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 new 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 updated 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 new 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
2012 Dr. Carlyle examined how changing climate will interact with plant removal caused by cattle grazing the grasslands of the British Columbia Interior. He detected complex interactions that alter plant species diversity and production. His research demonstrated that ecosystems that are similar may not respond to climate change in the same manner, providing insight into management of BC grasslands. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2012 Dr. Viswanathan designed an intelligent, powered wheelchair system for cognitively-impaired older adults in nursing homes. She demonstrated, through user studies, that the system increased safety and assisted users in navigating along the shortest route to their destination. These studies help us in understanding the mobility needs of the target users. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2012 Dr. Warner conducted research using a species of roundworm to identify genes required for normal muscle function. He characterized the role of two genes in muscle, and added to the model of how muscle adhesions are organized. This research assists us in understanding how muscle tissue is built and maintained. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Alyabyshev studied the effects of electromagnetic fields on the dynamics of atoms and molecules at low temperatures, and suggested a new method for detection of electromagnetic fields. This research can benefit different areas of science and technology, ranging from fundamental physical measurements to medical imaging and detection of explosive materials. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2012 Dr. Erbad studied new techniques to improve the quality of multimedia using available resources, such as computer hardware and network bandwidth. He improved the transfer time and ensured more consistent quality in video games and streaming applications. His findings will contribute to the next generation of multimedia development. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2012 Dr. Johnson studied the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the first plant to have a completely sequenced genome. He identified three neighbouring genes that play sequential roles in one of the plant's specialized metabolic pathways. This adds to our understanding of the evolution of these kinds of pathways in plants. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2012 Dr. Stephens explored the ecological bases underlying successful biological control of invasive weed species, particularly the rangeland weed, diffuse knapweed. Using a range of methods, she has advanced the understanding of how the characteristics of, and interactions among herbivorous insects, help to naturally control the spread of their host-plant. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2012 Dr. FitzJohn has developed statistical methods to ask why there are more species in some groups of mammals than in others. Common explanations for this unevenness in biodiversity centre on the traits of the species concerned. His methods allow us to rigorously test long-standing hypotheses for differences in speciation and extinction rates. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Mistry examined gene expression patterns in the postmortem human brain. Using statistical methods, she looked at which genes are turned on and off in healthy brains compared to the brains of people with schizophrenia. Her findings contribute to our knowledge of gene function in the brain and offers insight into the underlying cause of schizophrenia. Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)
2012 Dr. Koo studied solutions to equations which model physical processes. Using analytic techniques, she proved results regarding the long-term behaviour of these solutions. These results can be applied to further our understanding of areas such as nonlinear optics, condensed matter physics and ferromagnetism. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)

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