New Westminster and UBC masters students take on Intelligent City initiative
February 10, 2017
By
CCE
Engineering students will be researching and recommending best practices in three areas: transport, clean energy, and big data.
The City of New Westminster and the UBC Masters of Engineering Leadership (MEL) program, have established a new research collaboration bringing together the MEL Urban Systems cohort with New Westminster’s Intelligent City initiative. The students will be researching and recommending best practices in three areas: transport, clean energy, and big data.
“New West is thrilled to be collaborating with the MEL program,” said mayor Jonathan Coté. “With New Westminster recently being recognized as one of the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2017, it’s the perfect time to gain insight into propelling our Intelligent City strategy forward.”
This collaboration will engage the students in the research of urban systems and technology applications while also focusing on providing research that can help solve real and tangible urban problems and identify opportunities for the city.
“Cities are the spaces where we can make the greatest positive gains if we can improve efficiencies or change behavior,” said Dr. Martino Tran, co-director Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems. “New Westminster’s central location, small size, and big city challenges make it the ideal living lab for us to study smart city best practices.”
Initial research results will be presented back to the City in early April, with the possibility of longer-term and new collaborations in the future.
