Kiana Rowlands, BSc (Wd Prod Proc) 2025, didn’t expect to find her perfect fit in Wood Products. After starting her degree in Forest Sciences, she realized she wanted a program that blended her love of environmental science with her interests in math, engineering, and design. Now, after graduating in June of 2025, Kiana reflects on how the program reshaped her understanding of wood, engineering, and the future of low-carbon materials.
From Forest Sciences to Wood Products
Kiana Rowlands began her UBC journey in Forest Sciences. She loved the mix of environmental science and hands-on learning, but something was missing.
“I really enjoyed Forest Sciences because it had the environmental aspect, but I also loved math, engineering, and programming,” she explains. “After a guest lecture from the previous program director, I realized the Wood Products program had everything I liked: science, math, engineering, and the environment.”
Now graduating in 2025, Kiana describes the program in three words: design, engineering, and building.
The Hidden Complexity of Wood
Before joining the program, Kiana saw trees as something simple and familiar, just part of the landscape.
“You see trees everywhere, but no one really knows what it takes for a tree to grow or what’s inside the wood,” she says. “Studying wood showed me how intricate it is and how much care goes into working with it. It’s not just cutting and sanding; you need to understand the material.”
More Than Carpentry
When people hear “wood products,” they often picture carpentry or woodworking, but Kiana is quick to set the record straight.
“We are not just carpenters,” she says. “We do engineering, design, and problem-solving. We build furniture and structures, but we’re also creating materials and systems that make those things possible.”
Engineering New Ideas Through Co-op
One of Kiana’s standout experiences was her co-op with Mercer Mass Timber, where she worked as a Detailer on major construction projects.
“I did all the 2D and 3D modelling for our mass timber projects,” she says. “Some of them I can now go see in person. It’s so exciting to see the time and effort I put into drawings and models come to life.”
Her coursework in AutoCAD, design, and wood mechanics gave her the technical foundation to thrive.
That co-op experience also shaped her future, leading to Kiana having a job lined up after graduation.
“I’m going back to Mercer Mass Timber, this time in Project Management,” she shares. “I love working with mass timber and the people there, so I’m really excited to return.”
Wood’s Role in a Low-Carbon Future
Kiana is passionate about the environmental benefits of building with wood.
“Wood is a carbon sink—it stores carbon even after a tree is harvested,” she explains. “When you use it in buildings, especially as mass timber, that carbon stays locked away for decades.”
She describes mass timber as an innovative material that combines layers of dimensional lumber into large beams, columns, and panels.
“Yes, it uses a lot of wood, but it also stores a lot of carbon,” she says. “It’s a great way to remove carbon from the atmosphere and keep it stored for up to 50 years.”
At UBC, Kiana has also seen how research in wood-based products and biofuels can contribute to climate solutions.
“There’s so much innovation happening in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, especially in programs like BEST and Wood Products. It’s all about finding new ways to use wood to create sustainable materials and energy.”
A Community That Feels Like Home
What stands out most to Kiana about her time in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is the sense of community.
“The program is small, about 30 students per class, so you get to know your professors and classmates really well,” she says. “It feels like a college-sized community within a big university.”
As part of the Forestry Undergraduate Society (FUS), Kiana also connected with students across other programs.
“I loved that I could walk into any building and always find someone I know. Being part of FUS helped me meet people from all over Forestry, not just my program.”
Advice for Future Engineers
For students interested in engineering and sustainability, Kiana believes the Wood Products Processing program offers the best of both worlds.
“It may not be the typical path to engineering, but it’s still all about designing and building with structural materials,” she says. “If you care about the environment and want to help solve climate change by creating beautiful, sustainable buildings, this program is perfect for you.”