For new BCS Director Laura Cang, building students’ skills and confidence is key

UBC Computer Science’s second degree “Bachelor of Computer Science” program welcomes Dr. Laura Cang as new director 

Dr. Laura Cang, UBC Computer Science Assistant Professor of Teaching, is the new Director of the Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) program. 

Starting in July 2026, she is taking the lead in shaping the program, supporting the students and ensuring that they are well-equipped to face the job market. Dr. Cang is taking over from Dr. Steve Wolfman, who started as BCS Director in 2011. 

“I’m excited to step into some big shoes,” says Dr. Cang. “Steve is so present for the students and he cares deeply about how the students experience the program. I’m looking forward to being able to meet those needs as well as he has.” 

Unlike the directors before her, Dr. Cang is also a graduate of the program. After receiving her first undergraduate degree in mathematics, she remembers feeling lost. She floated from one job to another, teaching math to high school students and working in the insurance industry. 

“I got to the point where I was like, ‘No, this is not quite it,’” she says. “I wanted to have more control over what my long-term job is. I wanted to have more control over my career.” 

Finally, she made the pivot, enrolling in UBC’s BCS program, a 20-month second degree program that teaches students about the foundations of computer science. It was perfect for her: it’s focused, the group is tight-knit, and most of all, she wouldn’t have to start another four-year degree. 

“The program offers a good jumping-off point without starting from zero,” says Dr. Cang. “We have life experiences, work experiences, history, and expertise that we roll into another direction, which I think is really a valuable opportunity.” 

Over two decades of helping students find their niche 

For over 20 years, UBC Computer Science has been running the BCS program, allowing students to combine their existing bachelor’s degree from another field with a computer science degree and gain workplace experience. Before it officially became a bachelor’s program in 2004, it was known as the Alternative Routes to Computing (ARC) diploma, which started in 1998 as a joint venture between UBC and Simon Fraser University. After a few years of teaching the diploma program, several UBC professors  — Drs. Ian Cavers, George Tsiknis and Paul Carter — saw that there was a demand for a full program. They spent months and months sketching out the program design and going through the various steps of administrative approval until finally, it officially became a degree program. 

Dr. Wolfman, who was involved in the BCS program since joining UBC in 2004, recalls teaching an early cohort of students. 

“The program was tiny at that point,” he says. “There were about 12 students in my section, so I knew everybody’s name by the end of the first class.” 

The students ranged from newly minted university graduates to those over 50 years old, from former teachers to former medical doctors.  

“They were just interesting students — motivated, curious and diverse. They care about their education and they’re here to get something really important out of it. I had an amazing time working with them.”  

Dr. Wolfman enjoyed teaching BCS students so much that he asked to continue working with them and in 2011, he became the program director.  

Over the last two decades, as computer science became increasingly integrated into many different fields, Dr. Wolfman helped expand the program. He helped create an interactive media course, CPSC 491, in collaboration with the Centre for Digital Media, for students to work on a multidisciplinary capstone project. He also worked with BCS alums to create CPSC 455, a course that helps prepare students for industry work, sharpening both technical and interpersonal skills. While both courses were initially created for BCS students, they are now open to non-BCS students. As the computer science field struggles to have a more balanced gender ratio, he worked on updating admissions criteria for the program such that the cohorts are more diverse and well-rounded. 

“A big piece of being BCS Director is academic advising for students,” says Dr. Wolfman. “I get to know the successes but also the struggles the students are having. And when we have students who have had setbacks in the program or have had difficulties in their personal lives, and they’re able to work through that and succeed in the program, it’s really inspiring.”