
Research

Our researchers make an impact. Professor Xiaodai Dong’s lab has built a low-cost hardware that allows real time on-going monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure using a standard cell phone.

Imagine a world where robotic surgery is performed on a patient in Whitehorse—by a doctor located in Victoria. That world is not far off, thanks in part to the ground-breaking work of mechanical engineer Yang Shi, an expert in the long-distance control of machines and electrical systems, also known as networked control systems.

UVic’s Centre for Aerospace Research (CfAR), led by Afzal Suleman, develops Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and customized payloads are currently undergoing design and testing for a wide variety of applications, such as wildlife monitoring, agriculture, mining exploration using remote sensing technology, and search and rescue.

Working closely with industry and community partners, computer scientist Yvonne Coady is transforming the way software developers and users tap into the internet. Her work makes advances in computer systems—cloud computing, high-capacity networks, data warehouses and high-performance processors—more readily available to academic and everyday users.

As digital technology becomes increasingly integrated and more advanced, so too does the threat to cyber-security. Electrical and computer engineer Issa Traoré and his team are currently working on better security to tackle “botnets”—networks of hacked computers—that can seize control of a computer through the conventional method of spam email containing lethal links.

A “smart bandage” that detects and treats infection using a smartphone app has the potential for transformative advances in wound care. Bioengineer Mohsen Akbari and his UVic-based research team are collaborating to commercialize GelDerm, a patent-pending bandage that monitors pH levels at wound sites to detect the earliest signs of bacterial infection.

Margaret-Anne Storey studies how technology can help people explore, understand, visualize and share big data sources and complex information. She’s currently looking at how social media can advance a more participatory culture in the software development community. Other applications areas have included biomedicine, security and education.
Engage in research
Our faculty is committed to ensuring its research activities expand and flourish, both as the foundation for our degree programs and for the wider benefits in the discovery of new knowledge in the applied sciences and contributions to industrial innovation.
Our many research centres and groups allow collaborative and multidisciplinary activities across a breadth of areas such as:
- information and communication technology
- energy systems
- biomedical engineering
- green and smart cities
Information on 80+ active research programs can be found in the latest Faculty of Engineering research programs briefs handbook document.
Our faculty
Many of our researchers have received awards for their research. Two faculty members are Thomson-Reuters highly cited researchers, and two are fellows of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. We also have four Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, including one junior fellow and 10 Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
Access faculty and staff directories or check out our newsletters for more information.
How we rank
UVic is typically first or second in Canada in the Leiden Ranking for citation impact in both Mathematics and Computer Science, and Physical Science and Engineering. Read more about UVic's rankings.
Research projects
See more videos from the Engineering research playlist on YouTube.
Meet our researchers
Faces of UVic Research is a series of "elevator pitch" style videos showcasing the passion and commitment of UVic researchers. It's a great way to discover what our faculty are researching, which can help you choose a supervisor who fits your interests.

Faces of UVic Research: Reuven Gordon
Dr. Reuven Gordon studies light at the nanometre scale in his work in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Victoria. He is a professor and the Canada Research Chair in Nanoplasmonics. In this video, he discusses the application of his research in the isolation of individual viruses and the earlier detection of cancers. He also describes the collaborative working environment at the Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technologies, and the nanotechnology infrastructure that is in use at UVic. Learn more at http://www.uvic.ca/research/learnabout/home/researchers/experts/details.php?go=1&id=230 University of Victoria: http://www.uvic.ca/ University of Victoria's Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UVic
Faces of UVic Research: Yvonne Coady
Dr. Yvonne Coady is a computer scientist and an associate professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Victoria. She studies software engineering, and in this video she discusses how software is changing and can be used to tackle some of the big problems we have today. Learn more at http://www.uvic.ca/research/learnabout/home/researchers/experts/details.php?go=1&id=114 University of Victoria: http://www.uvic.ca/ University of Victoria's Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UVic
Faces of UVic Research: Stephanie Willerth
Dr. Stephanie Willerth is a biomedical engineer and a professor at the University of Victoria. In this video she explains her research on embryonic stem cells, studying their behavior to learn how to create replacement organs for those that are diseased and damaged. She also describes the excitement of the students she teaches. Learn more at http://www.uvic.ca/research/learnabout/home/researchers/experts/details.php?go=1&id=1163 University of Victoria: http://www.uvic.ca/ University of Victoria's Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UVic
Faces of UVic Research: Afzal Suleman
Dr. Afzal Suleman is a Professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Victoria and is the Canada Research Chair for Computational and Experimental Mechanics. In this video, Afzal discusses his research developing engineering systems that respond to the current needs of society. Learn more at: Faces of UVic research: https://www.youtube.com/facesofuvicresearch UVic's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/Uvic UVic research: http://www.uvic.ca/research UVic: http://www.uvic.ca/See more videos from the Engineering playlist on YouTube.