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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. Xing completed her studies in the field of statistics. She made contributions on some statistical issues related to the exposure-disease relationships. The findings can be applied in epidemiological studies. Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD)
2014 Dr. Robertson studied the diving behavior of bowhead whales, and how it is affected by oil exploration in the Alaskan Arctic. She demonstrated that the whales' behavioral reactions influence the assessments of bowhead distribution and abundance. Her study will contribute to better management of oil exploration in bowhead habitat. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Griffith conducted her doctoral research in the area of bio-organic chemistry. Her research investigated the inhibition of an enzyme that is prevalent in cancer cells. Understanding and manipulating this enzyme is important for the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2014 Dr. de la Fuente-Nunez identified a novel class of antibiotics that target bacterial biofilms, which are estimated to cause two thirds of all bacterial infections in humans. This new class of drugs lowers the amount of conventional antibiotics required to treat infections, helping to combat antibiotic resistance. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Winslow studied Mercury's magnetic field and its interaction with the solar wind. She developed a new method to measure the magnetic field strength at the surface of planets using high altitude spacecraft magnetic field and plasma observations. She applied this technique to Mercury, making the first measurements of its surface magnetic field. Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)
2014 Dr. Courtot demonstrated that biomedical knowledge can be logically encoded and processed by computers. She developed a knowledge representation model to accurately automate the diagnosis of adverse events following immunization. Her research improves public health by allowing for faster and cheaper detection of safety issues related to vaccination. Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)
2014 Dr. Loveday examined the regulation of genes during infection with Influenza A virus. She discovered that changes in gene expression are dependent on the duration of the infection and the influenza strain. This research may lead to the development of new bio-markers and treatments for Influenza A viral infections. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Centko used natural products chemistry techniques to discover novel compounds from fungi and marine sponges. A synthetic route was devised for one new molecule that acts as a potent inhibitor of IDO, a cancer immune evasion mechanism. These compounds may one day lead to a cancer treatment which aids the innate immune response to the disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2014 Dr. Conte studied how species adapt to their environments and how this can occasionally lead to the formation of new species. In particular, she focused on the genetic changes that occur during adaptation and speciation, finding that they are somewhat predictable. Her work helps us understand mechanisms that generate and promote biodiversity. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2014 Dr. Jetha characterized the physics of DNA transport through nanometre-scale pores for application in optimizing the design of nanopore-based DNA sequencing technologies. He also developed methods to extend nanopore technology for protein and small molecule analysis. His work will benefit groups developing nanopore-based biomedical technologies. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

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