Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more
The Faculty of Applied Science comprises a unique constellation of professional disciplines including; Architecture & Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Nursing and Community & Regional Planning. The core purpose shared across all of our four disciplines is to discover, create and apply knowledge, provide unwavering top-tier education and champion a community of responsible professionals devoted to serving a thriving, sustainable and healthy society. Our work and the professions which our graduates represent span the entire human-centred built environment.
The disciplines within the Faculty of Applied Science are celebrated for the scope, strength and impact of their research activities. Our Faculty claims the spotlight in the global arena for our research in clean energy, communication and digital technologies, health and health technology among many others. We offer disciplinary-specific research based graduate programs as well as a range of professional graduate programs and pride ourselves on our ability to open doors of opportunity to students beyond their time within our Faculty.
This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Applied Science.
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dr. Gao's research investigated the use of ultrasonic vibration-assisted cutting in milling and drilling applications. He developed a novel ultrasonic vibration tool holder and a corresponding sensorless control system. This research will benefit the manufacturing industry in machining advanced material such as composites and titanium alloys. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Han studied how organic and inorganic water solutes affect the formation of nitrite, a byproduct in water treatment that is harmful to human health. Her research will impact the application of Vacuum-UV, a UV-based advanced oxidation process, for treating micropollutants in water, and will act as a guide to control the formation of nitrite. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Galiano Zurbriggen developed tools to improve the performance of power converters used in applications such as renewable energies, electric vehicles, and battery chargers. His contributions can be directly implemented in commercial products, creating significant benefits towards the de-carbonization of the energy and transportation sectors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Saket solved a long-standing trade-off in the design of high-frequency transformers for power supplies and battery chargers. His approach makes it possible to design transformers that are highly efficient and have a minimal noise emission. This proposed method will lead to a new era of compact and efficient power converters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Barrero carried out a multi-scale study on the cyclic liquefaction of granular soils. He analyzed the mechanisms involved in the loss of grain contacts and developed a model for reliable simulation of liquefaction-induced deformations. His findings improve our ability to predict the behaviour of granular materials during liquefaction. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Nkansah-Boadu studied the treatment of selenium-contaminated coal mine-affected water using microbial consortia from mine-affected sediments. He discovered novel selenium-reducing bacteria and selenium removal pathways. His findings contribute knowledge for designing systems for remediating selenium-contaminated mine waters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Siksik developed a machine learning-based framework for modeling cellular ion channels. This opens the door for new types of experiments that were previously computationally prohibitive. The framework has the potential to reduce the cost of drug development and enable advanced medical research focused on understanding ion-channel diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Pesteie explored machine learning algorithms to improve image-guided procedures in healthcare. He devised models that can learn from partial or limited expert supervision in environments, where data annotation is costly and time consuming. His methods can provide automatic feedback for more accurate decision making in clinics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Kwan investigated new approaches to reduce cost and increase performance for water electrolysis. The development of new methods will more accurately quantify degradation, performance, and efficiency, using modified electrochemical setups. His research will lead to improved water electrolyzers for a greener and more sustainable future. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Abdelsalam developed a lightweight protective system to help shallow underground structures withstand blast attacks. Using an advanced validated numerical model, his findings show that these composite reinforced concrete panels, which are inexpensive and easy to repair, help to dissipate blast energy and prevent structures from being damaged. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |