NSERC investments boost 63 UBC Science research projects

Sixty-three projects across UBC Science have been awarded more than $15 million in funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

The new projects, which tackle a range of research areas including sustainable food solutions, green chemistry, volcanic eruptions, carbon sequestration, quantum computation, atmospheric aerosols and air quality, and interstellar molecules were announced today as part of federal Discovery Grant, Subatomic Physics and Research, and Research, Tools and Instrument programs.

“Congratulations to these talented recipients from all across the country who are doing the groundbreaking work that will contribute not only to Canada’s health and well-being but also to the world’s," said The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in making the announcement. "Through this funding, the Government of Canada is investing in the next generation of researchers and inspiring them to continue to think outside the box and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

In total, 139 UBC-led awards totalling almost $35 million over five years were announced this week. The Discovery Grants program is designed to help promote and maintain a diversified base of high-quality research capability in the natural sciences and engineering in Canadian universities and foster research excellence. UBC Science-led awards include:

Song, Liang (Botany)

• A quantitative platform to expedite gene and genomic discovery from model species to crops and wild berries.
• Total Funding: $108,650

Bertram, Allan (Chemistry)

• Reactivity, phase behavior, diffusion and viscosity within atmospheric aerosols for a better understanding of air quality, climate and health.
• Total Funding: $555,000

Pai, Dinesh (Computer Science)

• Computational models of humans.
• Total Funding: $345,000

Jellinek, Andrew (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences)

• Earth's largest explosive eruptions—Implications of volcanic eruption dynamics for climate control and their links to plate tectonics.
• Total Funding: $350,000

Hunt, Brian (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries)


• Impacts of urbanization on nearshore pelagic ocean ecosystems—The case of ocean cities.

• Total Funding: $255,000

Ramankutty, Navin (Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability)

• Data science and modelling to examine sustainable food system solutions.
• Total Funding: $295,000

Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda (Mathematics)

• Modelling, simulating, and designing the dynamics of mesoscale particles.
• Total Funding: $230,000

Todesco, Marco (Michael Smith Laboratories)

• Understanding the genetic basis of local adaptation in wild sunflowers.
• Total Funding: $245,000

King, Kayla (Microbiology and Immunology)

• Host-parasite evolution in a changing world.
• Total Funding: $520,000

Stairs, Ingrid (Physics and Astronomy)

• Unlocking the Universe with pulsars and fast radio bursts.
• Total Funding: $405,000

Salibian Barrera, Matias (Statistics)

• Robust estimation methods for complex data models.
• Total Funding: $165,000

Brauner, Colin (Zoology)

• Gas exchange, ionoregulation, acid-base balance and their interactions in aquatic vertebrates.
• Total Funding: $420,000