Ahmed, Suborna

I am an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Forest Resources Management at UBC. I hold a PhD in Forest Biometrics from UBC and an MSc and BSc in Applied Statistics from the University of Dhaka. My work connects applied quantitative research with educational leadership in forestry and natural resources.

My professional background includes forest inventory and growth modelling, predictive analytics, statistical consulting, and machine learning applications. I have worked with the BC Ministry of Forests, the Canadian Forest Service, Canada Revenue Agency, and interdisciplinary research teams at UBC. These experiences shape my teaching by allowing me to bring authentic datasets, practical analytical problems, and current computational methods into the classroom.

My teaching and educational leadership focus on inclusive and evidence-informed pedagogy, open education, mastery-oriented assessment, AI literacy, and student mentorship. I aim to help students develop the confidence and practical skills needed to make data-informed decisions in forestry, environmental science, and natural resource management.

Teaching

My teaching practice focuses on helping students build practical competence in quantitative analysis and computing through an inclusive, active, and supportive learning environment. I use scaffolded problem solving, low-stakes formative assessment, opportunities for revision, open-source software, and authentic forestry and environmental datasets. My courses also incorporate open textbooks, instructional videos, reproducible workflows, and guided use of AI tools so that students learn both how to use computational methods and how to evaluate their outputs critically.

I also mentor undergraduate and graduate students as educational co-creators. Through Work Learn and Graduate Academic Assistant roles, students contribute to open textbooks, datasets, tutorials, quizzes, and self-assessment activities while developing technical, pedagogical, and collaborative skills.

The courses I currently teach at UBC include:

• FRST 232 – Computer Applications in Forestry
• GEM 530 – Geospatial Data Analysis
• FRST 531 – Multivariate Statistical Methods
• FRST 505C – Applied Data Science and Machine Learning for Forestry and Natural Resources

Educational Leadership

My educational leadership focuses on strengthening quantitative education and building capacity for teaching innovation at UBC and beyond. My work has three connected areas: advancing evidence-based pedagogy through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning; championing open and modernized education through OER and curriculum renewal; and mentoring students and colleagues to develop sustainable teaching practices.

I have led and contributed to research on concurrent hybrid teaching, mastery learning, self-assessment, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in quantitative courses. I regularly share this work through invited presentations, workshops, conference sessions, and open resources. Since 2020, I have secured or contributed to educational grants and awards totaling more than $470,000 to support OER development, hybrid and flexible learning, curriculum modernization, and interdisciplinary teaching initiatives.

I serve as an Associate Editor for Natural Sciences Education and have contributed to university-level review and adjudication of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund and Open Educational Resources proposals. I also mentor students and colleagues in open pedagogy, course design, learning technology, and quantitative teaching.

Research

My disciplinary research background is in forest biometrics and applied statistics. My areas of expertise include quantitative forest inventory, growth and yield modelling, tree improvement, tree mortality, meta-analysis and meta-regression, predictive modelling, machine learning, and statistical computing. My research has examined genetically improved white spruce and hybrid spruce, forest fertilization and stand growth, veneer processing, and the use of quantitative methods to support sustainable forest management.

My current scholarly interests also include the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, particularly the effectiveness of open educational resources, mastery-oriented assessment, hybrid and multi-access teaching, accessible computational instruction, and AI-supported learning in statistics, data science, and forestry education.

Projects

Modern Data Analytics for Forestry and Natural Resources. I lead the development of an open-access Quarto textbook that supports the transition from Excel to R, reproducible analysis, data cleaning, visualization, and AI-assisted debugging using authentic forestry and environmental datasets. The project is supported by a UBC OER Affordability Grant and emphasizes guided practice, AI verification, accessibility, and open data. View the open textbook

Open Computing and Geospatial Learning Resources. I have developed open textbooks, Jupyter Notebook tutorials, project starter kits, instructional videos, and self-assessment resources for forest computing, data analytics, and geospatial programming. These materials support flipped, mastery-oriented, and project-based learning at UBC and are freely available to learners beyond the university.

• Application of Computer Technology and Document Processing in Forest Management and Natural Resources
• Python Programming for Geospatial Data Analysis
• Data Analytics Tutorials in Forestry
• Geospatial Data Analysis Project Starter Kit

Curriculum Modernization and SoTL. I developed FRST 505C and have led or contributed to curriculum renewal in introductory statistics, computing, and geomatics. My current work examines how scaffolded learning, mastery assessment, hybrid delivery, open resources, and responsible AI use can strengthen student confidence and applied quantitative skills.

Awards and Recognition

• UBC OER Excellence and Impact Individual Award, 2024
• Shortlisted nominee, UBC Killam Teaching Award, Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, 2025/26
• Nominee, UBC Killam Excellence in Teaching Award, 2021/22
• Natural Sciences Education Outstanding Reviewer, American Society of Agronomy, 2020 (recognized in 2021)
• Best Poster Award, third prize, UBC Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, 2015