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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 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

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
Ghioca, Dragos Department of Mathematics Drinfeld modules, isotrivial semiabelian varieties, Lehmer inequality
Giang, Amanda Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering Atmospheric sciences; Mechanical engineering; Natural environment sciences; Atmospheric Pollutants; Chemical Pollutants; Climate Changes and Impacts; Public Policies; Social and Cultural Factors of Environmental Protection
Gladman, Brett Department of Physics & Astronomy Astronomy, Planetary Science, meteorites, astrobiology, Solar system formation and evolution
Gold, Michael Department of Microbiology & Immunology understanding cell signaling, morphology, trafficking, and effector function of immune cells and tumour cells
Gordon, Julia Yulia Department of Mathematics Representation theory of p-adic groups and motivic integration; Trace Formula and its applications
Gordon, Michael Department of Zoology Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Zoology; Chemosensation; Drosophila; Feeding; Gustation; Neural circuits; Neuronal Systems; neuroscience; Sensory systems; Taste
Graham, Sean Department of Botany Plant phylogenetics; Plant systematics; Plant evolution; Organelles; Phylogenomics; Land plants; Mycoheterotrophs
Grant, Edward Department of Chemistry Spectroscopy, molecular electronic structure, Chemical physics
Greenstreet, Mark Department of Computer Science Dynamic systems, formal methods, hybrid systems, differential equations
Greif, Chen Department of Computer Science Numerical computation; Numerical analysis; scientific computing; numerical linear algebra; numerical solution of elliptic partial differential equations
Groat, Lee Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Mineralogy and crystallography (except soil mineralogy and chemicals aspects of crystallography); Inorganic geochemistry; Economic geology; mineralogy; crystal chemistry; Geochemistry; economic geology; gem deposits; pegmatites
Gujarati, Arpan Department of Computer Science Computer and information sciences; Systems
Gustafson, Paul Department of Statistics Statistics; meta-analysis; Parametric and Non-Parametric Inference; Theoretical Statistics; Pharmacoepidemiology; Bayesian statistical methods; Biostatistics and Epidemiology; Causal inference; Evidence synthesis; Partial Identification
Gustafson, Stephen James Department of Mathematics Mathematics and statistics; Mathematical Analysis; Differential Equation; Global and Non-Linear Analysis; Mathematical physics; Nonlinear partial differential equations; Nonlinear waves; Topological solitons
Haber, Eldad Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Scientific computing and its application to geophysical and medical imaging
Hallam, Steven Department of Microbiology & Immunology Microbiome; Microbial ecology; metagenomics; Biological engineering; Synthetic biology; Bioinformatics; Machine Learning; Entrepreneurship
Hallas, Alannah Department of Physics & Astronomy Physical sciences; quantum phenomena; magnetism; Materials design and discovery; Quantum materials
Halpern, Mark Department of Physics & Astronomy Cosmology, Cosmic background radiation, history of star formation, measuring the geometry and contents of the Universe, satellites, balloon-borne telescopes, the physics of music, Physics of music, Cosmic Microwave Background, Physical Cosmology, Star formation history
Hancock, Robert E Department of Microbiology & Immunology Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides, Host Defence Peptides and Innate Immunity, Functional Genomics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Regulation of Antibiotic Resistance, Array Data, Self-promoted uptake hypothesis
Harder, Kenneth Department of Microbiology & Immunology Host-pathogen, tumours, infection, immunity, atherosclerosis, role of macrophages in inflammation
Hariri, Amani Department of Chemistry Biological chemistry, Integrated Biosensors, Ultrasensitive sensor platforms for low abundance molecular detection, Aptamer switches for multifunctional stimulus-responsive Nano-systems
Harley, Christopher Department of Zoology, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Fisheries sciences; Zoology; climate change; community ecology; Ecology and Quality of the Environment; marine algae; marine invertebrates
Harris, Leila Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Institute for Gender, Race, Sex and Social Justice Critical identity, ethnic and race studies; Gender, sexuality and education; Human rights, justice, and ethical issues; Africa; Development Policies; Drinking Water; Environmental justice; equity and social justice; Ethics and Fundamental Issues of Law and Justice; Fresh Water; Gender Relationship; gender and social difference; Ghana; International development; participatory resource management; Resources Management; Social Contract and Social Justice; Social and Cultural Factors of Environmental Protection; South Africa; Turkey and Middle East; Water; water governance; water politics
Harvey, Nicholas Department of Computer Science randomized algorithms, combinatorial optimization, graph sparsification, discrepancy theory and learning theory; algorithmic problems arising in computer networking, including cache analysis, load balancing, data replication, peer-to-peer networks, and network coding.
Hasinoff, Michael Department of Physics & Astronomy Low-energy particle physics

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Faeze Keshavarz's image

Faeze Keshavarz

Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)

Understanding cellular pathways modifications in cancer using the transcriptome
Ina Na's image

Ina Na

Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)

The diversity and evolution of apicomplexans
Sabrina Scott's image

Sabrina Scott

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)

Post polymerization modification of alkene containing polymers by hydroaminoalkylation
Betz Emma's image

Emma Betz

Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)

Developing a new inorganic proxy to explore trophic dynamics in the past

Joshua MacEachern's image

Joshua MacEachern

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

Designing a new radio telescope to help study the universe when it was just a fraction of a second old
Luke Polson's image

Luke Polson

Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physics (PhD)

Enhancement and quantification in nuclear medicine imaging using artificial intelligence
Betinol's image

Isaiah Betinol

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)

Statistical Models and Machine Learning for the Design and Optimization of Novel Catalysts
Brandon McNabb's image

Brandon McNabb

Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD)

Characterizing the distributions and mechanisms driving oceanic methylated sulfur cycling
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.

 

Variability in costs of electrifying passenger cars in Canada
Publication: Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability
UBC Author(s): Amanda Giang (Institute for Resources,Environment & Sustainability / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Calibrating ecosystem models to support ecosystem-based management of marine systems
Publication: ICES Journal of Marine Science
UBC Author(s): Villy Christensen (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 10543139
Volume: 81
Page Range: 260-275
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Making Ecosystem Modeling Operational–A Novel Distributed Execution Framework to Systematically Explore Ecological Responses to Divergent Climate Trajectories
Publication: Earth's Future
UBC Author(s): Villy Christensen (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Eco-friendly regeneration of lignin with acidic deep eutectic solvent for adsorption of pollutant dyes for water cleanup
Publication: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
UBC Author(s): David Chen (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 01418130
Volume: 260
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
The NANOGrav 12.5 yr Data Set: Search for Gravitational Wave Memory
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
UBC Author(s): Ingrid Stairs (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0004637X
Volume: 963
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Effective Field Theory for Extreme Mass Ratio Binaries
Publication: Physical Review Letters
UBC Author(s): Julio Parra Martinez (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00319007
Volume: 132
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Diurnal temperature variation impacts energetics but not reproductive effort across seasons in a temperate dung beetle
Publication: Ecology
UBC Author(s): Katie Marshall (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00129658
Volume: 105
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Gender identities, water insecurity, and risk: Re-theorizing the connections for a gender-inclusive toolkit for water insecurity research
Publication: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water
UBC Author(s): Leila Harris (Institute for Resources,Environment & Sustainability / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: March/April 2024

View Publication
Rapid growth in a large Cambrian apex predator
Publication: National Science Review
UBC Author(s): Daniel Pauly (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 20955138
Volume: 11
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
All maritime crimes are local: Understanding the causal link between illegal fishing and maritime piracy
Publication: Political Geography
UBC Author(s): Daniel Pauly (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09626298
Volume: 109
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Algorithmic Geology: Tackling Methodological Challenges in Applying Machine Learning to Rock Engineering
Publication: Geosciences (Switzerland)
UBC Author(s): Lindsey Heagy (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
A cosmic glitch in gravity
Publication: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
UBC Author(s): Douglas Scott (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 2024
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Dispersing across habitat boundaries: Uncovering the demographic fates of populations in unsuitable habitat
Publication: Ecosphere
UBC Author(s): Rachel Germain (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
X-Ray Polarization of the Black Hole X-Ray Binary 4U 1630-47 Challenges the Standard Thin Accretion Disk Scenario
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
UBC Author(s): Jeremy Heyl (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0004637X
Volume: 964
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Range expansion is both slower and more variable with rapid evolution across a spatial gradient in temperature
Publication: Ecology Letters
UBC Author(s): Amy Angert (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 1461023X
Volume: 27
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Designing for Sensory Adaptation: What You See Depends on What You’ve Been Looking at - Recommendations, Guidelines and Standards Should Reflect This
Publication: Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences
UBC Author(s): Lorne Whitehead (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 23727322
Volume: 11
Page Range: 43-50
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Explaining the GWSkyNet-Multi Machine Learning Classifier Predictions for Gravitational-wave Events
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
UBC Author(s): Jessica McIver (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0004637X
Volume: 963
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
Fire sparks upslope range shifts of North Cascades plant species
Publication: Ecology
UBC Author(s): Amy Angert (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00129658
Volume: 105
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Optimal control of ribosome population for gene expression under periodic nutrient intake
Publication: Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
UBC Author(s): Khanh Dao Duc (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 21
Page Range: 20230652
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

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Molecularly defined electrodes host a concert of protons and electrons
Publication: Nature Chemistry
UBC Author(s): Eva Nichols (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 17554330
Volume: 16
Page Range: 301-303
Publication Date: March 2024

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Improving casualty risk estimates for uncontrolled rocket body reentries
Publication: Journal of Space Safety Engineering
UBC Author(s): Aaron Boley (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 24688975
Volume: 11
Page Range: 74-79
Publication Date: March 2024

View Publication
Comparative Analysis of Instrumental Variables on the Assignment of Buprenorphine/Naloxone or Methadone for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Publication: Epidemiology
UBC Author(s): Paul Gustafson (Statistics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 10443983
Volume: 35
Page Range: 218-231
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
POLYNOMIAL APPROXIMATION OF SYMMETRIC FUNCTIONS
Publication: Mathematics of Computation
UBC Author(s): Christoph Ortner (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00255718
Volume: 93
Page Range: 811-839
Publication Date: March 2024

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A versatile laser-based apparatus for time-resolved ARPES with micro-scale spatial resolution
Publication: The Review of scientific instruments
UBC Author(s): Andrea Damascelli (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 95
Publication Date: 1 March 2024

View Publication
X-Ray Polarimetry of the Dipping Accreting Neutron Star 4U1624–49
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
UBC Author(s): Jeremy Heyl (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0004637X
Volume: 963
Publication Date: 1 March 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. Bolduc investigated and developed new synthetic applications for two sulfur-fluorine gases as reagents in synthetic organic chemistry. His work surveyed these two reagents in the context of four chemically distinct applications and has enabled the expedited synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant fluorinated organic motifs. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2023 Artists often start creation by sketching digitally. Dr. Liu studied how humans mentally see sketches without being confused by busy, inaccurate lines and built computational methods to automate this process. These methods benefit various sketch-related computer applications, from colourizing 2D animation frames to lifting design sketches into 3D. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2023 Dr. Lin's work focused on developing the theory and practice of geometric methods in machine learning. His research opens a new direction for exploiting hidden mathematical structures in real-world applications. His methodology was used to win the Bayesian Deep Learning Challenge in Neural Information Processing Systems 2021. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2023 Dr. López de la Lama explored the deep bonds Peruvian landowners share with nature through privately protected areas (PPAs). She unveiled diverse intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values driving their commitment to conservation. Amid structural challenges and tenure insecurities, these relationships underscore the importance of citizen-led conservation. Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)
2023 Dr. Liu explored how plant-associated bacteria influence plant immunity and shield plants from pathogens. She discovered that bacteria dampen immunity through root acidification and protect plants via biofilm formation. Her work advances our grasp of plant-microbe interactions, offering insights into agricultural microbiome engineering. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Pascual showed how variation in genetics, habitat and time impact gene exchange in Texan wild sunflowers. Their encounter with Hurricane Harvey revealed the remarkable resilience of the species. These findings provide unique insights into how a single species can diverge into two, and how some species might respond to climate-driven disasters. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2023 Dr. Reynolds used experiments in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to correct assumptions made in clinical practice about how fats and water interact in the human brain during an MRI scan, affecting accurate measurements. In doing so, he further developed a model of nuclear relaxation leading to a potential new form of contrast in MRI images. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Michta studied how phase transitions occur in finite volume for some classical models from statistical physics. This work contributes to a better and rigorous understanding of finite-size scaling theory in high dimensions. This is useful to the wide spectrum of people working at the interface between physics and mathematics. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Tsai explored how luminescent materials and nanoparticles are useful for detecting biological molecules. In particular, she developed a new and improved method for directly sensing multiple genes, in parallel, in biological samples. She also elucidated important concepts in designing sensors based on more sustainable nanoparticle materials. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2023 Can we find structure in complex systems, like social networks or the interactions between cell proteins? Dr. Briercliffe designed a class of statistical models for discovering hidden structure in networks.By harnessing probability theory, his research created practical tools that allow scientists to reveal order and structure in our complex world. Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD)

Pages

 

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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How art can help us talk about the green transition

Elders, researchers and musicians are using art to get people talking about the challenges and opportunities of a transition to renewable...

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UBC adding 778 student spaces across technology and life sciences programs thanks to provincial investment

B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, the Honourable Brenda Bailey, was on site at UBC’s Vancouver campus Friday to...

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Tropical coral-infecting parasites discovered in cold marine ecosystems

Parasites thought only to infect tropical coral reefs have been discovered in a large variety of creatures in cold marine ecosystems along...

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New gravitational wave signal helps fill the ‘mass gap’ between neutron stars and black holes

A collaboration of researchers including UBC scientists have observed gravitational waves from the collision of what is most likely a...

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With the planet facing a 'polycrisis', biodiversity researchers uncover major knowledge gaps

A scientific review has found almost no research studying the interconnections across three major threats to planetary health, despite UN...

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