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

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Joe, Harry Sue Wah Department of Statistics Statistics; Statistics and Probabilities; copula construction; dependence modelling; extreme value inference; non-normal time series; parsimonous high-dimensional dependence
Johnson, Pauline Department of Microbiology & Immunology Diseases of the Immune System; Immunology; Inflammation; Immune-cancer interactions; Innate immunity; Macrophages and myeloid cells
Johnson, Catherine Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Lunar geophysics, Evolution of Mars' Magnetic Field and Atmosphere
Johnson, Mark Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Geology; Natural environment sciences; Agriculture; Biogeochemistry; Carbon cycle; Climate Changes and Impacts; data science; Ecohydrology; Ecology and Quality of the Environment; Fresh Water; Ground Water and Water Tables; Hydrological Cycle and Reservoirs; Land and Soil; land use; Running Water Hydrosystem; Water and Sustainability
Jones, David Department of Physics & Astronomy Atomic, optical and molecular physics,Ultrafast Optics, Spectroscopy
Karczmarek, Joanna Department of Physics & Astronomy Physical sciences; Emergent spacetime and gravity; Matrix models; Noncommutative geometry; String theory
Karu, Kalle Department of Mathematics Algebraic geometry, toric varieties, log geometry, combinatorics of fans and posets
Keeling, Patrick John Department of Botany Molecular evolution and cell biology of eukaryotes
Kenne, Steve Cyrille Department of Mathematics
Kiczales, Gregor Department of Computer Science MOOCs, Blended Learning, Flexible Learning, University Strategy for Flexible and Blended Learning, Computer Science Education, Programming Languages, Programming languages, aspect-oriented programming, foundations, reflections and meta programming, software design
Kim, Young-Heon Department of Mathematics Partial Differential Equations and Geometry
King, Kayla Department of Microbiology & Immunology host-microbial parasite/pathogen systems
Kopylova, Maya Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences diamond ore deposits, Diamond exploration, petrology and volcanology
Korthauer, Keegan Department of Statistics Bioinformatics; Genomics; Statistics; Epigenomics; Single-cell analysis; Statistical genomics
Kremen, Claire Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Department of Zoology Natural environment sciences; Zoology; agroecological farming systems; Reconciliation of agricultural land use with biodiversity conservation; sustainable landscapes
Krems, Roman Department of Chemistry Theoretical chemistry, Molecular Spectroscopy, Dynamics of few- and many-body molecular systems in electromagnetic fields
Kronstad, James Michael Smith Laboratories Bioinformatics; Immunology; Microbiology; Plant biology; Mycology; Fungal diseases of plants; Genomics and Proteomics; Medical Mycology; Molecular Genetics; Pathogenesis of infectious diseases; Plant-Microbe Interactions
Kunimoto, Michelle Department of Physics & Astronomy exoplanet detection, characterization, and demographics
Laba, Izabella Department of Mathematics Harmonic analysis, geometric measure theory and additive combinatorics
Lakshmanan, Laks Department of Computer Science data management and data cleaning; data warehousing and OLAP; data and text mining; analytics on big graphs and news; social networks and media; recommender systems
Leander, Brian Department of Botany, Department of Zoology Plant biology; Zoology; Comparative organismal biology; Evolutionary morphology; Evolutionary protistology; Marine biodiversity; Marine invertebrate zoology; Phylogenetic biology; Species discovery
Lecuyer, Mathias Department of Computer Science Machine learning systems; Guarantees of robustness, privacy, and security
Lemieux, Caroline Department of Computer Science Programming languages and software engineering; help developers improve the correctness, security, and performance of software systems; test-input generation; specification mining; program synthesis
Leslie, Sabrina Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Leyton-Brown, Kevin Department of Computer Science Computer and information sciences; Artificial Intelligence; Algorithms; theoretical computer science; Resource Allocation; Computer Science and Statistics; Auction theory; game theory; Machine Learning

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Elise Legarth

Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD)

Development of an improved methodology for estimating probable maximum precipitation and flood: Tested and validated in British Columbia watersheds.

Avril Metcalfe-Roach

Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)

Interplay between diet and the microbiome in Parkinson's disease

Jarrett Blair

Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

Bulk classification of terrestrial invertebrates using computer vision and DNA metabarcoding

Davi de Ferreyro Monticelli

Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD)

Cannabis cultivation facilities: Linking emissions and air quality to inform regulation

Katrina Bergmann

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)

Using conventional computations and quantum simulations to accelerate the in silico design of highly efficient optoelectronic materials

Emilie Carpentier

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

Four dimensional treatment planning for dynamic tumour tracking on a gimballed linear accelerator

Jessica Koski

Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)

Implementation of Indigenous rights to lands & resources

Sasha Tuttle

Master of Science in Zoology (MSc)

The relationship between wild pollinator diversity and blueberry yield and quality within farmlands in Delta, BC

All Student Stories

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.

 

Nitrogen Fixation and Microbial Communities Associated with Decomposing Seagrass Leaves in Temperate Coastal Waters
Publication: Microbial ecology
UBC Author(s): Laura Parfrey (Botany / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 87
Page Range: 106
Publication Date: 14 August 2024

View Publication
Epibiont communities on mussels in relation to parasitism and location in the rocky intertidal zone
Publication: FEMS microbiology ecology
UBC Author(s): Christopher Harley (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 100
Publication Date: 13 August 2024

View Publication
Allopolyploidization from two dioecious ancestors leads to recurrent evolution of sex chromosomes
Publication: Nature communications
UBC Author(s): Judith Mank (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Page Range: 6893
Publication Date: 12 August 2024

View Publication
Thionyl fluoride as a sulfur(iv) SuFEx hub for the efficient syntheses of sulfinamides and sulfinate esters
Publication: Chemical Communications
UBC Author(s): Glenn Sammis (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 13597345
Volume: 60
Page Range: 9765-9768
Publication Date: 9 August 2024

View Publication
Predictive Guidelines for Electrocyclization of Dithienylethenes
Publication: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
UBC Author(s): Michael Wolf (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Page Range: 8042-8048
Publication Date: 8 August 2024

View Publication
External Trigger Free Charge Switchable Cationic Ligands in the Design of Safe and Effective Universal Heparin Antidote
Publication: Advanced Healthcare Materials
UBC Author(s): Charles Haynes (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 21922640
Volume: 13
Publication Date: 7 August 2024

View Publication
Can self-amplifying RNA vaccines and viruses exchange genetic material?
Publication: Molecular Therapy
UBC Author(s): Anna Blakney (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 15250016
Volume: 32
Page Range: 2437-2438
Publication Date: 7 August 2024

View Publication
BreathXplorer: Processing Online Breathomics Data Generated from Direct Analysis Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Publication: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
UBC Author(s): Tao Huan (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 10440305
Volume: 35
Page Range: 1818-1825
Publication Date: 7 August 2024

View Publication
Reconstruction of single-cell lineage trajectories and identification of diversity in fates during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
Publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
UBC Author(s): Geoffrey Schiebinger (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 121
Publication Date: 6 August 2024

View Publication
Wildlife ecology: The scary sounds of recreation
Publication: Current Biology
UBC Author(s): Kaitlyn Gaynor (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09609822
Volume: 34
Page Range: R736-R738
Publication Date: 5 August 2024

View Publication
Triplet dynamics reveal loss pathways in multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters
Publication: Chemical Science
UBC Author(s): Zachary Hudson (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 20416520
Volume: 15
Page Range: 14027-14036
Publication Date: 2 August 2024

View Publication
TOpI-2447 b / NGTS-29 b: A 69-day Saturn around a Solar analogue
Publication: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
UBC Author(s): Michelle Kunimoto (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00358711
Volume: 532
Page Range: 1444-1458
Publication Date: 1 August 2024

View Publication
Historical and contemporary processes driving the origin and structure of an admixed population within a contact zone between subspecies of a north temperate diadromous fish
Publication: Molecular Ecology
UBC Author(s): Eric Taylor (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09621083
Volume: 33
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Detrimental but Not Doomed—Glial Activation in Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder
Publication: Movement Disorders
UBC Author(s): Vesna Sossi (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 08853185
Volume: 39
Page Range: 1256-1257
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Spatial kinetics and immune control of murine cytomegalovirus infection in the salivary glands
Publication: PLoS Computational Biology
UBC Author(s): Daniel Coombs (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 1553734X
Volume: 20
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Rethinking pathways to the dioecy–polyploidy association: Genera with many dioecious species have fewer polyploids
Publication: American Journal of Botany
UBC Author(s): Jeannette Whitton (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00029122
Volume: 111
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Opportunities for fundamental physics research with radioactive molecules
Publication: Reports on Progress in Physics
UBC Author(s): Kirk Madison (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00344885
Volume: 87
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Disrupted H<inf>2</inf> synthesis combined with methyl viologen treatment inhibits photosynthetic electron flow to synergistically enhance glycogen accumulation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Publication: Plant Molecular Biology
UBC Author(s): Steven Hallam (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 01674412
Volume: 114
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Both pathogen and host dynamically adapt pH responses along the intestinal tract during enteric bacterial infection
Publication: PLoS Biology
UBC Author(s): B Brett Finlay (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 15449173
Volume: 22
Publication Date: 1 August 2024

View Publication
Search for leptoquark pair production decaying into te-t¯e+ or tμ-t¯μ+ in multi-lepton final states in pp collisions at s=13TeV with the ATLAS detector
Publication: European Physical Journal C
UBC Author(s): Colin Gay (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 14346044
Volume: 84
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Source and variation of the amazing live Sea-Monkey microbiome
Publication: PLoS ONE
UBC Author(s): Patrick John Keeling (Botany / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 19
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Faraday Tomography with CHIME: The “Tadpole” Feature G137+7
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
UBC Author(s): Mark Halpern (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0004637X
Volume: 971
Publication Date: 1 August 2024

View Publication
Association studies of salinity tolerance in sunflower provide robust breeding and selection strategies under climate change
Publication: Theoretical and Applied Genetics
UBC Author(s): Loren Rieseberg (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00405752
Volume: 137
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Pseudolocality and completeness for nonnegative Ricci curvature limits of 3D singular Ricci flows
Publication: Mathematische Zeitschrift
UBC Author(s): Albert Chau (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00255874
Volume: 307
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication
Co-repressors AtSDR4L and DIG1 interact with transcription factor VAL2 and promote Arabidopsis seed-to-seedling transition
Publication: Plant Physiology
UBC Author(s): Liang Song (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00320889
Volume: 195
Page Range: 2528-2532
Publication Date: August 2024

View Publication

Pages

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
2024 Dr. Hendi revealed a novel function of a gap junction protein that negatively regulates the formation of synapses in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. This research advances our understanding of the mechanisms required for the precise formation and development of the nervous system. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Blanchard investigated how early life-stages of fishes cope with temperature variation during development, spanning from the molecular to physiological levels. The findings from her thesis offer fundamental insights that help in our understanding of how developing embryos will cope with climate change. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Freres studied processes causing instrumental mass bias in multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers. Her research helped improve precision and accuracy in isotopic ratio measurements and provided the geochemical community with greater resolution to interpret geological records and better understand the history of our planet. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Newman designed tools for running and analyzing complex, electronic auctions, with applications to markets for agricultural trade in developing countries and the sale of wireless spectrum rights. His work provides a blueprint for how economists can use computer simulations to compare auction designs. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2024 Dr. Braich studied the impact of climate change on agriculture in the Prairies, both past and into the future. She found warming trends have already negatively impacted yields, and by 2050 yields could be reduced by more than 20%. Her findings emphasize the need for adaptation planning to address climate impacts in this key agricultural region. Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)
2024 Dr. Liu delves into the creation of innovative platforms and methodologies to study one-pot multistep reaction. His work enabled an automated control and analysis system for one-pot telescoped reactions and proposed an efficient optimization strategy for complicated multistep syntheses. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Hsueh developed ways of understanding protein behavior through physics simulations. In his thesis, he developed novel simulation methods, explored the physical origin of ALS disease, and computationally designed therapeutics for both neurodegenerative disease and COVID19. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2024 Dr. Toorians' work deals with biodiversity loss and the rise of epidemics. She has explained disease-emergence through host phylogenetic community structure. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2024 Replacing plastics with green alternatives is a tough nut to crack. Dr. Goonesinghe introduces new methods to convert simple molecules into complex biodegradable materials using quirky new indium catalysts. His work unveils the huge potential of these tragically underappreciated elements, paving the way for better catalysts and greener plastics. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Dong studied the epigenetic role in evolution. He discovered the important role of DNA methylation in population specificity and evolutionary conservation, especially in terms of their genetic basis and functional relevance. His findings can provide new evolutionary insights into the roles of epigenetics in cellular functions and human health. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)

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