Christopher Collier, PhD

Associate Professor

Electrical, School of Engineering

Office: EME3285
Email: christopher.collier@ubc.ca

Research Summary

Bio-photonics and bio-optics; Digital microfluidics; Hyperspectral imaging; Lab-on-a-chip systems; Microfluidics for agriculture and food; Optofluidic elements; Terahertz spectroscopy

Courses & Teaching

APSC 254 Instrumentation and Data Analysis
APSC 255 Electric Circuits and Power
ENGR 362 Digital Signal Processing I
ENGR 472 Fibre Optics and Photonics
ENGR 572 Fibre Optics and Photonics
ENGR 498P Biophotonic Engineering
ENGR 598C Biophotonic Engineering

Biography

Dr. Christopher Collier received the BASc and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia Okanagan in 2011 and 2016, respectively. He is the recipient of many awards including the Killam Doctoral Scholarship, the SPIE Laser Technology, Engineering, and Applications Scholarship, the Finch Family Graduate Award, the IODE War Memorial Scholarship, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) awards at the masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels.

From 2016 to 2021, Dr. Collier was an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph, where he was the Principal Investigator of the Collier Research Group. At the University of Guelph, Dr. Collier’s experimental work was carried out in the Applied Optics and Microsystems Laboratory (AOML) which he established. In July 2021, Dr. Collier began as an Assistant Professor at the School of Engineering at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. Dr. Collier is now an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus.

Dr. Collier’s work focuses on innovative microfluidic and spectroscopy technologies and has been published in notable journals published by the Nature Research publishing group, the Optical Society of America (OSA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and Elsevier. The Collier Research Group is supported through numerous funding sources including NSERC, Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and the Barrett Family Foundation.

Websites

Collier Research Group

Degrees

PhD (Electrical Engineering), The University of British Columbia Okanagan (2016)
BASc (Electrical Engineering), The University of British Columbia Okanagan (2011)

Research Interests & Projects

The Collier Research Group works in the fields of Terahertz Spectroscopy and Spectral Imaging and Microfluidic Systems.

Terahertz Spectroscopy and Spectral Imaging

Terahertz wavelengths (over 0.1-10 THz frequencies) have contributed strongly to spectroscopy and imaging in Biomedical Engineering. Terahertz radiation is sensitive to the vibrational and rotational modes of biomolecules, making it ideal for identifying chemical signatures. Given these motivations, there is significant interest in the generation and detection of terahertz radiation.

Microfluidic Systems

Lab-on-a-chip systems have revolutionized the biomedical device industry and Biomedical Engineering. These microsystems allow high throughput analyses of biofluids for diagnostics and scientific pursuits. Traditionally, these systems are continuous-flow-based and make use of micropumps, microvalves, and other components. However, a reconfigurable form of microfluidics has emerged whereby microdroplets are actuated on a two-dimensional planar structure using electric fields. These systems are Digital Microfluidic systems.

Selected Publications & Presentations

Journal Articles

N. Lowry, J. M. Flood, G. R. Cheeran, M. Reid, and C. M. Collier, “Spatial polarization modulation for terahertz single-pixel imaging,” IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology, vol. 14, pp. 386-394, 2024.

H. Bergen, S. N. Lowry, M. E. Mitchell, M. F. Jenne, C. M. Collier, and J. F. Holzman, “Terahertz wireless communication systems: Challenges and solutions for realizations of effective bidirectional links,” Optics Continuum, vol. 2, pp. 2154-2177, 2023. (2023 Optics Continuum Best Paper Prize)

Spotts, C. H. Brodie, D. Saeedkia, S. A. Gadsden, and C. M. Collier, “Improved terahertz time-domain spectroscopy via the extended Kalman filter,” IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 29, 8500312(1-12), 2023. (Cover Article)

Eswar, C. H. Brodie, H. Reguigui, and C. M. Collier, “An integrated and automated digital microfluidic device for dairy milk droplet actuation,” Microsystem Technologies, vol. 9, pp. 1389-1398, 2023.

H. Brodie, I. Spotts, H. Reguigui, C. A. Leclerc, M. Mitchell, J. F. Holzman, and C. M. Collier, “Comprehensive study of 3D printing materials over the terahertz regime: Absorption coefficient and refractive index characterizations,” Optical Materials Express, vol. 12, pp. 3379-3402, 2022. (Cover article)

Devasagayam, R. Bosma, and C. M. Collier, “A velocity program using the Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi feature-tracking algorithm with demonstration for pressure and electroosmosis conditions,” Electrophoresis, vol. 43, pp. 865-878, 2022. (Back Cover article)

M. Collier, C. H. Brodie, and I. Spotts, “Terahertz components through additive manufacturing,” Presentation at Photonics North 2023, Montréal, Canada, June, 2023. (Invited)

Selected Grants & Awards

NSERC Discovery Grant

NSERC Alliance Grant

Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund

UBC Critical Research Equipment and Tools Grant

Media

Dr. Collier joins UBC Okanagan from the University of Guelph, featured in the article New Faculty Bring Expertise Digital Health, Smart Cities, and Microbial Ecosystems.