Investigators release initial findings on Florida bridge collapse, Edmonton honours engineer, and researchers make breakthrough in detecting high blood pressure: The most read stories in the past two weeks each touched on ways that engineering plays a critical role in the health and safety of the public.
Federal investigators reported that the Florida International University pedestrian bridge that collapsed last March were likely the result of an overestimation of strength and an underestimation of load on one of its critical sections. The investigation is ongoing.
This year, the City of Edmonton declared November 14, 2018, William Muir Edwards Day in honour of the University of Alberta's first engineering professor. Edwards was known for his technical skills, compassion, and deep concern for the welfare of others. Notably, in 1910 he prevented spread of a typhoid outbreak by investigating and repairing a faulty water treatment plant.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Guilin University of Electronic Technology in China have developed a new way to catch High blood pressure. By examining two commonly recorded biosignals, they’ve been able to come up with “a quick, painless, and reliable monitoring method that enables people to detect and seek treatment for hypertension earlier than they otherwise might.” Cardiovascular disease kills one out of every three people worldwide, and its primary cause is high blood pressure.
