Jonathan Fannin

Dr. Jonathan Fannin is a Full Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), specializing in Geotechnical Engineering. He joined UBC in 1989 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2001. His research focuses on internal erosion mechanisms in soils, geosynthetic applications, slope stability, and debris flow dynamics. He teaches courses such as CIVL 210 Soil Mechanics I and CIVL 413 Design of Earth Dams.

Dr. Fannin holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast and a D.Phil. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Oxford. His professional service includes roles as Chair of the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s Geosynthetics Division and Board Member of the North American Geosynthetics Society. He is a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (since 2013).

His research achievements include pioneering studies on internal erosion in dams, triaxial permeability testing, and geosynthetic filter design. Notable awards include the 4th IGS Award (1996), the CGS Quigley Award (1996), and the UBC Killam Teaching Prize (1998, 2004). His work bridges laboratory and field research, with contributions to dam safety, landslide assessment, and geotechnical engineering practices.

Dr. Fannin’s publications span over 30 years, addressing topics like debris flow travel distance, geosynthetic durability, and micro-mechanical erosion mechanisms. He has advised numerous graduate students and led research projects funded by international organizations such as the Royal Academy of Engineering and the FAO. His lab, internalerosion.civil.ubc.ca, focuses on internal erosion science and engineering solutions.