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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
Kellett, Ronald School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture Environmental quality, urban form, development of tools for urban design, green neighbourhoods
Kim, Amy Department of Civil Engineering Land transportation systems engineering, n.e.c.; Traffic and highway engineering
Kirchen, Patrick Department of Mechanical Engineering Thermochemical Energy Conversion, Combustion, Internal Combustion Engines, Ion Transport Membranes, Emissions, Fuel Injection
Klein, Bern Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering Mineral processing and beneficiation; Mineral Processing; rheology of mineral suspensions; comminution; sensor based sorting
Kravchenko, Sergii Department of Materials Engineering Composite and hybrid materials; Polymers and plastics engineering; Aerospace materials; Aerospace structures; Polymers and polymer composites; Multi-functional composites; High-throughput manufacturing process modelling of composites; Multi-scale, multi-physics, probabilistic computational modelling of composites; Manufacturing-informed performance simulation of composites; Machine learning methods in composites manufacturing and performance analysis; Composite structures for renewable energy & unmanned vehicles; additive manufacturing
Lampe, Lutz Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Wireless communication systems; Fibre-optic communications technologies; Coding and information theory applied to communications and networks technologies; Learning and adaptive systems; Radar and sonar signal processing; wireless communications, optical fiber communications, signal processing, machine learning
Lau, Anthony K Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Environmental engineering, waste-to-resource recycling, composting, odor control, biohydrogen energy
Lauck, Sandra School of Nursing Geriatrics and gerontology; Nursing; Care; health service delivery to support the implementation of innovative approaches to cardiac disease; minimally invasive treatment of valvular heart disease
Laval, Bernard Department of Civil Engineering Civil engineering; Oceanography
Lawrence, Gregory Department of Civil Engineering Environmental fluid mechanics, hydraulics, hydrodynamic stability and mixing, physical limnology, water quality management
Lee, Jongho Department of Civil Engineering Membranes, Water/Wastewater Treatment, Desalination, Resource Harvesting, Nanoporous Media, Electrokinetics
Lees, Eric Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Chemical engineering; Electrochemical engineering; Electrochemical synthesis; Continuum modelling; Reactor design; Transport phenomena; Electrochemical separations; CO2 capture and conversion; Continuum and techno-economic/life cycle assessment modelling; Electrochemical reactions and separations; Atmospheric water harvesting
Lemieux, Guy Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering vector processors, parallel programming, programmable logic devices (PLDs, FPGAs), computer architecture, computer arithmetic, custom computing hardware, computer engineering, Programmable logic and computing systems, multiprocessor and computer architecture
Lence, Barbara Jean Department of Civil Engineering Hydrotechnical, Optimizing design and operational strategies of water resources projects, reliable withdrawal-treatment strategies for contaminated groundwater supply systems, asset management strategies for mid-sized water utilities with limited break data, water distribution system operational procedures to meet hydraulic and water quality objectives
Leung, Cyril Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Wireless communication systems; digital communication networks; Wireless communications; network security; ageless aging technologies
Li, Loretta Department of Civil Engineering Contaminated site investigation and management, environmental monitoring, risk and impact assessment, soil-contaminant interactions, mobility and migration of contaminants, remediation technology, mine tailings waste disposal and treatment processes
Li, Xiaoxiao Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Machine Learning; Deep Learning; Explainable AI; Trustworthy AI; Privacy and Security; Medical image analysis; Bioinformatics
Liao, Renjie Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Statistical Learning Theory, Computer Vision, Machine Learning for Programming Languages, Natural Language Processing, Self-Driving
Liao-McPherson, Dominic Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering; Predictive and Constrained Control; Multi-agent Systems; algorithmic game theory; Real-time, Embedded, and Distributed Optimization; Energy Systems, Manufacturing, and Robotics
Lim, Theodore School of Community and Regional Planning Environmental and Climate Justice; Urban Analytics; Sustainability Planning
Lis, Mieszko Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Computer and Software Systems
Liu, Xun School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture computational design with a focus on generative AI; representation and digital media; data-driven methods; Environmental Sensing
Liu, Wenying Department of Materials Engineering Hydrometallurgy; Extractive metallurgy; mine waste management
Lokman, Kees School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture design studios in the landscape architecture
Low, Margaret School of Community and Regional Planning Urban and regional planning; Indigenous community planning; Indigenous sovereignty; Reconciliation

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

David Black

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)

Novel approaches to teleoperation and human computer interaction in medical robotics

Kerry Marshall

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Social Justice in Nursing Education

Catherine Liao

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Burn injury in underserved communities in BC. A Mixed-Methods study

Ismália De Sousa

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Towards equitable stroke care: learning from young women's experiences

Justin Wyss

Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD)

Soft Sensing Technology Designed for Pressure Ulcer Prevention

Elizabeth Castle

Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD)

Controlling endothelial cell dynamics to direct blood cell emergence

Manpreet Thandi

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Using primary care electronic medical record data in British Columbia, Canada to implement an electronic frailty index

Pan Deng

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)

Neutrophil inflammatory responses: neutrophil reverse migration and NETosis
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 Applied Science.

 

Wing extension-flexion coupled aeroelastic effects improve avian gliding performance
Publication: Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
UBC Author(s): Rajeev Jaiman (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Volume: 22
Page Range: 20240753
Publication Date: 1 May 2025

View Publication
Impact of parameter selection on seismic loss and recovery time estimates: A variance-based sensitivity analysis
Publication: Earthquake Spectra
UBC Author(s): Carlos Molina Hutt (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 87552930
Volume: 41
Page Range: 1713-1737
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
SegFormer3D: Improving the Robustness of Deep Learning Model-Based Image Segmentation in Ultrasound Volumes of the Pediatric Hip
Publication: Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
UBC Author(s): Antony Hodgson (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 03015629
Volume: 51
Page Range: 751-758
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
High strength kami-ito yarns from microbial cellulose biofilms
Publication: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 01418130
Volume: 307
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
KATO: Neural-Reparameterized Topology Optimization Using Convolutional Kolmogorov-Arnold Network for Stress Minimization
Publication: International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering
UBC Author(s): Jasmin Jelovica (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 00295981
Volume: 126
Publication Date: 30 April 2025

View Publication
Recent Advances in Plant-Based Edible Emulsion Gels for 3D-Printed Foods
Publication: Annual Review of Food Science and Technology
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 19411413
Volume: 16
Page Range: 63-79
Publication Date: 28 April 2025

View Publication
How Students’ Self-Regulated Learning Abilities Influence Intents and Engagement Goals in Chatbot-Assisted Writing
Publication: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
UBC Author(s): S Sidney Fels (Electrical & Computer Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Publication Date: 26 April 2025

View Publication
HaloTouch: Using IR Multi-Path Interference to Support Touch Interactions with General Surfaces
Publication: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
UBC Author(s): S Sidney Fels (Electrical & Computer Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Publication Date: 26 April 2025

View Publication
Augmented Educators and AI: Shaping the Future of Human-AI Collaboration in Learning
Publication: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
UBC Author(s): S Sidney Fels (Electrical & Computer Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Publication Date: 26 April 2025

View Publication
Curves Ahead: Enhancing the Steering Law for Complex Curved Trajectories
Publication: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
UBC Author(s): S Sidney Fels (Electrical & Computer Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Publication Date: 26 April 2025

View Publication
Residual stress prediction in machining of parts fabricated by directed energy deposition
Publication: Additive Manufacturing
UBC Author(s): Adam Clare (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Volume: 104
Publication Date: 25 April 2025

View Publication
Behavioural biomechanics: Leaf-cutter ant cutting behaviour depends on leaf edge geometry
Publication: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
UBC Author(s): Mattia Bacca (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09628452
Volume: 292
Publication Date: 23 April 2025

View Publication
Nanochitin-Fortified Polyphenol Complexes for Dry and Wet Adhesion
Publication: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 19448244
Volume: 17
Page Range: 23123-23134
Publication Date: 16 April 2025

View Publication
Efficacy of Laundry Practices in Eliminating Mpox Virus From Fabrics
Publication: Journal of Infectious Diseases
UBC Author(s): Sara Beck (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 00221899
Volume: 231
Page Range: e607-e614
Publication Date: 15 April 2025

View Publication
Influence of carbon and sulfur on austenite grain boundary mobility
Publication: Acta Materialia
UBC Author(s): Matthias Militzer (Materials Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 13596454
Volume: 288
Publication Date: 15 April 2025

View Publication
Next-generation green intelligent self-sensing geopolymer composites for enhancing construction security and sustainability: A review
Publication: Composites Part B: Engineering
UBC Author(s): Nemkumar Banthia (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 13598368
Volume: 295
Publication Date: 15 April 2025

View Publication
Magnetoresponsive Cellulose Nanofiber Hydrogels: Dynamic Structuring, Selective Light Transmission, and Information Encoding
Publication: ACS Nano
UBC Author(s): Orlando Rojas Gaona (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 19360851
Volume: 19
Page Range: 14063-14072
Publication Date: 15 April 2025

View Publication
Hierarchical model predictive control for energy consumption regulation of industrial-scale circulation counter-flow paddy drying process
Publication: Energy
UBC Author(s): Yankai Cao (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 03605442
Volume: 321
Publication Date: 15 April 2025

View Publication
The influence of pore structure and fiber orientation on anisotropic mechanical property of 3D printed ultra-high-performance concrete
Publication: Construction and Building Materials
UBC Author(s): Nemkumar Banthia (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 09500618
Volume: 471
Publication Date: 11 April 2025

View Publication
Neonatal Sucrose and Internalizing Behaviors at 18 Months in Children Born Very Preterm
Publication: JAMA Network Open
UBC Author(s): Manon Ranger (School of Nursing / Faculty of Applied Science)
Volume: 8
Publication Date: 10 April 2025

View Publication
Training of construction robots using imitation learning and environmental rewards
Publication: Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
UBC Author(s): Tsung-Yuan Yang (Civil Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 10939687
Volume: 40
Page Range: 1150-1165
Publication Date: 4 April 2025

View Publication
Transient flow-induced deformation of cancer cells in microchannels: a general computational model and experiments
Publication: Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
UBC Author(s): James Jingtao Feng (Chemical & Biological Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 16177959
Volume: 24
Page Range: 489-506
Publication Date: April 2025

View Publication
Polymorphism and Mechanical Behavior in Hot-Pressed 3D-Printed Polyamide Composite: Effects of Pressure and Temperature
Publication: Polymers
UBC Author(s): Sergii Kravchenko (Materials Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
Volume: 17
Publication Date: April 2025

View Publication
Aseptic loosening is associated with medial tilting and anterior translational migration of the tibial implant in mechanically aligned total knee arthroplasty
Publication: Clinical Biomechanics
UBC Author(s): Antony Hodgson (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 02680033
Volume: 124
Publication Date: April 2025

View Publication
Cutting mechanics of soft compressible solids – Force-radius scaling versus bulk modulus
Publication: Mechanics of Materials
UBC Author(s): Mattia Bacca (Mechanical Engineering / Faculty of Applied Science)
ISSN: 01676636
Volume: 203
Publication Date: April 2025

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
2025 Dr. Ndateba studied how team-based primary care impacts patient outcomes. He found team-based care and how team functions matter in improving health outcomes—mental health, general health, and disease management, especially in people with multimorbidity and those with social vulnerabilities. Facilitating team-based care would support health equity. Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
2025 Dr. Ross designed a novel solution for real time collections provenance tracking in gallery, library, archive, and museum institutions using distributed ledger technologies, hardware controllers, and monitoring sensors. Positioned at the intersection of engineering and humanities, this design is currently being implemented in an industry setting. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2025 Dr. Bayasi developed artificial intelligence techniques that enable autonomous medical image analysis systems to continuously learn and improve over time. Her work enhanced the accuracy, robustness and fairness of disease detection from imaging data helping doctors make accurate diagnoses for diverse patient populations and scanning systems. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2025 Dr. Shirvani investigated the use of two-dimensional nano-catalysts for chemical reactions relevant to clean energy. Her work demonstrated that these materials improved catalyst performance in hydrogen storage and transportation and greenhouse gas mitigation technologies — offering efficient solutions for clean energy and environmental protection. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2025 Dr. Taposhe’s work focused on advancing silicon purification techniques for solar cell applications, emphasizing sustainability and energy efficiency. She explored a combined slag and solvent refining method to effectively remove impurities from silicon. Her work led to the proposal of metallurgical refining steps ideal for industrial-scale implementation. Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
2025 Dr. Xiao developed advanced robotics, AI and adaptive control technologies for automated construction. He also established platforms for real-time robotic construction progress monitoring. His study has shaped the next generation of smart construction in Canada and around the world, paving the way for future advancements in AI robotic construction. Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Fazlali's research in material deformation behavior sheds light on adiabatic shear banding and predicts temperature and force during machining of high-performance metals. His work has practical implications for aerospace, biomedical, and automotive industries, improving machining productivity and the part's quality. Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Niu studied the fundamental mechanisms of self-assembly of betulin, a birch bark extract, along with its interfacial behavior and the structure-property correlations that are expected to enable new material designs suitable for various applications and signify a contribution to advanced green platforms for the bark-based circular bioeconomy. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Imani investigated the behavior of WE43 magnesium alloy in simulated body conditions to predict its longevity as a dissolvable medical implant. His research revealed the critical role of glucose and albumin in corrosion and stress cracking, highlighting the need for additional protection in various body conditions, and enhancing the safety and effectiveness of Mg implants. Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Sharma’s research focused on bio-electrochemical fuel cells and their application in remediating hazardous acid rock waste. He explored scaling up this technology to recover critical metals from the waste, contributing to the idea of a circular economy. His work is significant in accelerating deployment of this technology in mining operations. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)

Pages

Interesting Links

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

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