Education
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, California State Polytechnic University (1987)
M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California (1990)
Ph.D. Resource Management & Environmental Studies, UBC (2010)
Bridge Doctoral Fellow, 2003-2009
Biography
I began my professional career in aerospace, working a few years doing valuable, hands-on design and analysis work. Being more interested in energy and environmental issues, I shifted to engineering consulting mostly for the U.S. thermal-electric power industry, focusing on air pollution control and improving the efficiency of power generation. My consulting work involved many interesting projects including electric power generation from coal, oil, gas, solar-thermal, landfill gas, municipal solid waste and cow dung, with my main expertise being the control of NOx emissions from fuel combustion. I moved to Canada in 1997 and continued in consulting work, then within a year I accepted a staff position at UBC as the senior engineer and O&M manager for water, sanitary, storm, steam, and natural gas systems. Through this experience, I learned much about how some of our essential services of modern cities are designed, built, and maintained (as well as the value of skilled trades). I resigned in 2004 to focus on my doctoral studies in quantitative policy analysis, using passenger car public health and GHG tradeoffs in the UK as a case study. In 2007 I joined BC Hydro Power Smart, working in the industrial engineering group to help customers assess opportunities to reduce energy consumption and optimize electricity generation. After 3 years with Power Smart, I resigned to stay on as the Power Smart Instructor here at UBC. I also teach Certified Energy Manager workshops through CIET Canada and the Association of Energy Engineers. On a related note, I have learned to appreciate the importance of respectful, well-supported activism as an important function as our society strives to become more sustainable.
Teaching Interests
Courses taught:
- CEEN 596 Master of Engineering in Clean Energy Projects
- CEEN 550 Demand-side Energy Efficiency and Conservation
- CIVL 215 Fluid Mechanics
- “SUST 101” forthcoming USI course
My principal teaching interests are on the engineering and policy aspects of demand-side energy efficiency, and more generally on energy-consuming technology and policy. The majority of my time and effort in the Clean Energy Masters program is dedicated to supervising M.Eng. projects (roughly 24 yearly), on a wide range of energy topics ranging from supply side engineering studies, to demand-side behavioural and policy studies. I spend substantial time helping find and facilitate coop work placements. My teaching approach is to help engage students in real-world problem solving as much as possible. In CEEN 596, I help students get matched with one or more practicing professionals from government, utilities, private industry, or academia. In teaching CEEN 550, I employ Community Service Learning by arranging community partners (e.g. schools, commercial properties, small manufacturers) for students to perform energy audits and analyses.
Affiliations & Memberships
P.Eng., Association of Professional Engineers, BC
Association of Energy Engineers
BC Sustainable Energy Association
Certified Energy Manager
Publications (peer and non-peer reviewed, recent years)
Mazzi (2010) “An integrated assessment of climate mitigation policy, air quality and traffic safety for passenger cars in the UK” doctoral thesis (https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/23816)
Mazzi E. and Dowlatabadi H. (2007) “UK Policy and Passenger Vehicle Choice.” Environmental Science & Technology vol. 41 p. 387-392. Awarded “Top Environmental Policy Paper” by the journal editors. (http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/promo/top_papers/top2006/policy1.html)
Gouge B., Ries F., Reynolds C., Lim C., Mazzi E., and Dowlatabadi H. (2008) “An Integrated Approach to Transportation Policy in BC – asessing GHG reducation opportunities in freight transportation“ Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (November).
Reynolds C. and Mazzi E. (2007) “Moving toward decarbonization” letter to the editor in Science vol. 315 p. 329-330.
Mazzi E. , Glesmann S., Bell A. et al. (2006) “Mercury monitoring for Canada’s coal-fired power plants” U.S. DOE/EPA/EPRI Megasymposium on power plant air pollution control. Baltimore, August 28-30. (www.ires.ubc.ca/files/2010/05/MazziMegapaper152006final.pdf)
Mazzi E. and Dowlatabadi H. (2005) “Linkages between climate mitigation policy and indoor air pollution from solid fuels” in peer-reviewed conference proceedings of Indoor Air 2005 conference in Beijing, China (September, 2005).
Mazzi E., Reynolds C., & Nesbit S. (2005) “UBC Seminars Explore Engineering & Sustainability” Innovation (Journal of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC) Nov/Dec.
Presentations, Letters, and Misc
Mazzi, E. (2011) “UBC Master of Engineering Program” presented at the Power Smart Forum, Oct 17.
Mazzi, E. (2011) “The Energy Efficiency Conundrum” presented at Energy Breakfast for Pacific Energy Innovation Association (www.peia.biz/events/energy-breakfasts/breakfasts-2011-2012.html ) Oct 5, 2011.
Mazzi E. (2011) “Geoengineering” letter to the editor in Innovation (Journal of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC) Jan/Feb.
Mazzi E. and Reynolds C. (2007) “The Big Four – Assessing the Impacts of ’Green’ Vehicles“ in The Vancouver Sun (November 19).
Rogak et al (2007) “How, Not Whether to Act” letter to the editor in Innovation (Journal of
the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC) July/Aug.
Mazzi E. (2006) “Urban Stormwater Management and Pollutant Control” letter to the editor in Innovation (Journal of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC) Nov/Dec.
Vancouver Courier article on sustainability and schools “Growing Concerns” (2008)
www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=11a2775f-2d9b-4090-8428-a83063506289
