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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
2018 Dr. MacLennan developed a fast, environmentally friendly and cost-effective chemical analysis method to characterize oil sands contaminants in environmental waters. The method was used to chemically fingerprint contaminated water samples according to their origin, providing a complementary approach to oil sands forensics. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2018 Dr. Janot studied articulated corallines, calcifying red algae that have flexible, uncalcified joints. She compared joints of independently evolving groups, finding that material and chemical differences can result in similar mechanical outcomes. This research clarifies the process of convergent evolution at several levels of biological organization. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2018 Dr. Tran studied the genetic factors that contribute to the complex process of wood formation in trees. Understanding the influence of different genes on wood formation will enable the improvement of wood quality for various applications, including the potential for bioethanol production. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2018 Dr. Heinkel investigated a novel biophysical mechanism of membrane protein clustering in the pathogen causing tuberculosis. His work helps to understand the physiology of these clinically important bacteria and might lead to a route for therapeutics against the disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
2018 Dr. Drummond compared agricultural-weed populations of sunflower to their wild counterparts, to understand what traits and genes contribute to the success of this widespread weed species. Weeds grew faster, flowered earlier and possessed herbicide resistance, all traits that enhanced their competitiveness. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2018 Some rubbers have a structure on the scale of nanometres and can be reformed and recycled (typical rubbers cannot). Dr. Parker used computational modelling and developed a network model to connect the properties of these rubbers (for example strength or elasticity) to details of how they act on this much smaller, nanometre, length scale. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2018 Improved geophysical imaging requires coordinated advances from the disciplines of geology, hydrology and computer science. Dr. Cockett proposed and implemented a computational framework for this interdisciplinary research and focused on improving the scalability of numerical techniques used in near-surface hydrogeophysics. Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)
2018 Developing a new drug can be a complicated, time consuming and expensive process. Dr. Yu developed a new optimal design method, which will accurately estimate the safe and effective dose level of the new drug for patients. Her study greatly improves the accuracy and safety of clinical trials, and speeds up the drug development process. Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD)
2018 Glial cells perform diverse roles in the development and function of the nervous system. Using the fruit fly, Dr. Das identified and characterized the role of certain proteins in glia-glia communication. This study proposes models for glial cell communication that will help direct future work in other animals. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2018 Myelin is an essential component of the nervous system. Dr. Duncan characterized a gene essential for myelin regeneration and critical for the stability of neural connections and recovery in a rodent model of multiple sclerosis. Findings suggest enhancing myelin regeneration may ameliorate disability in people with multiple sclerosis. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

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