b'BCBEC FOUNDATION AWARDS PROFILEBCBECFOUNDATION AWARDS PROFILE:Gediyon GirmaBy Kelly ParkerE ach year, BCBEC offers awards to students in BritishBE: Do you see part of your role in your research as giving back to Columbia. In 2018, Gediyon Girma was awarded thethe community?$1,200 Tom Morstead Memorial Award. Hes now aGG: Yes. I hope to contribute to the production of good research research analyst at the Building Science Centre of Excel- papers that actually make a difference in the industry. Theres an lence, School of Construction and the Environment at theeffort going on right now to reach net-zero emission buildings, and I British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). want to contribute to that effort through publications of my research BCBEC Elements: Whats occupying your time these days?findings in journals and presentations on conferences and seminars. Along the way, I hope to be able to share my work at BCBEC confer-Gediyon Girma: Im a member of the Building Science Centre ofences and be an active participant.Excellence research team at BCIT, studying advanced building enve-lope systems and heat, air and moisture transport phenomena insideBE:Have you been involving yourself with BCBEC, and how has buildings, so that we can further refine building design and increasethat helped you?their energy efficiency. GG: Ive volunteered at BCBEC conferences and attended them as well as the lunch seminars, and all of that introduced me to BE: What brought you here from Ethiopia?what is really going on in the industry. As a student, I was new to GG: My background is in mechanical engineering; I graduated withthe industry and the field, so those introduced me to the industry honours from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, and I came here asexperts. I also got to meet a lot of students and professors from other a masters candidate. I heard about the program in my final under- universities by attending them. Theyre a really good way to connect graduate year. Ive always been interested in fluid dynamics and heatwith other people who are doing the same thing as I am. transfer problems, and I found out that building science is related, so I applied and was able to come here with a scholarship workingBE:Do you have any advice for current or future students under the supervision of Dr. Fitsum Tariku. looking to enter the industry?GG: Its a multi-disciplinary field, so if theyre an engineering student, BE: What drew you to building science?they can contribute in some way to the building science field. Be GG: I saw an opportunity to widen my areas of expertise and buildcurious and ask questionshow does this work, why are we doing up my foundation in a growing engineering field of study to make athis, and how can I make it better? Asking those kinds of questions real difference. I also wanted to combine the knowledge I got in mycan really help to make a difference. Also, ask for support from the undergraduate study with other fields, as building science is a multi- instructors who can support and guide them to look into new and disciplinary field that ties into civil, architectural, material and severaluncharted territories within building science.other engineering fields.BE: Any closing thoughts?BE: What did the award from BCBEC mean to you? GG: BCBEC conferences have helped me so much, and I would like GG: I was a student, so that really helped me financially. It alsoto thank them again for the award they gave me. Im very grateful for showed me the industry was taking notice of my hard work, andtheir support and their contribution.that encouraged me to focus even more on my education and try toFor more information on how to apply for BCBEC Foundation achieve more. awards, visit bcbec.com/bcbec-foundation.SPRING/SUMMER 2021 21'