TWO-YEAR FUNDED MSC IN SARGASSUM VALORIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA IN VANCOUVER

A funded two-year MSc position is available in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver under the supervision of Profs. Hamish van der Ven and Qingshi Tu. The expected start date will be either 1 September 2025 or 1 January 2026.

The successful candidate will contribute to a New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)-funded project exploring how sargassum algae can contribute to the blue economy in the Caribbean and South America (Dr. Maycira Costa, University of Victoria, principal investigator). The candidate will research the different valorization options for sargassum algae at one research site in Mexico and estimate the economic and environmental benefits as well as the capital investment associated with each option. The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team located at UBC, the University of Victoria, and partner institutions in Canada, the USA, Mexico, France and Brazil.

The MSc student will receive guaranteed funding of $20,000 CAD per year for two years with the possibility of an extension if required. Note: tuition fees must be paid out of this amount. Supplementary funding is available through the Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) program at UBC. For information on program requirements and domestic and international student tuition and fees at UBC Forestry, please see the MSc Program Overview.

Eligibility

• Domestic and international applicants are welcome
• Applicants must meet the minimum academic requirements for admission established by the UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies office
• All applicants must meet eligibility requirements to live and study in Canada
• All applicants must be eligible to conduct field research in the Caribbean state of Quintana Roo in Mexico

Required Qualifications

• Completion of a relevant undergraduate degree from an accredited post-secondary institution
• Fluency in English and Spanish
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Prior experience or training relevant to the bioeconomy

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or prior experience in quantitative and/or qualitative methods
• Proficiency in R, Jupyter Notebook, and NVivo
• Coursework or prior experience in lifecycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis (TEA), and/or cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
• Previous experience working on large, multi-disciplinary research projects
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team

How To Apply

Interested candidates should email the following materials to Prof. Hamish van der Ven (hamish.vanderven@ubc.ca) by May 1, 2025:

• A 1-2 page letter of intent
• A current curriculum vitae
• Scans of official transcripts in PDF

While We Thank All Candidates For Applying, Only Short-listed Candidates Will Be Contacted For Interviews. Short-listed Candidates Will Then Need To Submit The Following Additional Materials By June 1, 2025:

• Three academic references
• Proof of English proficiency (if applying from a non-English institution)
• A writing sample (submitted as ‘additional material’ through the online portal)

All materials must be submitted by the June 1, 2025 deadline (including references).

For Inquiries About This Position

Please contact Prof. Hamish van der Ven, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Business Management of Natural Resources, hamish.vanderven@ubc.ca or Santiago Ramirez Said, SargaSTREAM Project Lead and Manager, santiramirezsaid@uvic.ca

For further information about application procedures or graduate studies at UBC Forestry

Please contact the Graduate Admissions Coordinator: forestry.grad@ubc.ca

This posting is for the UBC Vancouver campus in British Columbia, Canada.

Please refer to reference number LI-58574 during correspondence about this position.

To express interest and initiate contact to the principal investigator applicants are encouraged to follow the instructions as provided in the position description. Please note that applicants will have to complete an online application here to the University of British Columbia and gain admission as a graduate student to the university. Applicants should review the graduate program profile here to learn about admission requirements, application deadlines, program duration, tuition, or to read student and alumni stories. Please visit the researcher profile of the supervisor here for this position to learn more about their research.

About UBC

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC's entrepreneurial spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. UBC encourages its students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.

Research Master's at UBC Vancouver

UBC is a public university with a comprehensive program offering - covering all major academic disciplines and degree levels, with both research- and course-based program options. More than 50,000 students attend UBC Vancouver. As a research master’s student at UBC Vancouver, you'll be part of a diverse community of over 10,000 graduate students at an institution which is globally connected and attracts the highest-calibre research faculty. Work side by side with passionate scholars in modern facilities and with the support of numerous professional development workshops and services here.

About UBC's Faculty Of Forestry

UBC's Faculty of Forestry tackles complex issues of regional and global natural resource conservation and sustainable approaches to forest management. Comprising of three departments, Forest Resources Management, Forest Sciences and Conservation, and Wood Sciences, each offers a variety of inspiring undergraduate and graduate programs across a broad range of fields. We equip students with the necessary skills needed in research, collaboration, and innovation to succeed in their career paths. From forest operations, to wood processing, to conservation, to urban forestry – the possibilities are limitless.

About Vancouver

Vancouver is a dynamic, cosmopolitan and progressive city, consistently ranked as one of the top cities to live in the world. Canada's third largest city has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches, and four seasons per year, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow in the mountains. It's the perfect backdrop to your academic research.