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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
2022 Dr. Ling developed learning-based algorithms for animating simulated characters naturally and realistically. He showed that symmetry, curriculum, and proper task abstraction are critical for solving challenging control tasks. His research illuminates the role of inductive biases in reinforcement learning. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2022 Dr. Novakovskiy advanced our understanding of genome regulation by improving stem cell differentiation protocols and designing inherently interpretable deep learning methods. His bioinformatics advances will help achieve cell therapies for diabetes patients. Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)
2022 Dr. Moore investigated the chemistry of chiral molecules which, like human hands, have non-identical mirror images. He identified a number of new light-initiated reaction pathways in these molecules. These studies contribute to the astrochemistry of biomolecules, and reveal why certain mirror images of biomolecules are favoured in life on earth. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2022 Dr. Melese studied T cell immune response inhibition in lung cancer. His research showed tumour cells produce factors that contribute to the recruitment of suppressive immune cells; that specific circulating immune cells distinguish a patient with a beneficial response to immunotherapy; and showed roles for lung resident T cells in lung cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Silva studied an immune cell type called patrolling monocytes, which are important in maintaining vascular health. She identified a beneficial role for these cells in obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and tumour metastases. Her work contributes to the potential of harnessing these cells in novel disease therapies. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Zhou's research focused on the understanding and development of iridium catalysed water oxidation system. This research contributes to our understanding of catalyst design for water oxidation reactions, and will have implications for the realization of artificial photosynthesis. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2022 Dr. Southcott designed new compounds that bind radiometals with high affinity and stability which can have applications as diagnostic imaging agents or therapeutics in cancer treatment. She developed an array of compounds which were tested with relevant medical isotopes and help progress the next generation of radiopharmaceuticals. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2022 Dr. Bradley explored mathematical properties and solution methods for large-scale linear systems arising in problem in multiphysics and constrained optimization. Her research provides a theoretical framework for the development of efficient and robust computational methods. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2022 Dr. Monnet studied the mechanisms of growth variation in fish. His work demonstrates the role of physiology and behaviour in differentiating growth trajectories in fish that have specialized to different freshwater habitats. This research provides insight into the evolutionary mechanisms that allow organisms to coexist in nature. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Hamadeh studied how DNA repair is perturbed in selected cancers. He used single-cell methods to better characterize the function of several DNA repair enzymes and identified regions of the genome that are prone to abnormalities in the absence of those enzymes. This knowledge will aid in the future design of targeted cancer therapies. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)

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