Solutions-Focused Science for a Resilient Future

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science Strategic Plan: 2026-2031

Our Vision

Dr. Vikas in front of imersive media screen taking students on VR fieldtrip

Engage. Collaborate. Innovate.

UBC Science Okanagan is a close-knit academic community within the highly regarded UBC system. Based in the interior of British Columbia, we have both a global reach and commitment to place, and aim to be recognized as a global leader in curiosity-driven and solutions focused science as we build our capacity for a resilient future.

We advance knowledge frontiers and bridge teaching and scholarly activities with real-world impact across three interconnected academic pillars: Biomedical & Life Sciences, Computational & Data-Intensive Innovation, and Environment & Climate Resilience. Our interdisciplinary and collaborative endeavours foster a community that thrives on shared learning, innovation, and inclusivity. Our education inspires and empowers future scientists and responsible citizens to drive positive and sustainable changes in the Okanagan Valley, Canada, and worldwide.

Academic Pillars

Our activities in research, educational leadership and undergraduate and graduate programming broadly span three core academic pillars:

Faculty Priorities

Over the next five years, we will continue to build on our distinct strengths: our world-class scholars, the excellent opportunities we provide to our students, the relationships we have with our local communities, and the collaborations we forge with partners in academia, industry and government.

Across all pillars, we will invest and engage deliberately in:

1

Research Excellence

Lead research and innovation with local, national and international impact

Brooklyn Becker collecting samples from the vines at Frind Estate Winery
2

Experiential Education

Create hands-on, engaged learning opportunities and career pathways based on lasting connections between students, faculty and the community.

3

Strategic Partnerships

Partner across academia, industry, government, and community in research, knowledge extension, and innovation.

4

Societal Impact

Engage our community to create meaningful, positive, and responsible change.


 

Respectfully acknowledging syilx Okanagan traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory and the longstanding partnership between the University of British Columbia and the Okanagan Nation.