A Q+A with UBC’s new Dean of Science, chemist Mark MacLachlan

Dr. Mark MacLachlan, Canada Research Chair in Supramolecular Materials and the new Dean of Science at UBC, discusses his path from small town-B.C. to UBC, his love of Hawaiian shirts, and the challenges and priorities facing the Faculty.

You’re from a small town in B.C., went to UBC and then on to MIT. How has that journey shaped you?

I felt well prepared from high school and studied hard at UBC. Early in my first year, I already had my eyes on becoming a professor. I remember sitting in the back of CHEM B250 and seeing my professor—an enthusiastic Dr. Chris Orvig, now emeritus—lecturing, and I thought, “Wow, that seems like a great job!” My moves to Toronto then to MIT profoundly shaped my research interests, and my leadership and management styles. I learned from fantastic mentors, and brought those skills back to UBC.

As interim dean one of your foci has been collaborative research. Looking ahead, what key priorities do you foresee for UBC Science?

I think we need to look at enhancing external engagement, improving our success in faculty awards, and bolstering communications.

Strengthening our relationship with government, with the community, with our alumni and supporters, and with other leading academic institutions is crucial. These relationships are pivotal for strengthening our research, building our reputation, attracting students, and developing outstanding programming. More than ever, big funding opportunities require collaboration and interdisciplinarity, but applying for these takes a lot of time and effort. I intend to prioritize enhancing collaborative research, connecting faculty with industry and NGOs, and supporting those who lead applications for large team grants.

We have spectacular faculty to celebrate. When they win awards, it elevates the reputation of not just the faculty member, but also of Science and UBC. I think there are opportunities to substantially improve our success in faculty awards. Somewhat related to that, we also need to optimize and improve communications at all levels—internal and external. This is frequently identified as a shortcoming across the university, and good communications could go a long way to building trust between faculty and the administration. We need to have more discussions about the best practices for communications, from email to Instagram.

Your research foci are supramolecular and materials chemistry. Explain. 

In supramolecular chemistry, we construct molecules that can organize into complex structures, such as nanotubes or even a molecular knot. These molecules respond to different stimuli and change their structures and optical properties, allowing them to be used in sensing. On the materials front, we construct materials that have “structural colour”—a form of colour that results from the organization of the material rather than from dyes or pigments. The materials we make are iridescent because they have nanostructures that mimic the structures of beetle shells or butterfly wings, and their colour changes when they are exposed to different analytes. Again, the materials may be useful in sensing. I’m particularly proud of a colourless rubbery material we made with cellulose nanocrystals inside. When it’s pressed or stretched, it becomes coloured. As this is reversible, the materials can be used for pressure sensing.

What are the challenges and opportunities new science grads will face—and how are we preparing them for it?

New science grads are facing an environment where the public’s trust of science and universities is faltering. Yet we need science and innovation to address major problems in the world, ranging from clean mining and alternative energy to pandemic preparedness and clean drinking water. We need to ensure that UBC Science continues to offer outstanding, rigorous programs that prepare our students for careers beyond UBC. I believe that companies will soon expect that our graduates in all fields have some competency in AI, and we’re discussing how to make this happen.

What qualities do you admire most in leaders and colleagues?

Honesty, humility and a sense of humour. 

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career?

Always be thankful and support the people who help you achieve your goals—whether it’s your admin team or your research group. Give students ownership of their projects and they’ll perform their best. This can be extended to other projects with colleagues—don’t be a micromanager!

You’re famous (some say notorious) for wearing Hawaiian shirts on all occasions—how did that fashion trend start? 

They’re comfortable and make people happy! And I’m a big fan of Weird Al Yankovic. In 2005, I had my first opportunity to visit Hawaii—for the Pacifichem conference. I bought a few shirts and liked wearing them. I stocked up on more at the same conference in 2010. In 2015, I went to Pacifichem with only the shirt on my back—on the first day I bought 11 new Hawaiian shirts to bring back! For a long time, my requirement was that the shirt must be made in Hawaii, but now I have many that weren’t made there. 

What do you do to relax?

I enjoy spending time with my family, especially watching movies with my son. I volunteer with Scouts Canada, where I go hiking and camping when I can. And I’m a big crossword puzzle fan. I regularly solve the New York Times crossword puzzles and my hobby is creating American-style crossword puzzles.