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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

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. Mundim simulated the gravitational interaction of two boson stars, whose gravitational properties are similar to those of neutron stars, but which are easier to model. His results represent an important contribution to the field of numerical relativity, which will be a key enabler for gravitational wave astronomy. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2010 Dr. Yang's research explored novel methods to speed up the transfer of data inside integrated circuits. Her techniques achieve near-speed-of-light speeds while addressing problems of delay variations and signal degradation. She developed the theory behind these techniques and designed and tested a real chip to demonstrate them. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2010 Dr. White researched the diversity and invasibility of intertidal communities. She showed reciprocal relationships between native diversity and invasion with competitive and facilitative effects operating in both directions, and that exotic and native macroalgae were grazed and chemically defended similarly. Understanding mechanisms that facilitate invasions enables us to identify and mitigate effects. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2010 Dr. Molina developed three multi-factor models for describing the random evolution of electricity prices, and developed methods for assessing them relative to market data. His work makes a significant contribution to the state of knowledge in this important area, since it presents models of increasing complexity, and sophisticated estimation techniques. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2010 Dr. Duman studied the modular data of finite groups. He calculated specific examples for this data which has an important role in string theory. Moreover, he calculated the cohomology invariants of some geometric spaces which are called toroidal orbifolds. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2010 Dr. Simpson developed and characterized new analytical instrumentation for the study of atmospheric particles. This work contributes to an improved understanding of certain physical properties of aerosols like size and composition, which can then be related to their role in atmospheric chemistry and global climate. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2010 Dr. Guo studied the function of a protein, RACK1, in the process by which plants convert the signal of the key stress hormone abscisic acid. He identified RACK1 as a novel link between abscisic acid signalling and protein synthesis. These findings advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanism by which plants respond to environmental stresses. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2010 Dr. Song showed how the fluctuations in ultracold atomic gases lead to a new class of spin correlations and coherent dynamics. His studies improve our understanding of the fluctuation-driven phenomena in a wide variety of physical systems. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2010 Dr. Robert investigated the role and molecular-genetic underpinning of terpenoid compounds in Sitka spruce resistance to white pine weevil. Because of weevil attack, Sitka spruce is no longer planted for commercial reforestation in British Columbia. Her research supports tree breeding to re-introduce Sitka spruce as a valuable asset for sustainable forestry. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2010 Dr. Whitwick conducted a comprehensive study of the surface morphology of gallium arsenide grown with Molecular Beam Epitaxy. In this study he successfully linked the micro-scale surface morphology to atomic-scale processes. This work provides a guide for the fabrication of opto-electrical devices. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

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