Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Graduate School

Why did other students choose UBC?

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Atul Aravindakshan

"Apart from being one of the top universities in Canada, UBC offers a rich research environment which was important to me. Another important point while choosing UBC was that my research interests are closely aligned with the research my supervisors conduct, and it…"

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Christina Howard

"I completed my BSc in Natural Resources Conservation in 2017 and went on to defend my MSc in Forestry thesis in December 2020, obtaining both degrees within UBC’s Faculty of Forestry. During both previous degrees I had the opportunity to complete co-op work…"

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Isra Ibrahim

"My decision to join UBC was mainly because I found a wonderful supervisor with a project that is very interesting. This also of course comes with the great plus of living in beautiful BC."

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Ryoga Hojo

"My research interest and the connection I felt with my supervisor were the most significant factors in coming to UBC. Of course, Vancouver being one of the best cities in Canada and UBC being a world-class university made the decision quite easy."

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Emma Betz

"I completed my undergrad at UBC and what attracted me was how interdisciplinary the research done on campus was. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to pursue, because I had so many interests, I just couldn't choose. I was able to double major in Earth and Ocean…"

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Aisha Ghani

"I decided to study at UBC as it is a world-renowned university that recruits many highly accomplished and diverse professors and students. I completed my undergraduate degree at UBC and had a positive experience engaging with the UBC community and learning from…"

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Li Qing Wang

"I decided to study at UBC, because I found a very positive research environment in my field of study (i.e. pregnancy complications), as well as supervisors who are kind and supportive."

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Alexander Garner

"World class research and an amazing city. UBC has the benefit of having cutting edge researchers who allow me to participate in landmark research. On top of this, the UBC campus and Vancouver are surrounded by parks and the mountains providing the opportunities of…"

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Kaitlin Sullivan

"I was drawn to UBC for my graduate studies because I was really interested in the research done by my supervisor Dr. Mark Cembrowski. The study of memory has always interested me and his multidisciplinary approach merging molecular, cellular, circuit, and…"

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Katrina Bergmann

"Vancouver and the UBC campus are absolutely beautiful places to live and work. I've always wanted to move to the west coast to be closer to the mountains, and so far Vancouver does not disappoint. UBC is also one of the top universities in the world, and I feel…"

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Julia Nakamura

"I was very interested in the work of my prospective supervisor at UBC, as well as the research focus of our Health Psychology Area more broadly which has a lot of overlapping (yet original and distinct) work that creates opportunities for collaboration and…"

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Omar Bashth

"UBC has a very strong stem cell community that fosters great collaborations between labs and institutes. I am excited and privileged to be close to this community to learn and contribute to the science."

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Katherine Baillie

"UBC provides the best combination of location, program, and opportunities. I have always loved living in the Pacific Northwest, and UBC’s MD/PhD program offers a world-class education in both research and medicine. Working in the BC Cancer Research Institute also…"

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Kerry Marshall

"I've been curious about living in Vancouver for as long as I can remember. Graduate studies is an excellent opportunity to try living somewhere else, and the nursing program at UBC is highly regarded."

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Jen Baron

"I was attracted to the well-earned reputation and high standard of forestry research at UBC. I believed that, by learning from and collaborating with leaders in my field, my expertise and the quality and impact of my work would benefit greatly. Having connections…"

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Alex Lukey

"I grew up in the interior of BC, so I suppose I've been spoiled to live in BC most of my life. When I began thinking about a PhD, the fact that UBC is a world-class institution in medicine and health sciences made it an easy choice. I was also working with one of…"

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Haley Hrymak

"Many of the academics I admire and look up to are at UBC. UBC is the ideal place for my work given my focus on BC, my supervisors’ skillsets, and my connection to the legal community and anti-violence sector across BC. I am also very thankful for the funding UBC…"

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Naomi Potter

"UBC's wide-array of research programs and laboratories meant that I was able to find one well-suited to my research area of interest. As one of the top institutions in Canada, the various funding opportunities available to support my graduate studies also led me…"

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Elise Ng-Cordell

"I decided to apply to UBC for a number of reasons. UBC's Psychology department has a strong research focus, and I knew that I wanted to develop as a scientist and a clinician. I also really wanted to work with and learn from my supervisor, Dr. Connor Kerns, as our…"

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Alan Knee

"UBC engages in a very wide range of research and is home to several incredible facilities and world-renowned researchers, so I knew I'd find something that interested me."

Zitao Chen

"UBC is a vibrant research community and provides numerous support to ensure the students can succeed in their pursuit of knowledge. At UBC, I also have the opportunity to work with a group of excellent researchers and gain tremendous mentorship from my advisor (…"

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Leilani Forby

"Before I decided to pursue a graduate degree, I worked in the film industry and was required to do a lot of international travel. The business trips to Canada were always my favorite --- I fell in love with the cities and the people. When I decided that I would…"

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Dana Johnson

"While applying to PhD programs, I sought to conduct research that incorporates multiple values into urban decision-making. I found a perfect fit with Dr. Kai Chan and his lab group (the CHANS lab) at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Resources,…"

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Daniel Lipshutz Forrest

"I saw that, while both of my advisors, Drs. Kai Chan and Matthew Mitchell, are trained ecologists, they have training beyond ecology, experience working in interdisciplinary teams, and a demonstrated commitment to innovative and impactful applied research. More…"

Rachel Ramsden

"I grew up locally in Richmond, BC and had the opportunity to attend UBC for my undergraduate degree and Masters degree. As an undergraduate student, I was a member of the UBC women’s varsity soccer team and I was grateful to experience a supportive community and…"

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Parboti Roy

"While researching for the graduate studies program in Canada, I found out UBC is one of the top universities that supports research innovation, and the Asian Studies program is one of the leading programs in the world. So, I changed my academic track from Women…"

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Younus Mushtaq Ahmed

"My primary reason for choosing UBC's Anthropology graduate studies program was my adviser, Vinay Kamat, whose research expertise and background in my research topic were phenomenal. He also responded positively to my initial inquiry and provided feedback on my…"

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Annie Lalande

"I initially came to UBC for my general surgery training, drawn to a program that values surgical excellence, and supports diverse types of research and transformation projects. When I decided to undertake graduate studies, the Institute for Resources, Environment…"

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Alysha Deslippe

"My initial decision to study at UBC started back in my undergraduate. I chose UBC largely for its access to numerous outdoor activities year-round. I am an avid runner, hiker, skier and beach volleyball player. Being in Vancouver means I can pursue these…"

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Aram Bajakian

"I had been discussing my research over the years with my current advisor, ethnomusicology professor Dr. Nathan Hesselink. His attentiveness and interest was of course, an important factor. In addition the Armenian community in greater Vancouver reflects the…"

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Ace Chan

"The West Coast has always been my home and I was not ready to part with it quite yet. The choice to pursue my doctoral studies at UBC was simple as UBC is a high-ranking university both in Canada and internationally. I wanted to earn a degree from an institution…"

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Erik Post

"The UBC Department of Geography has great faculty that pursue and support exciting, engaged, and critical research. I also cherish the opportunity to work under the supervision of Professor Le Billon, whose work has long been an influence on how I think about the…"

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Sammy Iammarino

"I chose UBC because of its reputation for high quality education and proximity to harm reduction environments that allow me to stay connected to my nursing practice. Studying at UBC has made it possible for me to be a PhD student, nursing leader in public health,…"

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Tetiana Povshedna

"UBC is uniquely positioned to offer incoming students not only world-class education opportunities but also, quite possibly, the best views in the world. This rare chance to experience high-quality academic and lifestyle environments made it easy to choose UBC."

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Olivia Dreisinger

"I grew up an hour outside of Vancouver and completed my undergraduate degree at UBC. It was a wonderful experience and I am thankful to return to this university and to remain close to my family. The English faculty is also one of the few departments to have…"

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Anna Santo

"I decided to study at UBC for several professional and personal reasons. The Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at UBC is a highly interdisciplinary environment with a commitment to applied and problem-oriented research, and it is important…"

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Tanzoom Ahmed

"UBC’s Asian Studies Department is one of the largest and most diverse Asian studies programs in the entire world. The diversity of languages, courses and topics offered at the department can provide one of the strongest academic foundations in Asian studies. I was…"

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Sydney Lines

"I had been to Vancouver once before and loved the weather (I'm allergic to the sun). I was impressed by the UBC Arts PhD Co-op Program. My department often ranks among the top 20 in the world. But the truth is I did not believe I’d get into UBC, and I only applied…"

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Keisha Maloney

"I chose to study at the University of British Columbia, in part, because of the university’s commitment to its wider community, most importantly, the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations who have been the caretakers of these lands for millennia. While…"

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Neha Suvindran

"I was drawn to the unique Engineers in Scrubs (EiS) Program offered at UBC. It is a one-of-a-kind program in which graduate students get to work alongside clinicians and stakeholders to solve real-world healthcare problems. Moreover, my supervisor Prof. Peyman…"

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Laura Brass

"I decided to study at UBC because of its locally and internationally top rankings in terms of its contribution to teaching, learning, and research. Significantly, the scholarships, fellowships, research opportunities, and wide range of courses available, along…"

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Jo Fitzgibbons

"It’s no secret that grad school can be a stressful experience and, although I loved my community in Toronto, I found myself increasingly agitated in the concrete jungle. Between personal challenges and the general emotional rollercoaster of grad school, I was…"

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Steven Bristow

"I had a few ideal criteria when trying to decide where to do my PhD and UBC met all of them. I wanted to try working with new types of crops/styles of production, work in a new climate, and I had hoped to be able to do a PhD outside the United States. The climate…"

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Fabiola Bazo

"I decided to study at UBC because it provides the exact combination of knowledge and expertise that I need for my dissertation research: from gender, to music, to Latin American studies. And I am lucky enough to live in this beautiful campus located on the…"

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Romina Tantalean-Castaneda

"I came to UBC as a master's student and am now a doctoral student because I consider the Social Justice Institute's (Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice) interdisciplinary doctoral program the most suitable environment for re-imagining and advancing my…"

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Lisa Ritland

"It was a clear choice for me to apply to UBC. The School of Population and Public Health and the Human Early Learning Partnership at UBC offer an ideal training environment for me to pursue population health research in collaboration with local communities that…"

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Cheyanne Connell

"My research project lends to UBC's core values of and commitment to Indigenous reconciliation. Indigenous folks in Canada and elsewhere are looking for more expansive representation and greater inclusion in school and public, and UBC feels like a place where this…"

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Winy Vasquez

"When I was in elementary school, my family relocated to Vancouver so that my dad could pursue his own doctoral degree and so I grew up in and around the UBC campus. Throughout my elementary and secondary education in Vancouver, I was able to see UBC grew and…"

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Khadija Anjum

"I chose UBC because of the wide diversity of Schools and Departments at the UBC was highly attractive for a student of community and regional planning like myself, since planning is essentially a multi-disciplinary field benefiting greatly from specialized…"

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Pardis Kazemian

"During my undergraduate courses at UBC, I often stumbled upon concepts that were discovered, or technologies that were developed by scientists and geneticists at UBC. During my last undergraduate year, I met my current supervisor in a Medical Genetics course and…"

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