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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Dr. Jaschke discovered a new way that bacteria can make chlorophyll. This pathway produces an unusual form of chlorophyll that binds to zinc instead of magnesium. The knowledge gained during this work has enabled deeper understanding of several fundamental aspects of photosynthesis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Leitch developed a new zirconium-based catalyst system for the efficient addition of nitrogen-hydrogen bonds across carbon-carbon multiple bonds. This "hydroamination" reaction enables the formation of biologically important nitrogen containing molecules without the production of any chemical byproducts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Shiel evaluated cadmium and zinc isotopes as novel tools to trace metal pollution in coastal environments. These tools were used to identify a primarily natural source of cadmium in B.C. oysters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Jiang synthesized several Schiff-base macrocycles. All macrocycles can self-assembly to host-guest complexes with cations. Some of complexes can form helical nanotube. One of macrocycle that contains naphthelene moiety can form lyotropic liquid crystals. In addition, a polymer contains Schiff-base component was synthesized and characterized. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Lee has developed techniques for handling textual data with typographical errors. He studied efficient processing of queries with approximate matching semantics. His research assists database systems in robust processing of real-world textual data. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Hui developed a series of inorganic nanofibers through electrostatic interaction and coordination chemistry approaches. Some of these fibers are able to form fluorescent gels. A firm understanding of his research lays the groundwork for future investigations in designing and constructing functional nanofibers for scientific and medical applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Batty developed new techniques to simulate liquids, particularly for use in visual effects where his methods have been used in some of the biggest films of the last few years. His contributions span highly viscous flows, surface tension, splashing, and interactions with objects. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Barnes studied the emplacement mechanisms and trace-element geochemical signatures of a swarm of lithium-rich, highly evolved magmatic dikes in the Northwest Territories. She also developed a method for lithium isotopic analysis of these rocks. Her thesis provides a cohesive assessment of pegmatite magma geochemical evolution. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Louidor studied various mathematical models of digital storage systems, with a view to rigorously estimating and computing the maximum amount of information they can hold. His research gives a better understanding of the line between what can and cannot be achieved, when designing such a system. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Condotta studied the functional characteristics of a protein from the West Nile virus. West Nile virus causes a potentially fatal infection and is of great public health concern globally. Dr Condotta's work defined a novel molecular mechanism for regulation of this protein that will provide new targets for the development of antivirals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |