Chairs & Scholars
canada research chairs
The federally funded Canada Research Chair program, launched in 2000, provides support in building Canada’s research capacity. The Canada Research Chairs program invests approximately $265 million per year toward research in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences.
UBC’s Okanagan campus currently has nine Canada Research Chairs with the most recent recipients awarded in 2024. Tier 1 Chairs are recognized as outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. Tier 2 Chairs are awarded to exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field.
JENNIFER DAVISApplied Health Economics |
ALANAISE FERGUSONHealth, Healing, and Community Revitalization: Indigenous Approaches to Overcoming Intergenerational Trauma and Loss |
ADAM FORDWildlife Restoration Ecology |
WILL HUGHESDNA Engineering |
MARY CLARE KENNEDYSubstance Use Policy and Practice Research |
ISAAC LISingle-Molecule Biophysics and Mechanobiology |
ASTRIDA NEIMANISFeminist Environmental Humanities |
SARAH PURCELLNutrition and Energy Metabolism in Chronic Disease |
Madeleine RansomCanada Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence, Well-Being and Ethics |
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Principal’s Research Chairs
The Principal’s Research Chairs (PRC) program provides internal funding support for top-tier researchers engaged in outstanding research or creative scholarship.
The requirements of the PRC program are aligned with the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) program criteria and recipients of the award are appointed to a renewable five-year term.
UBC Okanagan has made twenty-one appointments, since the program launch in April 2020.
PHIL AINSLIECerebrovascular Physiology in Health, Exercise and Disease |
SHAHRIA ALAMResilient and Green Infrastructure |
AHMAD AL-DABBAGHControl Systems |
AMIR ARDESTANI-JAAFARIData-Driven Operations Management |
Mathieu BourbonnaisWildland Fire Risk and Fire Management |
JULIAN CHENGWireless Systems |
SABRE CHERKOWSKILeadership, Learning and Wellbeing |
THU-THUY DANGNatural Products Biotechnology |
RENELLE DUBOSQNanogeology |
CHEN FENGBlockchain-Empowered Digital Technology |
IAN FOULDSIndigenous Reconciliation in Engineering |
RACHELLE HOLECritical Disability Studies |
LAUREN HUMANSocial Perception and Expression |
POURANG IRANIUbiquitous Analytics |
KYLE LARSONTectonics |
ERIC LISocial Innovation for Health Equity and Food Security |
JONATHAN LITTLEMetabolism |
JIAN LIUEnergy Storage Technology |
ABBAS MILANISustainable and Smart Manufacturing |
BARBARA PESUTPalliative and End-of-Life Care |
KARIS SHEARERDigital Arts and Humanities |
ONYX SLOAN MORGANCommunities, Justice and Sustainability |
ROBERT SZILAGYIComputational Chemistry |
LISA TOBBERDisaster-Resilient Buildings |
ALEXANDER R. UHLSolar Energy Conversion |
TANIA WILLARDIndigenous Art Initiatives |
WENDY WONGDatafication |
KYONG YOONTrans-Pacific Digital Platform Studies |
MOHAMMAD HOSSEIN ZARIFISensors and Microelectronics |
ENDOWED & industrial Chairs
CIGDEM ESKICIOGLUNSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Advanced Resource Recovery From Wastewater (2020) |
KASUN HEWAGEFortis BC Smart Energy Chair (2019) |
JOHN JANMAATLeading Edge Endowment Fund (LEEF) BC Regional Innovation Chair in Water Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability |
NATHAN PELLETIERNSERC/Egg Farmers of Canada Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Sustainability (2018) |
DAVID SCOTTEndowed Research Chair in Watershed Management (Forest Renewal BC – FRBC) |
ADAM WEIEndowed Research Chair in Watershed Management (Forest Renewal BC – FRBC) |
michael smith health research BC (MSHRBC) SCHOLARS
The Michael Smith Health Research BC’s Scholar Program supports early-career health researchers who are building leading-edge health research programs, training the next generation of scientists, and expanding their potential to make significant contributions to their field.
The Scholar Program is one of MSHRBC’s flagship funding opportunities. Since 2001, MSHRBC has granted more than 460 Scholar awards, helping to develop, attract and retain BC’s best and brightest health researchers and support the advancement of world-class health research in BC.
SHELLY BEN-DAVIDMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2019) |
Kirk BergstromMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2023) |
THU-THUY DANGMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2020) |
JENNIFER DAVISMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2020) |
SARAH DOW-FLEISNERMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2021) |
Rebecca FeldmanMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2023) |
NATASHA HASKEYMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2024) |
Carla HilarioMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2024) |
Elizabeth KeysMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2023) |
SARAH KRAEUTNERMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2022) |
ISAAC LIMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2020) |
Jessica LougheedMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2023) |
KATRINA PLAMONDONMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2020) |
BRODIE SAKAKIBARAMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2018) |
SANA SHAHRAMMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2021) |
Laura StruikMichael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2023) |