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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Dr. Schwartz developed a new theory to explain why only some Canadian cities create policies that are likely to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She identified the influence of dedicated environmental departments within the city administration as an important factor. Her work will help cities to fight climate change more effectively. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Tack examined the evolution of alternative splicing in duplicated genes in the Brassicaceae family, showing divergence of alternative splicing between duplicates to be the most common outcome. He found rapid changes to alternative splicing upon allopolyploidization, and that these changes in new allopolyploids are distinct from changes found in established allopolyploids. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Yoldemir developed novel mathematical techniques to investigate the architecture of the human brain. By analyzing anatomy and function of the brain in a combined framework, Dr. Yoldemir advanced our understanding of the highly complex brain connectivity patterns which enable the emergence of coherent cognitive and behavioral states. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Arab Loodaricheh studied two communication technologies, namely cooperative relaying, and energy harvesting systems. She designed efficient resource allocation techniques for wireless systems based on these two communication technologies. Her findings will contribute to the future generation of wireless communication networks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Lin studied the echoes that seismic waves create as they move through the earth. He examined how they can be mapped back to their sources with the help of computer clusters and clever algorithms. This mapping can then be used to help understand and image underground geological structures in more detail than ever before. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2016 | A good test of nuclear theory is precise and accurate mass measurements of single radioactive atoms in Penning traps. Dr. Gallant's measurements of exotic calcium and potassium nuclei, performed at TRIUMF on UBC campus, provided strict tests of modern nuclear theories. These tested theories provide insight into the workings of neutron stars. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Goh studied how archival legislation in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore influence the implementation of records management programs. She found that archival legislation lacks clarity and that there are complexities in making changes. Her findings provide insights for a revised legislation to improve the management of public records. | Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Gusscott investigated molecular signaling pathways in T cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He was able to characterize multiple mechanisms by which the IGF1R pathway is controlled and further establish its importance in this disease setting. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Wooldridge studied how infants and toddlers accessed and used mobile devices at home. She found that infants are provided with tablets and smartphones by parents based on parental technology beliefs, developmental knowledge, and device use habits. This represents a significant shift in the primary ecology for human development from birth. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Cheung examined the social dynamics of early Bronze Age China using multi-isotope analysis. Focusing on the ancient networks surrounding the late Shang capital Yinxu, her thesis has provided novel insights into the social organization of Yinxu, as well as the complex political geography of early Bronze Age China. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2016 | Our carbon-fuelled transportation infrastructure drives global warming and climate change. Dr. Todd studied hydrogen fuel cells as a sustainable alternative to power our vehicles. He developed new methods to manufacture and characterize fuel cell transport layers. His research supports integration of renewable energy with society's mobility needs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Templeman examined the lifelong effects of lowering insulin in mice, a commonly used mammalian model organism. Her studies demonstrated that slightly reducing circulating insulin levels can lead to enhanced insulin sensitivity and improved metabolic health with aging, and is sufficient to extend mammalian lifespan. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2016 | Cloud gaming is a future form of digital entertainment that enables gamers to play the latest computer games anywhere and anytime. Dr. Cai completed his research in optimizing the quality of service delivery including video encoding and software decomposition. His research provided insightful ideas for designing next generation cloud gaming systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Launeanu's research examined how people make decisions when they respond to survey questions. The results suggest that respondents' answers are shaped by cognitive as well as personal and sociocultural factors. These findings will inform the development of better survey questions, and will contribute to an accurate understanding of what the survey responses mean. | Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Mills studied the effect of water and other small molecules on protein motion. He developed new algorithms to capture these effects, which will make computer simulations of proteins more efficient. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Golubev challenged an established tradition of approaching Soviet society as a product of the Soviet ideological experiment. He argued that material objects were key elements in the organization of the Soviet historical and spatial imagination, and positioned the models and practices of Soviet selfhood within the global experience of modernity. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Gavelis showed that a single-celled organism evolved into a complex eye. He found that this strange cell used bacteria to form a miniature retina and cornea. His work sheds new light on eye evolution, showing even simple organisms can have complex adaptations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Hosseini-Beheshti investigated the role of extracellular-vesicles in progression and development of prostate-cancer. Her results demonstrated that exosomes secreted from prostate-cancer cells carry protein and lipid biomarkers. She further has established that these vesicles influence surrounding normal cells, contributing to cancer progression. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Gunton completed his research in the Quantum Degenerate Gas lab, where he studied interactions between atoms, molecules, and light in laser cooled ultra-cold gases. Control and understanding of these interactions are necessary to form ultra-cold polar molecules, which can be used for applications in quantum computation and simulation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Farr designed a microbicide gel that was able to prevent vaginal infection with HIV/AIDS and genital herpes. She developed mice with human immune systems for these studies. This research could lead to the development of an effective strategy to prevent sexual transmission of these viruses, leading to considerable improvement in global health. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Sang studied the membrane protein U24 from HHV-7 and examined whether it can interfere with neuron growth at a molecular level. Her work identified a group of growth-promoting proteins that strongly interact with U24. Her findings shed further light into potential causes of multiple sclerosis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2016 | Intrigued by the learning possibilities that food gardens offer, Dr. Urueta explored the identities constructed by urban youth who had participated in a one-year, intergenerational garden-based learning project at the UBC Farm. Her findings contribute to understanding the pedagogical possibilities and challenges of food gardens. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Singh examined the relationship between tribal communities and forests in India. Her research establishes the criminalization of tribal way-of-life on account of inconsistent forest laws. The research offers insights into participatory forest management to protect tribal rights and forests, advocating a serious overhaul of forest laws. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. De Baere developed a continuous-flow chemical leaching module, known within the department as the 'Belgomatic'. This novel instrumentation has been used to study the behaviour of minerals as they dissolve into a solution. The technology from this work has been applied to help predict drainage quality from mine waste. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2016 | Dr. Storey studied two enzyme pathways in white spruce trees, one important to growth and development, the other to defense against pests. She found that the two had distinct expression patterns, differing between seasons, parts of the plant and in response to stress. The work broadened our understanding of the allocation of resources in spruce. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |