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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. ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ’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
ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà 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 ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ'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
ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà 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
ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà 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
Research Centres
Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology
Computational Sciences and Mathematics
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
- Lithoprobe: Canada's National Geoscience Project
Genomics and Biological Sciences
- Geomatics for Informed Decisions Network
Human-Computer Interaction
- Vancouver Institute for Visual Analytics
Life Sciences
Chemistry and Materials Science
Physics
- ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà ATLAS Project at Large Hadron Collider
Sustainability
Research Facilities
Designed to inspire collaboration and creativity across disciplines, the (ESB) lies at the heart of the science precinct on ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ’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, ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà 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.
ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Science boasts 50 Canada Research Chairs and 10 fellows of the Royal Society of London, and has been home to two Nobel Laureates.Ìý
Schools / Departments
Graduate Degree Programs
Recent Publications
This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Science.
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Recent Thesis Submissions
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(MIIM - PHD)
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(MIIM - MSC)
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(GSAT - MSC)
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(MIIM - MSC)
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(BOTA - PHD)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(GSAT - PHD)
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(ZOOL - PHD)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(BIOF - MSC)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(GSAT - MSC)
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(MIIM - PHD)
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(PHYS - MSC)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(CHEM - PHD)
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(OCGY - PHD)
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(BIOF - MSC)
Doctoral Citations
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Dr. Richer studied how certain viral infections can cause autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes. His work identified a subset of cells that is important for both the immune response to viral infection and the development of autoimmunity. He further demonstrated that these cells can be manipulated into actively inducing protective mechanisms that prevent onset of type 1 diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Jafarpour characterized the X4 protein of tomato ringspot virus and analysed its variability among virus isolates. She provided preliminary evidence that X4 is an unstable protein and that it may have a role in supressing plant defence mechanisms. This research provides new into the role of this unique protein in the virus replication cycle. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Silverman investigated the deadly protozon parasite Leishmania donovani, identifying novel secreted molecules, discovering a secretion system, and presenting the first description of leishmania exosomes and their immune-suppressing properties. Her work has significantly advanced the current knowledge of leishmania biology, with implications for other protozoan pathogens, and development of new therapeutics and vaccines. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2010 | Dr. Croteau showed that the presence of defects on kaolinite particles plays a significant role in water adsorption and possible ice nucleation. These studies allow us to better understand the interactions between clay surfaces and water. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Tian described a new iron transport pathway that promotes the growth of skin cancer cells. These studies aid in the understanding of the development of cancers and in identifying therapies for overcoming this disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Glaze identified and mechanistically investigated the enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of a sugar nucleotide in the bacterial strain responsible for causing Legionnaires' disease. The results of these investigations have provided further understanding of the formation of the lipopolysaccharide in bacterial species. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Rempel worked on the development of fluorosugars that could be used to inhibit enzymes that process sugars. He synthesized and tested these compounds to search for useful molecules with the ultimate goal of finding treatments or diagnostics for the rare genetic diseases Gauchers disease and MPS 1. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. McKim investigated the genetic regulation of shedding or abscission of lateral organs in plants. She showed that the function of two genes was essential for development of the cellular anatomy necessary for abscission in leaves and flowers, greatly contributing to our understanding of a key life event in plants. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Scott studied how some birds can fly over the highest mountains in the world, where oxygen is so scarce that people can barely survive. His research discovered the basis for the impressive feat of these animals, advancing our knowledge of how physiological systems evolve in nature and of the limitations of our own physiology at high altitudes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Cantarero-Lopez developed a new tool to study generalized symmetries that come from abstract objects called groupoids. This is a generalization of a classical theory called K-theory, and can also be used to study classical symmetries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |