UBC evolutionary biologist Dr. Dolph Schluter named AAAS Fellow
Internationally renowned evolutionary biologist Dr. Dolph Schluter has been elected to the newest class of American Association for the...
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dr. Bornn developed statistical methods to study the environment, including air pollution and crop yields. His work shows that models used to understand these systems can be greatly simplified. These simpler models are not only more robust, but also easier to interpret. This helps researchers as they seek to understand the environmental process. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Gerstein examined evolution at the genomic level. She showed that the number of chromosome sets, known as ploidy, influences the rate yeast populations adapt to stressors, such as high salt. She found that specific genetic changes during adaptation are influenced by both ploidy and environmental challenges. Her findings provide insight into the genetic basis of evolution. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Young developed a vaccine against West Nile Virus, and subsequently vaccinated two species of wild birds. As well as production of a potentially effective vaccine that may be used to ensure the survival of endangered species, this research contributes to the development of vaccination methods for all species of wild birds. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Brochu conducted research on computer-assisted techniques to be used in making feature films. He developed new techniques for simulating moving surfaces, such as cloth and liquid surfaces. His research helps improve the realism of computer-generated visual effects for feature films, from splashing water in a glass, to plumes of smoke, to clothing for virtual characters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Shopsowitz's research focussed on making new nano-materials from wood pulp. This led to the discovery that wood-based nano-particles can be used to create highly porous materials that mimic iridescent insect shells. It is anticipated that the properties of these materials will make them useful for colour-changing sensors and energy storage devices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Hua studied statistical models that improve on classical methods for modelling risks. He can better quantify and bound the risk of simultaneous occurrence of rare events such as large financial losses in different markets. This research is relevant to insurance practice and financial risk management. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Siu focused his research on phosphorus chemistry. He synthesized compounds of varying sizes, both big and small. Some of these compounds are highly reactive, others are not. His investigation helps to broaden the field of phosphorus chemistry and could potentially lead to unique materials and catalysts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2012 | Debugging computer-chip defects consumes more than 50% of the chip design process. To address this problem, Dr. De Paula defined a formal framework called BackSpace, which methodically and correctly extracts information from chips. His experiments show that BackSpace is successful in practice and is promising to contribute significantly to the computer industry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Svensson studied how Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium that causes food poisoning, adapts to stressful conditions. She discovered that Campylobacter forms stress-tolerant communities called biofilms, and two particular genes allow it to sense and respond to environmental challenges. This work will help control C. jejuni in the food chain. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Bare used organic synthesis to study fundamental structural and functional roles of the chromosome ends, the telomeres. Phosphate forming reactions were developed to construct a molecule that could mimic telomere drug interactions. The resulting discoveries may be useful for chemists designing new anticancer therapeutics or studying DNA structure. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |