Name: David P. Wilkinson, BASc'78
T-Bird Sport: Rowing 1975-78
Current Profession: Professor and Canada Research Chair, UBC Faculty of Applied Science – Chemical & Biological Engineering

In 2020, David P Wilkinson was named a member of the Order of Canada.  Click here to read more about this incredible honour.

Why did you choose to study/play at UBC?
When I graduated from high school at Brentwood College I chose UBC because it was a good university and I had family relatives in Vancouver. Although it would seem unusual now, in the early 1970s it was a big move for me to go from a very rural area on Vancouver Island to the city.

Did you receive financial support as a student-athlete? If so, how did this impact your experience as a T-Bird?
I received financial scholarship support as a student but not as an athlete. Later, while I was a UBC student I was a National Team carded athlete. This funding helped me to train both as a T-bird and a National Team athlete.

Why did you want to become an engineer?
I originally started out at UBC in Honors Chemistry and Mathematics but decided to switch to engineering. At the time I could see a clearer future career path in engineering. Ironically, I later completed a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. I have always found the combination of a Science and Engineering background to be very valuable.

Why did you choose UBC Engineering and what did you enjoy most about it?
UBC Engineering has always had an excellent reputation and even my high school teachers encouraged me to go into UBC engineering. The Head of the Chemical Engineering Department at that time encouraged me to stop being a varsity athlete and focus on engineering. I chose to ignore the advice although it was very difficult to do engineering and train at the same time. My research thesis project in my last year in UBC Chemical Engineering with Professor Colin Oloman was instrumental to what I chose as a career path, and for this I am very grateful.

What has been your biggest takeaway from the UBC Engineering program?
The UBC Engineering program provides an excellent foundation from which to launch a career in whatever profession one decides upon.

If you could travel back in time, what would you tell your "undergraduate" self?
I would tell my "undergraduate-self" three things:

1. You can always do more than you think you can. People are capable of doing exceptional things but often go through life without ever realizing it. Sport can open the door to that realization.
2. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Don't procrastinate, act on opportunities before they are gone.
3. Don't be afraid to fail. If you challenge yourself you are sure to have failures, but this is part of the road to success.

What was your first job after graduation?
The year I graduated from UBC Engineering I had many job offers from well-known large companies. However, I needed a job that would give me time-off to compete with the Canadian National Rowing Team. Most companies would not allow for that possibility except for a small company in North Vancouver called "Ultra Energy" which I decided to join. That small company was run by Geoffrey Ballard (also a former athlete himself) and later became Ballard Power Systems, a well-known international company.

Favorite T-Bird memory:
This is a difficult question because there are so many great memories from my time with the T-Birds. Certainly, one of my most favorite T-bird memories would be the England Rowing Tour in 1976 which included a number of smaller regattas and ended with the Henley Royal Regatta. Other favorite T-bird memories would be training with the University of Washington crews on Lake Washington in Seattle, competing against all the top university crews in the United States, and competing at the 1979 Pan American Games in Puerto Rico with other T-bird team members. My time with the T-birds has resulted in lifelong friendships for which I am very grateful.

Favorite place on campus:
My favorite place on campus when I was a T-bird was the old "Barn" where I would grab a coffee and cinnamon roll after early morning practice and then rush to my 8:30 am class, usually a few minutes late.

How have you used your varsity athletic experience in your current career/life?
I would say I have used my varsity and national team athletic experience in almost all aspects of my life. Rowing is both an individual and team sport, and it has taught me a lot about leadership and working in a team. I have learnt through athletics to challenge myself because you can always do more than you think possible.
 

What's the best professional advice you've received?
Perhaps the best professional advice I have received is "do what you enjoy and you will be successful at it."
 
How has the COIVD-19 pandemic affected you?
During the Covid-19 pandemic I have mainly been working from home with little outside contact and no travel. Online interaction is no substitute for in-person interaction, and I miss embracing my family.

Who is the most influential person of your life so far?
While I was growing up on Vancouver Island the most influential persons would be my parents, but after I left home it would most certainly be my wife, Susan, who incidentally was also a varsity T-bird. I met Susan at a Totem Park residence party at the beginning of the university year and it turned out we had a lot in common – I had grown up on a dairy farm in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island and Susan had grown up on a ranch in the interior of British Columbia so we had a lot in common with farming and rural life. The year we met I had just started rowing and Susan was playing field hockey for UBC. My involvement in rowing peaked Susan's interest in the sport, and she started rowing with UBC the next year.

What do you consider your greatest achievement or what are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my children and my family. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about them. Susan and I tried to give our children exposure to a number of sports at an early age; we were supportive and encouraged them to be their best.  When we asked our kids about what they thought about our sport parenting, they summed it up briefly, "Strength and Honor". We used this expression whenever they were about to compete or do something challenging, even before the start of an Olympic race.
   
The Wilkinson family have all been involved with the sport of rowing:

• David – UBC Varsity T-Bird, National Team
• Susan – UBC Varsity T-Bird
• Michael – Queens Varsity Team, National Team, Olympian
• Samantha (Michael's wife) – coxswain for Western Varsity Team
• Lauren – Princeton Varsity Team, UBC Varsity T-Bird, National Team, Olympian
• Jerome – UBC Varsity T-Bird

 
What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
In 2021, I am most looking forward to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and getting back to some type of "normal". I am looking forward to dinners and visiting with family and friends, live concerts and plays, and travelling with friends. Last year we were about to travel to southern France for a vacation with friends when the pandemic hit.