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. Clark studied salivary dysfunction induced by head-and-neck cancer radiotherapies. He identified which salivary gland portions should be spared radiation by quantifying regional importance. He also developed a technique to identify patient-specific organ structure. Incorporation of this work into future cancer treatments could eliminate severe dysfunction. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lin examined four Western-educated, university Taiwanese teachers, their professional identities and teaching English writing as a global communication means. Her study provides pedagogical implications for teacher education programs to cultivate more agents of change in teaching English as a meaningful global language. | Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Liu developed statistical methods to predict and interpret high dimensional spatial tracks based on observations from multiple sources. His study has improved the tracking of endangered marine mammals and advanced our understanding of their behaviour. His methods can handle big data efficiently and solve other modern tracking problems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Rezaei characterized the physical and thermal properties of woody chip and pellet particles. He showed that pelletization homogenizes the physical properties and modifies the shape of particles to have an enhanced flowability. This work contributes to the replacement of coal-fired power plants with woody biomass, a cleaner, renewable alternative. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Ralph investigated how media and technology, specifically iPads with interactive apps, impacted preschool children's prosocial sharing behaviours. Her research deepens our understanding of how digital devices shape young children's everyday lives. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Gazit Gurel's research explored sex differences in the development of visual processing in infancy, and additional factors which may influence these differences. She found that face processing develops differently in males and females. Her findings advance the fields of visual processing development and social development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Wilton examined the administrative factors that determine the workload for itinerant teachers of students with visual impairments. His findings will provide special education administrators with guidance to set itinerant teacher workloads so that the unique programming needs of students with visual impairments can be met. | Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Breau examined the role of primary care providers in recommending cancer screening to individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. She found that providers' attitudes towards people with Intellectual Disabilities, and their prior clinical experience, influenced whether they would recommend cancer screening to any given patient. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Chen designed and studied new ring-shaped molecules with tunable shapes and sizes. These molecules spontaneously stack into organized nanotubes that can be used in microelectronics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Kage analyzed horse-riding as a companion species practice and cultural technique in German literature around 1900. Her research shows the shifting relationship between humans, animals and their surroundings. It also adds to our knowledge of current developments in Ecocriticism, the study of literature and the environment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Germanic Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Chudyk studied the association between the built environment, health and mobility of older adults living on low income. Her work identifies features of the environment that support walking. These findings contribute to our understanding of how to design cities that support the health and independence of a vulnerable subgroup of older adults. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Setiaputra used electron microscopy to study the structures of protein complexes that control gene expression. He explored the architecture of these molecular machines and shed light into their mechanisms of action. These findings provide insights into fundamental processes found in all eukaryotic life. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Dou studied the use of enzymes to facilitate converting paper pulp into dissolving pulp used to make textiles. She identified optimal conditions for enzymes and increased their potential in dissolving pulp. Her findings have important implications on the production of regenerated cellulose used in man-made fibers such as Tencel. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Ober studied the revival of Buddhism in modern India. He traced the ways that 19th and 20th century South Asians and Europeans rewrote and reinvented the very way we understand Buddhist history and practice. Dr. Ober's research, which is of interest to historians and practitioners alike, shows Buddhism's transformation in a modern, global age. | Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Through an examination of state policies and literature, Dr. O'Brien studied the ways that race shapes social organization in Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia. Though most studies of these nations focus on their distinct forms of multiculturalism, Dr. O'Brien argues that they similarly use raciality to organize populations based on human types. | Doctor of Philosophy in English (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Farsaei studied photonics, the science of light. He developed techniques and methodologies that address several challenges of electro-optical simulation and modeling. His work has been implemented in industry-leading photonic tools found in various applications including telecommunications, entertainment and medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Hahn's dissertation builds on our current understanding of the complex microbial communities driving nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, and presents new methods with which to analyze microbial sequence data. Ultimately, this work can help facilitate the design of microbial communities with properties beneficial to humans and the planet. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Viruses rely on cellular resources to propagate. Dr. Au investigated how agriculturally important viruses hijack and manipulate host ribosomes by the use of an RNA element. Her research further sheds light on how viruses have evolved clever strategies to overcome the limited sizes of their genomes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Whitt studied the politics of climate change in the Andean highlands of Bolivia. He explored how daily spatial experiences, like intensified floods, mud, and lightning, shape local environmental politics. He argues for conceptualizing people's responses to climate change as ongoing negotiations with changing space. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Haptic technology can engage your sense of touch, but requires expertise in programming, psychology, and engineering. Dr. Schneider developed an understanding of how to design haptic experiences. His dissertation has laid the groundwork for a suite of creative tools to sketch, animate, and share designs for the sense of touch. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Sam-Brew evaluated non-wood residues for particleboard manufacture. Her work demonstrates that low density boards of greater mechanical performance to wood can be produced from flax and hemp residues. This translates to easy handling and processing, along with cost savings on transportation of the final product for panel manufacturers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Reza Tafteh developed novel methods for three-dimensional super-resolution imaging; from cellular surface to interior. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Anderson examined the construction of Canadian national identity at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her work offers a new research approach for the identification and analysis of national narratives for history education, museology and public history. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. McMillan looked at ways to improve 3D imaging of the Earth for natural resource detection and monitoring. He developed new techniques to detect thin metallic ore bodies buried in the ground from airborne electromagnetic data collected with helicopters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Bashashati completed his doctoral studies in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He developed a novel approach based on the brain characteristics of each individual to personalize a brain computer interface. His work is an important step in transitioning brain computer interfaces from research environments to real life applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |