A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Dr. Khademi studied the effect of depositing metal atoms on a sheet of graphene, the first known two-dimensional material. His research advanced our understanding of interactions between graphene and atoms laying on it. He also found an experimental solution to an outstanding inconsistency between predictions and experiments in this field. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Munarriz studied the opposition and resistance of Indigenous communities in Peru to extractive projects that affect their lands, health and life. He examined the central role of law in the dispossession of Indigenous lands by multinational corporations, as well as in the increasing criminalization and repression of affected communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Gong studied Rho-kinase, an enzyme involved in regulating the shape and movement of cells. She studied its effectiveness for the treatment of diabetic cardiovascular disease, different cancers, HIV, as well as inhibitors of protein for the treatment of cancer. Her work advances our understanding of disease at the molecular level. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Xia developed a systematic approach to apply machine health monitoring in design optimization of mechatronic systems. He improved the approaches of machine health monitoring with deep learning methods. The research enhances continuous and on demand design improvement of mechatronic systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Selgrath quantified how small-scale fisheries shifted from benign to damaging through a growing use of destructive fishing gears and an increasing number of fishers. She demonstrated that past fishing impacted contemporary coral reefs, and identified opportunities for conservation programs to foster sustainable fisheries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Moon designed robots to move in communicative ways so they can better coordinate their actions with people. She developed a way for robots to hesitate in human-inspired ways when they encounter conflicts with people. Her work demonstrates that robots can be designed to negotiate with people in an intuitive, efficient, and safe manner. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | As educators we are asked to know ourselves in order to teach. Dr. Rego used a narrative approach to write her story of being a student and a teacher with mental illness. Her research is an invitation and a pedagogical tool for new teachers to look at their own stories and histories as they develop their educational practice. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Bhinder studied the dynamic changes occurring in the intestine during newborn development and in response to food poisoning. She found that signalling within the intestinal lining and resident bacteria were critical to achieve optimal health in her models. These findings provide new insights into promoting the health of vulnerable populations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lin developed new ways to study behaviors influenced by alcohol. She found alcohol disturbed normal responses to stimuli, and that different genes modulated sub-components of responses. She also found tolerance to the effects of alcohol involves enzymes that control gene expression levels. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2017 | Traditional production of radiometals for cancer imaging requires the use of a cyclotron with a solid target system that may not be available in all clinical cyclotron centres. Dr. Dias explored the feasibility of producing radiometals with a liquid target on a clinical cyclotron and sufficiently produced, purified and radiolabeled antibodies and peptides for preclinical cancer imaging. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lo studied the cellular components of tissue fibrosis - a chronic and degenerative disease with limited treatment options. His work identified inflammatory and vascular factors, which can be modulated to potentially promote repair processes. These findings offer an avenue for therapeutic intervention in fibrotic diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Shift work is common in our society but also affects health. Dr. Hall investigated ways to improve the measurement of shift work, for better research on worker health. She demonstrated that current methods can be enhanced by measuring light at night, using detailed definitions of exposure, and examining shift work policies and practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Beikahmadi studied solid-state radiation detectors, devices that measure the level of an ion charge. He developed a methodology for designing low-power and low-noise readout circuits of these detectors. His work has broad application in several areas including the field of gamma ray and x-ray spectrometry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Pakula's research provided the first national estimates for mental health disorders among gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual Canadians. Her analysis revealed sexual minorities face a disproportionate mental health burden, linked to stress and isolation. Her research is informing the elimination of mental health disparities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Jain studied synthetic organic chemistry. She investigated naphthols, an important chemical intermediate used to make many other compounds. Her findings advance our overall understanding of chemical synthesis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Selman examined the lasting impact of the compassion of strangers. She describes how it broadens perspectives of strangers, builds gratitude, and positively alters one's sense of self. She presents her work as an a/r/tographer, an innovative means of demonstrating the value of addressing and appreciating the role of compassion in our lives. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Boulanger-Lapointe examined the cultural and ecological importance of berries across Inuit territories in Canada. She showed that the species are widespread and abundant, benefiting both humans and animals. Her findings also showed that the quality and accessibility of berry patches are negatively affected by climate change, pollution and community development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2017 | Aside from insulin, the hormones leptin and glucagon also play a role in controlling blood sugar levels. Dr. Neumann examined the effects of leptin therapy and glucagon suppression therapy in various models of diabetes. Her work revealed potential benefits and limitations of these therapies for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Fazeli showed that children with Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction (BBD) have significantly weaker overall Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activity compared to healthy children. He also proposed a new method for eliminating symptoms of BBD. This research illuminates the important role of the ANS when investigating the cause and management of children with BBD. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Gorzelak studied belowground communication through mycorrhizal (or fungal) networks between Douglas-fir trees. She demonstrated that communication signals were preferentially transferred between genetically related, or kin Douglas-fir seedlings. This work suggests that trees may be able to recognize and respond to kin. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Finke investigated the abundance and genetic diversity of marine viruses. He also studied the composition of viral communities and how the dynamics of viral replication is affected by in situ environmental conditions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Arbaeen studied the effectiveness of platelet concentrates in blood transfusions. He investigated the ability of platelet activation and clot formation in a manner that more closely models these same processes in the bloodstream. This work furthers our understanding of blood product functionality and will improve the quality of blood transfusions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Canadian opera has often been overlooked due to lack of access. To remedy this, Dr. Nakagawa created an anthology of arias from operas by Canadian composers and writers. Her work will increase exposure to Canadian opera for both performers and audiences, resulting in better recognition, appreciation and understanding of this genre. | Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice (DMA) |
| 2017 | Dr. Chakraborty investigated decision making under conditions of risk, uncertainty and temporal delay. Instead of studying each of these behaviors in isolation, he provides a more comprehensive theory of human behavior by studying the interplay of uncertainty and time as influencing factors in different environments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Laver studied stem cell treatments for retinal degenerative diseases. He developed a cell-based therapeutic approach for regenerating co-dependent layers of the retina. His work will have significant impact on treatment for patients that suffer from advanced retinal degeneration. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |