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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dr. Angsongna's work explored the word structure and the sound system of Dagaare, a language spoken in northwestern Ghana. His research showed how words are formed and how they differ in the expression of grammatical meanings. This research contributes to the documentation of the language and to the development of linguistic theory. | Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD) |
| 2023 | The simulation of frictional contact is a challenging problem in computer graphics. Dr. Larionov developed methods to accurately simulate friction between objects with smooth surfaces and showed where current methods fail. This work pushed the boundaries of acceptable friction behaviour in graphics, and opened promising avenues for future research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Shankar explored practices with immigration data in Canada. Findings emphasize difference, interdependence, and the need for negotiation of responsibilities across groups working with immigration data. Her work offers implications to governmental and non-governmental actors for ethical decision making and the use of communities' data with care. | Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Somo investigated the adaptation of aerobic capacity in fish in the intertidal environment. Focusing on the effects of oxygen, temperature, and body size, these studies illuminate how marine organisms in this environment have evolved to thrive under harsh, variable conditions, with lessons for how species might fare under climate change. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Langman studied mechanisms of stress adaptation in cancer cells and identified novel functions of stress granule proteins in tumor growth and metastasis. Her research revealed new therapeutic targets for some of the deadliest pediatric cancers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Ojerinde investigated the cervical screening experiences of Black African immigrant women in BC. She found that the participants' social identities interact with different contexts of Canadian society and the healthcare system to create barriers to cervical screening uptake. Her findings may have implications for practice. | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Poisson has investigated various uses of surface-initated polymerization techniques to solve current challenges in organic optoelectronics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Khanna examined how nanoscale flow cytometry could improve the analysis and isolation of extracellular vesicles. He identified how STEAP-1 positive extracellular vesicles can be diagnostic of prostate cancer more accurately than currently available blood tests, and subsequently developed a novel method to isolate this subpopulation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Zhang studies online gamblers' betting behavior, examining how prior wins/losses affect ones' future betting. She identifies high-risk gamblers based on their behavior and develops interventions to reduce bets, improving prevention and intervention for gambling disorder | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Fagan examined if physical activity prevents substance use among Canadian youth. Overall, there was no evidence that physical activity confers broad, universal benefits in prevention. However, sport participation may provide a contextual experience that enhances school connectedness which in turn is associated with substance use prevention. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Abraham studied how subduction earthquakes influence regional seismic risk assessment in BC. She developed damage and loss functions for main BC building typologies to confirm the impact of subduction events in BC localities. Her study helps better understand the impact of significant earthquakes on regional seismic risk in the province. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Seiler developed novel flotation conditions for the selective separation of a nickel mineral, named awaruite, from ultramafic rocks. Awaruite deposits are a promising nickel feedstock to support the transformation to clean low carbon technologies. His research contributes to the development of awaruite deposits into nickel mines. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Bercovici examined how neural activity in the prefrontal cortex supports behavioural flexibility. She showed that prefrontal neurons convey distinctive information for guiding choices during different phases of the decision-action sequence. Her research reveals how neural activity in this region shapes animals' perception of the decision context. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Desmarès studies patterns of discrimination in key citizenship policies adopted after World War II in France and Switzerland. She finds that new policies (re)introduced discriminatory provisions based on gender, race, ability status, and one's mode of nationality acquisition. Her work highlights the limits and drifts of liberal citizenship. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Solomons studied patterns of nervous system sensitisation in musculoskeletal pain syndromes. This research gives insight into the nature of persistent pain problems that is expected to inform more effective management strategies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Ao studied plant immune receptors - molecular tools that plants use to recognize and defend against pathogens. He characterized two genes that enable fine-tuned immune responses. These findings not only deepen our understanding of how plants activate defense in the face of threats, but also contribute to the engineering of crop protection. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2023 | To make a generic version of an antibody protein medicine, Dr. Gupta developed and applied a technology to engineer the genetic code of mammalian cells to produce them with the desired sugar components. This technology is intended to increase the probability of regulatory approval, reducing the cost and time for generic medicine development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Hathaway studied risky decision making in rats. They found that pairing lights and sounds with reward on a risky decision-making task can both increase risky choice and impair flexibility. They identified the orbitofrontal cortex as a key region underlying this effect. These findings advance our understanding of gambling disorder in humans. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Ha studied the function and regulation of a unique class of genes which are expressed only when inherited from the mother or father. Her research furthers our understanding of the mechanism regulating the expression of a maternally-expressed gene and may impact the management and diagnosis of patients with imprinting disorders. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Scott identified genetic predictors for two chemotherapy-related adverse drug reactions: cisplatin-induced hearing loss and anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. This research informs the development of genetic tests to predict and prevent these adverse reactions and ultimately improve the quality of life for cancer patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Liu proposed a model for liquid jet impingement on a moving surface which is the key process in industrial coating. She then applied the model to optimize the coating process in order to improve the quality of the coated liquid film and minimize any waste liquid from spills. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Ahmed showed the mechanistic pathway by which the growth factor myostatin increases the invasion of human placenta into the mother's womb to support the developing baby. Her study illustrates a role for myostatin in pregnancy. It also helps in understanding the effects of its dysregulation in several pregnancy complications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Syed studied the acute effects of air pollution on lung function and exercise responses in individuals with & without COPD. He found that air pollution negatively affected exercise responses more in healthy individuals compared to COPD. This work has implications for physical activity guidelines during periods of increased air pollution. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Kuyuk investigated cooling systems used in deep underground mines. His research offered renewable alternatives to energy-intensive conventional approaches. He also explored numerical and experimental methods to model these systems for better performance. His work has implications that will advance and improve current mine cooling practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Gatz-Miller investigated the biogeochemical and physical relationship between soil, water, and plants using reactive transport numerical modelling. Dr. Gatz-Miller's work highlights the benefit of strategic complexity in numerical modelling to explore these nonlinear, interrelated, and diverse processes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |