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. Khouj proposed an artificial intelligence system to help disaster managers and responders to make optimal decisions, to save human lives in situations of catastrophic natural or man-made disasters. This system combines human expert knowledge and complex system modelling to understand the interdependencies among critical national infrastructures. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Ellis studied how cells interact with their environment to form tissues and organs during animal development. Her work characterized molecular mechanisms that ensure each cell is in the right place at the right time. Her findings have implications for our understanding of how tissues form, and how these processes may be altered during disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Telpoukhovskaia's research was in the field of medicinal inorganic chemistry. She worked on design and synthesis of novel compounds that are able to interact with biologically active copper, iron, and zinc. Furthermore, she tested these compounds in a biological setting to elucidate their potential activity in Alzheimer's disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Choy developed a new technique for separating complex mixtures of proteins. This mode of liquid chroma-tography, known as iso-electric chromato-focusing, is useful to research scientists and the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Choy's work will help improve disease diagnostics and purify life-saving therapeutics more safely and economically. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Mirjafari studied passive bioreactors for treatment of mine drainage. She found that composition of organic mixtures can affect the longevity of the bioreactors, and the type and abundance of microbes present in them. Her findings can assist in improving the design of bioreactors and increase our understanding of their mechanism of treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lee-Yaw studied geographic range limits and the processes influencing them in a widespread salamander species. Her work clarifies the relative importance of climate versus species interactions in shaping range limits. She illustrates a general framework for testing alternative hypotheses for range limits. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Wu examined how the Chinese Communist Party's national leaders imposed discipline over local members in eastern Shandong from 1928 to 1948. He found that they did this through systematic organizational control, ideological education and class struggle. This research is valuable in understanding the party's rise to power and its legacy on China. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Simmons studied bulk-tonnage, low grade copper bearing rocks in southern Peru. This work resulted in the identification of magmatic controls on copper concentrations in the Earth's upper crust. The conclusions of this research contrast productive and non-productive copper bearing rocks and aid in the global search for additional copper resources. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Polanco studied Filipino migrant workers at Canadian Tim Horton`s restaurants. She traced the cultural and structural dimensions of work and labour market regulation under migrant worker schemes. One implication is Canada's introduction of a new guest worker scheme that is both ambiguous and risky with regard to transitioning to permanent status. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kaushal studied how the law treats group difference. She used the concept of jurisdiction to illuminate the work that law does to separate and contain groups. This research reveals the legal landscape of diversity and furthers the study of accommodating diversity in contemporary societies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Belcher authored an historical and theoretical analysis of US and Canadian counter-insurgency warfare in Afghanistan. He showed how forms of knowledge embedded within counter-insurgency doctrine enabled particular modes of violence to take place in Afghanistan, such as empowering corrupt police forces, razing villages and displacing populations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Cetinbas completed her doctoral studies in the field of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. She examined how cancer cells use certain nutrients for protection against oxidative stress. These studies identified novel strategies for effective elimination of cancer cells. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Bazargan studied the behavior of drops of liquid as they evaporate. He developed a new method that allows the investigation of droplets with different footprint shapes, including droplets in a line. This technique will be beneficial for applications such as ink-jet and bio-printing. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (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. Wierzbicki studied architectural elements that can respond to the changing needs of building occupants. These kinetic elements have the potential to improve a building's ecological and functional performance. Her approach to designing kinetic structures addresses the expectations of urbanized societies and the need for more efficient buildings. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Shin uncovered a new mechanism of lipid-mediated signal transduction where certain signaling lipids are capable of sensing changes in intracellular pH. These findings increase our fundamental understanding of how cells regulate their many cellular processes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Ye studied viral infections in the heart. He uncovered important signals exploited by viruses to damage the heart tissue, and identified the mechanisms that contribute to heart dysfunction. His findings will promote the development of novel anti-viral medicines to treat infectious heart diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (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. Rasoulian conducted research in the field of computer-assisted medical intervention. His work led to the development of new methods for generation of statistical models of the spine. He subsequently used these models in an ultrasound-guided system that is to be used for more accurate and less painful epidural anesthesia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Van Toen studied neck injuries. She showed that sideways bending of the neck during a head-first impact results in a reduced risk of spinal cord injury and increased risk of an unstable injury to the spinal column, compared with a straight neck injury. This research has implications for injury prevention, such as helmet design, and treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Goudarzi completed pioneering research on self-healing bone cements made of composite bioceramics. She has demonstrated that these synthetic cements are able to repair themselves upon soaking in a fluid similar to human body fluid. These cements could increase the life span of biomaterials and improve the quality of life of patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Sipos investigated food system study at the intersection of sustainability education and community-based experiential learning. She found community-based experiential learning is effective in large food system courses that integrate diverse knowledge and experiences. This study emphasizes that universities and associated communities need each other. | Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Fraser studied collective and personal love in Latin American poetry of the Cold War. She found that, contrary to the stereotype of the "passionate Latin American poet/lover/revolutionary", the coexistence of these two loves was tense and required creative strategies of resolution. Her work challenges assumptions about the region's literature. | Doctor of Philosophy in Hispanic Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Hilsendager examined land use conflicts that occur between the forestry and tourism industries in destinations that market natural landscapes. This investigation was conducted through a comparison of Vancouver Island and Tasmania. Recommendations were developed to help guide natural resource managers in places where these types of conflicts exist. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |