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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
2017 Dr. Wang studied the evolution of non-coding RNAs and duplicated genes in plants. He found the rapid evolution of non-coding RNAs and their distinct features from proteins in evolution. This knowledge will provide important clues to further functional studies of plant genomes. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2017 Despite their negative image, plastics are still critical to modern life. Dr. Chile investigated how modifications to bio-plastics can impact material properties, with the aim of increasing their widespread use. Her work provides insight into the feasibility of developing bio-derived and biodegradeable plastics to replace synthetic plastics. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2017 Dr. Shi created computer methods that identify which DNA sequence alterations impact the on/off switches for gene activity. This research will help us understand how each person's DNA increases or decreases the risk for health problems. Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)
2017 Dr. Hein developed a new class of asymmetric ancillary ligand scaffolds for the synthesis of base-metal complexes. Low-coordinate species were isolated and used for small-molecule activation and catalysis. This research was an exploration into chemical space and will have useful impacts in future catalyst development. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2017 Dr. Schulz-Weiling studied the evolution of plasma near the exotic regime of Coulomb coupling. He found unexpected system behaviour in the arrest of energy redistribution channels for uncharacteristic durations, suggesting new physics. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2017 Dr. Sharif Khodaei's work has provided new insight into the fundamental question of how protective barriers are created between cells to block pathogen invasion and fluid loss. She identified a group of proteins that create barriers at the corners of cells and a novel mechanism that controls the levels of the main protein at cell corners. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2017 Dr. Khademi studied the effect of depositing metal atoms on a sheet of graphene, the first known two-dimensional material. His research advanced our understanding of interactions between graphene and atoms laying on it. He also found an experimental solution to an outstanding inconsistency between predictions and experiments in this field. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2017 Dr. Selgrath quantified how small-scale fisheries shifted from benign to damaging through a growing use of destructive fishing gears and an increasing number of fishers. She demonstrated that past fishing impacted contemporary coral reefs, and identified opportunities for conservation programs to foster sustainable fisheries. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2017 Dr. Jain studied synthetic organic chemistry. She investigated naphthols, an important chemical intermediate used to make many other compounds. Her findings advance our overall understanding of chemical synthesis. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2017 Dr. Finke investigated the abundance and genetic diversity of marine viruses. He also studied the composition of viral communities and how the dynamics of viral replication is affected by in situ environmental conditions. Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD)

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