The Solutions Scholars program sponsors UBC Master’s and PhD students to apply their scholarly research to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and/or education. Twelve students have been selected as scholars for the 2025 - 2026 cohort, focusing on projects submitted by interdisciplinary teams of researchers.
Masters Student
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Dayo is a Chemical and Biological Engineering master's student researching cleaner energy solutions with the Biomass and Bioenergy Research Group at UBC. Her work focuses on developing affordable, sustainable technologies to meet energy needs in developing countries, advancing economic…
Masters Student
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Hanan Awwad is a Master's student and Research Assistant at UBC exploring the environmental footprint of cloud computing.With many years of experience as a software engineer, Hanan brings technical depth to the challenge of making digital infrastructure more sustainable. Hanan's research focuses on…
Masters Student
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability
Alfie Brazier is a computer scientist and environmental researcher interested in building bespoke technological tools for protecting environmental systems. He is studying an MSc in Resources, Environment and Sustainability as part of the Land Use and Global Environment (LUGE) Research Group…
Masters Student
Interdisciplinary Studies (Sustainability)
Theresa is an MSc student at UBC Okanagan, researching the impacts of community-based participatory mapping projects in post-disaster contexts, with case study research in Nepal. Following her undergraduate degree in Geography and Environmental Studies, with a specialization in ethnoecology,…
PhD Program
Geography
Estraven Lupino-Smith is a PhD student interested in research-creation and the fields of political ecology, queer theory, and cultural geography. Rooted in a commitment to multispecies justice and resistant ways of inhabiting settler-land relationships, their work traces the social and…
PhD Program
Curriculum Studies
Balraj is a Ph.D. candidate researching how post-secondary students mobilize their scientific understanding of the climate crisis to take action. He explores how community spaces and social groups can offer pathways for building students’ capacity to understand climate science, engage in…
Masters Student
Computer Science
Emon is a Master’s student in Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, specializing in machine learning and user behavior. His research focuses on behavior change models in financial technology, leveraging reinforcement learning and recommendation systems to encourage positive…
PhD Program
Geography
Ted is a 3rd year PhD student after a prior PhD in Geophysics, over a decade at Microsoft, and several years teaching high school science and math. He seeks to understand the evolution of seasonal heat and changing seasonal patterns in a warming climate, with an emphasis on coastal urban areas…
Masters Student
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability
Hayley Simpson is pursuing a Master of Arts degree where she is studying the intersections of human behavior and climate issues, in particular how social norms impact individuals' willingness to engage in pro-environmental action. She completed an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree in…
Masters Student
Interdisciplinary Studies (Sustainability)
Jamie is a masters student in the interdisciplinary graduate studies Sustainability theme. Her academic background spans the humanities, restoration sciences, and education. Her work as a middle school teacher reinforced that climate engagement must go beyond information delivery; it must be…
PhD Program
Educational Studies
Mahfida Tahniat is a PhD student in the Department of Educational Studies (EDST) at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on creative solutions from a global South lens to enrich the ongoing discourse on critical place-rooted pedagogies within the climate justice context…
Masters Student
Interdisciplinary Studies (Sustainability)
Blair is a Master’s student in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies at UBC Okanagan, researching climate communication and community behavior during wildfires in British Columbia. With a background in political science, education, and sustainability, Blair brings a multidisciplinary lens to…
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