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. 

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
Abraham, Ninan Department of Zoology Mammals, pathogens, genetic analysis, proper cell funtion, development, maintenance and proper functioning of T- and B-cells
Achermann, Reto Department of Computer Science Computing systems; Computer systems engineering; Systems software; resilient and efficient systems; intersection of operating systems, applied formal methods and hardware models.
Adams, Keith Department of Botany Molecular evolution, genome evolution, and gene expression
Adem, Alejandro Department of Mathematics Cohomology of finite groups, orbifolds, stringy topology, algebra, sporadic simple group, group actions, arithmetic groups, K-theory, homotopy theory, spaces of homomorphisms
Alacaoglu, Ahmet Department of Mathematics Mathematical optimization; Machine learning; Mathematical operations research; Numerical optimization; Machine Learning; Stochastic algorithms; Min-max games; Monotone operator theory
Algar, Russ Department of Chemistry Luminescent Materials; Bio/Chemical Sensing; Materials synthesis and biofunctionalization; Understanding the nanoparticle interface; New energy transfer configurations for sensing and imaging; Point-of-care diagnostic devices; Intracellular sensing
Allen, Susan Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Atmospheric sciences; Oceanography; coastal oceanography; coupled bio-physics and chem-physics and all three models; forecast models; Oceans and Inland Waters; physical oceanography; Prediction and Climatic Modeling
Altshuler, Doug Department of Zoology Zoology; flight control; visual guidance; visual neuroscience; neuroethology; avian biomechanics; aerodynamics; wing morphing; motor control
Ameli, Ali Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Geology; Applied Hydro-geochemistry; Climate Changes and Impacts; Environmental Tracer; Ground Water and Water Tables; Groundwater Ecohydrology; Groundwater-Surfacewater & land Interaction; Hydro-geological Engineering; Hydrological Cycle and Reservoirs; Numerical analysis; Watershed Management
Andersen, Raymond Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Chemistry Chemicals produced by marine organisms
Angel, Omer Department of Mathematics Probability theory, percolation, random graphs, random walks, particle processes, scaling limits
Angert, Amy Department of Botany, Department of Zoology Plant biology; Zoology; Biodiversity and Biocomplexity; biogeography; biological responses to climate change; Conservation Biology; Ecological and Ecophysiological Processes; evolutionary ecology; population biology
Aronson, Meigan Department of Physics & Astronomy heavy-ferromagnetic compounds; charge density waves; magnetic nanoparticles
Auger-Methe, Marie Department of Statistics, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Fisheries sciences; Statistics; Zoology; Animal movement; Polar ecology; Statistical Ecology
Auld, Vanessa Department of Zoology Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Zoology; Cell; Cell Biology; Development; Developmental Genetics; epithelia; Genetics; glia; in vivo imaging; Molecular Genetics; nervous system; Neurogenesis and Gliogenesis; permeability barriers
Austin, Philip Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences global climate; climate change; greenhouse effect; global warming; clouds; lightning; storms, Cloud physics, radiative properties of layer clouds, status cirrus formation, global climate, cloug aerosol feedbacks and climate
Aviles, Leticia Department of Zoology Community ecology (except invasive species ecology); Animal behaviour
Bachmann, Sven Department of Mathematics Mathematics and statistics; Mathematical Analysis; quantum phenomena; Mathematical physics; Quantum statistical physics; Topological states of matter
Balmforth, Neil Department of Mathematics Fluid mechanics, nonlinear dynamics and applied partial differential equations
Barker, Shaun Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences
Beckie, Roger Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Other environmental engineering and related engineering; Hydrogeology; Mine drainage; physical hydrogeology; groundwater geochemistry; groundwater contamination
Behrend, Kai Department of Mathematics Moduli spaces, Gromov-Witten invariants, string theory, Donaldson-Thomas invariants, Euler characteristics, categorification
Bennett, Michael Department of Mathematics Number Theory, Diophantine Approximation and Classical Analysis
Berciu, Mona Department of Physics & Astronomy Electronic and magnetic properties of condensed matter and supraconductivity; Physical sciences; condensed matter theory; polarons, bipolarons; strongly correlated systems
Berlinguette, Curtis Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Combinatorial Chemistry; CO2 conversion and utilization; clean energy; advanced solar cells; electrochromic windows; dynamic windows; hydrogen fuels production; catalysis; robotics and automation; machine learning / artificial intelligence

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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.

 

Publication: Biology of Sex Differences
UBC Author(s): Katie Marshall (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Data
UBC Author(s): Sean Michaletz (Botany / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Kaitlyn Gaynor (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Ziliang Ye (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Matthijs Smit (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Martin Hirst (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Curtis Berlinguette (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Matthijs Smit (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: BMC Infectious Diseases
UBC Author(s): Daniel Coombs (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Stem Cell Research and Therapy
UBC Author(s): James Piret (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Communications Biology
UBC Author(s): Wilfred Arthur Jefferies (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 7
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
UBC Author(s): Andrew Trites (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00220981
Volume: 581
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Robert E Hancock (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Microbial Cell Factories
UBC Author(s): Rachel Fernandez (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 23
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Marine Policy
UBC Author(s): Christopher Harley (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0308597X
Volume: 170
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Marine Policy
UBC Author(s): Villy Christensen (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0308597X
Volume: 170
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Andrea Damascelli (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Communications Medicine
UBC Author(s): Raymond Tak-yan Ng (Computer Science / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Artificial Intelligence in Geosciences
UBC Author(s): Eldad Haber (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 5
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts
UBC Author(s): Harry Brumer (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 17
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Communications Materials
UBC Author(s): Meigan Aronson (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 5
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Reviews Methods Primers
UBC Author(s): Geoffrey Schiebinger (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Talanta
UBC Author(s): David Chen (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00399140
Volume: 280
Publication Date: 1 December 2024

View Publication
Publication: Movement Ecology
UBC Author(s): Kaitlyn Gaynor (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication

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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. Zhang studied waxes sealing plant surfaces. She found whitish appearance of leaves to wax nanocrystals formed by characteristic wax compounds, and her analysis revealed the mechanisms underlying the formation of these compounds. This research will inform the breeding of drought-resilient crops and engineering waterproof compounds. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2024 Dr. Rees developed and characterized dextran-coated nanoparticles and nanoparticle assemblies for bioanalytical applications such as the specific labelling of cancer cells. These materials were very brightly fluorescent, stable, non-fouling, and will help enable point-of-care diagnostic technology that will make molecular medicine more accessible. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Gogoi examined how satellite-based crop yield estimation in the Canadian Prairie region can be improved by using new multi-source, multi-variable datasets, and machine and deep learning methods. Her studies have improved our ability to estimate crop yields at fine spatial scales and to forecast them a few months ahead of time. Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)
2024 Dr. Frieling used laser cooled atoms to create ultra-cold molecules and study chemical reactions at 1 millionth of a degree above absolute zero and to characterize the performance of a new quantum atomic sensor for vacuum metrology relevant for applications in aerospace and semi-conducting fabrication industries. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2024 Dr. Herberts developed a noninvasive blood profiling technology for patients with metastatic prostate cancer, enabling expedited discovery of treatment resistance mechanisms to common cancer drugs, and helping clinicians select treatment tailored to patient's unique tumor biology. This test is now being evaluated in two Canadian clinical trials. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Bacon used DNA sequencing to explore genomic associations with poor disease outcomes in patients with genitourinary cancers. His work has demonstrated the role of circulating tumour DNA as a tool for predicting survival in patients with kidney cancer, as well as the prognostic utility of specific gene alterations in patients with bladder cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
2024 Why is the natural world so diverse in its shape and form? Is diversity random or driven by natural selection? Dr. Boehm studied the beaks of tropical hummingbirds, and the flowers they visit, to answer these questions. He concludes that extreme curvature is a result of niche partitioning, while other shapes remain unknown in their origin. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2024 Dr. Thulasi examined the role of protein degradation in the regulation of plant immunity. He identified a new regulatory mechanism mediated by the degradation of lipid biosynthetic enzymes. These findings deepen our understanding of the complex plant immune system. He hopes his discoveries aid in the future development of disease-resistant crops. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2024 Using artificial intelligence methods, Dr. Dirks developed machine learning models to unlock the information contained in spectral data. Demonstrated applications include grade estimation in mining and food quality assessment in agriculture. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2024 Dr. Kinney investigated how rapid environmental changes influence evolution in hybrid populations. Using threespine stickleback fish, she showcased the pivotal role of ecological selection in shaping hybrid populations, improving our understanding of the fragility of reproductive isolation. This work advances our insights into hybrid evolution. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

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