11 Nov Spotlight on KPU Faculty of Science and Horticulture

This week’s Spotlight on Tech focuses on Kwantlen Polytechnic University Faculty of Science and Horticulture. Continue reading to learn more about the programs they offer and how they are making an impact.

The Faculty of Science and Horticulture at KPU offers a unique mix of basic and applied undergraduate programs representing the true polytechnic mission of Kwantlen Polytechnic University. We’ve combined theory with an applied learning experience so you might analyze and explore the world on a level most people never see. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to student learning and passionate about their chosen fields. Our classes are less than one tenth the size of first year math, science and engineering classes commonly found at the larger, research-oriented universities. This allows students an excellent opportunity for one-on-one and small group interaction with instructors and fellow students.

Where are you located?

We have four campuses: Richmond, Langley, and two in Surrey.

Programs

We are proud to have several new innovative science degree programs at KPU that are meeting the needs of the technology industry. In particular, our Bachelor of Science in Applications in Mathematics allows students to choose from focus streams in Biomathematics, Education or Computational Mathematics, and the Bachelor of Science in Physics for Modern Technology provides students with a one-of-a-kind program designed with the needs of local high-tech industry in mind, and includes a work placement component.

Sweta Shrestha, a KPU student in the Computational Mathematics stream of the Applications in Mathematics degree, likes how flexible the program is and how there is lots of variety. She’s been able to incorporate courses in pure Mathematics, Applied Programming, Physics and Computer Science to get a well-rounded education. Some of the hands-on components in her Math modelling class involved using math to predict and analyze traffic flow and jams. She hopes to go on to grad school upon degree completion.

André Coté, a third year KPU student in the Physics for Modern Technology program, began his post-secondary at a larger institution and ended up transferring to KPU and preferring the smaller class sizes and more one-on-one instruction. He finds the faculty are very passionate and dedicated to making sure the students understand and are comfortable in lab settings with the various equipment and really seem to care about the students. One of André’s research projects involved building a sensor for a telescope to measure the variations in the brightness of stars and to determine their temperature and distance.

Joseph Deasy, a fourth year KPU student in the Physics for Modern Technology program, appreciates how applied the curriculum is. Industry are regularly consulted and help keep the programming current and relevant to their often changing needs. He loves how much opportunity there is for experiential learning and is currently still employed at the organization that he did his practicum at. Joseph plans to continue his education and pursue a graduate degree.

Applied interdisciplinary research is also growing component of the Faculty’s work. For example, the physics department is collaborating with the KPU’s Sustainable Agriculture group on the development of printed and microfluidic sensors for measuring soil properties.

Find your future at the Faculty of Science and Horticulture at KPU! We are committed to being a student-centered university offering innovative and interdisciplinary programs to guide you on your path to your academic goals. For more info visit kpu.ca/science.