About

Welcome to the Department of Zoology!

The Department of Zoology is housed on the main campus of The University of British Columbia and is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) People.

The Department of Zoology was established in 1924 and has expanded over the years to become one of the strongest and most broadly-based life science departments in the country. We have over 40 active research faculty, 10 educational leadership faculty, 8 lecturers, 25 staff, 140 graduate students, 34 postdoctoral fellows/research associates, and countless undergraduates. Our dynamic, highly collaborative and collegial department is internationally recognized for strength in ecology, evolution, cell and developmental biology, and comparative physiology. Our faculty are among the best in the world, our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are making novel scientific discoveries, and our alumni are changing the world.  In partnership with the Department of Botany we offer our undergraduates a comprehensive and enriched educational experience in the biological sciences. At the core of the department is an excellent group of staff who provide unwavering support for the department’s mission of excellence in research, teaching, and training.

As a community, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces diversity.  It is clear to all of us that strength and innovation comes from a variety of backgrounds, characteristics, voices, and perspectives. We strive to ensure that the diversity of all students, staff, and faculty is welcome and supported in the Department of Zoology.

I am looking forward to working with all the members of our department, both past and present, as well as the broader community, to advance our understanding of the world and animals that are around us. If you have any questions about our department, please don’t hesitate to contact me at zoology.head@ubc.ca.

Yours Sincerely,
Jeff Richards, Professor & Head