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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dr. Wang showed the functional characterization of proteins involved in secondary cell wall development in plants. She also discovered new functions of ovate family proteins involved in maintaining plant hormone homeostasis and regulating the cotyledon development. Her work helps us understand how plant fibers and wood are formed in nature. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Yang used advanced proteomics techniques to characterize cancer drug resistance, and to study the function of a tumour suppressor protein. These studies further our understanding of protein signalling pathways in cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Yoo investigated new computational methods, based on artificial intelligence, that automatically identify changes in brain images. These changes signify how a patient with neurological disorders may get worse over time. His research will help doctors gain more useful information from each patient's MRI and give personalized treatment for each person. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Ashby studied the synaptic and cellular mechanisms that contribute to memory formation. Through his research he described a new role for the weakening of connections between brain cells during the memory formation process. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Murillo studied the processes by which subjectivity (our singular expression of who we are) emerges from educational experience. Working from psychoanalysis, his study shows that the process of becoming who we are is marked in important ways, not only by moments of internal struggle and even devastation, but also by reconciliation and reconstruction. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | The parasite Leishmania is a major public health issue in many tropical and subtropical countries. Dr. Rosamont-Ursulet studied the role of a family of Leishmania proteins in promoting the parasite survival in mammals. This research provides further understanding of the parasite biology in order to identify potential targets for new drug therapies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Access to cannabis for medical purposes is a constitutional right in Canada. Dr. Capler's research explored patients' experiences accessing medical cannabis under different regulatory frameworks. She considered whether access was reasonable, and the impact it had on their lives. Her work has implications for the newly legalized recreational context. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Neog developed methods to measure, model and animate movements of eyes and human facial tissues. He applied his methods to measure subtle motions of these tissues that convey important information in facial expressions. He subsequently used these measurements to model and generate interactive facial animations for applications in computer graphics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Gallagher developed an inexpensive and repeatable method to link historical land use to groundwater contamination. She subsequently applied her method to an aquifer on the US-Canada border to better understand the build up of nitrate in our drinking water. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Nowak examined the space of the Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw during the German occupation of Poland as experienced by those forced to inhabit it. In her thesis, she introduced a concept of violence that allows a description of space itself as a form of violence. Her work contributes to Holocaust Studies as well as current research on space and violence. | Doctor of Philosophy in Germanic Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Based on Nuu-chah-nulth principles and personal experiences of teaching Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in higher education, Dr. Smith explored the collisions that occur between different knowledge systems. She notes that while progress is being made, decolonization and reconciliation require more attention and action from educational leaders. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Chaurette studied the infrared sector of quantum field theories. He uncovered a long-time process for the decoherence of charged particles. This research impacts the long-standing black hole information paradox. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Fraser studied electricity use by households in British Columbia, as well as the choice of air versus ocean shipping in international trade. His work helps us find ways to improve the efficient use of energy by understanding how households respond to financial incentives, and through opportunities to ship products by sea instead of by air. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Azizi's research focused on improving decision-making models for diagnostic ultrasound. She explored novel explainable learning methods for prostate cancer detection. The developed technique overlays information about the presence and distribution of cancer on ultrasound images during biopsy and can improve the detection of aggressive disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Parent studied performance art in Vienna in the 1960s. She considered it to be symptomatic of a collective trauma, rooted in the body, and tied to cultural repression and capitalist exploitation. She argues that feminist actionist Valie Export's work exposed women as the disavowed worker body, which exacerbated fragmented social ties. | Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Baylis examined treatments for bleeding using self-propelling particles. These micro-rockets, loaded with pro-coagulant and applied directly to the wound site, can travel against the flow of blood to stop bleeding at its source. He further developed new bandages, which could stop massive bleeding during surgery or emergency situations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Moore developed prediction equations that can be used by clinicians and researchers to estimate maturational status in children and youth. She applied these equations to a young adult cohort and found that later maturity was not negatively associated with bone mass, density, structure or strength. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Kobayashi studied musical composition, theory, and technology. In the themes of embodied virtuality and musical affordance, he developed interactive performance systems and generative programs. His thesis piece Forms, for string quartet and computer, represents the dynamic integrity of phenomena that form the universe harmoniously. | Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition (DMA) |
| 2018 | Dr. Henderson's dissertation is a critical exploration of aging and old age in contemporary, professional Canadian theatre. It investigates recent English-language, Western-based plays, asking how they offer alternatives to stereotypical, negative ways of depicting aging and old age either through aspects of their dramaturgy and/or production. | Doctor of Philosophy in Theatre (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Deeg discovered and characterized several unusual pathogens that infect and kill aquatic microbes: an abundant giant virus and a highly reduced bacteria that infect eukaryotic plankton and a vampire-like bacterial predator of bacteria. His work revealed evolutionary innovations that allow these remarkable pathogens to exploit their hosts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | How do fish transport oxygen in the blood? Dr. Harter's work describes a special mechanism in salmon that enhances oxygen unloading to the exercising muscles. Thus, salmon hearts need to pump less blood, which may be central to their iconic spawning migrations. This mechanism may apply to most fishes, a group that comprises half of all vertebrates. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Barrick examined the politics of United States immigration enforcement practices towards Central American asylum seekers, including the denial of common asylum claims and family separation through detention. This research offers insights into how public policy could better support this population's well-being and access to asylum. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2018 | Sepsis is a life-threatening illness. Dr. Arora discovered a novel pharmacological target for sepsis immunotherapy and identified specific substrates, which can be modulated to control the disease prognosis. He also clarified a mechanism to better understand the disease progression. This work will help save 10 million lives every year. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Hazin developed an improved method for producing rubber used in tires. The existing process is conducted at minus 100 degrees Celsius; however her discoveries, involving the synthesis of strong Bronsted acids, show that rubber can be produced at temperatures above minus 100 degrees Celsius. Findings promise cost savings and more environmentally friendly rubber. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Vila investigated the role of the apoliprotein E gene in schizophrenia patients. He demonstrated that this gene has both positive and negative effects in the presentation of schizophrenia, highlighting the complexity of genetic influences. These studies expand our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of schizophrenia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |