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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Dr. Valerio studied food greenhouses that admit light in the day, but lose heat at night. He designed a greenhouse cover that behaves like a window when it's sunny, but become thermally-insulated when it isn't. This Light Valve has the potential to make winter agriculture feasible in cold climates, by increasing the thermal properties of greenhouses. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Severance studied and designed circuits and algorithms in UBC's System-on-a-Chip research group. He improved the usability and efficiency of tools for programming computers embedded in electronic devices. His work helps engineers to work at an advanced level when designing algorithms such as video processing and face detection for these devices | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Isenor studied aerosol particles at low temperatures and determined some of the properties of those particles, such as size and shape. She also conducted experiments to examine the freezing of single, liquid particles. This work is important to help predict the types of cloud particles that may be present in the atmospheres of planets and moons. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Zobel's work focused on forced cessation of lactation in dairy cows and goats. This routine practice can increase illness and other welfare concerns. She provided the first evidence that stopping milking causes frustration in cows. Her novel goat work identified behavioral indicators that may help farmers identify animals at risk of becoming ill. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Bingham completed his doctoral research in the field of Formal Verification, an area of Computer Science. He created tools that check the correctness of computer hardware protocols, which can run on hundreds of computers at the same time. These tools were able to solve the largest hardware verification problems ever published. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Hess conducted research in the Department of Chemistry, focussing on experiments with the transition metals titanium and zirconium. These compounds changed the nitrogen in the air into a more reactive state. This allows the nitrogen to combine with other chemicals to form industrial materials such as fertilizers, explosives and pharmaceuticals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Zhao investigated the production of the waxy layer on plant surfaces that protects them against water loss, UV light, pathogens and insects. Her work resulted in the discovery of a novel mechanism that controls the expression of genes involved in the formation of this protective layer. Her results may have important agricultural applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2015 | High-fat diet consumption leads to increased insulin levels and obesity. However, Dr. Mehran showed that if insulin levels are kept low, high-fat diet consumption will not result in obesity. He also worked to show that insulin is locally produced in the brain, which is important for metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Nir developed novel algorithms for matching medical images of the prostate that are acquired by pathology, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. His research involved an emerging imaging modality that measures tissue elasticity. The results of the study can be applied in clinical usage to improve diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Ebrahimnejad studied how the presence of impurities and other particles affects the motion of electrons in solids. He proposed an accurate solution that challenged the current understanding of high-temperature superconductors. His findings has paved the way for a complete solution to the problem of superconductivity in these complex materials. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Helmuth completed his PhD in mathematics. He focused on developing and analyzing connections between two seemingly different topics: idealized models of gases and random walks. This research contributes to our understanding of statistical properties of strongly interacting systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Wu studied the infection pathway in cells affected by the Influenza A virus. She examined the pathway of Influenza A viruses from cellular surface to cellular nucleus at the beginning of an infection. Her findings help us understand how the Influenza A viruses infect humans, and this may lead to new pharmaceutical approaches for flu treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Roosta-Khorasani studied computationally efficient algorithms for solving large scale inverse problems with many data sets. Such problems arise in many areas of science and engineering, such as medical imaging and geophysics. These new algorithms in Dr. Roosta's work allow high quality reconstructions with high computational efficiency | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Panah studied the vibration characteristics of spinning flexible disks used in sawing wood. He provided significant insights into the complex dynamic behavior of circular saws through analytical and experimental investigations. His findings provide guidelines for designing the optimum operational speed of circular saws in forest industries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Bagherzadeh completed his doctoral studies in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. He provided important insights into the molecular mechanisms of methane recovery from hydrate deposits, an unconventional source of natural gas. This information is expected to assist field engineers optimize the recovery of natural gas. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. MacDowell studied the ways in which girls develop new skills and confidence in design, media and technology. She collaborated with a team of youth researchers to create the 101 Technology Fun design community. Her findings contribute to the Tween Empowerment & Advocacy Methodology, which empowers girls as leaders, innovators, and change makers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Kojima studied the mobility of Asian migrants who are sexual minorities in Vancouver, including Gay and Bisexual. His ethnographic study critically documents how race, gender and sexuality shape the politics of belonging in transnational contexts. The study adds to the theorizing about sexual citizenship, multiculturalism and immigration in Canada. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Lam examined how mood regulation, maladaptive pain coping and social support impacts pain, for individuals living with spinal cord injury. This research highlights the importance of considering the contributions of both psychological and social factors in the experience of pain, and may aid in designing effective pain management interventions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Rudrum studied the social organization of maternity care and birth in a rural community in post-conflict northern Uganda. She found that pregnant women had to navigate complex power relationships, as well as overcome financial and logistical challenges, in order to access care. Her research has implications for maternity care practice and policy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Park identified a key molecular mechanism by which toxic protein deposits, known as islet amyloid, destroy insulin-producing beta-cells. Her research suggests potential treatments to prevent the loss of beta-cells in type 2 diabetes. These treatments may also improve survival of islet transplant grafts in recipients with type 1 diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Copley studied developmental changes in blood stem cells. He showed that such changes are regulated by a molecular pathway that is controlled at the level of the stem cell itself. This research may inform methods to expand blood stem cells and help to explain the unique behaviour of childhood leukemias compared to adult leukemias. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Zhang completed her doctoral project in diabetes research. During her studies, she developed novel cell- and matrix-based approaches to protect pancreatic insulin-producing cells in diabetes models. These new strategies can be further developed and exploited as feasible approaches for treatment of diabetes in clinical settings. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Morrison studied helping relationships in the Portuguese-Canadian community. The resulting ethnographic description has provided a cultural tool for counselling psychologists and other mental health professionals who work with this population. Her work has also advanced methodology for conducting research with hard-to-reach populations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. McGregor explored the recent history of change in the Nunavut school system. She focused on a non-Indigenous educational leader's career biography, the role of Elders, curriculum development and leadership training. She found life-long learning and continuous practices of sharing stories contribute to advancing decolonizing goals for schools. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2015 | Dr. Hossain advanced our understanding of how the connectivity in the brain of a vertebrate develops. By using tadpoles as a model system for brain growth, she observed growing brain cells. Dr. Hossain detected features that have been grossly overlooked previously, and which may hold the key to understanding brain formation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |