Environmental Science

Biology professor Francis Juanes with lab manager Jessica Qualley taking acoustic recordings. Credit: UVic Photo Services

Understanding our planet is a vital step towards protecting it.

In the Faculty of Science, we aim to understand the history, present and future of our natural world. By better understanding the interactions between earth, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere, as well as the life forms that inhabit these places, we can better understand how the planet is changing and our role in those changes.

Investigations in environmental science include climate modelling, ecosystem resilence, fish ecology, and the physical earth and ocean sciences. Our researchers work with governments, industry and community groups to better understand our natural world and find solutions to local and global problems.

Our edge:

UVic hosts Ocean Networks Canada, a world-leading research facility which operates ocean observatories off the British Columbia coast and in the Arctic.
The Queenswood campus is the future home to a 30,000 square foot oceans and climate hub, providing an interdisciplinary, collaborative space for ocean and climate change research and associated technology development.
Campus research facilities include the state-of-the-art Bev Glover greenhouse and the MSV John Strickland, a vessel designed for the complex coastal waters of British Columbia.

Key groups:

UVic Science:

Other groups and centres:

Salmon at stake

Francis Juanes investigates what young salmon need to grow and thrive as they enter the ocean to better understand their dropping populations.

Shedding light on ocean dead-zones

A project in Saanich inlet expects to shed new light not only on how dead zones evolve but on the role they play in climate change.

Marine ecologist's global impact

Julia Baum studies how human disturbances alter the structure and dynamics of marine ecosystems and the consequences of those changes.