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At UBC Science, outstanding scientists and students strive to unravel the principles that underlie our universe - from the subatomic to the macroscopic, from pure mathematics to biotechnology, from ecosystems to galactic systems. Through the breadth and depth of our academic endeavours and the calibre of the people who make up our community, we take pride in discovering new scientific knowledge and preparing Canada’s and the world’s next generation of scientists.

A diverse range of highly ranked programs

With access to master’s and doctoral degrees through nine departments and 350 research groups, our graduate students work with world-class faculty to explore the basic sciences, and to pursue interdisciplinary and applied research across departments and units. UBC’s research excellence in environmental science, math, physics, plant and animal science, computer science, geology and biology is consistently rated best in Canada by international and national ranking agencies.

Committed to outstanding graduate training

UBC Science houses a wide range of prestigious NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience and related industry programs: from atmospheric aerosols to high-throughput biology, from biodiversity research and ecosystems services to plant cell wall biosynthesis, from quantum science and new materials to applied geochemistry. The options for enriched graduate training in industry related fields are almost endless.

World-class research infrastructure

Our affiliated institutes and centres include UBC's Michael Smith Laboratories, Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Life Sciences Institute, Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences, Mineral Deposit Research Unit, and TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics.

Top research talent

UBC Science boasts more than 50 Canada Research Chairs, 12 fellows of the Royal Society of London, and has been home to two Nobel Laureates. Our graduate students have won 15 prestigious Vanier Scholarships.

A diverse, supportive community of scholars

UBC Science is committed to excellence, collaboration and inclusion. Women account for 41 per cent of the Faculty's graduate enrollments, and the percentage of international students has increased to 50 per cent over the past decade.

Mission
To nurture an exceptional scientific learning and research environment for the people of British Columbia, Canada, and the world.
 

Research Centres

Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology

Computational Sciences and Mathematics

Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences

Genomics and Biological Sciences

Human-Computer Interaction

Life Sciences

Chemistry and Materials Science

Physics

Sustainability

Research Facilities

Designed to inspire collaboration and creativity across disciplines, the Earth Sciences Building (ESB) lies at the heart of the science precinct on UBC’s Vancouver Campus. The $75 million facility is home to Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Statistics, the Pacific Institute of the Mathematical Sciences, and the dean’s office of the Faculty of Science. ESB’s teaching facilities will help Canada meet the challenges of a transforming and growing resource sector. Just as importantly, the researchers and students working and learning in the facility will offer a valuable flow of well-trained talent, new ideas, and fresh professional perspectives to industry.

Research Highlights

Receiving more than $120 million in annual research funding, UBC Science faculty members conduct top-tier research in the life, physical, earth and computational sciences. Their discoveries help build our understanding of natural laws—driving insights into sustainability, biodiversity, human health, nanoscience and new materials, probability, artificial intelligence, exoplanets and a wide range of other areas.

UBC Science boasts 50 Canada Research Chairs and 10 fellows of the Royal Society of London, and has been home to two Nobel Laureates. 

Schools / Departments

Department

Graduate Degree Programs

Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Science.

 

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation Program
2015 Dr. Bingham completed his doctoral research in the field of Formal Verification, an area of Computer Science. He created tools that check the correctness of computer hardware protocols, which can run on hundreds of computers at the same time. These tools were able to solve the largest hardware verification problems ever published. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2015 Dr. Hess conducted research in the Department of Chemistry, focussing on experiments with the transition metals titanium and zirconium. These compounds changed the nitrogen in the air into a more reactive state. This allows the nitrogen to combine with other chemicals to form industrial materials such as fertilizers, explosives and pharmaceuticals. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2015 Dr. Zhao investigated the production of the waxy layer on plant surfaces that protects them against water loss, UV light, pathogens and insects. Her work resulted in the discovery of a novel mechanism that controls the expression of genes involved in the formation of this protective layer. Her results may have important agricultural applications. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2015 Dr. Ebrahimnejad studied how the presence of impurities and other particles affects the motion of electrons in solids. He proposed an accurate solution that challenged the current understanding of high-temperature superconductors. His findings has paved the way for a complete solution to the problem of superconductivity in these complex materials. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2015 Dr. Helmuth completed his PhD in mathematics. He focused on developing and analyzing connections between two seemingly different topics: idealized models of gases and random walks. This research contributes to our understanding of statistical properties of strongly interacting systems. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2015 Dr. Wu studied the infection pathway in cells affected by the Influenza A virus. She examined the pathway of Influenza A viruses from cellular surface to cellular nucleus at the beginning of an infection. Her findings help us understand how the Influenza A viruses infect humans, and this may lead to new pharmaceutical approaches for flu treatment. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2015 Dr. Roosta-Khorasani studied computationally efficient algorithms for solving large scale inverse problems with many data sets. Such problems arise in many areas of science and engineering, such as medical imaging and geophysics. These new algorithms in Dr. Roosta's work allow high quality reconstructions with high computational efficiency Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2015 Dr. Marchant studied the ways in which electromagnetic geophysical experiments are affected by chargeability. Chargeable materials can indicate the presence of metals and mineral deposits. His work resulted in new methods to simulate and recognize the effects of chargeability, and provided new tools that will benefit the mineral exploration industry. Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)
2015 Dr. Lincez demonstrated the importance of the virus sensor MDA5 in offering protection from type 1 diabetes. By translating genetic observations in patients onto a mouse model, she discovered specific immune responses in the development of type 1 diabetes. Her work has provided a new target for preventative therapy in patients at risk of the disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2015 Dr. Semczuk developed experimental techniques required for future studies of molecules in the ultra cold temperature regime. In his work he created the first in Canada Bose-Einstein condensate of weakly bound molecules. This helped to establish UBC as a leading Canadian institution within the field of degenerate quantum gases. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

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