Faculty of Science
Strategic Plan

Progress

Two people standing atop a rocky mountain wearing outdoor gear. One man is pointing into the distance while a woman stands beside him.

To advance objectives across the plan’s core areas of people, research, education and engagement, the Faculty provides strategic funding and guidance to members of the UBC Science community in related areas. Currently funded projects and initiatives are highlighted below.

Funded Strategic Projects

People

Building community among women in math, and for science

Lead: Dr. Miranda Holmes-Cerfon (Department of Mathematics)

Team: Dr. Lindsey Daniels, Dr. Alexia Yavicoli, Dr. Leah Edelstein-Keshet, Dr. Malabika Pramanik (Department of Mathematics), Dr. Stephanie van Willigenburg (Department of Mathematics, Science Dean’s Office)

Award: $8,900

Inclusive Teaching: Improving Accessibility in Undergraduate Chem Labs

Lead: Dr. José Núñez & Ken MacFarlane (Department of Chemistry)

Award: TBD

The Science Dialog Seminar Series for MSL

Lead: Dr. David Ng (Michael Smith Labs)

Award: $4,600

Building community through cascading volunteering and mentoring: lift as you grow

Lead: Michele Ng (Department of Computer Science)

Team: Kara Deane, Alexa Gogoescu, Sarah Wong, Cinda Heeren (Department of Computer Science)

Award: $20,400

Feasibility of an Automated Intelligent Decision-making Academic Advising (AIDAA) Bot to increase access to the hidden curriculum at UBC

Lead: Dr. James Charbonneau & Cindy Nahm (Faculty of Science Dean’s Office)

Award: $17,000

Food Pantry Creation

Lead: Darlene Birkenhead (Department of Microbiology & Immunology)

Team: Aryannah Rollinson, Nina Maeshima (Life Sciences Institute), Doris Medcalf (Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology), Jiaojiao Lu, Laryssa Vachon (Department of Microbiology & Immunology)

Award: $8,000

Using BuddyBoost to engage our people, grow their wellbeing and build an inclusive community

Lead: Gillian Harris (Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability)

Team: Nivretta Thatra (Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability), Janie McCallum, Svetlana Minchenko (Science Dean’s Office), Jiaying Zhao (Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability & Department of Psychology), Annie Lalande (Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability & Department of Surgery)

Award: $22,500

Growing and sustaining the Biology Undergraduate Diversity in Research Program (BUDR)

Lead: Dr. Michelle Tseng (Departments of Botany & Zoology)

Team: Diane S. Srivastava, Stella Lee, Libby Natola, Lydia Fong, Kaleigh Davis (Department of Zoology), Jeannette Whitton (Science Dean’s Office), Kenzie Arnott, Mannfred Boehm, Tommy Kuo, Jan Xue (Department of Botany), Harleen Dhillon (Biology Undergraduate Society), Vyshu Manohara (Biology Undergraduate Society)

Award: $49,316

Education

Deploying PLOM

Lead: Dr. Colin Macdonald (Department of Mathematics)

Team: Dr. Andrew Rechnitzer (Department of Mathematics), The Ha (Departments of Mathematics & Statistics), Noureddine Elouazizi (Skylight), Cinda Heeren (Department of Computer Science), Stefan Reinsberg (Department of Physics), Sunita Showrira (Department of Botany), Jay Wickenden (Department of Chemistry)

Award: $108,000

Engagement

Mitigating the Impacts of the contaminated Illicit Drug Supply on People Who Use Drugs through Innovative Drug Checking Initiatives

Lead: Dr. Jason Hein (Department of Chemistry)

Team: Dr. Sara Guzman Castro, (Department of Chemistry), Jennifer Matthews, (BC Centre of Substance Use)

Award: $47,000

Data & Beyond

Lead: Karen Agostino (UBC BizTech)

Team: Kate Morinaka, Monica Huynh (UBC BizTech)

Award: $970

People & Engagement

Initiating and nurturing a community of ECRs who care deeply about engagement with society

Lead: Michele Mossman (Department of Physics & Astronomy)

Team: Lorne Whitehead (Department of Physics & Astronomy), Marc-David L. Seidel (W. Maureice Yougn Centre for Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital Research)

Award: $33,750

Building an Inclusive Community, One Meal at a Time

Lead: Marlene Tecson-Golfinopoulos (Department of Mathematics)

Team: Theresa Lee, Jin Manabe (Department of Mathematics)

Award: $4,500

Education & Engagement

Engaging the general public in cloud and climate science

Lead: Anna Zeleny (Department of Chemistry)

Team: Nadine Bourduas-Dedekind, Paul Bieber (Department of Chemistry)

Award: $1,000

 

People

Biology Undergraduate Diversity in Research Program (BUDR)

Lead: Dr. Diane Srivastava (Department of Zoology)

Team: Dr. Jeannette Whitton (Department of Botany), Dr. Stella Lee, Kaleigh Davis, Melody Salehzedah (Department of Zoology), Dr. Michelle Tseng (Departments of Botany & Zoology), Mannfred Boehm, Tommy Kuo, Jan Xue (Botany Graduate Student Association (BSGA)), Libby Natola, Lydia Fong (Zoology Graduate Student Association (ZGSA)), Harleen Khillon, Vyshu Manohara (BIOSOC)

Award: $25,408

Research

Enhance the research trainee experience and expertise in statistical and data science

Lead: Dr. Biljana Jonoska Stojkova (Applied Statistics & Data Science Group (ASDa), Department of Statistics)

Team: Dr. Carolyn Taylor, Dr. John Petkau, Dr. Nikolas Krstic, (ASDa, Department of Statistics)

Award: $23,880

Lowering Barriers and Inclusive Excellence: Recruiting and Supporting Diversity in the Botany Graduate Program

Lead: Dr. Lacey Samuels (Department of Botany)

Team: Dr. Jeannette Whitton, Alice Liou (Department of Botany)

Award: $10,000

Education

Spreading the Word about Data Science

Lead: Dr. Cinda Heeren (Department of Computer Science)

Team: Dr. Tiffany Timbers, Dr. Gaby Cohen (Department of Statistics), Dr. Warren Code (Skylight), Dr. Mike Gelbart (Department of Computer Science)

Award: $40,000

An extensible portfolio-driven model to enhance student access to undergraduate research opportunities in the UBC Faculty of Science

Lead: Drs David Oliver & Marcia Graves (Department of Microbiology & Immunology)

Team: Dr. Steven Hallam, Dr. Evelyn Sun, Dr. Stephan Koenig, Dr. Michael Murphy (Department of Microbiology & Immunology), Elizabeth Vaz (Department of Microbiology & Immunology Students Association)

Award: $20,000

Engagement

Teaching & Learning in Science through the lens of Indigeneity, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Lead: Dr. Adele Ruosi (Skylight)

Team: Dr. Christine Goedhart (Department of Botany), Dr. Sarah Bean Sherman (Skylight), Dr. Jaclyn Stewart (Department of Chemistry, CTLT)

Award: $5,000

Developing a toolkit for assessing student understanding of how Indigenous issues intersect with their field of study

Lead: Dr. Laura Lukes (Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences)

Team: Dr. Shandin Pete (Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences)

Award: $71,117

Fire Across the Land: Truth and Reconciliation Training for UBC Science

Lead: Dr. Tara Moreau (UBC Botanical Gardens)

Team: Brad Marsden (Gitksan Nation), Chris Balma (Faculty of Science Dean’s Office), UBC Botanical Garden Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) Action Team

Award: $8,600

Developing relationships and partnerships with Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students in UBC Science

Lead: Dr. Shandin Pete (Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences)

Team: Dr. Andrea Reid (Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries), Dr. Ashley Welsh (Skylight & CTLT), Dr. Maï Yasué (Skylight & Equity & Inclusion Office), Frances Butterfield (Undergraduate Student, BSc Program), Adam Lukasiewicz (Interim Indigenous Academic Advisor, UBC Science Advising), CTLT Indigenous Initiatives

Award: $19,300

Vaccine Information Fair

Lead: Dr. Rachel Fernandez (Department of Microbiology & Immunology)

Team: Morgan Alford, Mihai Cirstea, Maria Tokuyama (Department of Microbiology & Immunology), Dr. Anna Blakney (Michael Smith Laboratories), Dr. Manish Sadarangani (Department of Pediatrics & Vaccine Evaluation Centre, BCCHRI), Kelli Kadokawa (Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies)

Award: $16,985

 

Next: About the Plan

Musqueam First Nation land acknowledegement

UBC Science acknowledges that the UBC Point Grey campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm.

Learn more: Musqueam First Nation

Strategic Plan

Program Contact
Deborah Watt
E-mail watt@science.ubc.ca

Faculty of Science

Office of the Dean, Earth Sciences Building
2178–2207 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada
V6T 1Z4
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