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. Stang studied systems in theoretical physics relevant to the physics of the proton and to superconductivity. In his research, he used computer techniques to solve the complex equations that arose, allowing him to study novel, more realistic model systems. This work contributes to our understanding of these theoretically difficult topics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Khan examined the experiences of both clients and counsellors who engage in online therapy, that is counselling over the Internet. This study highlights new developments in counselling using the world wide web. It also addresses the gap in services in certain geographic areas, and ethical implications related to privacy and standards of practice. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Beyme studied mobile robots and wireless communications. His research lead to novel methods which enable mobile robots to perform search and mapping tasks aided by wireless sensors. These methods can be applied in various ways, including environmental exploration and monitoring, detection of hazards, and search and rescue operations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Stewart wrote five interwoven histories of relations between humans and the rest of nature on BC's Strait of Georgia, between the 1850s and the 1980s. They present a complex but coherent portrait of Canada's most heavily populated coastal zone. He concluded with consideration of interactions among the five narratives in the early 21st century. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Chi used nano-scale imaging to investigate the behaviour of electrons in the family of superconductors known as high-Tc iron-based superconductors. His results demonstrate that the underlying physics among these superconductors is universal. These findings help to settle the long-standing controversy about universality. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Glessner examined competing views of conventional masculinity in early Christian literature focused on the character of Joseph of Nazareth. His findings expose the political mechanics behind Joseph's colourful characterizations and open interpretive possibilities for rethinking normative views of manliness in early Christianity and beyond. | Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Shi conducted research into the interconnection between plant molecules, or lipid metabolites, and cell wall components. First, he studied seeds with high oil production, and then he examined ways in which metabolites are transported in plant cells. His research expands our knowledge of plant metabolites and suggests ways to engineer high-oil seeds. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Yan investigated ice formation induced by electric fields using computational simulations. This project provides a deep understanding of ice nucleation mechanism, and the associated thermodynamic properties of the nucleation process, which is related to precipitation phenomena and many other physical changes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Plasencia studied safety-seeking behaviour in social anxiety and its connection to sense of self, including self-esteem, self-authenticity, and social relatedness. Examining these interrelationships helps us understand how change occurs during psychotherapy and highlights areas for improving treatments for social anxiety disorder. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kordas experimentally simulated climate warming on rocky shores. She showed that the ecological effects of elevated temperature hinge on both the tolerance of individual organisms and the interactions among species. This research reveals pathways by which global change can impact the dynamics of natural systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Levine investigated the role of cognition and culture in sustainable development. He synthesized theory on human cognition from a diversity of disciplines into a single foundational model, and then combined this with innovative empirical methods to produce directly management-relevant insights into two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Santos-Neto designed a new method to assess the value of information exchanged in online social systems. The novel method uses information theory to model the users' search tasks and to quantify the ability of one user's shared information to help others. The results can benefit the design of future online social systems and search tools. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Behzadfar investigated a promising method to tackle climate change: underground storage of carbon dioxide. By examining the effects on the flow properties of bitumen, he showed that carbon dioxide can be stored in depleted oil reservoirs. This method is also economical because the carbon dioxide can recover stranded oils from those reservoirs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Shelford examined the role of viruses that infect bacteria in the ocean. She provides evidence that viruses are adding back vital nitrogen to the ocean for the benefit of other organisms such as phytoplankton, and this helps to sustain marine food webs. Her work contributes to the field of marine microbial nutrient cycling. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Polak examined body image development as a social process. She studied the conversations about appearance between six pairs of mothers and daughters, and illustrated how their joint appearance projects were connected to their relationships. These findings will benefit theory and further research on the social nature of body image. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Pikor completed her doctoral studies in the field of Interdisciplinary Oncology. She analyzed the genetic alterations that characterize the main subtypes of lung cancer, and influence the treatment response. She identified several genes and pathways involved in subtype tumor biology, and a new potential treatment for squamous cell carcinoma. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Ford studied large, African mammals in Laikipia, Kenya - a landscape occupied by people and their traditional ranching practices. Dr. Ford's work demonstrates how both antelope and the trees they eat were changed by large predators. Through his findings, he is helping to find new ways for people, livestock, and wildlife to coexist in African savannas. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Baglo studied the electronic behaviour of copper-based superconductors, which conduct electricity perfectly at unusually high temperatures. He measured their conductivity in detail using microwaves, with surprising results. This has advanced our understanding of how such superconductors work, one of the biggest outstanding problems in physics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Viel searched for a new force of Nature using data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The mass spectrum of events with muon pairs was found to agree with predictions from the Standard Model of particle physics. Dr. Viel also contributed to the search for one of the production and decay modes of the Higgs boson. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Wilson examined how the heart rate is controlled in the ancestral chordate, the Pacific hagfish. The hagfish heart has no nerves, and can contract in absence of oxygen (anoxia) for over 2 days. In doing so, he discovered a new bicarbonate-mediated pathway to control heart rate, which could lead to advances in the medical field. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Horowitz examined the ways in which Assiniboine people have preserved their cultural knowledge since the late nineteenth century. His study showed that archives, oral history, ceremony, sacred sites, written texts and artwork, work together to help sustain Indigenous bodies of knowledge. This may benefit Indigenous communities and archival studies. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Grover examined gender bias in a large-scale, school reading and math test. He found that assumptions about which questions might challenge girls and which might be difficult for boys were not always valid. This research revisits the so-called gender gap and provides insights into which boys do poorly in reading and which girls do poorly in math. | Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Borikar evaluated advanced drinking water treatments for removal of emerging pollutants and their effects on chlorine by-product formation. This study helps drinking water treatment plants to improve their performance significantly, to meet regulatory requirements, and to take a proactive initiative to improve drinking water quality. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Al-Samari conducted research into particle losses in installations such as catalytic reactors. He developed a theory that electro-static forces are responsible for the difficulties in predicting particle loss. This research will contribute to the efforts to prevent pollution and the loss of valuable material in chemical reactions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Rosales modeled a reaction to convert wheat straw into sugars, which can be fermented to become ethanol. He subsequently simulated and economically analysed an industrial process for the production of ethanol. This research assists us in the commercialization of bio-ethanol which can reduce our fossil fuel consumption and environmental impact. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |