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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
2014 Dr. Liu developed a broadly applicable strategy for preparing radioactive diagnosis drugs. Based on this strategy, a series of promising radiolabeled peptides have been made, two of which are scheduled to enter early phase clinical trials. Dr. Liu's work has been recognized as an essential step in developing personalized medicine for cancer patients. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2014 Dr. Toews studied the effects and consequences of the interbreeding among birds, specifically species of warblers. Using a range of techniques, data and field research, he demonstrated varied outcomes when distinct bird groups interbreed. Dr. Toews' findings have important implications for our understanding of adaptation and the formation of species. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Bowden investigated the ways in which bacteria lead to infection in humans. She studied a protein made by the superbug Staphylo-coccus aureus, and discovered how it interacts with the red blood cell protein hemoglobin, in order to get iron. These studies provide insight into how bacteria acquire the iron they need to establish infection in humans. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Sihota investigated hydro-carbon contamination. She developed a new approach to assess the extent and rate of natural degradation processes at hydro-carbon-impacted field sites. This helps us understand the role of naturally occurring degradation processes in contaminant mass removal, and can aid in assessment and management of contaminated sites. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
2014 Dr. McDonald investigated interactions between opportunistic pathogens and human immune cells in diseases with underlying defects in immunity. In particular, she found that the bacteria Burkholderia cenocepacia has multifaceted ways of evading the innate immune response and that potent neutrophil activity is required to prevent infections. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Sveinsson's research focussed on the genetic evolution of plants. He succeeded in demonstrating the usefulness of DNA sequencing methodology, in addressing biological questions about several species of plants. The results of his study are likely to be of benefit to other researchers working in the field of plant evolutionary biology. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2014 Dr. Xu studied the regulatory and signalling components in plant immunity, in Dr. Xin Li's lab at Michael Smith Laboratories and the Department of Botany. Using genetic approaches, she identified three important genes which are essential to the plant immune response. Her thesis research contributes to the better understanding of plant immune system. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2014 Dr. Kaviani conducted his research into Cloud Computing. He focussed on making applications run faster and cheaper in the Internet of clouds, while ensuring the security and privacy of stored information. If his recommendations are implemented, it will allow software services to be provided to customers at lower cost with improved security. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2014 Dr. Pfaffen studied algae from the open oceans. She examined the way in which proteins in the algae store iron from the water to help the algae's later growth. This work contributes to our understanding of how algae survive in iron-limited oceans and bloom upon exposure to iron inputs, thereby having an impact on the global carbon cycle. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Van Dongen's research was in the area of atomic, molecular and optical physics, working with ultra-cold trapped atoms. She studied trap loss from a magneto-optical trap due to collisions with non-trapped background gas. Progress was made on a novel pressure standard based on the loss rate of trapped atoms due to background gas collisions. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

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