The University of British Columbia

Dr. Michael Isaacson,
Professor

Professor

Location: CEME 2020
Telephone: 604.822.4338
Email: isaacson@apsc.ubc.ca

[Note: Dr. Isaacson is currently not accepting applications from potential graduate students or those seeking research positions.]

Biography:

Dr. Michael Isaacson is Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia.  He received his degrees in engineering from the University of Cambridge, and was subsequently employed in engineering design and research in Great Britain and the United States.  He joined UBC in 1976, and has since remained active in research, teaching, university service and professional service.

Research. Dr. Isaacson's primary research interests relate to coastal and offshore hydrodynamics, with a particular emphasis on ocean waves and their effects on structures.  He is the author of over 240 papers, including over 90 in professional journals, and he has co-authored two books, including Mechanics of Wave Forces on Offshore Structures that has been widely used in the offshore industry.  He has been invited to present many keynote addresses at international conferences.

Teaching. Dr. Isaacson’s teaching interests relate to fluid mechanics and various aspects of hydrotechnical engineering, as well as to more general aspects of engineering education and the role of engineers in society.  Courses taught at the undergraduate level include coastal engineering, engineering design, engineering economics, fluid mechanics, hydraulics, mechanics, and wind engineering; and those at the graduate level include waves and wave effects, coastal and offshore modeling, fluid loads, sedimentation mechanics, and structural dynamics.  Dr. Isaacson has supervised to completion 36 Masters students and 11 Ph.D. students.

University Service.  Dr. Isaacson served as UBC’s Dean of Applied Science for an eleven-year term (1997–2008).  In this role, Dr. Isaacson led a Faculty that is comprised of three schools, six departments, and several research centres and non-department programs.  Prior to being appointed Dean, Dr. Isaacson was Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at UBC for a five-year term (1992–1997).  He has also served in many roles outside his Faculty, including service as a member of UBC’s Vancouver Senate for 17 years, and as Special Advisor to the Deputy Vice Chancellor of UBC Okanagan for two years.

Professional Service. For over 30 years, Dr. Isaacson has acted as a specialist consultant on a wide variety of coastal and ocean engineering projects for government agencies, major oil companies, consulting engineering companies and law firms.  Dr. Isaacson was Editor / Co-Editor of the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering for 8 years (1995-2003), and he has served on many national and international professional committees and boards.  He has participated in a number of national and international workshops; delivered short courses for industry; presented lectures and seminars at many universities and research institutions worldwide; presented keynote addresses at a number of national and international conferences, and served as Chair / Co-Chair of international conferences.

Honours.  Dr. Isaacson is Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, and the American Society of Civil Engineers, and he is the recipient of several national and international awards.  These include: the R.A. McLachlan Award of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia; the Killam Research Prize from UBC; the Camille A. Dagenais Award from the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering; the Julian C. Smith Medal from the Engineering Institute of Canada; and the Chairman’s Award for Career Achievement from the BC Innovation Council.