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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 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 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 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. 

Schools / Departments

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
Potter, Andrew Department of Physics & Astronomy Condensed matter theory, Atomic, molecular, and optical theory, Quantum information science and quantum computing, Topological phases of matter, Strongly correlated quantum materials, Quantum dynamics, thermalization, and localization, Quantum criticality
Pottinger, Rachel Department of Computer Science Computer and information sciences; Computer Science and Statistics; data integration; data management; databases; metadata management
Pramanik, Malabika Department of Mathematics Harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, several complex variables
Prytulak, Julie Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences magma generation and evolution on Earth and other planets; element transfer in subduction zones; subduction initiation; metal transport in the surface and near surface environment; combining experimental mineralogy with stable isotope techniques; development of emerging stable isotope techniques; metal stable isotope analytical development and applications
Radic, Valentina Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Atmospheric sciences; Geophysics; Climate Changes and Impacts; Climate Science; Glaciology; Meteorology
Ramdorai, Sujatha Department of Mathematics Algebraic theory of quadratic forms, non-cummutative Iwasawa theory, motives
Ramer, Matthew Department of Zoology Pain, Plasticity, Regeneration, Sensory neurons, Sympathetic neurons
Rechnitzer, Andrew Department of Mathematics Enumerative combinatorics, Simulation of combinatorial objects, Lattice statistical mechanics
Reichstein, Zinovy Department of Mathematics Group theory and generalisations; Algebra; Algebraic groups; algebraic geometry
Reid, Jolene Department of Chemistry
Reid, Andrea Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Fisheries sciences; Culturally significant fish and fisheries
Reinsberg, Stefan Department of Physics & Astronomy Medical physics, MRIs
Richards, Jeffrey Department of Zoology Adaptive significance of the mechanisms coordinating cellular responses to stress
Rieseberg, Loren Department of Botany Bioinformatics; Genomics; Plant biology; adaptation; crops; invasive plants; plant evolutionary biology; speciation; weeds
Robeva, Elina Department of Mathematics Statistical theory and modeling; Machine learning; Algebra; Algebraic statistics; Graphical Models; Tensor decomposition; Causality; Applied algebraic geometry; Shape-constrained density estimation; Tensor networks
Rosado Rey, Abel Department of Botany Plasma membrane repair mechanisms in plants
Rosen, David Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Animal physiology; Physiology, behaviour, and ecology of marine mammals;; Bioenergetics; Nutrition; Conservation physiology
Rottler, Joerg Department of Physics & Astronomy Physical sciences; Condensed Matter and Materials Physics; Nanomaterials; Polymers; Soft Matter; Solids
Rozali, Moshe Department of Physics & Astronomy String theory, high energy physics, quantum field theory, cosmology and classical gravitational physics
Russell, Kelly Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Physical sciences; volcanology; petrology; magma rheology; geochemical thermodynamics
Ryan, Katherine Department of Chemistry drug molecules in use today are organic compounds isolated from organisms such as bacteria, plants, and fungi; understand how natural products are made.
Saffirio, Chiara Department of Mathematics
Sagan, Selena Department of Microbiology & Immunology role of RNA at the host-virus interface
Salibian-Barrera, Matias Department of Statistics S-regression estimationg, robust statistics, functional principal component analysis, bootstrap estimators, rgam, clustering algorithm
Sammis, Glenn Department of Chemistry Methods development, natural product synthesis, organic free radicals, radical fluorination

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Sahar Ghadirianniari

Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)

Mud rush Risk Management in Block Cave Mining

Natasha Klasios

Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

Investigating the ecological impacts of microplastics and temperature warming in aquatic ecosystems

Imranul Laskar

Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)

Air Quality, Health, and Climate Impacts of Global Shipping

Mauricio Carvallo Aceves

Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)

Coastal adaptation strategies under uncertain climate change and sea level rise

Nikola Surjanovic

Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD)

Scalable Bayesian Methods for Sampling From Complex Probability Distributions

Cissy Suen

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

Exploration of the Electronic Structure of the Mott Insulator Ca2RuO4

Gunwant Matharu

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)

Synthesis of bis-cyclometalated pt(II) complexes for targeting supramolecular materials

Sasha McDowell

Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

Taste processing in Drosophila melanogaster
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 Science.

 

Poverty line income and fisheries subsidies in developing country fishing communities
Publication: NPJ Ocean Sustainability
UBC Author(s): Ussif Rashid Sumaila (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 3
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Cryo-EM characterization of the anydromuropeptide permease AmpG central to bacterial fitness and β-lactam antibiotic resistance
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Martin Tanner (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Effects of near-infrared radiation in ambient lighting on cognitive performance, emotion, and heart rate variability
Publication: Journal of Environmental Psychology
UBC Author(s): Lorne Whitehead (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 02724944
Volume: 100
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
SARS-CoV-2: The Virus
Publication: World Scientific Series in Global Health Economics and Public Policy
UBC Author(s): Francois Jean (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 20102089
Volume: 11
Page Range: 11-37
Publication Date: 1 December 2024

View Publication
Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19
Publication: World Scientific Series in Global Health Economics and Public Policy
UBC Author(s): Daniel Coombs (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 20102089
Volume: 11
Page Range: 53-76
Publication Date: 1 December 2024

View Publication
Catalytic Installation of Primary Amines Onto Polyolefins for Oligomer Valorization
Publication: Macromolecular Rapid Communications
UBC Author(s): Michael Wolf (Chemistry / Faculty of Science), Laurel Schafer (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 10221336
Volume: 45
Publication Date: December 2024

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Sexual system variation in legumes (Leguminosae): underpinning genomic study with new tools to describe inflorescence morphology
Publication: Revista Brasileira de Botanica
UBC Author(s): Quentin Charles Cronk (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 01008404
Volume: 47
Page Range: 1101-1114
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Integral and rational graphs in the plane
Publication: Graphs and Combinatorics
UBC Author(s): Jozsef Solymosi (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09110119
Volume: 40
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Tests for the first-order stochastic dominance
Publication: Canadian Journal of Statistics
UBC Author(s): Jiahua Chen (Statistics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 03195724
Volume: 52
Publication Date: December 2024

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Allopolyploidization from two dioecious ancestors leads to recurrent evolution of sex chromosomes
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Judith Mank (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Prokaryotic-virus-encoded auxiliary metabolic genes throughout the global oceans
Publication: Microbiome
UBC Author(s): Steven Hallam (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Associations Between Gut Microbiota Diversity and a Host Fitness Proxy in a Naturalistic Experiment Using Threespine Stickleback Fish
Publication: Molecular Ecology
UBC Author(s): Dolph Schluter (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09621083
Volume: 33
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Contribution of T-type calcium channel isoforms to cold and mechanical sensitivity in naïve and oxaliplatin-treated mice of both sexes
Publication: British Journal of Pharmacology
UBC Author(s): Terrance Preston Snutch (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00071188
Volume: 181
Page Range: 5062-5078
Publication Date: December 2024

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A framework for categorizing sources of uncertainty in in silico toxicology methods: Considerations for chemical toxicity predictions
Publication: Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
UBC Author(s): Gunilla Oberg (Institute for Resources,Environment & Sustainability / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 02732300
Volume: 154
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Impact of commonly administered drugs on the progression of spinal cord injury: a systematic review
Publication: Communications Medicine
UBC Author(s): Wolfram Tetzlaff (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Measurements of Lund subjet multiplicities in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions with the ATLAS detector
Publication: Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
UBC Author(s): Colin Gay (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 03702693
Volume: 859
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Unveiling cellular morphology: statistical analysis using a Riemannian elastic metric in cancer cell image datasets
Publication: Information Geometry
UBC Author(s): Khanh Dao Duc (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 25112481
Volume: 7
Page Range: 845-859
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Impact factor does not predict long-term article impact across 15 journals
Publication: Data and Information Management
UBC Author(s): Michelle Tseng (Botany / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 8
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Garnet Reference Materials for In Situ Lu-Hf Geochronology
Publication: Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research
UBC Author(s): Matthijs Smit (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 16394488
Volume: 48
Page Range: 887-908
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Phase transfer catalysts shift the pathway to transmetalation in biphasic Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Jason Hein (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Stokes layers in complex fluids
Publication: Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
UBC Author(s): Neil Balmforth (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 03770257
Volume: 334
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
The spatiotemporal changes in fish and invertebrate community structure and habitat viability in the Yangtze Estuary
Publication: Ecological Indicators
UBC Author(s): Daniel Pauly (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 1470160X
Volume: 169
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Using salience and availability to promote sustainable and healthy food choices in hospital cafeterias
Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Jiaying Zhao (Institute for Resources,Environment & Sustainability / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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The International Climate Psychology Collaboration: Climate change-related data collected from 63 countries
Publication: Scientific Data
UBC Author(s): Jiaying Zhao (Institute for Resources,Environment & Sustainability / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Age at weaning of California sea lions depends on colony latitude
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

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
2023 Dr. Mehrabifard's research has addressed the problem of human-induced earthquakes resulting from the shift towards cleaner, lower carbon energy resources. By developing a deep understanding of the physics underlying these earthquakes, he has created effective predictive models and identified appropriate mitigation strategies to minimize their occurrence. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)
2023 Dr. Nelson's work focussed on the role of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme within the unique respiratory system responsible for the success of the teleost fishes. Her work advances our understanding of the function, development, and evolution of a respiratory system present in half of all vertebrate species. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Pan investigated new conditional inference and prediction methods after fitting a joint distribution based on vine copulas, including prediction of an arbitrary variable given others, prediction of a right-censored response, and prediction of an ordinal or continuous response when some explanatory variables are nominal categorical. Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Jana rigorously investigated algebraic invariants of two spaces: Classifying space for commutativity and Unordered flag manifolds. Their research explored algebraic topology, employing algebraic methods to analyze shapes. The core of the research lies in the pursuit of simplification through decomposition, marking its fundamental significance. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2023 Where do the chemical elements come from? Using the nuclear physics technique of mass spectrometry, Dr. Jacobs investigated potential astrophysical sites where some of these elements are produced. The findings point to binary neutron star mergers as a prime candidate for explaining a range of elemental abundances observed in stars. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Park's research focused on microbiome associated with seaweeds. He found that the ecological distribution of these host-associated microbes is linked to their positive impact on kelp growth and their ability to colonize kelp, as demonstrated through experimental tests. His work advances the application of ecological theory in probiotic discovery. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2023 Dr. Pinsonneault-Marotte participated in the realisation of the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment telescope and analysis, which resulted in a preliminary detection of hydrogen located nearly 11 billion light-years away. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Fomichev developed computational methods for predicting the properties of materials with strong electron-lattice interactions. Applying these methods to organic solar cell materials, he showed that lattice vibrations can break apart excitons to generate electricity, potentially explaining how this novel technology operates on an atomic scale. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Verma developed synthetic methods to access various pharmaceutically relevant building blocks. These developed one-pot methodologies can expedite the synthesis of a library of compounds thereby accelerating the early drug discovery programs and resulting in the rapid identification of new therapeutics for various diseases. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2023 Dr. Ghahramani developed new empirical and numerical methods for predicting the characteristics of tailings flows resulting from breaches of tailings dams. The findings of this study are useful for improving the accuracy of risk assessments and emergency response plans for tailings dam breaches. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)

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