Physical sciences

This group comprises research and experimental development in physical sciences.

Parent Category

Natural sciences

Sub-Categories

Astronomical and space sciences

Subatomic physics

Atomic, molecular, and optical physics

Classical physics

Condensed matter physics

Quantum physics

Other physical sciences

Graduate Degree Programs

Doctor of Philosophy in Astronomy (PhD)

UBC research in astronomy and astrophysics covers most areas of current interest in this broad field, including a wide range of theoretical and observational studies in astronomy, and also experimental and theoretical studies in cosmology. Research at optical wavelengths includes searches and…

Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physics (PhD)

Medical physicists are health care professionals with specialized training in the medical applications of physics. Their work often involves the use of x-rays and accelerated charged particles, radioactive substances, ultrasound, magnetic and electric fields, infra-red and ultraviolet light, heat…

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a broad-based department with a wide range of research interests covering many key topics in contemporary physics, astronomy, and applied physics. We are a vibrant community that engages in a wide range of research directions, from probing the origin of…

Master of Applied Science in Engineering Physics (MASc)

UBC Engineering Physics is the ideal program for those who strive to invent new devices, advance science, and pursue careers at the leading edge of high-technology, both locally and internationally.

Master of Science in Astronomy (MSc)

Master of Science in Medical Physics (MSc)

Master of Science in Physics (MSc)

The Department of Physics & Astronomy at UBC is noted for the excellence of its research and its high academic standards and integrity. We are constantly rated as one of the top Physics & Astronomy programs in the world. Each year, we offer 20 to 30 graduate level Physics and…

UBC Researchers

A

Aamlid, Solveig

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Condensed matter physics; Solid State Physics; High entropy oxides; Quantum matter; Density functional theory

B

Berciu, Mona

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Electronic and magnetic properties of condensed matter and supraconductivity; Physical sciences; condensed matter theory; polarons, bipolarons; strongly correlated systems; Condensed matter theory, Polarons, bipolarons, Strongly correlated systems

Bryman, Douglas

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Experimental Particle Physics; Applied physics; physics; Experimental Particle Physics, Applied physics, Physics

C

Chatterjee, Suman

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Photonics, optoelectronics and optical communications

Coombs, Daniel

Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Cell Signaling and Infectious and Immune Diseases; Cell biophysics; Disease models; Epidemiology; Immune cell signalling; Mathematical biology; Mathematics; Cell Signaling and Infectious and Immune Diseases, Cell biophysics, Disease models, Epidemiology, Immune cell signalling, Mathematical biology, Mathematics

D

Damascelli, Andrea

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Electronic and magnetic properties of condensed matter and supraconductivity; Electronic Structure of Quantum Materials; Electronic Structure of Quantum Materials

Di Matteo, Olivia

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Quantum information, computation and communication; Quantum computing: compilation, circuits and algorithms; Tomography and characterization; Open-source quantum software; Quantum computing: compilation, circuits and algorithms, Tomography and characterization, Open-source quantum software

Dierker, Steve

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Collective dynamics of condensed matter systems; Dependence on reduced dimensionality, strong interactions, disorder, and mesoscale structure; Collective dynamics of condensed matter systems, Dependence on reduced dimensionality, strong interactions, disorder, and mesoscale structure

F

Fiore, William

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Astronomical and space sciences; Astrophysics; Radio Astronomy; Pulsars; Gravitational waves; Pulsar Timing Arrays

Folk, Joshua

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Physical sciences; 2D materials and Vanderwaals heterostructures; Quantum electronics; Thermodynamics of quantum systems; Strongly correlated phenomena; Topological phenomena; Quantum transport; 2D materials and Vanderwaals heterostructures, Quantum electronics, Thermodynamics of quantum systems, Strongly correlated phenomena, Topological phenomena, Quantum transport

Ford, Nancy

Department of Oral Biological & Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Medical physics; Medical biotechnology diagnostics (including biosensors); Dental materials and equipment; micro-computed tomography; physiological gating; contrast agents; models of respiratory disease; image-based measurements; dental imaging; x-ray imaging; micro-computed tomography, physiological gating, contrast agents, models of respiratory disease, image-based measurements, dental imaging, x-ray imaging

H

Hallas, Alannah

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Condensed matter experiments; Solid state chemistry; Quantum materials; Materials design and discovery; magnetism; Disorder; superconductivity; Quantum materials, Materials design and discovery, Magnetism, Disorder, Superconductivity

Hassan, Marwan

Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Other physical sciences, n.e.c.; Earth and related environmental sciences; Geological and Geomorphological Processes; Channel Stability,; Fluvial geomorphology; Landscape evolution; Sediment transport; Surface hydrology; Geological and Geomorphological Processes, Channel Stability, , Fluvial Geomorphology, Landscape evolution, Sediment transport, Surface hydrology

Hearty, Christopher

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Particle physics, experimental; Experimental Particle Physics; e+e- collider; Physics beyond the Standard Model; Dark sector; dark matter; Experimental particle physics , e+e- collider, Physics beyond the Standard Model, Dark sector, Dark matter

Heyl, Jeremy

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Astrophysics; Black Holes; Neutron Stars; quantum phenomena; Quantum-Field Theory; Stellar; Stellar Physics; Astrophysics, Black Holes, Neutron Stars, Quantum Phenomena, Quantum-Field Theory, Stellar, Stellar Physics

Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda

Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Mathematical modelling and simulation; Computational methods in statistics; Numerical analysis; Thermodynamics and statistical physics;

K

Karczmarek, Joanna

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Particle physics theory (including aspects of field theory and string theory); Physical sciences; Emergent spacetime and gravity; Matrix models; Noncommutative geometry; String theory; Emergent spacetime and gravity, Matrix models, Noncommutative geometry, String theory

Kolind, Shannon

Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Medical physics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; brain; Imaging; MRI; medical physics; multiple sclerosis; myelin; Neurological Disease; spinal cord; Brain, Imaging, MRI, Medical Physics, Multiple Sclerosis, Myelin, Neurological Disease, Spinal Cord

L

Laule, Cornelia

Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Medical physics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Pathology (except oral pathology); Auto-Immune Diseases; Axons; brain; Central Nervous System Inflammatory Diseases; Cerebral Atrophy; Histology; image analysis; Imaging; Inflammation; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; multiple sclerosis; myelin; Nervous System Development; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neurological diseases; Neurological diseases; Neuronal Systems; pain; Pathology; Schizophrenia; Spinal Cord Diseases; spinal cord; Spinal cord injury; Auto-Immune Diseases, Axons, Brain, Central Nervous System Inflammatory Diseases, Cerebral Atrophy, Histology, Image analysis, Imaging, Inflammation, Magnetic resonance imaging, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Multiple Sclerosis, Myelin, Nervous System Development, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neurological Diseases, Neurological diseases, Neuronal Systems, Pain, Pathology, Schizophrenia, Spinal Cord Diseases, Spinal cord, Spinal cord injury

Laule, Cornelia

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Levin, Ido

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Physical chemistry (including structural); Mathematical modelling and simulation; Soft condensed matter; Macromolecular and materials chemistry, n.e.c.; Soft Matter; Material Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Mathematical Modelling of Mechanical systems; Programmable Responsive Materials; Active Solids; Patterning Material Properties; Geometric Foundations of Shape Morphing; Synthetic Lipid Membranes; Soft Matter, Material Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Mathematical Modelling of Mechanical systems, Programmable Responsive Materials, Active Solids, Patterning Material Properties, Geometric Foundations of Shape Morphing, Synthetic Lipid Membranes

Lister, Alison

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Large Hadron Collier (LHC); ATLAS experiment; Search for physics beyond the standard model; top quarks; dark matter; Machine Learning; Long-lived particles; Large Hadron Collier (LHC), ATLAS experiment, Search for physics beyond the standard model, top quarks, Dark Matter, Machine Learning, Long-lived particles

Lloyd, Samantha

Faculty of Science

Faculty (non-G+PS member)

Medical physics; Automation in external beam and brachytherapy treatment planning and delivery; Application of optical surface guidance for radiation therapy setup and motion monitoring; Machine learning for cancer outcomes prediction; Systems design for safety and quality control; Clinical trials; , Automation in external beam and brachytherapy treatment planning and delivery, Application of optical surface guidance for radiation therapy setup and motion monitoring, Machine learning for cancer outcomes prediction, Systems design for safety and quality control, Clinical trials

M

MacFarlane, Andrew

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Electronic and magnetic properties of condensed matter and supraconductivity; Nuclear chemistry; Development and applications of spectroscopic and structural techniques; Surfaces and structural properties of condensed matter; Solid state chemistry; Characterization of materials; Condensed matter experiments; Condensed matter characterization technique development; Condensed matter physics; Chemical physics, Electronic and magnetic properties of crystalline solids, especially strongly correlated materials such as the cuprate high temperature superconductors

Madison, Kirk

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Quantum sensors; Quantum Gases; Laser cooling; Bose-Einstein Condesation; Fermi-Degenerate Gases; Quantum optics; Laser physics; Quantum sensors, Quantum Gases, Laser cooling, Bose-Einstein Condesation, Fermi-Degenerate Gases, Quantum optics, Laser physics

Man, Allison

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

galaxy formation and evolution; galaxy formation and evolution

McBride, Sean

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Quantum physics, n.e.c.; High energy physics; Quantum Gravity; Quantum Information; String theory

McIver, Jess

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Gravitational wave astrophysics; Multi-messenger astronomy; Characterization of large-scale physics instrumentation; data science; Gravitational wave astrophysics , Multi-messenger astronomy, Characterization of large-scale physics instrumentation, Data science

McKenna, Janis

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Physical sciences; particle physics; subatomic physics; quarks, leptons, accelerators and their applications, science education, women in physics, women in science, Alternate energy, sustainability

Michal, Carl

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Soft condensed matter; Development and applications of spectroscopic and structural techniques; Solid-state NMR; NMR and MRI of brain tissue; NMR methods and instrumentation; Biological and functional materials; Solid-state NMR, NMR and MRI of brain tissue, NMR methods and instrumentation, Biological and functional materials

O

Ortner, Christoph

Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

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; 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

Oser, Scott

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Physical sciences; dark matter; Elementary Particles; neutrinos; particle physics; statistical methods for physics; Dark matter, Elementary Particles, Neutrinos, Particle physics, Statistical methods for physics

R

Rahmim, Arman

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Medicine

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Image Reconstruction; Machine learning and radiomics; medical physics; Molecular imaging; Quantitative Imaging; Theranostics; Image Reconstruction, Machine learning and radiomics, Medical Physics, Molecular imaging, Quantitative Imaging, Theranostics

Rahmim, Arman

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Rauscher, Alexander

Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

magnetic resonance imaging; physics; quantitative susceptibility mapping; myelin water imaging; brain; maschine learning; magnetic resonance imaging, physics, quantitative susceptibility mapping, myelin water imaging, brain, maschine learning

Rennie, Thomas

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Cosmology and extragalactic astronomy; Galactic astronomy; Astronomical and space instrumentation (including atmospheric observation); CMB Foregrounds; Anomalous Microwave Emission (AME); Radio foreground surveys; CGEM; COMAP; CMB; CMB B-modes;

Rottler, Joerg

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Condensed Matter and Materials Physics; Nanomaterials; Polymers; Soft Matter; Solids; Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Nanomaterials, Polymers, Soft Matter, Solids

S

Sarkar, Shuvam

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Condensed matter experiments; Quantum materials; Angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Scott, Douglas

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Cosmology; Science and Knowledge; Cosmology, Science and Knowledge

Semenoff, Gordon Walter

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Particle physics theory (including aspects of field theory and string theory); Physical sciences; Moedal experiment, Large Hadron Collider, CERN; String theory, quantum field theory, statistical mechanics; Theoretical and mathematical physics, the physics of elementary particles, condensed matter physics; Moedal experiment, Large Hadron Collider, CERN, String theory, quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, Theoretical and mathematical physics, the physics of elementary particles, condensed matter physics

Sharma, Abhishek

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Particle physics, experimental; particle physics;

Singh, Ashutosh

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

condensed matter physics; Solid State Chemistry; Altermagnetism; Antiferromagnetism;

Speak, Thomas

Faculty of Science

Postdoctoral Fellow

Astrochemistry; Development and applications of spectroscopic and structural techniques; Reaction kinetics and dynamics; Chemical thermodynamics and energetics; Computational chemistry; atmospheric chemistry; combustion chemistry; astrochemistry; origins of life; reaction kinetics; energetic materials

T

Tropini, Carolina

Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Microbiology; Medical and biomedical engineering; Physical sciences; Bacteria; Bacteriophages; Bioengineering; Bioinformatics; Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms; Biophysics; Gut microbiota; Inflammatory bowel disease; Bacteria, Bacteriophages, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms, Biophysics, Gut microbiota, Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Tropini, Carolina

School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

W

Whitehead, Lorne

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Applied optics; Applied physics, especially novel geometrical approaches; Illuminating engineering and display technology; Optimizing innovation and enhancing learning within higher education; Applied optics, Applied physics, especially novel geometrical approaches, Illuminating engineering and display technology, Optimizing innovation and enhancing learning within higher education

Y

Ye, Ziliang

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Nanomaterials; Optics and Photonics; Nanomaterials, Optics and Photonics

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