Sherry Kiafar
A few universities in Canada accepted me in their programs. I chose UBC over all of them because of its high global rank and Vancouver's lifestyle and great weather. Studying at UBC made me realize it was the right decision.
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Overview
A degree in Materials Engineering at UBC will provide you with the opportunity to join our exciting and vibrant research activities, which extend across materials extraction, materials processing, and materials performance. As a graduate student in the program, you will conduct independent and collaborative research within one of our research groupings. Researchers in the Department are actively investigating materials engineering challenges that span across the lifecycle of materials, and include a range of material systems. We have graduate students using a range of techniques and approaches, which encompass the development and application of ideas that extend the full range of theory, simulation and experiment. Research programs in our department mix fundamental know-how with real-world impact, often working directly with a range of industrial and academic partners from around the world.
What makes the program unique?
Our research-intensive PhD program provides our students with the opportunity to join a well established and highly respected research program based in the heart of beautiful British Columbia, which includes internationally leading programs in electrochemistry, hydrometallurgy, physical and process metallurgy, materials characterization, biomaterials, composites, energy materials, additive manufacturing/3D printing, nanomaterials. We are growing our activities in sustainable materials and the role of materials engineering to benefit society as a whole.
Quick Facts
Program Components
Dissertation
Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Admission Information & Requirements
1) Check Eligibility
Minimum Academic Requirements
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
English Language Test
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based
Overall score requirement: 90
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 6.5
Reading
6.0
Writing
6.0
Speaking
6.0
Listening
6.0
Other Test Scores
Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:
The GRE is not required.
2) Meet Deadlines
January 2026 Intake
Application Open Date
01 March 2025Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 August 2025
Transcript Deadline: 15 August 2025
Referee Deadline: 15 August 2025
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 August 2025
Transcript Deadline: 15 August 2025
Referee Deadline: 15 August 2025
May 2026 Intake
Application Open Date
01 August 2025Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 October 2025
Transcript Deadline: 15 October 2025
Referee Deadline: 15 October 2025
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 October 2025
Transcript Deadline: 15 October 2025
Referee Deadline: 15 October 2025
3) Prepare Application
Transcripts
All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.
Letters of Reference
A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.
Statement of Interest
Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
Citizenship Verification
Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.
4) Apply Online
All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.
Research Information
Research Focus
The department offers opportunities for study in the fields of casting and solidification of metals, ceramic processes and properties, corrosion, composite material processing and properties, hydrometallurgy and electrorefining, physical metallurgy, pyrometallurgy, remelting processes, thermomechanical processing, new methods of manufacturing, materials characterization, energy materials, sustainable materials, and environmental processing.
Research Facilities
Research Centres are: Advanced Materials Process Engineering Laboratory (AMPEL), Centre for Metallurgical Process Engineering, Clean Energy Research Centre, Electron Microscope Laboratory, MagNet - Magnesium Network.
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,875.34 | $3,294.66 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,626.02 | $9,883.98 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,144.10 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living | Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies. | |
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Financial Support
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.
Program Funding Packages
From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.
Funding Statistics
Based on the criteria outlined below, 27 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards with a mean of $41,560 and a median of $43,390.
This results in a net balance (any funding provided to the student minus tuition and fees) mean of $31,777 and median of $32,693.
- 14 students received Teaching Assistantships. Median TA funding based on 14 students was $7,522.
- 24 students received Research Assistantships. Median RA funding based on 24 students was $30,000.
- 9 students received Academic Assistantships. Median AA funding based on 9 students was $807.
- 27 students received internal awards. Median internal award funding based on 27 students was $3,885.
Study Period: Sep 2023 to Aug 2024 - funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Mean and median values might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.
Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)
Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.
Financial aid (need-based funding)
Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.
All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.
Foreign government scholarships
Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.
Working while studying
The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.
International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 24 hours a week during academic sessions.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals
Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.
Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.
Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.
Cost Estimator
Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Outcomes
52 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 graduate is seeking employment; for 7 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 44 graduates:
RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
University of British Columbia (3)McMaster University (2)
University of Manchester
University of Tehran
Mewar University
Southwest Jiaotong University
Northeastern University (Shenjang, China)
Queen's University
University of California - Santa Barbara
University of Calgary
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
Novelis Inc. (3)Aperam
Influitive
BioInspire Technologies
Stream-Flo Industries
Niroo Research Institute
Natural Resources Canada
ArcelorMittal
AREAVA
Dana Canada Corporation
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Research Scientist (3)Research Engineer (2)
Hydrometallurgical Engineer
Research Professional
Improvement Facilitator
Orthopaedic Engineer / Cleanroom Engineer
Principal Technology Development Engineer
Faculty Member
CFD / FEA Specialist
Project Manager
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.Disclaimer
This program underwent a name or structural change in the study time frame, and all alumni from the previous program were included in these summaries. These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
ENROLMENT DATA
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 42 | 36 | 44 | 39 | 45 |
| Offers | 9 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 7 |
| New Enrolment | 6 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 5 |
| Total Enrolment | 49 | 55 | 61 | 53 | 60 |
Completion Rates & Times
This program has a graduation rate of 86% based on 50 students admitted between 2011 - 2014. Based on 25 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 4.1 years and the maximum time is 11.96 years with an average of 6.36 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new enrolment for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.
Upcoming Doctoral Exams
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 - 9:00am - Room 200
Hariharan Umashankar
Atomistic Simulations of Crystalline Defect Interactions in Metallic Alloys
Research Supervisors
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors
These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.
This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.
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Abdin, Yasmine (Materials engineering)
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Amini, Kiana (Materials engineering, n.e.c.; Carbon capture engineering; Chemical engineering, n.e.c.; Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion; Redox Flow Batteries; In Situ Characterization of Electrochemical Processes; Electrolyte Design and Battery Architecture; Multi-Physics Modeling of Electrochemical Systems)
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Asselin, Edouard (Hydrometallurgy; Materials engineering, n.e.c.; Electrometallurgy; Inorganic chemistry, n.e.c.; Corrosion; Coatings; Electrochemistry)
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Britton, Ben (Metals and alloy materials engineering; Manufacturing engineering; Materials characterisation & microstructure; Metallurgy; Electron diffraction & microscopy; Deformation; Microstructure/property models; Manufacturing)
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Cockcroft, Steven (Clean Energy Research, Physical phenomena in non-ferrous casting, hot tearing, Optimization of industrial casting processes, Mathematical modeling)
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Dixon, David (Fixed-bed leaching)
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Dreisinger, David (Hydrometallurgy; Leaching)
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Kravchenko, Sergii (Composite and hybrid materials; Polymers and plastics engineering; Aerospace materials; Aerospace structures; Polymers and polymer composites; Multi-functional composites; High-throughput manufacturing process modelling of composites; Multi-scale, multi-physics, probabilistic computational modelling of composites; Manufacturing-informed performance simulation of composites; Machine learning methods in composites manufacturing and performance analysis; Composite structures for renewable energy & unmanned vehicles; additive manufacturing)
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Liu, Wenying (Hydrometallurgy; Extractive metallurgy; mine waste management)
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Maijer, Daan (Metals and alloy materials engineering; Liquid metal processing; Casting processes; additive manufacturing; Directed Energy Deposition; Powder Bed Fusion; Light Metals Processing; Aluminum Alloys; Titanium Alloys; Mathematical Process Modeling: Heat Transfer, Fluid Flow, Mechanical Deformation)
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Militzer, Matthias (Multi-scale modelling of microstructure evolution, Physical metallurgy of advanced high strength steels)
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Poole, Warren (Metals and alloy materials engineering; Physical and Mechanical Metallurgy; Aluminum Alloys; Steels; Magnesium alloys; ICME)
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Poursartip, Anoush (Polymer matrix composite materials)
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Sinclair, Chadwick (Materials engineering)
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Wang, Rizhi (Functional materials in materials engineering sciences; Regenerative medicine (including stem cells and tissue engineering); Orthopaedic implants, drug delivery biomaterials, anti-infection solutions.; Additive manufacturing, 3D structural designing.; Bone structure, mineralization and mechanics, bone metastasis, hip fracture and prevention.)
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Xia, Guangrui (Elemental semiconductors; Semiconductor devices; SiGe materials, processing, modeling, and devices, Si photonics, Ge-based lasers, and Ge lasers)
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 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Dr. Hasan studied the electrodeposition, corrosion, and catalytic behavior of molybdenum coatings. Despite the challenges associated with molybdenum and water, the work has produced nanostructured molybdenum coatings which demonstrates good corrosion resistance and catalytic performance. |
| 2024 | Dr. Wu explored composite nanofibers for creating smart and flexible yarns that can generate electrical signals in response to mechanical and optical stimuli. The yarns can be assembled into electronic textiles for sensing body movement or identifying intense light exposure. |
| 2024 | Dr. Zhao investigated monolithic integration of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) on Si and Ge substrates. Successful VCSEL epitaxy on engineered Ge substrates has been illustrated with strong performance. Industry companies can use this study much more readily to adopt this technology. |
| 2024 | Dr. Bakhshi advanced understanding of tack in carbon fiber composites during automated deposition processes by creating a simulator system, developing new characterization methods, and integrating novel sensors with high-resolution X-ray CT and numerical simulation. This enhances insights into material behavior, process, and manufacturing outcomes. |
| 2024 | Dr. Arbabi developed a new approach to model the small-scale behavior of composite materials during manufacturing processes. This model empowers composite manufacturing companies to have better control over the processes, thereby facilitating the production of defect-free, lightweight structures. |
| 2024 | Dr. Pourabdollah developed a series of sophisticated numerical models for predicting the thermomechanical response of components produced using metal additive manufacturing, allowing for directly fabricating components from a digital file. The work contributes to improvements in the geometric tolerances that can be achieved with the process. |
| 2023 | Dr. Badawy developed a smart fabric made by growing Zinc oxide nano-wires on yarns. This smart fabric can record in real-time applied deformation and identify its location and magnitude. It can be used in the health care system to improve the diagnosis process, create treatment plans, and monitor patients' health conditions during a hospital stay. |
| 2023 | Dr. Krishnamoorthy estimated how a catalytic solute is distributed when applied to columns of low-grade copper ore. This work helps in optimizing a novel catalytic leach technology developed in UBC to liberate copper from primary copper sulfide ores such as chalcopyrite. |
| 2023 | Dr. Soltani examined the behavior of materials at the atomistic scale. He used computer simulation of atoms and machine learning algorithms to understand how the dynamic processes derive the evolution of micro-structure of materials and how these processes determine the properties of materials like glasses and metals. |
| 2023 | Dr. Romualdi investigated the effect of chemical composition and thermal cycles on the weld heat affected zone of line pipe steels as a critical aspect of pipeline integrity that will remain significant for future applications including carbon capture and a hydrogen fuel energy matrix. |
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Information
Specialization
Materials Engineering offers opportunities for study in the following fields: casting and solidification of metals; ceramic processing and properties; refractories; corrosion; composites; high temperature coatings; biomaterials; extractive metallurgy including hydrometallurgy, bio-hydrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy; physical metallurgy; thermo-mechanical processing related to materials production; environmental issues related to materials productions; electronic materials; nanofibers; textile structural composites.
Materials Engineers are experts on the entire life cycle of materials, including recovery of materials from minerals, making engineered materials, manufacturing materials into products, understanding and evaluating materials performance, proper disposal and recycling of materials, and evaluating societal and economic benefits.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
VGDPHD-RY
Classification
January 2026 Intake
Application Open Date
01 March 2025 Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 August 2025 International Applicant Deadline
01 August 2025 May 2026 Intake
Application Open Date
01 August 2025 Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 October 2025 International Applicant Deadline
01 October 2025 Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
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