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. Talebi Fard completed his PhD in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He examined energy efficiency and proposed reliable communication mechanisms for intelligent networking of information. This research will lead to more meaningful networking among users, and devices which will contribute to the Internet of Things. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Smith investigated the discussions by Chinese intellectuals of East Asian regionalism in the early twentieth century. He found that the discourse of Chinese "Asianism" had a strong influence upon the construction of Chinese nationalism. Writings on nation, race and civilization created overlaps which are still evident today. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lee studied the effects of genetic and environmental factors on the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, as well as its clinical variation, in populations of Asian ancestry. This research advances current understanding of the factors underlying population differences in the risk and severity of multiple sclerosis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Swenson used a new sequencing method to detect HIV drug resistance in blood with better accuracy and sensitivity. He used this technique in over 2800 patients receiving HIV therapy, and found that it was the best predictor of their future clinical outcomes. This approach is now being used across Canada for routine monitoring of HIV drug resistance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. McLellan studied how 5- to 7-year-old children do math. Her study highlighted the communication processes of arithmetic and algebra. It helps teachers understand how to build on the skills and abilities young children bring with them when they enter formal classrooms, and reminds teachers not to pre-define what mathematics is supposed to be. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Hughes investigated design guidelines for mining techniques in high stress and poor ground conditions. His research took him to mines located in Canada, the U.S. and Indonesia. Recommendations from the study have led to safety and cost improvements in operating mines. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Nobari studied the heat transfer of steel plates during cooling on a hot mill. During his research, he proposed a mechanistic model to simulate the temperature of moving steel plates. His model provides a predictive tool in order to control the temperature more accurately, thus improving the metallurgical properties of the steel product. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Krupskiy studied the properties of some flexible models for multivariate data with up to 100 variables and proposed different measures of dependence. The measures can provide useful summaries of dependence for multivariate data. The proposed models can be more interpretable and provide a better fit to data comparing to existing models. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Xing completed her studies in the field of statistics. She made contributions on some statistical issues related to the exposure-disease relationships. The findings can be applied in epidemiological studies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Robertson studied the diving behavior of bowhead whales, and how it is affected by oil exploration in the Alaskan Arctic. She demonstrated that the whales' behavioral reactions influence the assessments of bowhead distribution and abundance. Her study will contribute to better management of oil exploration in bowhead habitat. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Hutchings used a critical heritage studies approach to evaluate archaeology/cultural resource management's response to coastal change. His B.C. case study demonstrated how archaeology facilitates the destruction of Indigenous landscapes. Archaeology is a technology of government that promotes the ideology of growth, development and progress. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Khoshnoodi studied microbiological mechanisms that improve water treatment. She focused on arsenic removal mechanisms in a passive bioreactor treating smelter waste leachate. This research furthers our understanding of geochemical and biological processes controlling the transportation and transformation of arsenic in the environment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Griffith conducted her doctoral research in the area of bio-organic chemistry. Her research investigated the inhibition of an enzyme that is prevalent in cancer cells. Understanding and manipulating this enzyme is important for the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Gage examined how human stem cells can be coaxed to form pancreatic cells that make hormones such as insulin. His studies describe how simple and complex cues influence which hormone a pancreatic cell chooses to make. This work helps build a roadmap of human stem cell development which may lead to new stem cell-based therapies for Diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Boroomand studied diseased heart valves, specifically aortic valves that had calcified from aging. Her work elucidated the roles of several signaling molecules and the nutrient, vitamin D, in this disease, suggesting possible treatments. Additionally, her work developed a cell culture model of the disease to facilitate further study. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Masnadi studied different aspects of energy production from various mixtures of biomass and fossil fuel. He showed that biomass minerals can act as inexpensive natural catalysts to enhance the thermo-chemical conversion of fossil fuels. His research helps to show how greener energy systems can result in sustainable civilizations worldwide. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Peng studied reproductive sciences in UBC's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He examined the importance of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone in maintaining early human pregnancy and placenta growth. His findings help us understand the mechanism of embryo implantation and may benefit women with infertility or other pregnancy-related issues. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Stefanowicz studied the effect of the cellular environment on DNA packaging , and how this predisposes people to asthma. Specifically, she looked at how DNA methylation and histone modification affect biological functions such as differentiation. Her research highlights the interaction between epigenetic architecture and disease pathogenesis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Inkpen examined the ways in which concepts of the artificial and the natural have structured the thought and practice of biologists since the 19th century. He articulated why many biologists have felt uneasy about artificial, experimental intervention. Despite contrary claims, he argues that more experimentation is not equivalent to better science. | Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Jope examined how people become ethical teachers by learning to discern the ethically-salient features of classrooms while on practicum in teacher education. His study underscores the ethical character of good teaching and the central place of discernment in being and becoming an ethical teacher. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Routray studied the effects of urban planning on poor migrants in Delhi. With a focus on different modes of political mobilization, he examined their participation, negotiation and resistance to urban planning policies. Along with contributing to academia, the research findings will benefit urban planners, policy makers and grassroots activists. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Aceves analyzed the role of a group of feminist artists in developing and transforming regimes of media and visuality in post-1968 Mexico. She considered this process as indicative of local and transnational political and social transformations, and demonstrated the importance of these feminist practices in affecting politics. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. de la Fuente-Nunez identified a novel class of antibiotics that target bacterial biofilms, which are estimated to cause two thirds of all bacterial infections in humans. This new class of drugs lowers the amount of conventional antibiotics required to treat infections, helping to combat antibiotic resistance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Goedbloed examined skills policy and its relationship to apprenticeship education in Canada and B.C. between 1980 and 2010. She found that government and industry focussed on skilled labour shortages and overlooked post-secondary skill development. The study contributes to skills policy debates, particularly on unemployment and adult training. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Winslow studied Mercury's magnetic field and its interaction with the solar wind. She developed a new method to measure the magnetic field strength at the surface of planets using high altitude spacecraft magnetic field and plasma observations. She applied this technique to Mercury, making the first measurements of its surface magnetic field. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |