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. Fonseca analyzed the timing of pulses emitted by radio pulsars in binary systems, in order to measure intrinsic parameters of these systems and constrain Einstein's theory of general relativity. He made a large number of mass measurements that directly contribute to the ongoing analyses of neutron-star masses and nuclear physics in physically extreme environments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Astronomy (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Marchak examined how people reason about transformations, including the disassembly/reassembly of artifacts and metamorphosis in animals. She found that children and adults rely on different criteria to reason about the persistence of an individual following such changes. This research advances our understanding of the human mind. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Donnelly studied filamentous structures called microtubules, which control plant cell shape. She focused on how the organization of microtubules is regulated under stressful environmental conditions. Her results are important for understanding how plants change their growth in response to stress. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Severin's research focused on the impact of geological faults on both displacement and stress heterogeneity within large open pit mines. He was responsible for a unique experiment using radar to monitor slope movement and his work will help the safe design and application of open pit mining. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Mostafa innovatively proposed enhancing the secrecy of visible-light communication networks using physical-layer security techniques. He developed robust secure transmission schemes that take into account amplitude constraints and uncertainty in channel information. His work will help make next-generation communication networks more secure. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Trinh has characterized the penetrance of genetic mutations in Parkinson's disease. Her most significant work is the identification of dynamin 3 as a potential genetic modifier that delays the onset of Parkinson's. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Therrien developed and explored a new class of molecular catalysts to enable the conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels. This research contributes to the understanding required for using hydrocarbon fuels, such as gasoline, in a sustainable manner. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Yousefzadeh studied how mechanical vibrations transmit through certain types of structures used in industries such as turbomachinery and aerospace. His research revealed the necessary conditions for a transmission mechanism to exist. He plans to expand and apply his knowledge and methodologies to design safer turbomachines in the future. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Petryayeva developed an inexpensive and portable smartphone-based platform for molecular diagnostic tests, which can be used to identify and to treat diseases. This platform took advantage of smartphone built-in cameras and light-emitting nanomaterials. Her work may have important applications in point-of-care testing and personalized medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Nielsen completed her research working on T2K, an international particle physics experiment designed to investigate how neutrinos change as they travel. She developed a method to improve the understanding of neutrino interaction rates, allowing for significant reduction of the uncertainties on future neutrino oscillation measurements for this experiment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Mirsadeghi designed and built a photonic integrated circuit that could trap nanoscale gold particles using optical forces. He subsequently characterized the size and shape of the trapped particles with high sensitivity. The results of his work could impact nanoscale research in different fields from nanosciences to biology and medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Islam showed that harm reduction interventions significantly reduce hepatitis C (HCV) reinfection, and that protection against one HCV type does not provide protection against other HCV types. His findings inform comprehensive public health approaches to HCV prevention and provide promising insights regarding hepatitis C vaccine development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2017 | Hearing oneself while speaking is known to have an effect on speech production and perception. Dr. Stelle investigated the more unusual form of real time, visual feedback on speech production, and showed how this feedback affects speakers. Her work expands our understanding of speech motor control. | Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lau's doctoral studies focused on the creation of inexpensive and low toxicity metal catalysts for the production of pharmaceutically relevant molecules. Catalysts accelerate difficult chemical reactions without undergoing any permanent change. They can also be reused, which reduces chemical waste and cost. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Havaei studied how the organization of nursing care influences the quality of nursing care and patient outcomes. Her findings showed fewer essential tasks left undone when nurses work independently versus in teams; and fewer negative patient outcomes with an all-RN nursing staff. These findings will help with future nurse workforce planning. | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Mewis developed a technique for the identification of bacterial enzymes capable of degrading plant matter. He used it to study the order in which wood is degraded as it moves through the digestive tract of the beaver. The results allowed for a new sub-classification system for these enzymes, which will help to improve biofuel technologies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Anas studied ultrasound imaging. He developed a technique to enable ultrasound guidance in wrist surgery by combining the ultrasound images with pre-operative CT images through a statistical wrist model. Results indicate his approach will have significant crossover impact on other computer-assisted applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Salimi Elizei investigated the anti-inflammatory role of the tryptophan degrading enzyme (IDO) and downstream metabolites on T Helper 17 cells, which have been connected to inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. She subsequently showed that IDO cell therapy improved the disease condition in psoriasis-like dermatitis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Liang studied the oversight and regulation regime of China's domestic cap-and-trade carbon market in the context of the country's environmental governance reform. Her research provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between law, administrative regulation and market in China, in both their long-run equilibrium and dynamic interactions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lyon studied the third age, a life course stage promoted by academic, professional and popular texts consisting of a healthy, prosperous, flexible retirement. Her ethnographic work showed that low-income women from the baby boomer generation interpreted these discourses in distinct ways according to their class, gender, and status. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Momayyezi studied photosynthetic variation in black cottonwood poplars native to different latitudes. She showed that higher rates of photosynthesis at high latitude are associated with superior physical and biochemical characteristics in relation to CO2 transfer inside leaves. Her findings help focus efforts to improve yield in trees and crops. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Jenkins showed that Acute Leukemias are dependent on the genes IGF1R and RUNX1 for disease pathogenesis. She identified regulation of downstream signaling pathways and the epigenome as important underlying contributors. This research highlights key pathways suitable for future therapeutic intervention in Myeloid and Lymphoid leukemias. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Guo developed a novel microfluidic chip to process human blood and sort individual red and white blood cells based on their mechanical deformability. This technique has not only improved the diagnostic sensitivity of malaria, humanity's most devastating infectious disease, but also enabled the sorting of white blood cells based on their phenotypes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Cowin analyzed federal and provincial government policy on both public and private post-secondary education in BC. His research centered on fair access for students, job preparation and marketization. His focus on long term trends across the entire post-secondary system will help policy makers better assess the cumulative implications of their decisions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. LeDue's research revealed a neural mechanism that controls how hunger influences what an animal is willing to eat. In the fruit fly, she showed how the brain uses information about external taste input and nutritional status to guide important feeding decisions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |