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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Dr. Meredith explored alternatives to segregating English as a Second Language programs from the mainstream educational system. She studied the benefits of uniting English language learners and fluent speakers to create a community dedicated to linguistic diversity and equitable access. Her research has implications for multilingual education. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Beaudoin examined the conditions that allowed the Essipit Innu First Nation in Quebec to grow a model of forestry that has deep community roots. Unlike other Aboriginal communities who struggled with the forest industry, Essipit achieved true successes that shed light on new and more sustainable ways to steward, manage and develop forests. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Vucic examined the molecular biology of lung cancer. Her work revealed that distinct genetic patterns occurred in lung tumours from patients with chronic inflammatory disease and different smoking histories. These findings may be applied to development of prevention or treatment strategies for people at high risk for lung cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Leaney completed his PhD in Geophysics. His thesis dealt with the influence of elastic anisotropy on micro-earthquakes generated during hydraulic fracturing. A data set from central Alberta was analyzed using newly developed techniques, which should benefit the oil and gas industry in Canada, the US and the rest of the world. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Zhang studied the impact of immigration on Canada. She found that not only do immigrants decrease property crime rates the longer they stay, but also they are a highly educated and more diversified workforce that has positive productivity and adds value to the country. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Ferster evaluated the role of smartphones in monitoring forests, and developed an application to measure wildfire threat. He tested the application in communities and checked the accuracy of measurements made with it. The frameworks developed to use smartphone data with satellite remote sensing may lead to more widespread wildfire monitoring. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Takano completed his doctoral studies in the field of Counselling Psychology. He investigated the process of change in men who had committed violence against their partners, and captured the concept of change in the form of stories. This study discovered the series of meanings which construct the experience of change in these men. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Gofton studied how people navigate the transition to assisted living. She found that connecting with fellow residents and staff, continuity with identity and interests, and appreciating the benefits of assisted living helped individuals feel more settled. This research contributes to our understanding of how to support those making the move. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Saer studied photosynthesis in the department of Microbiology and Immunology. He highlighted the role of protein movement, or dynamics, as a key player in the utilization of light energy during photosynthesis. This work has potential applications in converting sunlight to electrical power and developing next-generation solar cells and batteries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Nitkin studied relationships between people with cancer and their pets. She explored the impact of an interspecies bond on the individual's sense of well-being, and potential added challenge, when facing life-threatening illness. The findings suggest that significant benefit is derived from the presence and support provided by a companion animal. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Xu studied the correlation between the financial benefits of post-secondary education and choice of occupation. She identified greater financial rewards from certain occupations, which students should consider before starting a program. This challenges the assumption of policy makers that all post-secondary education brings financial benefits. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Condin studied Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal genetic disease diagnosed in boys. He examined how families cope with the illness, and their experiences testing new genetic treatments in clinical trials. His research will help to incorporate patient views into healthcare delivery, and to develop personalized treatments for rare diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Elahimehr's research at UBC's Pulp and Paper Centre was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada through the support of 11 industrial partners in Canada. Dr. Elahimehr established a new method to optimize the process of mechanical pulping. This new method can save up to 2% of BC's electrical energy consumption. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Moradi has created metallic surfaces which are extremely water repellent, or Super-hydrophobic, using a method called Femto-second Laser Ablation. These surfaces are also self-cleaning and have low friction properties. In addition she developed a new Thermodynamic model to predict the surface wettability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Brennan explored whether working in teams on a cognitive problem is a benefit or a cost. By applying a well-known tool in the study of individual cognition to the new problem of collaborative cognition, she was able to show that friendship and certain modes of communication are the key ingredients that permit two heads to be better than one. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Chang showed that growth factors derived from the ovary may regulate theovarian function by cell to cell interaction. He found that these factors play significant roles in the regulation of human ovulation. These findings provide important insights into ovarian biology, and may lead to the development of new approaches for increasing fertility. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kam examined how mind-wandering affects the way we process information in the outside world. She found that our cognitive processing of information is generally disrupted when our minds wander away from the task. This research suggests the ability to disengage our thoughts from the outside world is integral to human cognitive functioning. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Motavas completed her doctoral studies in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She studied the optical absorption properties of nano-scale tubes made of carbon, using theoretical quantum mechanical methods. Her findings will be a step towards evaluating the characteristics of small-scale optical devices made of these nanostructures. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Marsh studied fossil exhibits at the Smithsonian. She identified how they have been shaped by new communication techniques, professional cultures, and institutional divides between research and outreach in the last century. Her work has relevance to institutional ethnographers, historians, public science communicators, and museum practitioners. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Fay studied the interactions that occur between viruses and the biological pipes, ropes and rods that give our cells shape and strength, in other words a cell`s cytoskeleton. She found that the cytoskeleton is used to promote infection by the smallest virus known called parvovirus. Her study will ultimately help treat human viral infections. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Keikhosravy contacted research in Biomedical telecommunication. He designed and implemented two battery-less systems for monitoring blood pressure in the stented area of the patients who had angioplasty operation. His work has been recognized as an important step to implement relatively long range telemonitoring systems based on inductive coupling. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Blanchette-Guertin developed new tools and analytical methods to study seismic energy propagation in highly scattering environments, such as on the Moon. His work resulted in a better understanding of shallow lunar structures and offers new avenues to study the interiors of other scattering bodies, such as asteroids and Mars. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Crawford-Flett examined seepage-induced instability in soils. Her research improves our understanding of soil particle detachment and transportation processes, and provides dam and canal owners with improved decision-support tools for assessing embankment safety. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kim studied the outcomes when parents read to their 4- and 5- year old children, using four different book formats. She found that types of interactions that promote children's learning and thinking occurred significantly more often in the print and the hand-held electronic book contexts than in two computer-based digital book contexts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Cai developed a theory of dual empirical likelihood ratio test under a semiparametric density ratio model, based on complete or censored samples. He then applied his theory to the long term monitoring of lumber quality and found it to give incisive assessment of lumber quality. He also created a software package to implement his method. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |