Jezarah Ebel was always destined for a bright future in engineering. After excelling in math and physics in high school, choosing to study Civil Engineering at UBC was a no-brainer. Driven by a newfound interest in project management, she decided to further specialize in pipeline engineering.
This year, Jezarah is one of three students (along with recent Integrated Engineering graduate Rene Rao and Materials Engineering MASc student Kaiya Yamada) to receive the International Pipeline Conference (IPC) Foundation Award. She is also the sole recipient of the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada (YPAC) Prize.
The IPC Awards, totaling $5,000 annually, recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in the Faculty of Applied Science who have excelled in a pipeline engineering course. Preference is given to candidates who are First Nations, Inuit, or Metis; or women.
The YPAC Prize is offered annually to one outstanding third- or fourth-year undergraduate engineering student who has demonstrated academic success in at least two of the three pipeline elective courses and stayed actively involved in industry events.
“I am grateful to both the IPC for their support and the UBC Pipeline Integrity Institute for cultivating my interest in pipeline engineering,” said Jezarah, “I am proud of the hard work and determination, and so grateful for the acknowledgements.”
Achieving this rare double honour was no easy victory.
An outstanding student and a regular on the Dean’s list, Jezarah recalls the completion of her capstone project as her proudest achievement during her time at UBC. Despite the sudden transition to online delivery of courses and a myriad of uncertainties associated with the pandemic, Jezarah credits the experience for pushing her to do her “best work” and describes it as “a perfect culmination of [her] experiences.”
Yet, top marks have not been Jezarah’s sole focus during her undergraduate experience. Outside of the classroom, Jezarah is the owner of an e-commerce business.
“It allows me to express myself creatively, and I am passionate about its growth and the ability to give back to my local community,” she said.
After graduation, Jezarah plans to pursue a career in the pipeline industry and to continue to learn and grow as an engineer in training. She is empowered by female role models in the Faculty.
“In particular, I was inspired by Dr. Cristina Zanotti, my capstone design instructor Pamela Wolf, and [Materials Engineering instructor] Dr. Mina Xu,” she said. “It was beyond helpful to see successful, passionate, and motivated women in a male dominated field.”
If you would like to get in touch with Jezarah, please connect with her directly on LinkedIn. To learn more about the UBC Pipeline Integrity Institute (PII) and its connection with the Civil Engineering Department, please contact PII Director, Dr. Dharma Wijewickreme or http://pii.engineering.ubc.ca.