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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. Snauffer applied machine learning techniques to assessments of snow in British Columbia. He built an artificial neural network using gridded data products and a snow model to better estimate snow water equivalent across the region. This work will lead to improved avalanche and runoff forecasts as well as new tools for water resources managers. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)
2018 Dr. Paladino studied organic chemistry. He extended the scope of a new reaction for the synthesis of two members of a naturally occurring family of alkaloids. His results demonstrate how this reaction can be employed for the construction of medicinal relevant molecules. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2018 During cancer development, sub-groups of tumour cells can accumulate genetic changes that make them resistant to treatment and lead to relapse. Dr. Zahn developed technologies to disentangle the mixture of cells and track how these sub-groups develop over time. This work will help to investigate new treatment choices to improve patient outcomes. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
2018 Dr. Brown studied the ecological responses to ocean acidification caused by carbon dioxide emissions. She found that ocean acidification created simplified invertebrate communities with decreased biodiversity. Her results highlight the importance of considering animal communities as a whole to understand the interaction between different species. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2018 Dr. Letham developed new laboratory techniques for analyzing fine-grained sedimentary reservoir rocks. Application of these techniques will lead to more efficient exploitation of shale oil and shale gas reservoirs. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
2018 Dr. Fraser studied harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory. He considered questions involving packing families of surfaces into zero-volume sets and locating patterns of points in these sets. This research connects the study of fractal sets in Euclidean spaces with the study of fractal sets in other spaces. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2018 Traditional chemical processes can generate large amounts of waste. As such, developing chemical processes that generate less waste has a significant benefit to society. Dr. Clarkson examined the chemical properties of tungsten and molybdenum containing molecules with the goal to develop environmentally friendly processes for the synthesis of consumer products. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2018 Dr. Wang studied the role of the cytoskeleton in B lymphocytes, which are the antibody-producing cells of the immune system. Using advanced imaging tools, her research showed that the dynamic organization of actin and microtubules controls B cell activation. Her findings illustrate how the cytoskeleton is essential for B cell function. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2018 Dr. Shartau examined various vertebrate species for the presence or absence of a novel pattern of acid-base regulation. He found that numerous adult fishes and the embryos of two reptile species use this novel pattern. This research may provide insight into major evolutionary transitions in vertebrates, including the evolution of air breathing. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2018 Dr. Obradovich studied how the catch on bottom longline gear changes with the number and species of fish underwater. Underwater camera observations of fish behavior and habitat around the longline hooks showed that catches for some species were not proportional to abundance. Her work will improve the scientific advice used for fisheries management. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

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