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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Dr. Patton analyzed the concentration of rare earth elements in marine sediment and constructed a numerical model of those elements in pore water.This research explores how these elements are cycled between sediment and pore water and questions the validity of previous interpretations of these elements as a water mass tracer preserved through time. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Deen conducted his research on hybrid mineral batteries. He designed two battery setups that extract copper from chalcopyrite mineral as well as store energy. This research can be applied in remote mine sites, where these batteries can be coupled with renewable energy sources for both energy storage and copper extraction. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Nouri investigated advanced materials for renewable energy systems. His thesis uncovered relationships between the microscopic structures of porous materials, and their performance as transport layers for two-phase flow. His findings can improve the design of engineered materials for more efficient hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | In our global battle against drug-resistant superbugs, there is a limited arsenal of antibiotics. Dr. Behroozian discovered broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities in a natural clay from Kisameet Bay, British Columbia, and clarified the active principal components and modes of action. Her contributions may lead to development of novel treatments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Leigh considered two enumerative problems in geometry that are motivated by mathematical physics. In the first he developed a new theory for counting a special type of object. In the second he provided an explicit computation involving a string-theoretic space called the "banana threefold". | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Nabai has developed a novel method for prevention of post-surgical skin fibrosis. She fabricated microspheres containing anti-fibrotic medication and showed that application of these microspheres into the surgical wound bed before closing the wound reduces the post-surgical fibrosis through controlled slow release of the anti-fibrotic medication. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Nazari studied self-education and teacher personal and professional development through Currere, a concept that promotes an autobiographical examination. His study helps teachers understand their own and their students voice more fully in order to connect with their individuality and create singular ways of thinking, learning, and being in the world. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Hamad studied methane oxidation catalysts to reduce the emissions from natural gas vehicles (NGVs). He developed a new catalyst formulation to minimize the catalysts deactivation by water and sulphur oxides. His results may have improved methane oxidation catalyst formulations for NGV converters to reduce the exhaust gas of unburned methane. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Rahjoo investigated the mechanics of rock fracturing, strength and deformation, and developed models for the behaviour of fracturing rocks. With tunnels and mines heading towards greater depths, this knowledge is critical for safe and stable excavations. His findings contribute to the advancement of rock mechanics and rock engineering. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Neuenfeld applied quantum information theory to study gravitational physics. He investigated how information is transferred in processes involving gravity, and explored how quantum information restricts the spacetimes that can be realized in nature. His results contribute to a better understanding of a quantum theory of gravity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Campbell examined how publication policy impacts the reliability of scientific research from a statistical perspective. He proposed novel policy prescriptions and modelled how adopting these could transform the incentives driving research. This work aims to address the reproducibility crisis and issues of publication bias. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Balyasnikova examined English language learning trajectories of older immigrants to Canada. Her research highlights the importance of creating tailored educational programs for this population. As part of her study, Dr. Balyasnikova developed curriculum that can be used in diverse instructional contexts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Kendall studied how cartoony faces, such as in comics or emojis, are processed when compared to photorealistic faces. She found evidence that illuminated how cartoony images are processed faster and more easily than photorealistic images, which may underlie their use in broader applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Didier found evidence of a previously unreported membrane steroid receptor in a Basel vertebrate. This work has wide ranging implications for our understanding of steroid/receptor evolution in vertebrates. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Toker's research on user-adaptive information visualizations is at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Human Computer Interaction. His work leveraged eye tracking to show how adaptive interventions could be devised to support users according to their individual needs and differences. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. McGee studied the outer protective coat of the seed. He developed the tools and system to be able to modify specific components of the cell wall in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. This work increased our understanding of cell wall structure and function. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Leistenschneider studied how neutrons form shell structures in the nucleus of titanium and vanadium atoms. The imprints that nuclear shells leave on the mass of the atom were investigated in several isotopes of these elements using high precision mass spectrometry techniques. The results served as stringent tests for modern nuclear theories. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Cantin studied quantum systems. He showed that certain quasiparticles can be localized by disorder and modeled a tool to study material surfaces. His work improves our understanding of energy transport in materials and gives a foundation for machine learning to solve the inverse scattering problem for surface-sensitive molecular interferometers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Yeast is a single-celled organism that has been used to model human biology and disease. Dr. Hamza tested the extent to which human genes can replace the similar yeast genes and operate in a yeast cell. These humanized yeast cells were used as a platform to study mutations found in cancer and model the activity of a cancer specific drug target. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Waugh developed a theoretical model of the parent involvement process in multi-year classrooms. His grounded theory explains the unique changes in involvement and parent-teacher relationships when parents, teachers and students remain together for two or more years. The theory will have significance in school planning and policies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Altiere developed an ultraviolet laser system to probe the atomic energy levels in xenon gas. Her work also included precision optical measurements of atomic constants in xenon 129. These results are essential to neutron electric dipole moment experiments at TRIUMF and to the broader scientific community. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Roll studied dialogue in democratic education. Through collaborative cooking and feasting, the shared experiences offered participants reflective pauses, deep listening, and dwelling in their becoming. This process illustrated that adaptiveness, unfinishedness, humility, and community enable us to be fully engaged within and with others. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Marken studied the stories of faculty who indicate a preference for working with first-year students in the Canadian research-intensive university context. This work responds to an emerging thread in higher education literature and contributes to our understanding of teaching and learning in higher education. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Zhao developed a practical and accurate dosimetry method to achieve optimized cancer therapy with radionuclides. His research demonstrated the feasibility of personalizing cancer treatment in routine clinics. His work contributes significantly to the safe and effective usage of radionuclides in cancer therapy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Nuclear medicine is an important field of medicine, shining a light within the human body to facilitate diagnosis and therapy. Dr. Wang developed a new group of chelators based on "oxine" arms which showed a marked improvement from its previous counterpart. This work has significant potential for radiophamaceuticals in nuclear medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |