesting carts, reaching into racks, and coordinating growth cycles across multiple rooms. Everything is focused on getting compost into

racks and growing mushrooms as densely and efficiently as possible.” Across this new generation of agricultural systems, growers and engineers are placing a bet that robots will enhance the capabilities of their space, working alongside humans responsible for maintenance, fine-tuning, and development roles. “For businesses that operate 24/7 but without personnel on site in the middle of the night, we’re adding layers of support,” said Valmont,

“We want to ensure the crops get taken care of no matter what.” In this emerging model of agriculture, while machines perceive biological change and make decisions in real time, they act continuously alongside human operators. And by the time a box of mushrooms reaches the supermarket shelves, it is the valued product of the biological processes and the robots that seek to tame them.

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G raphic : M aisei R aman /S hutterstock

NEURODIVERSITY Navigating through the professional workplace

By Brian MacIver

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F or many engineers and geoscientists who are neurodivergent, their specific strengths may help them innovate and approach problems differently. But whether these strengths are recognized or dismissed can depend heavily on workplace culture, communication norms, and the degree of psychological safety available. Three professionals, who are members of Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s neurodivergent subgroup of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Truth and Reconciliation Working Group (EDIT&R WG), offer a candid look at how working in the fields of engineering and geoscience can be a haven and a hurdle.

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