The UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences is pleased to welcome Dr. Mary De Vera into the role of Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, effective July 1, 2026. Dr. De Vera is a well-respected figure in research and graduate and postdoctoral education, and she brings to this role expertise and dedication to the success of our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Honouring an outstanding legacy
Dr. De Vera succeeds Dr. Thomas Chang, who served as Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for two five-year terms. The Faculty extends a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Chang for his exceptional service and leadership. Dr. Chang led with distinction in this role from its inception in June 2016 to May 2026, after serving for nearly two years as Associate Dean pro tem, Research and Graduate Studies. During this tenure, he also held the role of Associate Dean pro tem, Research from January 2017 to May 2019.
Dr. Chang’s legacy includes the introduction of a comprehensive approach to graduate research education, the advancement of opportunities for professional development and leadership, and the establishment of a pathway-to-independence research grant program. We are fortunate that he remains part of our Faculty, where his expertise will continue to benefit our community for years to come.
Multifaceted leadership
Dr. Mary De Vera, PhD, is Associate Professor with the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Health Outcomes and Treatment Adherence. She comes to this role with a strong foundation in leadership, having served in the Faculty since 2013 as well as in the role of Associate Dean, Postdoctoral Fellows at the UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies from April 2022 to April 2025. Among her many accolades, Dr. De Vera also received the 2021 Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring, one of UBC’s most prestigious institutional honours, recognizing outstanding and sustained excellence in the mentorship of graduate students and trainees.
Dr. De Vera steps into this role with a deep understanding of the Faculty's trajectory, and a clear vision for where it can go next. Her leadership is grounded in years of working closely with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and her time as Associate Dean, Postdoctoral Fellows further shaped her experience from the perspective of senior leadership and administration. These dual perspectives position her well to move into this role with an informed, multi-faceted approach to leadership.
Research that puts people first
Dr. De Vera’s data-driven, patient-powered approach to research focuses on the effects of treatment adherence, health system barriers, and the experiences of individuals living with arthritis and cancer. She has made significant contributions to medication adherence science by combining population-based administrative health data with patient-engaged methods to address common barriers patients face with medication use. Her work here includes an eHealth-supported multidisciplinary care model for arthritis, as well as offering population-based evidence about the financial barriers to medication use and perinatal impacts of arthritis medications.
Her research portfolio also encompasses an expanding program in cancer control. Drawing on population-based data alongside patient engagement, this work explores treatment challenges, gaps in the health system, and the needs of those living beyond a cancer diagnosis.
A hallmark of Dr. De Vera’s work is her strong partnerships with cancer communities and a commitment to knowledge translation, including initiatives developed alongside patient organizations, and a platform that connects evidence directly with patients, caregivers, and the broader public.
A conversation with our new Associate Dean
As Dr. De Vera assumes this new role, we had the opportunity to speak with her about her experience and vision for the Faculty. Here's what she shared:
Having been a member of our Faculty for some time, how will your prior experience at Pharm Sci shape your approach to this role?
I’ve been with Pharm Sci since 2013, and during that time I’ve seen firsthand the creation of the Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (ADGPS) portfolio and the growth of graduate and postdoctoral training in the Faculty. Drawing on many years of sustained, ongoing supervision of numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, I bring a practical, experience-based perspective. I also bring a complementary leadership and administrative lens from my previous role as Associate Dean, Postdoctoral Fellows in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Together, this combination allows me to connect strategy with the day-to-day realities of graduate and postdoctoral training.
What most excites you about stepping into this new role?
I can’t help but think of a piece of wisdom my PhD supervisor once shared that has always stayed with me: “part of advancing science is advancing the people doing the science.” What excites me about this role is the opportunity to scale that impact—to support and advance more graduate students and postdoctoral fellows across the Faculty. At a time when we need science more than ever, supporting and developing scientists and scholars is essential because they are the ones who will address both today’s challenges and those we have yet to imagine.
I’m also excited to work with the outstanding team in the ADGPS office. I’ve seen firsthand their dedication, patience, and commitment to supporting graduate students, postdocs, and supervisors, and I look forward to working alongside them more closely.
What is your vision for the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies portfolio, moving forward?
Pharm Sci’s strength is that we are small but mighty—nimble, collaborative, and spanning the full spectrum of pharmaceutical sciences, from fundamental discovery in areas like nanomedicine and molecular pharmacology to population and public health research.
Moving forward, I see an opportunity to build even stronger connections across that breadth. This includes training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are not confined to silos, but who can engage across disciplines and speak each other’s language. That means developing scientists who are deeply grounded in their own fields while also able to connect and collaborate meaningfully across others.
Ultimately, my vision is to cultivate a truly interdisciplinary training environment in pharmaceutical sciences—one that prepares graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to tackle complex, real-world challenges.
Are there any prominent trends in graduate and postdoctoral education that you think will be important for our Faculty in the coming years?
I see this less as following specific trends, and more as ensuring we stay ahead of a rapidly evolving landscape—being responsive to emerging scientific, health, and societal challenges. In this context, and aligned with my vision for the portfolio, I see an intentional emphasis on strong, interdisciplinary training, preparing graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to move across traditional boundaries.
On a more personal level, much of what I bring to this role is grounded in how I approach supervision and training, and in how I see this Faculty as a home. I want graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to experience Pharm Sci in that same way: as a place where they belong, where their growth is supported, and one they can always return to. Creating that sense of community and continuity, alongside rigorous and interdisciplinary training, will be key to preparing the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists.
We welcome Dr. De Vera to this role, where she will provide leadership and strategic insight to the Faculty’s graduate and postdoctoral programs, advancing training, mentorship, and research excellence across the Faculty.