The applied sciences – architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, nursing, and planning – change society's conception of what is possible as a matter of course. Applied scientists make dreams real, turn ideas into practice. We embody the interface between present and future.

The Faculty of Applied Science comprises a unique constellation of professional disciplines including; Architecture & Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Nursing and Community & Regional Planning. The core purpose shared across all of our four disciplines is to discover, create and apply knowledge, provide unwavering top-tier education and champion a community of responsible professionals devoted to serving a thriving, sustainable and healthy society. Our work and the professions which our graduates represent span the entire human-centred built environment. 

The disciplines within the Faculty of Applied Science are celebrated for the scope, strength and impact of their research activities. Our Faculty claims the spotlight in the global arena for our research in clean energy, communication and digital technologies, health and health technology among many others. We offer disciplinary-specific research based graduate programs as well as a range of professional graduate programs and pride ourselves on our ability to open doors of opportunity to students beyond their time within our Faculty.

Mission
We shape the people and the professions that shape the world.
 

Research Centres

Schools / Departments

School

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
Aamodt, Tor Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering computer architecture, optimizing compilers, Computer architecture, Microarchitecture and programming models for energy efficient computer accelerators
Abdin, Yasmine Department of Materials Engineering
Abdulai, Fatawu School of Nursing Nursing, n.e.c.; Health informatics; human-computer interaction; Health technology design; Informatics/Digital health; Sexual health equity
Abolmaesumi, Purang Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; Artificial Intelligence; Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Technologies; Cancer Imaging; Computer Assisted Interventions; Image Guided Surgery; Machine Learning; Medical Imaging; Surgical Robotics; Ultrasound Imaging
Adebar, Perry Erwin Department of Civil Engineering Concrete structures, seismic design, high-rise buildings, shear design, evaluation and repair of structures
Altintas, Yusuf Department of Mechanical Engineering Virtual Machining, Computer Control of Manufacturing Systems, CAD/CAM, CNC Design, High Speed Feed Drive Control, Real Time Interpolation and Trajectory Generation for Machine Tools, Adaptive Control, Sensor Fused Intelligent Machining, Metal Cutting Mechanics, Chatter Vibrations in Machining, Piezo -Actuator Based Precision Machining, High Speed Milling, Optimal Machining of Aerospace Parts, Dies and Molds, Automation, Precision Engineering, Electro Mechanical Systems, Modeling and Analysis of Machining Processes, Mechanics, dynamics and control of micro-machining operations
Angeles, Leonora School of Community and Regional Planning, Institute for Gender, Race, Sex and Social Justice Gender analysis, gender mainstreaming and other gender planning related tools, including feminist critiques and perspectives on the intergration of gender and other social axes of difference and diversity in community planning and international development work
Asselin, Edouard Department of Materials Engineering Hydrometallurgy (including leaching, electrometallurgy and residue characterization), Electrochemistry (including high temperature electrochemistry and sensors)
Bacca, Mattia Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; Solid Mechanics; Biophysics; Soft materials; Fracture Mechanics and Adhesion
Baldwin, Susan Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Bioprocess engineering, bioremediation, biomedical reaction modelling
Banthia, Nemkumar Department of Civil Engineering Materials engineering, concrete, advanced composite materials, shotcrete, fibre reinforcement, rebound mechanics, kinamatic studies, optimization, supplementary cementing materials in concrete
Bass, John School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture Constested landscapes Globalization and Contested Territory, Infrastructure, Social Equity, Visualization and Community Engagement
Baumbusch, Jennifer School of Nursing long-term residential care, family caregiving, Intellectual Disability, nursing care of older adults
Bayraktar, Alemdar
Beck, Sara Department of Civil Engineering Natural environment sciences; Water quality; Innovative water treatment solutions; Ultraviolet disinfection mechanisms; Applications of UV LEDs (light emitting diodes); Water disinfection; Water reuse; Applied environmental microbiology
Berube, Pierre Department of Civil Engineering Water treatment, trace organic contaminants, membrane and advanced oxidation technologies., Drinking water treatment, filtration/membrane processes for water and wastewater treatment, distribution system water quality, advanced oxidation, wastewater reuse
Beznosov, Konstantin Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; computer security and privacy; mobile security and privacy; online social networks security and privacy; usable security and privacy
Bhargava, Vijay Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Green communications, cognitive and cooperative wireless systems, MIMO-OFDM systems, cross-layer analysis
Bi, Xiaotao Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Chemical engineering; Biomass and Bioenergy; Electrostatics of Powders; Fluidization; Fuel Cells Water Management; Green Engineering; Industrial Symbiosis; Life Cycle Analysis; Multiphase Chemical Reactors; Particle technology
Bigazzi, Alex Department of Civil Engineering Civil engineering; Transport planning; active transportation; Pedestrians; bicycles; motor vehicle emissions; Transportation Systems; travel behaviour; Climate impacts
Bonakdarpour, Arman ,
Boschma, Geertje School of Nursing History of nursing and health care, with special emphasis on mental health and mental health nursing
Britton, Ben Department of Materials Engineering Materials engineering; Materials characterisation & microstructure; Metallurgy; Electron diffraction & microscopy; Deformation; Microstructure/property models; Manufacturing
Brown, Helen Jean School of Nursing Maternal-infant and women
Browne, Annette School of Nursing Health inequalities, indigenous peoples, women's health, cultural safety, primary health care interventions to improve health outcomes, marginalized populations, health policy

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Open Research Positions

This list of possible research projects is non-exhaustive. It only shows positions that are specifically advertised in the G+PS website.

Graduate Student Stories

Keisha Maloney

Doctor of Philosophy in Planning (PhD)

Navigating transitions: Remaking the planning engagement table with/by/for Indigenous peoples in Toronto (Tkaronto)
Headshot of Zitao Chen

Zitao Chen

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)

Making machine learning reliable, secure and private

Neha Suvindran

Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD)

MELMET: A stable and sustainable Neural Interface (NI) to help neuroscientists understand the workings of the human brain and develop potential cures in chronic brain disease studies

Sammy Iammarino

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Complex health systems and power: responding to the toxic drug poisoning crisis through harm reduction and overdose prevention and response in nursing practice.

Eunice Bawafaa

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Women’s experiences and perception of access to reproductive healthcare in rural Ghana

Cecilia Wang

Master of Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering (MSc)

Environmental and economic assessment of CO2 enrichment process
Esther Roorda's image

Esther Roorda

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)

Machine learning acceleration on FPGAs
Sabina Staempfli's image

Sabina Staempfli

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Long-term care reform in action: using realist approaches to identify successful models of care delivery in Canada
All Student Stories

Alumni on Success

Arman Hejazi

Master of Applied Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering (MASc) [2021]

Job Title
Electrochemical Engineer

Employer
Agora Energy Technologies Ltd.

Duncan Chambers

Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) [2021]

Job Title
Urban Farmer and Co-Operator

Employer
City Beet Farm

Michel AlSharidah

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) [2013]

Job Title
Assistant Professor

Employer
Public Authority for Applied Education and Training

Michael Wrinch

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) [2008]

Job Title
President

Employer
Hedgehog Technologies Inc.

Mehrdad Fatourechi

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) [2008]

Job Title
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Employer
BroadbandTV Corp

Samer Al-Kiswany

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) [2013]

Job Title
Assistant Professor

Employer
University of Waterloo

Jasna Jankovic

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) [2011]

Job Title
Assistant Professor

Employer
University of Connecticut

Jorge Octavio Virues Delgadillo

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) [2008]

Job Title
Full Time Professor

Employer
Facultad Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana
All Alumni 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 Applied Science.

 

Photocatalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air using ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs)
Publication: Chemical Engineering Science
UBC Author(s): Fariborz Taghipour (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 00092509
Volume: 272
Publication Date: 15 May 2023

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Influence of formic acid esterified cellulose nanofibrils on compressive strength, resilience and thermal stability of polyvinyl alcohol-xylan hydrogel
Publication: Carbohydrate Polymers
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 01448617
Volume: 308
Publication Date: 15 May 2023

View Publication
Log Grading and Knot Identification by Oblique X-Ray Scanning
Publication: Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, Diagnostics and Prognostics of Engineering Systems
UBC Author(s): Gary Schajer (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 25723901
Volume: 6
Publication Date: 1 May 2023

View Publication
Numerical and experimental investigations on the seismic response of continuous girder bridge using winding rope fluid viscous dampers
Publication: Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
UBC Author(s): Tsung-Yuan Yang (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 02677261
Volume: 168
Publication Date: May 2023

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Ensemble diverse hypotheses and knowledge distillation for unsupervised cross-subject adaptation
Publication: Information Fusion
UBC Author(s): Clarence Wilfred de Silva (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 15662535
Volume: 93
Page Range: 268-281
Publication Date: May 2023

View Publication
Clarifying and quantifying the driving force for the evolution of static yield stress of cement pastes
Publication: Cement and Concrete Research
UBC Author(s): Nemkumar Banthia (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 00088846
Volume: 167
Publication Date: May 2023

View Publication
Sustainable Infrastructure Is a Two-Way Street: Balancing Environmental and Condition Performance Goals
Publication: Journal of Management in Engineering
UBC Author(s): Omar Swei (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 0742597X
Volume: 39
Publication Date: 1 May 2023

View Publication
A multiscale and multiphysics framework to simulate radiation damage in nano-crystalline materials
Publication: Journal of Nuclear Materials
UBC Author(s): Mauricio Ponga de la Torre (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 00223115
Volume: 578
Publication Date: May 2023

View Publication
Facile manipulation of mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V through composition tailoring in laser powder bed fusion
Publication: Journal of Alloys and Compounds
UBC Author(s): Adam Clare (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09258388
Volume: 941
Publication Date: 25 April 2023

View Publication
The effect of Mn containing dispersoids on the distribution of slip and fracture mode in Al-Mg-Si-Mn alloys
Publication: Scripta Materialia
UBC Author(s): Warren Poole (Materials Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 13596462
Volume: 228
Publication Date: 15 April 2023

View Publication
Cellulose-based superhydrophobic wrinkled paper and electrospinning film as green tribolayer for water wave energy harvesting
Publication: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 01418130
Volume: 234
Publication Date: 15 April 2023

View Publication
Characterization of the dissipative large deformation bending response of dry fabric composites as occurs during forming
Publication: Composite Structures
UBC Author(s): Reza Vaziri (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 02638223
Volume: 310
Publication Date: 15 April 2023

View Publication
Vision-based real-time structural vibration measurement through deep-learning-based detection and tracking methods
Publication: Engineering Structures
UBC Author(s): Tsung-Yuan Yang (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 01410296
Volume: 281
Publication Date: 15 April 2023

View Publication
Effect of nano-SiO<inf>2</inf> on fiber–matrix bond in ultra-high-performance concrete as partial substitution of silica flour
Publication: Cement and Concrete Composites
UBC Author(s): Nemkumar Banthia (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09589465
Volume: 138
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Data for assessing red blood cell deformability from microscopy images using deep learning
Publication: Data in Brief
UBC Author(s): Hongshen Ma (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Volume: 47
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Micro-gap thermo-photo-thermionics: An alternative approach to harvesting thermo-photons and its comparison with thermophotovoltaics
Publication: Applied Thermal Engineering
UBC Author(s): Alireza Nojeh (Electrical & Computer Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 13594311
Volume: 224
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Selective sensing performance of UV-activated ZnO nanowires decorated with Ir and Rh nanoparticles
Publication: Materials Science and Engineering B: Solid-State Materials for Advanced Technology
UBC Author(s): Fariborz Taghipour (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09215107
Volume: 290
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Variational Direct Modeling: A Framework Towards Integration of Parametric Modeling and Direct Modeling in CAD
Publication: CAD Computer Aided Design
UBC Author(s): Hsi-Yung Feng (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 00104485
Volume: 157
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
False alarm reduction in drilling process monitoring using virtual sample generation and qualitative trend analysis
Publication: Control Engineering Practice
UBC Author(s): Bhushan Gopaluni (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09670661
Volume: 133
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Constitutive model characterization and discovery using physics-informed deep learning
Publication: Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence
UBC Author(s): Reza Vaziri (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09521976
Volume: 120
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Dementia Without Borders: Building community connections to reduce stigma and foster inclusion
Publication: Dementia
UBC Author(s): Alison Phinney (School of Nursing / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 14713012
Volume: 22
Page Range: 550-560
Publication Date: April 2023

View Publication
Accelerated CO<inf>2</inf> mineralization and utilization for selective battery metals recovery from olivine and laterites
Publication: Journal of Cleaner Production
UBC Author(s): David Dreisinger (Materials Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09596526
Volume: 393
Publication Date: 20 March 2023

View Publication
Development of Ca-rich slag-based ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete (UHP-FRGC): Effect of sand-to-binder ratio
Publication: Construction and Building Materials
UBC Author(s): Nemkumar Banthia (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09500618
Volume: 370
Publication Date: 17 March 2023

View Publication
Direct CO<inf>2</inf> Capture by Alkali-Dissolved Cellulose and Sequestration in Building Materials and Artificial Reef Structures
Publication: Advanced Materials
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09359648
Volume: 35
Publication Date: 16 March 2023

View Publication
Seismic design and performance evaluation of novel dual-pinned self-centering coupled CLT shear walls
Publication: Engineering Structures
UBC Author(s): Tsung-Yuan Yang (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 01410296
Volume: 279
Publication Date: 15 March 2023

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
2022 Dr. Yu investigated the mechanism of hydrothermal pretreatment. She subsequently applied her methods to treat different agricultural residues to produce durable pellets. These practical studies potentially help industries to curtail the dependence on fossil fuels. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Nie developed an efficient direct voxel tracing method which computes the workpiece geometry and cutter-workpiece engagement in multi-axis machining simulation. This method achieves high efficiency in calculating geometric information while being accurate and robust enough for physical modeling. Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Wang developed a series of methods and frameworks for addressing possible problems in clinical diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer so that artificial intelligence can be better applied. The proposed methods will potentially save lives that suffer from skin diseases and reduce healthcare costs. Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Rahman developed computational frameworks to simulate the operation of thermionic energy converters.This research enables a realistic understanding of thermionic converters' operation and helps design the practical converters. His research would advance the development of portable electricity generator for off grid areas and space application. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Arshad quantified the effect of user mobility on the data rate in a variety of future wireless networks. He proposed several mobility management algorithms to manage user mobility and enable the provisioning of a seamless and high data rate connectivity to the mobile users. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2022 A CO2 electrolyzer uses carbon dioxide, water, and electricity to produce carbon-neutral chemicals and fuels. Dr. Wheeler developed an adaptable tool to measure and model the reaction conditions within these electrochemical cells. This work will help empower the more thoughtful design of CO2 electrolyzer cells moving forward. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Montazeri developed a novel chemical-free water disinfection system using new sources of UV radiation. His research included numerical modeling and optimization of water disinfection reactors which led to robust and energy-efficient water treatment systems which are specifically suitable for remote communities. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Straus' research aimed to understand living well through exploring the experiences of young people who required a ventilator long-term. Her work incorporated stories and photographs and challenges assumptions about what someone with a ventilator can do. Her work also identifies ways healthcare providers can reimagine living well in practice. Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
2022 Dr. Lees developed an electrochemical reactor that produces chemical building blocks for fuel and chemical production using carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This reactor traps carbon dioxide as bicarbonate before it is converted into the final product carbon monoxide. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Helisaz investigated the effects of cancer on the mechanical properties of prostate gland. Collaborating with Vancouver General Hospital, he studied the prostate's properties in the presence of cancer using advanced biomechanical models and statistical tools. Dr. Helisaz's novel findings can be used for prostate cancer diagnosis in the future. Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)

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Interesting Links

https://apsc.ubc.ca/about/faculty-directory
https://research.apsc.ubc.ca/
 

Connecting employers to the engineers of tomorrow

Connecting employers to the engineers of tomorrow monique.collins Fri, 03/24/2023 - 16:00 Employers Engineering Cam Younger and Francesco Ferri, two Mechanical Engineering students at UBC, completed their co-op terms at Study-Build, a design studio on...

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UBC Geering Up wins Actua Award for Excellence 

UBC Geering Up wins Actua Award for Excellence  t.lee Wed, 03/22/2023 - 09:15 Awards Engineering Geering Up is unlocking the infinite potential of youth and removing barriers to STEM. A version of this article originally appeared on...

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New UBC water treatment zaps ‘forever chemicals’ for good

New UBC water treatment zaps ‘forever chemicals’ for good briana.griffith Tue, 03/21/2023 - 16:56 Engineering Research Excellence UBC researchers devised a unique adsorbing material that is capable of capturing all the PFAS present in the water supply....

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Next-gen mass timber construction key to meeting Canada’s climate change, housing targets

Next-gen mass timber construction key to meeting Canada’s climate change, housing targets t.lee Mon, 03/13/2023 - 08:00 Civil engineering professor Dr. Tony Yang and his team are setting new standards for disaster-resilient, mass timber buildings in Canada...

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UBC Applied Science and Teck announce $4M for mine tailings research and education

UBC Applied Science and Teck announce $4M for mine tailings research and education UBC Applied Science and Teck Resources Limited today announced a $4 million investment into a new professorship focused on enhancing safety and sustainability in mine tailings management. Teck’s $2...

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Researchers test smart surfaces to improve wireless communication and localization

Researchers test smart surfaces to improve wireless communication and localization This article was originally published on UBC Okanagan News. It’s happened to anyone with a cell phone—dropped calls or dead air because suddenly there is no service available. Or worse, the location pin...

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