Across the department, EOAS researchers made their mark in 2025. Here is a brief highlight of some of the great research out of the department. Congratulations on all of the impactful work, we can’t wait to see what folks uncover in 2026!

March - Sharper images of Earth’s interior using neural networks

New research by Anran Xu and Lindsey Heagy shows that using neural networks in geophysical imaging can reduce common artefacts and improve how subsurface structures are mapped from field data. By training the neural network during inversion rather than beforehand, the method better recovers key features like fault boundaries, offering a promising advance for seismic surveying.

June – Microbial indicators of copper deposits

An entirely EOAS study led by student Bianca lulianella Phillips shows that surface microbes living on rocks above buried copper sulphide deposits can act as reliable indicators of where those copper resources are hidden underground. By linking specific microbial communities to underlying ore, the work offers a biological tool to guide more efficient and less invasive mineral exploration.

Read the UBC EOAS article here: Microbial DNA offers clues to where copper is buried

July - Mapping water tables with machine learning

An EOAS team developed high-resolution machine learning models that predict how deep the water table sits across large parts of the United States and Canada. Lead author Joe Janssen trained their models on millions of real and proxy observations, the researchers produced detailed maps that help improve our understanding of groundwater distribution — a key factor for ecosystems, drinking water resources, and land planning.

August – Asteroid Bennu and the origins of the solar system

New analysis from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission shows that asteroid Bennu contains an unexpected mix of rocks, water-altered minerals, and organic material, offering rare clues about how planets first came together. EOAS researchers Dominique Weis, Marghaleray Amini, and Vivian Lai were part of the international team behind this discovery.

Read the UBC EOAS article here: Asteroid Bennu holds clues to the origin of our solar system

August – The mystery of Sea Star Wasting solved

Researchers, led by EOAS and Hakai Institute scientist Melanie Prentice, identified the cause of sea star wasting disease, the devastating marine epidemic that has killed billions of sea stars along the Pacific coast since 2013. They found that a pathogenic Vibrio bacterium triggers the rapid tissue decay characteristic of the disease, resolving a decade-long mystery and opening new paths for monitoring and recovery.

Read the UBC EOAS article here: "Disease detectives" solve decade-long mystery of sea star wasting disease

August – Oyster die-off culprit identified

Research led by EOAS scientist Kevin Zhong has identified Pacific oyster nidovirus 1 (PONV1) as a key driver of recent oyster die-offs on the BC coast, linking the virus to widespread mortality in farmed and wild oyster populations. The study clarifies the biological cause of major losses in an ecologically and economically important species.

Read the UBC news article here: New mega RNA virus may hold the key to mass oyster die-offs.

September – Linking atmospheric patterns to extreme heat

An EOAS study shows that large bends in the jet stream play a key role in driving extreme hot and cold events across the Northern Hemisphere, with potential to be altered further due to climate change. By comparing different ways of measuring these atmospheric patterns, Elliot Roocroft, Rachel White, and Valentina Radić identified which indicators best capture when and where temperature extremes are most likely to occur, helping improve how scientists interpret and predict extreme weather.

October – Earthquake risk in southern BC

An EOAS study led by student Raul Mendoza investigated earthquake risk in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia by modelling seismic hazard scenarios for a set of active faults in southern BC. Their results highlight which faults — including the Fraser fault and Alouette Lake fault near Vancouver — could produce significant shaking and should be priorities for further study and risk planning. This work advances understanding of local earthquake threats and supports better preparedness for communities.

November – Lithium deposits in BC

Led by EOAS researcher Catriona Breasley, this study shows that the chemistry of minerals found at the surface can point to lithium-rich rocks buried deep underground near Revelstoke. By linking easily measured rock properties to hidden lithium deposits, the work provides a new way to support critical mineral exploration in British Columbia.

Read the UBC science article here: Will B.C. get a charge from lithium?

December – Improving how we model oil spills

EOAS researcher Raisha Lovindeer and her coauthors developed a new way to model how oil spills move through marine ecosystems, tracking contaminants from seawater into plankton, fish, and higher predators. By linking oil exposure to both immediate and long-term biological effects, the work improves our ability to assess ecosystem-wide impacts of spills and support better response and recovery planning.