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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Dr. Chhina developed a new questionnaire to measure the impact of leg deformities on the quality of life of children. To develop this questionnaire, she interviewed children, parents, doctors, and healthcare workers from six different countries. This questionnaire will be used to measure the impact of treatments on improving quality of life. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Toledo Orozco studied the expanding informal governance systems of small-scale and artisanal gold miners in the Andes. Through cross-country comparison of miners' capacity to avoid and revert different state regulatory strategies, she illuminated the collective power of informal groups and the politics of enforcement in developing nations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2021 | Climate change is shifting the distribution of marine fish species that cross international borders. Dr. Palacios-Abrantes's research identified the impacts of climate change-induced shifts on transboundary fish stocks distributions and their management, thereby informing international fisheries governance to prepare and respond to climate change. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Gomez studied the structure and dynamics of localized patterns in cellular biology using several new mathematical models, some patterns of which have applications to bulk-membrane processes. The analysis of such patterns provides insights on the phenomena being modeled and contributes to our general understanding of pattern formation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2021 | With a focus on youth in high school, Dr. Slovin studied the conditions that structure understandings of gender nonconformity. Their work reimagines and deconstructs normative ideas of gender as visible, binary, and knowable. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. McClure investigated the effect of empathy on how elementary students defend others who are bullied by their peers, exploring different facets of empathy and a range of possible responses to bullying they witness. The study highlighted the need to focus on the more complex facets of empathy when trying to positively influence social change. | Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. McMahen studied methods for reclaiming forest ecosystems after mining. She showed that application of fresh forest soil, proximity to undisturbed forest, and planting of specific native plant species can promote recovery of beneficial soil microbes and improve plant establishment. Her research contributes to improving reclamation best practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Salehi developed a statistical framework that characterises and predicts how cancerous tumours evolve over time, with or without treatment at a single-cell level. His research provides insight into therapeutic strategies promoting early intervention, drug combinations and evolution-aware approaches to clinical management of human cancers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD) |
| 2021 | Silicon PhotoMultiplier technology is a new attempt to create ideal solid-state photon detectors. Dr. Gallina studied different characteristics of Silicon PhotoMultipliers and optimized them for the next generation of double beta decay and dark matter experiments. This research helps probe the boundaries of the standard model of particle physics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Stuart investigated the nanoscale electronic properties of a number of novel quantum materials. He completed the first ever scanning tunneling microscopy measurements of the drumhead surface state in a topological semi-metal. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Ouyang showed how the number of participants needed in a clinical trial can be reduced by making use of information from outside the trial, by changing how people are assigned to the treatment groups, and by improving the way the data are analyzed. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Khoda searched for new heavy particles that decay into pairs of electrons or top quarks and their respective antiparticles by analyzing proton-proton collisions using the ATLAS detector and placed strong constraints on new physics scenarios. He also developed part of a new algorithm to efficiently reconstruct close-by charged particle tracks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Kabernik developed a framework for utilizing the mathematical structures of operator algebras in quantum mechanics. This framework simplifies the analysis of dynamics in quantum systems and has been applied to problems in quantum computing. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Ye studied the genetic architecture of strabismus, more commonly known as crossed eyes. She identified the likely causal gene in a large family with a history of strabismus, multiple biological pathways, and the involvement of the central nervous system. This research advanced the understanding of strabismus pathology and may improve patient care. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Taipale studied patient recovery from minimally-invasive thoracic aortic surgery. Her findings showed that patients had a high level of chronicity resulting in vulnerability, uncertainty and significant complications, and underscored the need to further develop supports that address physical and emotional aspects of patient-centered recovery. | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Zaback studied how emotional factors influence balance control. He demonstrated that while there are many changes to balance control when individuals stand in dangerous situations, only some of these depend on the level of fear experienced. His findings may assist in the development of therapies to minimize fall-risk. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Retallick developed methods for understanding the dynamics of charges in large arrangements of field-coupled quantum dots. These methods were used to assess the feasibility of a nanoscale computational architecture which uses silicon dangling bonds. His work will aid future development of nanostructures for compact, low-power computation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Tran developed a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method for visualizing cancer cells that were labeled with various ultrabright fluorescent particles on a 3-D printed, smartphone-based imaging platform. His research demonstrates potential for applications in point-of-care diagnostic testing and personalized medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Ramzy studied the role that the hormone insulin plays in the development of insulin-producing beta-cells. He examined a gene therapy approach to treat diabetes and subsequently developed a new theory on how beta-cells produce mature insulin. This work revises a decades old dogma and provides insight into new treatment avenues for diabetes. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Yang developed recommender systems to unveil binding preferences of experimentally unexplored RNA-binding proteins. He utilized cutting-edge deep learning techniques in the systems to improve the understanding of such proteins and to provide new opportunities to investigate the complex post-transcriptional regulations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Lake studied the therapeutic and harm reduction applications of cannabis among marginalized people who use illicit drugs in Vancouver. Through demonstrating that cannabis has clinical potential for managing pain and opioid use disorder in this population, her work provided key data to inform future clinical experimentation involving cannabis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Lee studied the moisture-related physical qualities of BC softwood pellets. His work suggested best practices for handling wood pellets in wet conditions. Dr. Lee's research also explored ways to minimize moisture adsorption, thus minimizing the degradation of wood pellets during storage and transport. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Orihara examined the evolution of trust, cooperation, and altruism in early modern Japan. Documenting the transition from covenants with Japanese deities to more secular based contracts, her work tied the role of trust to debates of early modernity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Studies (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Sen studied the linkage between higher education and social mobility of people from rural areas in Cambodia. The study problematizes colonial legacies in educational development, critiques the application of Bourdieu's sociological concepts, and proposes an alternate conceptual model of social practice in Global South postcolonial societies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2021 | Big data requires algorithms to be efficient in time and working memory. Dr. Melnykova's research provides performance guarantees of such algorithms for sparse recovery. Her analysis on the impact of mapping linear measurements onto reconstruction error using a process called quantization bridges a gap in the literature between theory and practice. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |