Available January 2002 ISBN 0-921870-95-7  6 x 9, 226 pp  $29.95 hc History, Engineering, Education

Over the past century mechanical engineers have helped to transform British Columbia from a frontier land of manual labour into a modern technological society. Many of those engineers began their careers as students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. Discovery by Design, the history of the department by Eric Damer, follows the department from the age of steam power and biplanes to today's high tech world of spacecraft and robots, discussing many of the department's most exciting research projects and breakthroughs of the last decade. Discovery by Design also ties the department to British Columbia's social evolution. The Department of Mechanical Engineering began as a controversial educational innovation as part of McGill B.C. College and has grown into a respected leader in engineering education and research. Damer notes the influence of world wars, the rise of the engineering profession, local and national politics, economic fluctuations, and social revolutions. Woven throughout the history are hard-working and high-spirited students, distinguished and energetic faculty members, and powerful university administrators who encouraged or restricted change. Rich in detail, Damer's history appeals to those interested in the history of engineering education, universities and the research life of Canada. This handsome hardcover volume contains many original photos.

Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed masters and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. Discovery by Design complements his earlier work on the history of UBC and contributes to a better understanding of how the university has helped to shape – and has been shaped by – life in the pacific province.