About Us
Welcome to the Chemistry Department in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences at UBC's Okanagan campus in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia. On this site, you will find information about the department, its program offerings and research, its faculty and facilities, and information of interest for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty.
Perhaps uniquely among the experimental sciences, chemistry and biochemistry contribute to our knowledge not just by discovering what already exists in the world, but also by adding to it, through the creation of new substances and materials at the molecular level. The synthesis, discovery, and characterization of molecules and their chemical reactions, whether in the laboratory, in the environment, or within a living organism, have profound impacts on our world and society. Chemists seek sustainable solutions for energy production and storage, greener methods of manufacture for new pharmaceuticals and industrial materials, and improved techniques for the detection and reclamation of environmental pollutants. Biochemists seek to understand the molecular basis for life by examining the structure and function of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, studies with dramatic implications for our understanding of disease, and that lead to advances in agriculture and biotechnology.
