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. 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. 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. Koert studied women who expected they would become mothers, but ended up permanently childless after delayed childbearing. She identified common themes in the experiences of this growing group. This study demonstrates how they reconcile past choices with present realities, in order to move forward and create meaningful lives as childless women. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Okay investigated certain subspaces of the classifying space of a group, a central object in algebraic topology. He studied homotopy type of these subspaces. This work is in the intersection of group theory and homotopy theory, and provides interesting examples for both fields. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Baker investigated how international norms regarding the use of force that have typically been associated with land have influenced the behaviour of states towards the sea. He examined contemporary maritime disputes in the Arctic Ocean and South China Sea to contribute to our understanding of the factors that have shaped them. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Smith studied how plants synthesize lignin, the cell wall polymer essential for the strength of wood. She discovered that multiple cell types are involved in the synthesis of lignin. These results are important because lignin is a major barrier to the production of biofuels from plants. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Earl designed new metal-organic frameworks with complex extended structures for energy storage and transport. She explored how the shape of molecules influenced the properties of solid phase polymers. Dr. Earl's findings have implications for applications such as separating industrial gases and full spectrum light emitting diodes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Caspar examined how access to information is embedded in the social organization of long-term care. She found that front-line care staff lack access to care-related information and must rely on each other to accomplish their work. Administrators can use these findings to improve both the quality of work life and care in long-term care facilities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Eddington's research focused on the development of a strategy for monitoring the biophysical attributes of British Columbia's forests and rangelands. The aim of the study was to supply the information needed to bring climate change adaptation considerations into decision-making in the Province. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Ataee used mathematical models to study possible causes of irregularity in cardiovascular rhythms. Irregularities can be prevented by knowing their causes and developing an intelligent method to monitor and control them. The findings will help to develop treatments for chronic hypertension and diseases generating problems in blood pressure regulation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Fall's research in Senegal examined the role of the mother tongue, Wolof, in the development of French as a second language. He found that school children who had early exposure to written Arabic decode and read French better than those with little or no exposure. This study illuminates the role of early literacy in learning a second language. | Doctor of Philosophy in French (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. McAlister studied the early decades of mass literary culture in the United States. Through explorations of the work of Edgar Allan Poe, George Lippard, Herman Melville, and Louisa May Alcott, Dr. McAlister considered the relationship between formal experimentation and the contingencies of an emerging mass literary marketplace. | Doctor of Philosophy in English (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Huang studied two novel negative regulators in plant innate immunity identified from a genetic screen. This work expands the limited knowledge of NB-LRR degradation pathway and highlights the significance of negative regulation of mitochondria, both contributing to uncover the sophisticated negative regulatory network in plant immune system. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Buchman explored how patients with chronic pain and addiction negotiate their complex therapeutic relationships with clinicians. His findings provide evidence for the importance of cultivating mutual trust and collaboration in treatment decision-making. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Moore conducted an eight month ethnographic study in a classroom of youth studying film. In the current media rich context, this research considers the use of popular culture and digital video production in educational spaces. This study informs current discussions in pedagogy, media education, and youth studies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Smith studied natural diamonds that contain small droplets of fluid from the Earth's mantle, below Earth's crust. He characterized the oldest known samples of fluid from the mantle and discovered inclusions containing liquid nitrogen. This research provides valuable insight into the behaviour of the deep Earth through geologic time. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Quilichini studied how plants form the durable wall encasing pollen, which is fortified by the poorly understood material, sporopollenin. She discovered a transport protein required for sporopollenin movement to developing pollen and used imaging to study its chemical nature. Her work enables new studies of this natural polymer and its manipulation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Payne developed catalysts based on inexpensive non-toxic metals for the efficient synthesis of nitrogen containing compounds. These studies establish the broad applicability of these approaches and reactivity trends, to guide future developments. The greener methodologies are attractive to the agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Stopper studied how different nodes within the dopamine circuitry of the brain regulate risk/reward decision-making. This research elucidates how regions that are upstream and downstream of dopamine neurons influence risky choice, with implications for targeted treatment of various behavioral disorders caused by aberrant dopamine transmission. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Chalmers developed a theory of Ideologically challenging entertainment designed to mitigate "us vs. them" beliefs. Using this, she created and directed a theatrical production that confronted views of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Audience responses revealed that entertainment can moderate the ideologies that lead to violent conflict and genocide. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Preto conducted an ethical and legal analysis of Canada's approach to clinical trial oversight. She identified various shortcomings and examined the different implications these have across industry and academic trials. Findings will benefit policy makers working to improve clinical trial oversight, researchers and trial participants. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Berger explored leadership in early childhood education. She argues that leadership was enacted when educators shared powerful narratives about children's educational experiences with their communities. These narratives ignited dialogue about the values and purposes of early education and positioned early childhood educators as community leaders. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 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. Lundeberg investigated the electronic properties of graphene, in particular how quantum phase coherence and magnetic fields affect the motion of electrons of graphene at very low temperatures. This research will help to design and understand future quantum electronic devices based on graphene. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Newell conducted research on identifying vulnerable neck postures that may be present prior to a head impact in an accidental car rollover. She demonstrated that being upside-down and bracing for impact by tensing the neck muscles can change the posture of the neck. These findings are important to understanding and preventing neck injuries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |