AI can tell if a patient battling cancer needs mental health support
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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
- Biodiversity Research Centre
- Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
- Centre for Microbial Diversity and Evolution
Computational Sciences and Mathematics
- Data Science Institute
- Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems
- Institute of Applied Mathematics
- Statistical Consulting and Research Laboratory
- Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
- Geophysical Inversion Facility
- Lithoprobe: Canada's National Geoscience Project
- Mineral Deposit Research Unit
- Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research
- Seismic Laboratory for Imaging and Modeling
Genomics and Biological Sciences
- Centre for High-Throughput Biology
- Geomatics for Informed Decisions Network
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics
- Michael Smith Laboratories
Human-Computer Interaction
- Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems
- Vancouver Institute for Visual Analytics
Life Sciences
- Centre for Blood Research
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries
- Life Sciences Institute
- Michael Smith Laboratories
- Neglected Global Diseased Initiative
Chemistry and Materials Science
- Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory
- Max Planck-UBC Centre for Quantum Materials
- Quantum Devices Group
- Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute
Physics
- Antihydrogen Trapping and Spectroscopy at CERN
- Pacific Institute for Theoretical Physics
- TRIUMF: Canada’s National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics
- UBC ATLAS Project at Large Hadron Collider
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.
Schools / Departments
Graduate Degree Programs
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Dr. Kroc's study was at the intersection of harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory. With his supervisor, he constructed examples of special sets that behave like pieces of a circle but have no area. The existence of such sets implies several important analytical results. The study contributes to future research in this area of mathematics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Hunt developed computational approaches to improve detection of regions in the human genome that are dedicated to the regulation of gene expression. Her research has improved our understanding and interpretation of large-scale genomics data, and her findings will directly impact the clinical analysis of human DNA sequences. | Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Thompson developed computer software that can calculate rational ways to behave in complex games. Using this software, he studied the effects of strategic voting in elections and strategic bidding in online auctions. His findings will assist researchers and practitioners in understanding existing economic markets and in designing new ones. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Lawson completed his doctoral studies in the field of Physics. His research focussed on the observational consequences of a novel compact composite dark matter model. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Khosravi developed an innovative daylighting system. It incorporates adaptable optical elements to capture sunlight outside buildings and transfer it to the dark interior. This system can be used to illuminate multi-storey buildings using sunlight, which enhances lighting quality and reduces energy consumption and the electrical load of buildings. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Mandic investigated how a group of marine fish species evolved to live in an environment with periodically low oxygen levels. She found a number of cellular and biochemical traits that underlie tolerance to low oxygen. Her work contributes to understanding how animals live where they do, particularly animals inhabiting stressful environments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Osten's research focused on developing new catalysts for making biodegradable plastics. The results of her study will help future researchers to make new environmentally-friendly plastics for a variety of applications. It is hoped that these plastics will help to contribute to a cleaner environment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Hoos examined the impacts of climate change on kelp along the Pacific coast of North America. Experimental increases in temperature, carbon dioxide, and UV radiation reduced growth and reproduction at each stage of their life history cycle. This research works towards building a predictive model for future populations impacted by climate change. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Menzel-Jones developed systematic methods for extracting molecular information. This research utilized spectroscopic data to better understand the internal structure and dynamical processes within molecules. The work can be applied by physicists to investigate a broad range of problems where detailed knowledge of the system is required. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Wambach completed his research in the field of Chemistry. He synthesized reactive molecules containing transition metals and probed their potential to catalyze reactions that involve addition and release of hydrogen. The reactivity of these compounds with hydrogen revealed a unique way protons from hydrogen can transfer to and from metals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |