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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 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. Dr. Yan tried to develop a new cure for prostate cancer based on the natural molecules found in an Indonesian marine sponge. With his colleagues, Dr. Yan has identified the structure of a promising anti-cancer drug which may save the lives of thousands of Canadian men every year. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2014 Dr. Pryjma studied the pathogen Campylobacter jejuni, which acts as a disease causing agent . His research demonstrates how Campylobacter regulates its own metabolism and how it infects human cells. These finding are important as they help to explain how Campylobacter induces disease and what nutrient sources it uses while doing so. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Casanova-Moreno studied the characteristics of chemically modified electrodes, typically employed in bio-sensors used for healthcare applications. Different processes that create imperfections on the deposited organic layers were described. These results are expected to translate into better performance and reliability of the modified biosensors. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2014 Dr. McDermott completed his doctoral studies in the field of Physics. He made advances in understanding the structure of quantum entanglement and also in explaining the relation between information and gravity. Dr. McDermott's findings will assist future researchers working in this field. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2014 Dr. Zaikova studied marine sponges in order to understand how animals interact with microbes. She showed that the sponge immune system can recognize a variety of microbes and the microbes can affect the host's immune response. This work sheds light on the oldest mechanisms used by animals to recognize microbes, with implications for medical research. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Zhou has conducted research on Zeeman deceleration, which utilizes magnetic fields to decelerate molecular beams. Dr. Zhou has successfully applied Zeeman deceleration to complex polyatomic species. This research outcome puts many interesting experiments within reach. The applications could range from cold chemistry to quantum information. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2014 Dr. Grisdale studied the genomes of a red alga and a fungal parasite. His research examined the effects of genome reduction on fundamental cellular and genetic processes. This study shows that some reduced systems can tolerate the loss of genes that are critical for survival in most organisms, showing new limits of genetic flexibility. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2014 Dr. Shah has completed her PhD in the field of Microbiology and Immunology. She found that the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, which causes the disease whooping cough, can change its surface to affect interactions with the human immune system. These studies broaden our understanding of whooping cough and have implications for vaccine development. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Nogueira studied aspects of a surprising connection between Quantum Mechanics and Gravity called Holographic Principle, a novel framework that allows for a better understanding of the nature of gravity. The research builds upon what was previously known and furthers our understanding of the behaviour of objects such as Black Holes and Boson Starts. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2014 Dr. Stang studied systems in theoretical physics relevant to the physics of the proton and to superconductivity. In his research, he used computer techniques to solve the complex equations that arose, allowing him to study novel, more realistic model systems. This work contributes to our understanding of these theoretically difficult topics. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

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