The Vancouver Summer Program with UBC Science provides students with the opportunity to study at a top international research university and experience local Vancouver culture.

What you might expect/course format

Courses with UBC Science include in-class and lab portions taught by UBC faculty members, graduate students, and guest lecturers. Courses also include short field trips and other engaging learning opportunities. Students can expect team-based learning activities and assignments.

Check out VSP Chemistry’s page here!

July 2026 Course Packages

Organic Chemistry in Your Everyday

“Have you ever wondered what gives autumn leaves their brilliant colours? Or how painkillers and antibiotics were discovered? What about the history behind the dyes that brighten your clothes, or the molecules and chemistry that make your food taste sweet?

In this course you will learn about the fascinating ways organic chemistry shapes your everyday life. From foods to pigments, and drugs to natural products, we explore the organic molecules around us through a combination of dynamic lectures, engaging group work, and hands-on activities.

The course has a laboratory component where you’ll learn by doing! Practice organic chemistry techniques while you synthesize new molecules that flavour common foods. The UBC Vancouver campus will be our playground as we venture outdoors to hunt for interesting bioactive molecules produced by Nature. ”

The Chemistry of Applied Materials

“From the tiny components inside your computer to nanomaterials used in medicine, materials science plays a central role in our modern way of living. This introductory course will examine the chemistry behind the molecules that sustain our life on this planet and support innovation.
Students will learn how chemistry is being used to tackle global challenges such as clean water, pollution, human health, and food security. They will investigate the most widely used chemicals on Earth, study materials such as polymers, bioplastics, semiconductors, and nanomaterials, and explore sustainable energy.

This course includes hands-on projects where you create novel materials like bioplastics and nanoparticles, as well as field trips where you will experience cutting-edge chemistry research in Vancouver.”

Prerequisites: One university 1st year chemistry course. Familiarity of introductory level university chemistry is an asset for students interested in this course.

Graduate (Master/PhD) Students: Not accepted

Graduating Students: Not Accepted

Minors (students aged under 19 at the start of the program): Not Accepted

For more information

Chemistry VSP Webpage

For VSP Chemistry-specific questions, email Tori Christianson at chemcom@chem.ubc.ca.

Student testimonials

“My favorite part of VSP was the connections I made with people, both inside and outside of the program. I also loved the laboratories.” VSP taught me many things, both knowledge and character development. The lectures were very knowledgeable especially when Hadi Sir used to teach us.

…He would make us think in ways we couldn’t even imagine. Our perspective over certain things changed a lot.”

– VSP Science Student, 2019