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 40 per cent of the Faculty's graduate enrollments, and the percentage of international students has increased to 48 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

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
O'Connor, Mary Department of Zoology climate change, ocean, seafood, seagrass, eelgrass, invertebrate, ecology, environment,
Oberg, Gunilla Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability Science and Knowledge; Chemical Pollutants; Risk Management; Social and Cultural Factors of Environmental Protection; Environmental Health; Sustainable Development; Environment and Society; Language, Knowledge, Significance and Thought Building; Urban and Rural Planning Policies; Learning and Development Approaches
Ollivier, Rachel Department of Mathematics Langlands Programme, a central theme in pure mathematics which predicts deep connections between number theory and representation theory;
Orians, Kristin Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Chemistry Chemical Oceanography, Trace metals in seawater
Ortner, Christoph Department of Mathematics Numerical analysis; Mathematical modelling and simulation; Partial and ordinary differential equations; Computational chemistry; Condensed matter modelling and density functional theory; Numerical modelling and mechanical characterisation; Numerical Analysis & Scientific Computing; Applied Analysis; Multi-scale Modelling and Coarse-graining; Molecular Simulation; Scientific Machine-learning, in particular for applications in multi-scale modelling
Orvig, Christopher E Department of Chemistry Chemical Synthesis and Catalysis; Imaging; Inorganic and Organometallic Compounds; Nuclear medicine; Chemical Processes; Chemotherapy; medicinal inorganic chemistry; coordination chemistry; radiopharmaceutical chemistry; bioinorganic chemistry; ligand design and synthesis
Osborne, Lisa Department of Microbiology & Immunology influence that the bacteria that live on and in our intestines, lungs and skin have on human health; understanding how the host recognizes the diverse species that reside in the gut - from microscopic viruses to large, multicellular helminthic worms - and tailors an immune response of the appropriate scope and magnitude necessary to achieve homeostasis
Oser, Scott Department of Physics & Astronomy Elementary Particles; particle physics; neutrinos; dark matter; statistical methods for physics
Otto, Sarah Department of Zoology evolution, mathematical modeling, population genetics, genomic evolution, evolution of sex, yeast experimental evolution, Population genetics and evolutionary biology, yeast
Pai, Dinesh Department of Computer Science Robotics, computer graphics, medical imaging, neuroscience, sensorimotor computation
Pakhomov, Yevhenii Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Feeding ecophysiology of aquatic invertebrates and fishes, Antarctic ecology, Antarctic krill biology, Tunicate biology, Fishery ecology, Stable isotope ecology
Palomares, Maria
Pante, Nelly Department of Zoology Molecular trafficking pathways within the cell
Parfrey, Laura Department of Botany, Department of Zoology Microbial ecology, microbial diversity, microbiome, protists
Patey, Grenfell Department of Chemistry Liquid dynamics, chemical physics
Pauly, Daniel Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Department of Zoology World fisheries; Marine life; Global catch; Management of fisheries; Fish growth and ecophysiology
Pawlowicz, Richard Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences Oceans and Inland Waters; ocean physics; properties of seawater; geophysical fluid dynamics; Nonlinear waves
Peacock, Simon Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences understanding the thermal, petrologic, and seismological structure of subduction zones
Peirce, Anthony Department of Mathematics Scientific computing, nonlinear dynamics and applied partial differential equations
Pennell, Matthew Department of Zoology evolution; Bioinformatics; Computational Biology; Biodiversity Theory and Informatics; Evolutionary change across different time scales; Ecological and evolutionary processes operating in "deep time"; Ecological models for adaptive radiation; Long-term dynamics of evolutionary change; Phylogenetics; Macroevolution; evolutionary genetics
Perrin, David Department of Chemistry Bioorganic Chemistry, Combinatorial Chemistry Enzyme Mimics Antisense Therapies, Radiopharmaceuticals
Picard, Sebastien Department of Mathematics Differential geometry
Piret, James Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Biomedical engineering, regenerative medicine Cell-based therapies have the potential to provide improved treatments for major diseases such as cancer and diabetes
Pitcher, Tony Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Department of Zoology Evaluation of the impacts of fishing on marine ecosystems with special emphasis on restoration ecology, development of a predictive understanding of how fish shoaling behavior impacts fisheries
Plan, Yaniv Department of Mathematics applied probability, high-dimensional inference, random matrix theory, compressive sensing, and matrix completion.

Pages

Graduate Student Profiles

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.

 

A Transcriptional Regulatory Map of Iron Homeostasis Reveals a New Control Circuit for Capsule Formation in Cryptococcus neoformans
Publication: Genetics
UBC Author(s): James Kronstad (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 215
Page Range: 1171-1189
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Analytical Validation of HEARTBiT: A Blood-Based Multiplex Gene Expression Profiling Assay for Exclusionary Diagnosis of Acute Cellular Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients
Publication: Clinical chemistry
UBC Author(s): Raymond Tak-yan Ng (Computer Science / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 66
Page Range: 1063-1071
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Prostate cancer reactivates developmental epigenomic programs during metastatic progression
Publication: Nature Genetics
UBC Author(s): Keegan Korthauer (Statistics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 10614036
Volume: 52
Page Range: 790-799
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Energetic context determines species and community responses to ocean acidification
Publication: Ecology
UBC Author(s): Christopher Harley (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00129658
Volume: 101
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Numerical modeling of a laboratory-scale waste rock pile featuring an engineered cover system
Publication: Minerals
UBC Author(s): Ulrich Mayer (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 10
Page Range: 1-25
Publication Date: August 2020

View Publication
A mechanistic view of enzyme evolution
Publication: Protein Science
UBC Author(s): Nobuhiko Tokuriki (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09618368
Volume: 29
Page Range: 1724-1747
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
On the general Toda system with multiple singular points
Publication: Calculus of Variations and Partial Differential Equations
UBC Author(s): Juncheng Wei (Mathematics / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 09442669
Volume: 59
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Eclogites of the North Atlantic Craton: insights from the Chidliak eclogite xenoliths (S. Baffin Island, Canada)
Publication: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology
UBC Author(s): Maya Kopylova (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00107999
Volume: 175
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Author Correction: Higher-order epistasis shapes the fitness landscape of a xenobiotic-degrading enzyme (Nature Chemical Biology, (2019), 15, 11, (1120-1128), 10.1038/s41589-019-0386-3)
Publication: Nature Chemical Biology
UBC Author(s): Nobuhiko Tokuriki (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 15524450
Volume: 16
Page Range: 930
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Thermal tolerances and species interactions determine the elevational distributions of insects
Publication: Global Ecology and Biogeography
UBC Author(s): Diane Srivastava (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 1466822X
Volume: 29
Page Range: 1315-1327
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Predatory colponemids are the sister group to all other alveolates
Publication: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
UBC Author(s): Patrick John Keeling (Botany / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 10557903
Volume: 149
Publication Date: August 2020

View Publication
Diterpenoids isolated from the Samoan marine sponge Chelonaplysilla sp. inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth
Publication: Journal of Antibiotics
UBC Author(s): Raymond Andersen (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00218820
Volume: 73
Page Range: 568-573
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Antibiotic use during pregnancy increases offspring asthma severity in a dose-dependent manner
Publication: Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
UBC Author(s): William Mohn (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 01054538
Volume: 75
Page Range: 1975-1986
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Characterization of interaction between Bcl-2 oncogene promoter I-Motif DNA and flavonoids using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and pressure-assisted capillary electrophoresis frontal analysis
Publication: Talanta
UBC Author(s): David Chen (Chemistry / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00399140
Volume: 215
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Input versus output controls as instruments for fisheries management with a focus on Mediterranean fisheries
Publication: Marine Policy
UBC Author(s): Ussif Rashid Sumaila (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science), Daniel Pauly (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 0308597X
Volume: 118
Publication Date: August 2020

View Publication
Modeling of [<sup>18</sup>F]FEOBV Pharmacokinetics in Rat Brain
Publication: Molecular Imaging and Biology
UBC Author(s): Vesna Sossi (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 15361632
Volume: 22
Page Range: 931-939
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Multiple P–T–d–t paths reveal the evolution of the final Nuna assembly in northeast Australia
Publication: Journal of Metamorphic Geology
UBC Author(s): Matthijs Smit (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 02634929
Volume: 38
Page Range: 593-627
Publication Date: 1 August 2020

View Publication
Search for Heavy Higgs Bosons Decaying into Two Tau Leptons with the ATLAS Detector Using pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV
Publication: Physical review letters
UBC Author(s): Alison Lister (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 125
Page Range: 051801
Publication Date: 31 July 2020

View Publication
Systems Biology Approaches to Understanding the Human Immune System
Publication: Frontiers in Immunology
UBC Author(s): Robert E Hancock (Microbiology & Immunology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: 30 July 2020

View Publication
Night-time measurements of astronomical seeing at Dome A in Antarctica
Publication: Nature
UBC Author(s): Paul Hickson (Physics & Astronomy / Faculty of Science)
ISSN: 00280836
Volume: 583
Page Range: 771-774
Publication Date: 30 July 2020

View Publication
Assessments of 15 Exploited Fish Stocks in Chinese, South Korean and Japanese Waters Using the CMSY and BSM Methods
Publication: Frontiers in Marine Science
UBC Author(s): Daniel Pauly (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 7
Publication Date: 29 July 2020

View Publication
Default Sex and Single Gene Sex Determination in Dioecious Plants
Publication: Frontiers in Plant Science
UBC Author(s): Quentin Charles Cronk (Botany / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: 29 July 2020

View Publication
Evolutionary origins for ecological patterns in space
Publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
UBC Author(s): Amy Angert (Botany / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 117
Page Range: 17482-17490
Publication Date: 28 July 2020

View Publication
Bab2 Functions as an Ecdysone-Responsive Transcriptional Repressor during Drosophila Development
Publication: Cell Reports
UBC Author(s): Michael Gordon (Zoology / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 32
Publication Date: 28 July 2020

View Publication
A Cytoplasmic Heme Sensor Illuminates the Impacts of Mitochondrial and Vacuolar Functions and Oxidative Stress on Heme-Iron Homeostasis in Cryptococcus neoformans
Publication: mBio
UBC Author(s): James Kronstad (Michael Smith Labs / Faculty of Science)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: 28 July 2020

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
2019 Dr. Zhang developed new and efficient synthetic technologies using radical reactions for the production of pharmaceutically relevant molecules, which have either fluorine atoms or nitrogen rings. These technologies are able to address some of the long standing challenges that are present in chemical synthesis for drug discovery. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2019 Dr. Held studied the interaction process between two fundamental particles, the Higgs boson and the top quark. He contributed to the observation of this rare process by analyzing proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector. The measurement experimentally confirms an important prediction by the Standard Model of particle physics. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2019 Dr. Leung used applied voltages to deposit chemically modified DNA molecules onto gold surfaces. Using electrochemical fluorescence microscopy, she investigated the effect of the gold surface morphology and other conditions on this process. Her research could be used to optimize DNA biosensors that are to be used as medical diagnostic devices. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2019 Dr. Peters developed mathematical tools and software to merge measurements and prior knowledge to improve the quality of imaging methods. His work focussed on imaging applications in the earth sciences. Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)
2019 Dr. Nigge studied the design of novel quantum phenomena. He used the two-dimensional, atomically thin material of graphene as a platform. His research paves the way towards the on demand engineering of quantum materials. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2019 Dr. Kwon examined the existence and ill-posedness for partial differential equations describing the motion of fluid when the given data is rough. The construction of the various type of flows with desired properties gives a deeper understanding of the behavior of fluid flows. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2019 Dr. Chiykowski worked to improve the stability of next generation solar cells by designing new materials that withstand the stresses of use. She designed novel materials that do not: dissolve in water, or change shape in heat; and that conduct charge efficiently without the use of additives leading to more robust components. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2019 Dr. Abdelmagid conducted his research in the field of chemistry, and his doctoral studies focused on the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway enzymes. He developed an inhibition strategy for enzymes that are considered potential drug targets for cancer therapy. His novel work may lead to the development of a new class of anti-cancer drugs. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2019 Dr. Sachdeva designed techniques for biomechanical simulation of the human hand. He modelled the dynamics of tendons wrapped on bones. He developed anatomical simulation software capable of modelling human hand function driven by muscles. Such a model may be used to explain the role of different muscles and ligaments in coordinating movement. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2019 Dr. Guzman studied how food webs change when species have different body sizes or when they move different distances. These studies help us understand how food webs can persist through time. She also complemented her scientific research with a study aimed at improving undergraduate science student learning. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)

Pages

 

Q&amp;A: How the human right to a healthy environment can help protect us all

From the COVID-19 pandemic to the raging wildfires in Australia and the U.S., scientific evidence shows an increase in planetary...

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New funding boosts UBC research into enhanced cannabis cultivars

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UBC researcher wins 2020 Volvo Environment Prize

UBC conservation biologist Claire Kremen is this year's winner of the Volvo Environment Prize, recognizing her world-class research on how...

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Camera traps show impact of recreational activity on wildlife

The COVID-19 pandemic has fired up interest in outdoor activities in our parks and forests. Now a new UBC study highlights the need to be...

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Long live the queen: UBC scientists find clues to queen bee failure

Scientists at UBC are unravelling the mysteries behind a persistent problem in commercial beekeeping that is one of the leading causes of...

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Science researchers join Royal Society of Canada

Three UBC Science researchers have been elected to the Royal Society of Canada. Election to the RSC is the highest honour a scholar can...

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