Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Graduate School

Why did other students choose UBC?

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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…"

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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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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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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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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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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Khair Mufti

"UBC is one of the top universities for research and teaching in Canada and around world. As I wanted to unite my background in pharmacology with my research passion and experience in Genetics to pursue my doctoral research in Pharmacogenomics, I found that UBC…"

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Megan Thomas

"UBC is one of Canada’s leading research universities, consistently ranking in the top 40 universities in the world. In addition to it's stellar reputation, it also has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. The ocean and mountain views are unmatched!"

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Ritwik Bhattacharjee

"As I was interested in studying settler colonialism, I wanted to study in Canada. I decided to study at UBC due to three reasons: 1. the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program; 2. to be able to work with my supervisor, Glen Coulthard; and 3. to live in…"

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Leah Rettenbacher

"I decided to study at UBC because I wanted to combine my interests in the outdoors and forests with my interest in biology which led me to UBC Forestry's Forest Sciences program for my undergraduate and now graduate degrees."

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Nick Middeldorp

"UBC has become the perfect place for me to develop professionally. My background is in Anthropology and Development Studies, but UBC’s Geography program, which has a very interdisciplinary focus, has offered me entirely novel perspectives on the issues that I…"

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Debbie Pierce

"UBC is well known internationally for its Faculty of Forestry, and I was lucky enough to find a great fit in my adviser, Terry Sunderland. To me, it was also important to have a collaborative research environment, both professionally and personally, and I was able…"

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Chantelle Cocquyt

"I decided to study at UBC following a visit to the campus where I was stunned by the kindness of the administrators and staff as well as the beauty of the campus itself. The environment at UBC is one of welcome and ambition and I was confident that it was the…"

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Manpreet Thandi

"I have always lived in Vancouver but had never seen or explored the campus of UBC prior to beginning my graduate education. I was blown away with not only the physical beauty of the campus, but also the tremendous support of the faculty at the School of Nursing.…"

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Oliver Jacobs

"I chose to study at UBC because of an immensely supportive supervisor and lab where I could use virtual reality and eye-tracking to pursue my research goals. Furthermore, UBC, and the Department of Psychology, in particular, are internationally recognized as world…"

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Natasha Klasios

"UBC is one of the top-rated research universities in the world. This really interested me, because I knew it would open up many doors during my degree and upon my graduation. After connecting with my supervisor, I knew UBC and her lab would not only be a great…"

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Mauricio Carvallo Aceves

"My decision to apply to UBC was a combination of several factors. I found the school’s reputation, both academically and in its engagement with sustainability issues to be very interesting. I also wanted to be exposed to a new context and environment that…"

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Gunwant Matharu

"Location, location, location, right? UBC is one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever had the honour of seeing. My love for the mountains and the ocean is overwhelming, and every time I step outside into the fresh air, I am feel happier and happier with the…"

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Thea Brain

"The University of British Columbia was a clear choice for me when I decided to continue my education. I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. completing my B.A. in Applied Behaviour Analysis at Capilano University and my M.A. in Special Education - Autism and…"

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Kennedy Borle

"I completed my MSc at UBC and found a sense of home in the lively genetic counselling research hub that exists here, and the wonderful city of Vancouver. Choosing to attend UBC for my doctoral training was an easy decision, the high caliber of courses and…"

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Ashley Battaglini

"I decided to study at UBC for its emphasis on research and its rigorous approach to conducting research studies. Also, I decided to attend UBC to work with my supervisor, Dr. Joelle LeMoult, because of her exceptional research background and invaluable training…"

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Natasha Damiano

"I am perhaps one of the few UBCer’s who is from Vancouver, and who also completed all of my degrees at this institution. As an undergraduate this was not a choice. My family couldn’t afford sending me away to school so I didn’t really consider it. I was taking…"

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Sydney Moore

"I chose to pursue my PhD at UBC, as it is an internationally accredited university with a high standard for research. Over the years, I have seen the quality and quantity of research that has come out of the UBC Dairy Facility. Upon visiting and touring UBC and…"

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Neha Sharma-Mascarenhas

"There are several reasons for this: Firstly, UBC is among the leading universities in the field of environment and sustainability research. Secondly, my program at UBC offers exactly what I was looking for in a PhD program and provides opportunities for folks…"

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Darryl Gray

"The decision to study at UBC was always my first choice in academic institutions. This is my own personal opinion, I wanted the opportunity to study and learn research from some of the best minds in the research field. At first, I was not entirely sure on my…"

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Sofie McComb

"The UBC Faculty of Forestry is a leading forestry science and research institute that is incredibly interdisciplinary in nature, which I believe is essential for tackling environmental dilemmas. Additionally, Vancouver and the adjacent Salish Sea area are home to…"

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Jessica Koski

"During the time I was connecting the dots of my purpose and slowing down to listen to inner wisdom and signs, one by one things aligned and pointed to the University of British Colombia. ‘Sparkly breadcrumbs’ as one mentor calls it. Now that I’m here, I know it’s…"

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Ewan Wright

"UBC is a world renowned organisation in a fantastic city. Being able to meet students and teachers from Canada and around the world is a great benefit to my research, career and life. Furthermore, my supervisors at UBC are experts in their field and brilliant…"

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Brandon Hillier

"Primarily the type and level of scholarship. I admired the work historically and currently produced by the Department of Geography. I had also heard much about the training provided and was eager to refine my research interests here. "

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Saattvic Saattvic

"UBC ticked a lot of my boxes. The university itself, and my program, are both very highly ranked internationally. The faculty includes several established and young researchers with interests closely connected to mine. The financial support (even absent the SSHRC…"

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Sahar Ghadirianniari

"I personally think when one wants to pursue a PhD degree, it is more important to decide which professor to work with than at which university to study. I was lucky that the faculty I was eager to work with (Prof. Scott McDougall and Prof. Erik Eberhardt) were at…"

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Carrie Peters

"My supervisor, Dr. Nicola Hodges, was the main reason I wanted to study at UBC. I was interested in her research on how the motor system is engaged during action observation and prediction. Also, being a bigger university, I was excited about the many…"

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Kate Peterson

"I chose to study at UBC because the forestry program is one of the top programs in this industry. The experts and scholars in the forestry field present at UBC were a huge draw for me. Additionally, I had visited Vancouver in the past and fell in love with the…"

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Kim McCullough

"I was fortunate to study at UBC for my Master's degree and instantly fell in love with the program, the people, the university environment, and Vancouver itself. When it came to applying to PhD programs, UBC was at the top of my list, no questions asked."

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Justin Turner

"UBC is a world-renowned leader in research and education, however, I was most drawn to study here because of its position as a centre of excellence within BC. I also previously completed a Master of Occupational Therapy at UBC (2015-2017) and greatly enjoyed my…"

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Sarah Panofsky

"My PhD will be my fourth UBC degree and I am confident that the university will provide me with the comprehensiveness, relevance, and rigour that I seek in my studies. Connection to place is also important. Studying at UBC allows me to maintain relationships with…"

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Lindsey Paskulin

"I was primarily led to UBC through the positive reputation of the Anthropology Department and my interest in working with Dr. Camilla Speller. Given Dr. Speller’s expertise as a biomolecular archaeologist working to incorporate more biomolecular methods in…"

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Gabriel Currier

"I quite like the kind of math that people do here, and enjoy working with my supervisors. The campus is also a beautiful place and the graduate student community is pretty laid back and friendly."

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Matthew Billet

"I was enamoured with the work on the cultural evolution of religion that was being conducted by a large group of UBC researchers. It was clear that UBC was interested in big questions and had the capability to bring together interdisciplinary teams of talented…"

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