Graduate Theses & Postdoctoral Research

Forestry PhD student Gwen Huber is examining if blossom scents emitted by different blueberry varieties are more bee-attractive than others

The UBC Farm’s scale, location, and complexity of social and ecological interactions lend themselves well to in-depth research at the Master’s, Ph.D., and postdoctoral levels. Graduate student initiatives have played key roles in building the farm’s existing programming, products, and management practices.

Examples of recent and current graduate theses, practicum, and postdoctoral research include:

• Story-gathering with the Urban Aboriginal Community Kitchen Garden Project, Erika Mundel, M.Sc. thesis, (Land & Food Systems [LFS])
• UBC Farm + An Architecture of Accumulated Meaning, Nick Neisingh, MArch thesis (School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture [SALA])
• The UBC south campus farm: the elaboration of an alternative, Derek Masselink, MLA thesis (SALA)
• Trials of organic amendments for tomatoes, Greg Rekken, M.Sc. thesis (LFS)
• Insights from the edge: farmers’ perspectives on agricultural viability near urban centres, Amy Frye, MA thesis (Resource Management and Environmental Studies)
• Assessing the food safety of UBC Farm composting practices, Practicum for M.Sc. in Food Safety, Helen Ge (LFS)
• Children, families, environmental education: co-constructing ecological identities in a changing world, Julia Ostertag, MA thesis (Education)
• Unpacking your lunch: a qualitative study of young students’ ideas about food and nutrition, Tathali Urueta-Ortiz, MA thesis (Education)
• The potential effect of climate change on tent caterpillars, Judith Myers (Zoology)
• Emissions of volatile organic chlorinated compounds from soils, Marina Molodovskaya, Postdoc (Applied Science)
• Effects of simulated territorial intrusion on aggressive behavior in white-crowned sparrows, Sara Heimovics, Postdoc (Zoology)
• Hypoxia tolerance in the high flying bar-headed goose, Jessica Meir, Postdoc (Zoology)
• Effects of elevation on temperature, Monika Panfil, Postdoc (LFS)

Propose a Project

Postdoctoral researcher Jessica Meir conducted flight training at the farm for her research on bar-headed goose physiology. Photo: Jessica Meir

To propose a course, faculty-led or graduate research project, industry-sponsored or third party project, or an undergraduate directed study at the farm, please see the Submit a Project Proposal page.

Students from all disciplines are welcome to study at the farm. The UBC Farm will work with you to tailor assignments to your interests and needs. In recognition of the vital ways in which student learning, projects, and recommendations have contributed toward building the farm for the last 10 years, the farm is committed to supporting intensive student engagement as a key part of its future.