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 | NID |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Dr. Rajagopalan's research focused cloud computing, a pay-per-use hosted computing model for Internet applications. He designed systems to enhance the adaptability of cloud-based applications, enabling them to respond to load changes and infrastructure failures. His work will assist developers to build elastic and fault-tolerant cloud applications | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Mohseni Kiasari studied the applications of zinc oxide nanostructures in novel environmental sensors as well as organic solar cells. In his work, Dr. Mohseni Kiasari argues that by utilizing zinc oxide nanostructures the electronic performance of the devices can be improved and the cost of fabrication can be eventually reduced. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Bao studied the uptake of maltose, a malt sugar, into the E. coli bacterium. His research revealed how maltose import is regulated by cellular proteins. His findings provide significant insights into the way maltose is transported into cells and the implications for multi-drug resistance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. King conducted research using particle physics data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, in Geneva. He searched for evidence of two promising hypothetical models of new physics: super-symmetry and universal extra dimensions. New constraints were placed on these models, thereby providing insight into their possible properties. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Mashayekhi studied the physics of interacting ultra-cold quantum gases. The new framework he developed helped reveal how these systems are strongly driven by the interaction among a few particles. His work will help in devising techniques to unveil the secrets of fundamental physical phenomena, occurring on scales from sub-atomic to galactic | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Penner studied the ways in which unreinforced masonry walls respond to earthquakes. He demonstrated the effects of floor flexibility on wall response and developed a new procedure for the seismic assessment of walls in existing buildings. These findings will help the construction industry to maximize the cost effectiveness of seismic retrofits. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Hasselfield made measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background to find distant clusters of galaxies. Counting galaxy clusters and measuring their mass tells us how in-homogeneous the matter distribution was in the very early Universe. This helps us to understand what physical phenomena were at play in the moments after the Big Bang. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Loh studied experimental particle physics. He focussed on the production of particles with a potentially long lifetime, using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. This study has helped to increase our understanding of new physics, beyond the recently discovered Higgs particle responsible for giving masses to all other particles. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Chu studied the effect of inflammation on white blood cell behaviour in cardiovascular disease. He discovered that inflammatory conditions decrease the ability of white blood cells to remove cholesterol from the surroundings. This research furthers our understanding of how inflammation can affect the progression of cardiovascular disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Catacoli proposed a simplified approach to predict the effect of earthquakes on bridges. He studied the rotations induced by earthquakes on skewed bridges. His recommendations will help improve the seismic design of new bridges, and retrofit of existing bridges, and provide practical guidelines for the seismic assessment of these structures. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lyon examined linguistic structure and meaning in Okanagan, a Salish language spoken in British Columbia. This research provides valuable documentation of an endangered language of the Pacific Northwest, and contributes to our understanding of how human languages may vary. | Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Gaitan-Ospina's work in climatology used different techniques to statistically refine future projections of temperature, precipitation and wind speed in the Canadian Global Climate Model. The results show that nonlinear methods are preferred over linear ones. These findings benefit engineers, biologists, land and forest managers and policy-makers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Bordet studied volcanic rocks formed 50 million years ago in central British Columbia. She showed that volcanism was triggered by dynamic interactions between tectonic plates and ancient subducted slabs beneath the Canadian Cordillera. Outcomes of this study apply to both mineral and oil and gas resources exploration in British Columbia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Cheng investigated cell migration which is crucial for normal growth and cancer development. She discovered novel mechanisms that co-ordinate key molecules regulating cell movement. Her research enhances our understanding of the complex signalling network governing cell motility and will help to identify novel targets for treating metastatic tumors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Hu has shown how the complex enzymes produced by mushrooms and fungi can break down cellulose, found in woods and plants. Cellulose is the world's most common form of sugar and it can be used to make biofuels. Dr. Hu (or Who) plans to continue exploring the universe in his time-travelling police box, the Tardis, powered by renewable biofuels! | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Wang examined how the function of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase is regulated in the heart. She found that this enzyme is controlled by multiple factors, and diabetes disrupts the proper functioning of this enzyme. This research is expected to assist in the development of therapeutic targets that prevent diabetic heart disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kramer worked with Iraqi children to study how writing, poetic imagination, and creative processes are all integral to the building of peace. She revealed that peace-building is supported by intellectual and creative processes that invite us to listen with the heart. Dr. Kramer's research contributes new perspectives on transformative education. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Leung discovered two reactions which employ ultraviolet light, for example sunlight, to transfer fluorine atoms to organic molecules. He also discovered a safer source-equivalent of atomic fluorine. These contributions might provide a new and reliable strategy for scientists to synthesize fluorine containing drugs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Van Leeuwen studied the effects of canopy structure on forest productivity. His work demonstrates that computer simulation adds important complementary value to established field-based measuring techniques. His work is relevant for climate modelers and for the calibration and validation of Earth observation data products. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lefebvre studied how the structure of stainless steel evolves during production. He identified ways to prevent the formation of detrimental surface roughness during forming, in order to manufacture smooth, shiny steel. The findings will help steel producers provide improved materials for a variety of household utensils and industrial installations | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lyons-Thomas studied ways in which Grade 11 students verbalized their thought processes during an assessment of complex thinking. She found that verbalization is a useful tool for educational assessment. This research suggests that verbalization should be used in test design in order to understand how students may interpret assessment tasks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (PhD) |
| 2014 | The Northwest Coast bentwood box acted as a metaphor to frame this study. Dr. Parent examined four Aboriginal Early University Promotion Initiatives and three Aboriginal University Transition Programs at universities in British Columbia. Her findings will help us understand how universities can be wholistically transformed for Indigenous learners. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Zhou developed a new kind of biomedical ceramic cement: calcium phosphate silicate cement. Its properties are an improvement on existing bio-cements. Biomaterials based on this new cement are currently used in dentistry and can be potentially used in orthopaedics. His research contributed new knowledge and materials to the biomedical community. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Nguyen studied newborns whose mothers had taken the anti-depression drug, Fluoxetine, during pregnancy. She found that the problems these babies experienced were due to alterations in fetal brain development, rather than the toxicity of the drug. This research provides information about the effects of depression medication taken during pregnancy. | |
| 2014 | Dr. Surendradoss investigated the mechanism of drug-induced liver injury. He focussed on the liver injury caused by a commonly used drug called valproic acid, which is used to treat seizures. The findings of his research enabled a greater understanding of the role of various pathways of biotransformation in the liver injury caused by valproic acid | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |