Journey to WEFTEC
Our conversation with SDC winners Jaden Gauw, Jaden Mah, Kajal Mishra, Cindy Chow and Megan Slot
Since 2013, the BCWWA has hosted an annual student design competition (SDC) for postsecondary students in BC. This year, Team StormWise Innovations charted a course of victory, nabbing first place at the BCWWA and WEFTEC competitions with their winning stormwater management solution. We spoke to the team to learn more about their project and experience presenting on an international stage. Watermark: How did you all meet? We are all University of British Columbia environmental engineering students who started our journey together as StormWise Innovations in October 2024. Some of us barely knew each other, but we shared a common interest in participating in the BCWWA SDC. Inspired by the environmental engineering students who participated in previous years, we saw this competition as an exciting opportunity to challenge ourselves personally and professionally. WM: What was your project about? Our project, PermeaPath, is a stormwater management solution for the City of Coquitlam’s Nelson Creek Watershed, utilizing low-impact green infrastructure. The goals were to improve runoff quality and volumes before entering Nelson Creek, mitigate streambank erosion and improve the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity. PermeaPath addressed upstream, midstream and downstream areas of Nelson Creek, utilizing rain gardens, bioswales, tree trenches and permeable pavers. PermeaPath also emphasized community engagement through incorporating Indigenous art and educational signage within the new green spaces. WM: What was the process like? Initially, the BCWWA problem statement felt overwhelming. We had never tackled a project of this depth before. With UBC faculty advisor Dr. Zeina Baalbaki’s guidance, we deconstructed the problem into manageable portions. We met regularly while juggling full course loads, even throughout winter and summer break. There were plenty of late nights, weekend work sessions and several visits to Nelson Creek. Our team member, Kajal, even ventured out during a rain event to observe the water flow! After winning the BCWWA SDC in March 2025, our focus shifted to effectively communicating
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Watermark Winter 2025
Team photo at the WEFTEC conference.
our design to different audiences. Thankfully, the BCWWA and WEFTEC SDC had similar requirements, enabling us to build on our work and refine our approach. We took the opportunities to present to various groups, including the BCWWA Board of Directors, professors, classmates and family – preparing us for answering questions and improving delivery. Dr. Baalbaki’s detailed feedback was invaluable in shaping our final report. PermaPath quickly turned into a passion project, and we enjoyed every step of the process. WM: How did you feel presenting in front of the judges at WEFTEC? Leading up to the presentation, we felt a mix of nerves and excitement. We had high expectations for ourselves and thanks to many
rounds of feedback and practice, we felt confident in our design. Once we were on stage, the experience felt natural, comfortable and exciting. As a team, we knew we could rely on one another. This was especially evident during the judges’ Q&A session, where we were able to build off each other’s responses and offer key reinforcing points – always trusting each other before jumping to conclusions. WM: Any memorable moments from WEFTEC? Our proudest moment was when one judge at WEFTEC came up to us after the winning announcement and said, “There was no deliberation needed for awarding you first place.” It certainly affirmed that our hard work spoke volumes on stage! We were surprised at
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