Overview
The thesis-based Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering is an advanced research-based degree. The program offers students an opportunity to work at the highest level of research, under the supervision of a faculty member. Students complete their candidacy examination within 18 months and complete their doctoral dissertation research within three to four years. It is normal department practice to initially register students in the M.A.Sc. program, and to transfer them to the Ph.D. program upon completion of the M.A.Sc. (or earlier if recommended by the supervising faculty member).
Students taking their Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering can select one of the below research areas:
- Applied Solid Mechanics
- Biomechanics and Medical Devices
- Computational Engineering
- Energy & Environment
- Fluid Mechanics
- Manufacturing Automation & Robotics
- Mechatronics & Instrumentation
- Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
What makes the program unique?
With eight Research Chairs and almost every research faculty member holding a least one NSERC grant, we have one of the most active research programs in Canada and consistently produce industry and academic leaders.
UBC is ranked in the World’s Top 40 Universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Institute of Higher Education and our Mechanical Engineering professors are recognized nationally and internationally as leaders in their fields.
We offer affordable, competitive tuition fees and extend a number of scholarships, awards, top-ups to external awards, entrance fellowships, Research Assistantships (RA's) and Teaching Assistantships (TA's) to our students.
Quick Facts
Career Outcomes
87 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 78 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):
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 (4)King Saud University (2)
University of Saskatchewan (2)
University of Adelaide
UNIKA Atma Jaya
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Tehran
Abu Dhabi University
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ohio University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
Pratt & Whitney Canada (3)Coanda Research and Development Corporation (3)
Westport Innovations (3)
FPInnovations (2)
Candu Energy Inc. (2)
BMT WBM
PARC Inc.
Paperra
Vanmok Innovative Engineering Solutions
WK Investment Network
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Senior Mechanical Engineer (4)Project Engineer (2)
Scientist (2)
Manager (2)
Senior Piping Engineer (2)
Research Engineer (2)
Principal Scientist
Research Scientist
Business Development Manager
Director
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.Disclaimer
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.Career Options
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 this program
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.
- Altintas, Yusuf (Virtual Machining, Computer Control of Manufacturing Systems, CAD/CAM, CNC Design, High Speed Feed Drive Control, Real Time Interpolation and Trajectory Generation for Machine Tools, Adaptive Control, Sensor Fused Intelligent Machining, Metal Cutting Mechanics, Chatter Vibrations in Machining, Piezo -Actuator Based Precision Machining, High Speed Milling, Optimal Machining of Aerospace Parts, Dies and Molds, Automation, Precision Engineering, Electro Mechanical Systems, Modeling and Analysis of Machining Processes, Mechanics, dynamics and control of micro-machining operations)
- Bacca, Mattia (Mechanical engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; Solid Mechanics; Biophysics; Soft materials; Fracture Mechanics and Adhesion)
- Bushe, William Kendal (Numerical modelling and mechanical characterisation; Automotive combustion and fuel engineering (including alternative and renewable fuels); Hypersonic propulsion and hypersonic aerodynamics; Aerospace engineering, n.e.c.; Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Combustion; Reacting Flows; Energy Conversion Systems; clean energy)
- Chiao, Mu (MEMS, Micro Sensors, Micro Actuators, BioMEMS, Nanotechnology, Bioengineering, Electronic Packaging, Nanoscience, Energy sources for micro-electro-mechanical systems)
- Clare, Adam (Manufacturing technologies and approaches for a sustainable future; Additive manufacturing (materials, processes, design and application); Electrical discharge machining, electrolyte jet machining, electron beam and laser processes; Stochastics in engineering design and manufacture; Machine design and build; Manufacturing for high value and high integrity applications (aerospace, biomedical, tool & nuclear))
- Elfring, Gwynn (Theoretical Fluid Mechanics, Complex Fluids, Cell Biomechanics, Capillary Phenomena, Applied Mathematics )
- Feng, Steve (Mechanical engineering; Modelization and Simulation; Software (Tools); Machining and Assembling; Milling; Prototyping; 3D Laser Scanning; 3D Printing; Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM); Geometric Modeling; Machining Simulation; Multi-Axis CNC Machining)
- Frigaard, Ian (Fluid mechanics (visco-plastic fluids))
- Giang, Amanda (Atmospheric sciences; Mechanical engineering; Natural environment sciences; Atmospheric Pollutants; Chemical Pollutants; Climate Changes and Impacts; Public Policies; Social and Cultural Factors of Environmental Protection)
- Grecov, Dana (Numerical modelling and mechanical characterisation; Tribology)
- Green, Sheldon (Fluid Mechanics; Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms; building ventilation; railroads; papermaking)
- Hodgson, Antony (Image guided surgery systems; computer assisted orthopaedic surgery; Medical Imaging; surgical navigation; orthopaedics; biomechanics; surgical robots; Image Processing; Machine Learning)
- Jaiman, Rajeev (Mechanical engineering; Bluff-body flows and flow-induced vibration; Computational methods and numerical analysis; Data-driven computing; Flow control and drag reduction; Fluid-structure interaction; Model order reduction; Multiphase Flows)
- Jelovica, Jasmin (Civil engineering; Mechanical engineering; Finite element analysis; Machine Learning; Metals and Alloys; Production and Process Optimization; Sandwich structures; Solid Mechanics; Stress Analysis; Structural optimization; Ultimate, fatigue and impact strength; Welding and joining of metals)
- Jin, Xiaoliang (Mechanical engineering; Manufacturing Processes; Solid Mechanics; Machining Mechanics and Dynamics; Manufacturing Processes for Advanced Materials; Material Characterization; Surface Integrity; Vibration Assisted Machining)
- Kirchen, Patrick (Thermochemical Energy Conversion, Combustion, Internal Combustion Engines, Ion Transport Membranes, Emissions, Fuel Injection )
- Liao-McPherson, Dominic (Mechanical engineering; Predictive and Constrained Control; Multi-agent Systems; algorithmic game theory; Real-time, Embedded, and Distributed Optimization; Energy Systems, Manufacturing, and Robotics)
- Ma, Hongshen (Microfluidics; Instrumentation; Cell Sorting; Cell Biomechanics; Circulating Tumor Cells; Malaria and Red Blood Cell Deformability; Single Cell Technologies; Cell Migration and Chemotaxis)
- Mérida, Walter (Clean energy, Electrochemical energy conversion, Thermodynamics, Low carbon fuels, Fuel cells and hydrogen)
- Nagamune, Ryozo (Systems control and automation; Manufacturing engineering; control engineering; data-driven modeling and control; robust and linear parameter-varying control; modeling and control of floating offshore wind turbines and wind farms; modeling and control of metal additive manufacturing processes; modeling and control of solar themal systems; modeling and control of automotive engines; optimization)
- Ollivier-Gooch, Carl (Aerodynamics (except hypersonic aerodynamics); Computational fluid mechanics; Algorithm Development for Computational Fluid Dynamics; Applied Aerodynamics; Numerical analysis; Unstructured Mesh Generation; Error and Stability Analysis for Unstructured Mesh Methods; Computer Sciences and Mathematical Tools; Fluid mechanics)
- Olson, James (Application of Physics and Fluid Mechanics to Problems Associated with the Pulp and Paper Industry, Mechanical Energy Reduction in Mechanical Pulping)
- Oxland, Thomas (Spinal Cord Injury, Aging Spine, Orthopaedic Implants)
- Phani, Srikantha (Dynamics of multiscale materials, structures and devices, Applied Mechanics, Micromechanics)
- Ponga de la Torre, Mauricio (Spallation in Metals; Sub-linear scaling methods for calculating crystal defects using DFT; )
Intake
Intake
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