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. 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) |
| 2017 | Dr. Chen validated the use of MRI based myelin imaging technique with electron microscopy. His work enhanced our understanding and interpretation of this technique in studying white matter damage following spinal cord injury. He also developed an accelerated version of this technique that has the potential to increase its clinical applicability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | People have been eating jellyfish for centuries; however, the magnitudes of catches are uncertain. Dr. Brotz performed the first global 'catch reconstruction' for jellyfish and found that consumption is more than double previous estimates. He also demonstrated that tools from traditional fisheries science are adaptable for application to jellyfish. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Nanoscopic transport of liquid is critical to many fields of material science and technology. Dr. Liu investigated water and ion transport through carbon nanotubes. He used molecular dynamics to investigate the influence of the water model in simulations. His research helps us understand the mechanism of liquid conduction through nanoscopic channels. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Tasawar studied the hydrometallurgical process, by which metals are leached from ore. He established a clear understanding of the key process variables responsible for metal loss to the iron precipitation product. His findings offer a simple way to reduce metal loss in copper hydrometallurgy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Polymer behaves like both solid and liquid in its melt state. Thus, controlling product dimensions in polymer processing applications is challenging and requires thorough understanding of molten polymer. Dr. Konaganti developed a novel mathematical model that can predict the extruded polymer dimensions while accounting for the complex flow phenomena. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Baier investigated the evolutionary divergence of enzyme functions. He revealed that many enzymes have an intrinsic evolutionary potential that is shaped by environmental and biophysical constraints. His research provides insight into the molecular basis of adaptation and will help with the design and engineering of proteins with desired properties. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |