The UBC Master of Data Science programs partner computer science and statistics experts, providing the foundation for a comprehensive approach, as these two disciplines are at the very core of the emerging field of Data Science. Through active and flexible learning techniques, students will be given the opportunity to put theory into practice and to work with real-world data.
Students learn from faculty working at the forefront of their fields. Internationally respected, these leading researchers collaborate with industries, governments and organizations to develop innovative solutions and make a tangible difference to our world. These thought leaders are passionate about their work, committed to student education and eager to share their knowledge.
Meet Some of Our Faculty and Staff
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Sonya Thomlinson
Career Advisor, MDS Okanagan and Computational Linguistics
“Data Science is a vast and exciting field with the potential to create enormous impact across all sectors and industries. I’m thrilled to be part of one of the highest rated Data Science Professional Programs in Canada."
Sonya Thomlinson has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years as a founder of multiple businesses as well as a US non-profit. Sonya has been building relationships and working with individuals to help them attain their career goals in the MDS program at UBC Okanagan and CL in Vancouver. Since joining UBC in 2022, Sonya has enjoyed the energy and excitement on campus and is passionate about helping students prepare for their future careers, discover their own areas of passion, and ensure that they have the tools to succeed to their fullest potential.
Adrianne Chang
Graduate Program Assistant, MDS Computational Linguistics
"The MDS Computational Linguistics program prepares students for professional jobs in data science and computational linguistics. Their passion for this field is what makes me enthusiastic about my job to work with them."
Adrianne Chang received her BA in Linguistics and Language Education at the University of British Columbia. She supports graduate students in the MDS Computational Linguistics program as well as the MA and PhD Linguistics program at UBC Vancouver. She's passionate about helping current and prospective students in the program through their academic journey.
Vanessa Ho
Marketing Coordinator, MDS Program
"I am always amazed and blown away with all the students who pass through the MDS program. They all come from diverse backgrounds who learn from each other as they go through this intensive 10-month program on their path to a new career in data science."
Vanessa Ho obtained her Bachelor's of Journalism degree from the University of Regina and worked for four years as a technology journalist in Toronto. Vanessa moved back to Vancouver in 2008 and transitioned into a career as a digital content creator for a variety of technology companies in the Vancouver area. She started at the MDS program in 2018 as the marketing coordinator chronicling the MDS student journey. Outside of MDS, Vanessa is a pop culture enthusiast and enjoys biking and baking.
“With the vast amount of data in the world, learning about the creative ways in which students use data to make meaningful insights is inspiring.”
Hema Ratnasami completed her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George. After which she returned to the Lower Mainland to work in Human Resources at a local aerospace company. She has been an administrative staff member at UBC since 2020 starting with Financial Operations before moving onto the School of Biomedical Engineering. In all her roles, she has gained valuable experience using data to support operational needs. As the Senior Graduate Program Assistant for MDS, she hopes to support students as they make their way through the program.
Hoi Kee Tsang
Program Assistant, MDS Okanagan
“As the Professional Program Assistant for the MDS Okanagan program, I am dedicated to supporting students every step of the way, helping them overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and succeed in their academic journey.”
Hoi Kee Tsang received her interdisciplinary master’s degree in Global Studies from UBC Okanagan in 2024 and has since worked on campus in administrative roles supporting both students and faculty members. As an alumna, she understands the challenges students may encounter during their studies and is committed to helping them succeed. She hopes to create a respectful and inclusive environment where students feel supported, cared for, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Zac Warham
Course Coordinator, MDS Vancouver
"I love how data science skills are used to show the breadth of knowledge in all fields, particularly for marine biology in my case. The more visuals the better!"
Zac move to Canada from Australia in August of 2021 and joined the MDS team in January 2022 as a TA whilst studying his Masters of Science in Oceans and Fisheries at UBC. Prior to his time at UBC, Zac worked as an IT Support Assistant and an Aquarium Aquarist whilst he studied a combination of Marine Biology & Web Development. Zac looks forward to being a part of the learning journey for the next generation of data scientists.
Betty Zhao
Course Coordinator, MDS Vancouver
"The applications of data science have grown tremendously, and businesses are always looking for new and improved ways of interpreting and leveraging data. The MDS program empowers students to become successful professionals in a high-demand field."
Betty Zhao graduated from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business with a combined major in business and computer science. She was born in Johannesburg but grew up in Shanghai. She has also lived in Gaborone for six years before coming to Vancouver. Since January 2022, she is honored to work as the course coordinator for the MDS program, and is passionate about helping students find successes in not only academics and careers, but also in their lives. Betty hopes to leverage her unique background in both business and technology to create a fun, safe, and healthy learning environment.
Joel Östblom (On Leave)
Assistant Professor of Teaching, MDS Vancouver
"In addition to the core statistics and machine learning courses, MDS emphasizes the importance of data ethics, reproducibility, and open collaboration, which are crucial skills for a successful, sustainable data science career. Together with the diversity of educational backgrounds among students and instructors, this makes MDS an exciting place to both learn and teach!"
During his PhD, Joel developed a passion for data science and reproducibility through the development of quantitative image analysis pipelines for studying stem cell and developmental biology. He has since co-created or lead the development of several courses and workshops at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia. Joel cares deeply about spreading data literacy and excitement over programmatic data analysis, which is reflected in his contributions to open source projects and data science learning resources. Learn more about Joel.
Tiffany Timbers (On Leave)
Associate Professor of Teaching, MDS Vancouver
"We teach cutting-edge tools and techniques that are used by data scientists out in the wild."
Tiffany Timbers received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Carleton University in 2001, following which she completed a doctorate in neuroscience at the University of British Columbia in 2012, which focused on the genetic basis of learning and memory. After obtaining her doctorate, Tiffany carried out data-intensive postdoctoral research in behavioural and neural genomics at Simon Fraser University (published in PLoS Genetics). During this time, she also gained valuable experience teaching computational skills to students and scientists through her work with Data and Software Carpentry, the SFU scientific programming study group, and teaching a course in computation in Physical Sciences at Quest University. Tiffany began her teaching role in the MDS program at UBC in the summer of 2016.
“I am excited to get to be a part of the MDS Okanagan program as the Professional Program Assistant and to support the students with their journey in this program.”
Jessica Collins received her Bachelor of Commerce from the UBC Vancouver Sauder School of Business and has since spent time working for the Province of BC and several small communities. She has worked on the UBC Okanagan campus since 2021 in various administrative roles supporting students and faculty members. Through these experiences, she has gained experience in working with diverse groups of people, providing support for them to reach their goals and navigating the post-secondary environment.
