As one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutes with five campuses, 300+ programs, and over 45,000 students enrolled each year, nearly 60 years of BCIT’s success is attributed to the strength and expertise of our faculty. Upholding our promise to ensure that BCIT is a place in which all people—learners, faculty, and staff—are continuously valued, BCIT grants Faculty Emeriti status to former faculty employees who have made significant accomplishments and contributions to industry and academia. This year, BCIT recognizes four faculty emeriti for their excellence and continued commitment to the Institute.
Jean Scribner, School of Computing and Academic Studies, Faculty Emerita
Jean Scribner joined the Communications Department in 1980. As a Chief Instructor, she helped lead the shift from academic English to applied communication. For over 43 years, she taught business and technical communications in more than 25 different BCIT programs. She also served as Program Head Curriculum in which she updated curriculum and facilitated the development of new courses. Due to her leadership and expertise, she travelled to Singapore to review the curriculum of Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s English program.
With colleagues, she founded Presentation Idol, a speaking contest that helped change engineering students’ attitudes about the importance of communication. With the Occupational Health and Safety (OCHS) program, Jean created an annual Speed Networking event that bring graduates back to BCIT to help first term students learn how to network and understand the diverse careers they can have in OCHS.
Throughout Jean’s career as a consultant, she has written manuals and delivered training programs for a variety of organizations in the Lower Mainland and Alberta, including Canada Post, BCAA, and BC Hydro.
Jean is also the Canadian adapter of the Business Communication Essentials. Now in the development of its sixth edition, the text is used in colleges and universities across Canada.
Dr. Hassan Farhangi, SM-IEEE, PEng, School of Energy, Faculty Emeritus
Dr. Hassan Farhangi, SM-IEEE, PEng is known for his pioneering work in the design and development of Canada’s first Smart Microgrid on BCIT’s Burnaby Campus in BC, from 2007 onwards. He is Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of two joint government and industry funded Pan-Canadian Strategic Research networks, involving Canadian universities, government institutes, electric utilities, and the private sector in interdisciplinary research in Smart Grids and cybersecurity.
As an industry and academic veteran with extensive interdisciplinary research and training experience in Smart Grids, Renewable Energies, Electric Utility Systems, and Energy Management System in North America and Asia, Dr. Farhangi has trained hundreds of graduate students, published numerous peer-reviewed research papers, and has had his patents, papers, and textbooks frequently cited by researchers in Smart Grids.
After years of service, Dr. Farhangi retired from his academic and research appointment at BCIT in September 2022.
Russell Oye, School of Transportation, Faculty Emeritus
Russell Oye served as Interim Associate Dean of the BCIT Marine Campus and the Associate Dean of the Motive Power Center of Excellence. For 25 years, Russell has taught, trained, and mentored students and has performed applied research at the Emission Reduction and Research Test Hub.
He is a National Council member of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering (CIMarE), CIMarE representative to the Canadian Marine Careers Foundation, and Chair of the Vancouver Mari Tech 2023 Conference. Russell’s work has focused on forwarding the Marine sector as the industry continues to experience accelerated changes in automation and diversity.
A lifelong learner, Russell has a Masters degree in Education, a Diploma in leadership and development, and a Certificate in post-secondary administrative justice.
Dr. Maureen Connelly, School of Construction and the Environment, Faculty Emerita
Combining a science background with a professional affiliation as an architect, Dr. Maureen Connelly developed the vision and oversaw the construction and instrumentation of the BCIT greenroof research facility in 2002. This led to Dr. Connelly developing the first credited course on greenroofs in Canada.
Dr. Connelly’s current research focus is on the quantification of the acoustical capacity of greenroofs and walls to reduce sound transmission. She continues to direct the strategic research and planning process at the BCIT Centre for Architectural Ecology.
For her outstanding contribution to the implementation of new technology, Dr. Connelly has received several distinguished awards. Notably, she received the BCIT Applied Research Award, the Canadian Institute of Energy 2010 Research and Development Award on behalf of the BCIT Centre for Architectural Ecology, and most recently the Green Roof and Wall Research Award of Excellence.
Congratulations to our 2023 Faculty Emeriti
LEARN MORE: BCIT 2023 Faculty Emeritus