Accelerator Physics & Dosimetry
Investigating particle and photon beams and their mutual interactions with the goal of developing novel isotope-based therapies.
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Andrew Jirasek
Dr. Cornelia Hoehr
Brachytherapy
Focused on the development and implementation of tools and techniques for precision image guided brachytherapy (IGBT) and dose monitoring.
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Cynthia Araujo
Dr. Deidre Batchelar
Dr. Michael Kudla
Dr. Melanie Davidson
Classification and Clustering
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Jeff Andrews
Dr. Irene Vrbik
Dr. John Thompson
Dr. Xiaoping Shi
Experimental Radiobiology
Research in experimental radiobiology involves spectroscopic, genetic, and molecular investigations for the purposes of precision and personalized radiation-based therapy.
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Andrew Jirasek
Dr. Christina Haston
Dr. Derek Hyde
High Precision Radiotherapy
Research focuses on evaluating high precision methods in radiation oncology to enable translation into clinical practice. Three dimensional radiation dosimetry is employed to investigate novel and complex treatment strategies for possible clinical translation.
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Derek Hyde
Dr. Laszlo Zalavari
Dr. Andrew Jirasek
Dr. Yiwen Xu
Mathematical Astrophysics
Research focuses on astronomical observations, largely using the telescopes and facilities at DRAO. We use radio observations to understand and mathematically model the magnetized Milky Way galaxy. We also design, model, and characterize radio telescopes using astronomical data, drone measurements, and electromagnetic simulations.
Centres/Institutes:
DRAO – Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Alex Hill
DRAO: Tim Robishaw, Tom Landecker, Mohammad Islam
Mathematical Biology
Centres/Institutes:
BRAES
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Sylvie Desjardins
Dr. Eric Foxall
Dr. Rebecca Tyson
Medical Imaging
Creating visual representations of the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues (physiology).
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Thor Bjarnason
Dr. Rebecca Feldman
Dr. Rasika Rajapakshe
Nonparametric Statistics
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. John Thompson
Dr. Lengyi Han
Dr. Xiaoping Shi
Optimization
Centres/Institutes:
COCANA – CA2 Lab – Computer-Aided Convex Analysis Lab
| Researchers/Experts: | |
| Dr. Heinz Bauschke | Dr. Shawn Wang |
| Dr. Warren Hare | Dr. Yves Lucet |
| Dr. Amy Wiebe |
Probability and Stochastic Processes
Exploring the study of chance and how data is handled using different analysis techniques and collection methods.
Researchers/Experts:
Dr. Eric Foxall
Dr. Javad Tavakoli
Dr. John Thompson
Dr. Lengyi Han
CENTRES, INSTITUTES AND LABS
Our centres, institutes and labs form the foundation of our research efforts, where our faculty work with many community and industry partners to advance knowledge and practice in the field of quantitative sciences and provide hands-on research and learning opportunities for students.
The AiMS Institute brings together researchers in medical physics, engineering, chemistry, radiation oncology and data analytics for the purposes of developing locally relevant and globally impactful advances in health care.
UBC’s Okanagan campus is now an official site of the Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS). Several BIRS events will be hosted on the UBC campus in Kelowna, primarily in the summer months, starting in 2021. Ten research workshops in a variety of areas in mathematics, computer science, statistics and theoretical physics are being scheduled into the period from May through August.
The Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services (BRAES) is a group of over 30 faculty members and their graduate students working in ecology, biodiversity and conservation, and environmental sustainability on UBC’s Okanagan Campus. BRAES’ special strength is its multidisciplinary focus, with members from departments of biology, mathematics and statistics, literary and cultural studies, earth and environmental sciences, physical geography, economics and creative arts.
The Centre for Optimization, Convex Analysis and Nonsmooth Analysis (COCANA) performs fundamental research in convex and nonsmooth analysis and transfers the results to industry by solving practical industrial problems with a focus on commercial applications. COCANA researchers are mathematicians, computer scientists and engineers who apply state-of-the-art optimization techniques to solve real-life problems and provide our industrial partners an edge over their competition.
OCANA CoLab, part of COCANA, allows research collaboration on-site or remotely. We routinely host seminars with researchers participating from the Pacific Northwest and abroad (e.g. Newcastle, Australia).
CA² Lab, part of COCANA, leverages industry-sponsored funding with grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and MITACS, thereby more than doubling our partners’ investment in research. We have many man-years of experience in optimization and operations research applied to engineering and health science and are always looking for new partners.
Research Experts
Search for Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science faculty members with the right expertise.
Recent Media Releases
Reducing the side effects of cancer therapy
How a research cluster is advancing personalized radiation therapy while empowering undergraduate researchers
New map of the Milky Way’s magnetism offers insights into cosmic evolution
UBCO-led DRAGONS project charts radio wave twists across the northern sky
Undergraduate Research opportunities
The Department of Mathematics, Physics and Statistics offers many opportunities for undergraduate students to gain valuable research experience. You can participate in research through Directed Studies and/or Honours opportunities. Or consider a Capstone Project, where you can work with a team of students to develop software for an actual client. Explore your options and apply below.
The position: Carry out your own research project under the supervision of a faculty member. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, supervised reading, participation in a seminar, and one or more programming projects. With different topics, this course may be taken twice for credit.
You can earn three or six credits for the project, depending upon if they register for a one-term or two-term option.
Prerequisites: Third-year standing and the permission of the department head.
DIRECTED STUDIES APPLICATION FORMS
The opportunity: Capstone projects allow students in computer science to gain real-world experience developing software for an actual client. Students must produce a comprehensive report and deliver a formal presentation.
Prerequisites: Refer to the Academic Calendar for the most up-to-date prerequisites specific to computer science capstone projects.
The position: Students will undertake a research project as agreed upon by the student, supervising faculty member, and department head. A written thesis and a public presentation (poster or seminar) are required.
You can earn three or six credits for the project, depending upon if they register for a one-term or two-term option.
Prerequisites: Fourth-year standing; admission to the BA or BSc Computer Science Honours Program; and permission of the department head.
HONOURS THESIS APPLICATION FORMS
Undergraduate Research Awards
The Undergraduate Research Awards (URA) and the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) provide exceptional research experiences for students at UBC’s Okanagan campus.
The purpose of the awards is to encourage undergraduate students to pursue innovative and original research as part of their learning experience.
Our Partners
Together, we are making a difference, locally and around the world. Our partners and donors allow us to carry out our mission of helping the community, making advancements in research, and providing quality education in the field of mathematics, physics and statistics.
If you are interested in becoming a partner or donor, we would love to hear from you.