UVic Faculty of Science

UVic Faculty of Science Our six units—Biology, Biochemistry & Microbiology, Chemistry, Earth & Ocean Sciences, Mathematics Twitter:

From the atom to the universe, from the cell to the ecosystem, from the theoretical to the applied, we are the Faculty of Science at the University of Victoria, located in the capital of British Columbia. The Faculty of Science is comprised of 6 units: Biochemistry & Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Ocean Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics and Physics & Astronomy.

We sent an undergraduate student to the Statistical Society of Canada (SSC) Annual Meeting, and she came home with the 2...
06/23/2026

We sent an undergraduate student to the Statistical Society of Canada (SSC) Annual Meeting, and she came home with the 2026 Student Researcher Presentation Award for her oral presentation, beating out all the graduate students in attendance!

"Attending the SSC conference was one of the most inspiring experiences of my degree. Seeing so many presentations on statistical ideas across such a wide range of topics reminded me how vast and exciting the field is. Receiving the oral presentation award was a genuine surprise and a real honour, especially since I was presenting alongside amazing graduate researchers. My advice to other students attending a conference would be to put yourself out there, talk to people, and don't be nervous about presenting your work because stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to amazing opportunities!

I also want to thank Dr. Michelle Miranda for her mentorship and support throughout the project, and also thank Dr. Farouk Nathoo for all of his support!"

- Muskaan Ali (she/her), recent graduate, BSc (Honours) in mathematics and statistics

Meet this year's Jubilee Medal winner! 🏆Every year, we recognize the student with the highest graduating GPA in the Facu...
06/16/2026

Meet this year's Jubilee Medal winner! 🏆

Every year, we recognize the student with the highest graduating GPA in the Faculty of Science with the Faculty of Science Jubilee Medal. This year, we're proud to celebrate Georgia Penner (she/her), who graduated with a BSc (Honours) in mathematics.

"It's an amazing honour to receive this award. It would never have been possible without the support of my peers and professors in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. I was able to lean on them for support in just about anything.

One of my favourite experiences in my time here at UVic was working in the Math and Stats Assistance Centre. It challenged me to broaden how I think about different mathematical ideas in order to communicate them to students. It's so rewarding to see it click for them!"

- Georgia Penner (she/her), BSc (Honours) in mathematics

Georgia will be heading to the University of Toronto this fall to pursue graduate studies in mathematics.

06/16/2026

They're proud. We're proud. Who wouldn't be?! 🥰

Sometimes, one course can change everything. "CSC 110: Fundamentals of Programming with Michael Zastre completely change...
06/13/2026

Sometimes, one course can change everything.

"CSC 110: Fundamentals of Programming with Michael Zastre completely changed my trajectory. I had zero programming experience before university, and that course was my very first coding class. I loved it so much that I decided to add computer science as a half-major. It’s one of those courses I think back on as a genuine turning point. I didn’t expect to fall in love with programming, but I did."

- Kiana Gallagher, BSc in physics and computer science

Kiana initially thought she'd go into medicine, but fell in love with physics and computer science. When she heard about medical physics, it all clicked. She is now heading to the University of Toronto for a master's in medical biophysics.

🔗 UVic double major grad charts a course in medical biophysics: https://ow.ly/ZOiO50ZboYy

There's no better day then one spent celebrating our graduating students. 💞On Tuesday, we celebrated 483 undergraduate s...
06/12/2026

There's no better day then one spent celebrating our graduating students. 💞

On Tuesday, we celebrated 483 undergraduate students and 74 graduate students during two separate convocation ceremonies. There were lots of hugs, happy smiles, proud parents and a sense of celebration.

We're so proud of all our graduates, and we can't wait to see what they do next!

06/11/2026

If Bob McDonald is giving you advice, you should probably take it!

During Tuesday afternoon's convocation ceremony, Bob McDonald was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by UVic.

Bob McDonald is widely regarded as Canada's leading science communicator. He is most well known as the host of CBC's Quirks and Quarks. Throughout his 50-year-long career as an author, radio and television host, he made science accessible and engaging for the public.

McDonald has been the recipient of numerous awards for science communication and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011.

We're delighted to know say he's a part of our UVic family!

06/11/2026

A different view of the Class of 2026. 🎨

Five field courses. Four co-op terms. One degree in biology and environmental studies. Meet one of our newest graduates,...
06/09/2026

Five field courses. Four co-op terms. One degree in biology and environmental studies.

Meet one of our newest graduates, Anakin Bennett.

💬 "UVic offers so many awesome experiential learning opportunities, and I took full advantage of them. I participated in five field courses, four co-op terms, volunteering, networking events and Indigenous-focused programs like LE,NOṈET. These experiences helped me build practical skills in research, professionalism, communication, teamwork and working within community and field-based contexts.

Currently, I’m working with my community, the Xʷsépsəm Esquimalt Nation, in a youth advocacy role. I find it very fulfilling and impactful, especially seeing the direct benefits it brings to students and my community. My longer-term goal is to continue working with Indigenous communities, particularly in Indigenous-led conservation, stewardship and land-based approaches to caring for the land."

🔗 Read more about Anakin's UVic experience: https://ow.ly/NvVF50Z9e7a

Today might be World Ocean Day, but we're focused on the ocean every day—its health, its inhabitants and its future. Che...
06/08/2026

Today might be World Ocean Day, but we're focused on the ocean every day—its health, its inhabitants and its future.

Check out a few of our recent ocean-related research projects!

🪸 UVic PhD student Brian Timmer has been diving into the historical record to reconstruct historical baselines for bull kelp and associated macroalgae communities in the northern Salish Sea. His research has found that some kelp forests around Vancouver Island were disappearing far earlier than scientists previously thought.
https://ow.ly/cuV850Z8F8l

🐟 A partnership between UVic and Pacific Salmon Foundation scientists and recreational anglers in British Columbia is exploring the diet of adult Chinook salmon and helping us better understand the food chain in the Salish Sea. By analyzing the stomach content of the salmon, UVic PhD student Wesley Greentree was able to identify regional and seasonal diet differences.
https://ow.ly/xiLg50Z8F8j

🪨 UVic geologists Stacey Edmundson and Blake Dyer have integrated field geology with statistical modelling to give scientists a new view of the chemical reactions happening on ocean floors billions of years ago. Their revised picture shows that big changes in the carbon cycle were happening earlier than expected, and at the same time as ballooning atmospheric oxygen and global glaciation.
https://ow.ly/7FMA50Z8F8k

☀️ Biology professor Julia Baum has been studying the ecological impacts of the 2021 North American heat wave, including impacts on marine creatures and environments. Among other findings, she found that some mussel populations declined by over 90%, counts of surf scoter, a native sea duck, dropped 56%, and sea lettuce increased its real estate on rocky shores by 65%, taking advantage of the death of more vulnerable seaweed.
https://ow.ly/iiE450Z8F8n

🐠 UVic PhD student Darienne Lancaster has been using AI to decipher fish sounds. She discovered that even closely related fish species make unique and distinctive sounds, and she determined that it's possible to differentiate between the sounds of different species, opening the door to identifying fish based on sound alone.
https://ow.ly/wL2F50Z8F8m

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3800 Finnerty Road (Ring Road)
Victoria, BC
V8W2Y2

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Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

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