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. Vaswani designed data-driven algorithms for better decision-making under partial or incomplete information. These algorithms have wide-ranging applications from designing better clinical trials to computational advertising and marketing in social networks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Simpson studied recent conflicts over oil pipeline developments in North America. He interviewed activists working to prevent the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. His work contributes to understanding how contemporary environmental movements attempt to build relations of solidarity with First Nations and Indigenous land and water defenders. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Li investigated the important issues of resource allocation and content caching in 5G mobile Internet and beyond. He subsequently proposed a series of frameworks for effectively enhancing network performances on network traffic offloading, mobile users' quality of service, and service request satisfaction. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Novakowski developed new tools for delivering proteins and nucleic acids to platelets, which are small cells required to stop the flow of blood during injury. This may ultimately lead to platelets with an improved ability to stop bleeding, and potentially extend the range of diseases that can be treated using platelets. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Nouri showed that prostate cancer cells treated with hormone therapy might undergo a transformation to a more stem-like cell to promote therapy escape and disease progression. By capturing, analyzing, and targeting key pathways in these cells, he explored a pre-clinical therapeutic regimen that could potentially prevent prostate cancer recurrence. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Wathen worked on the development of new and efficient numerical solution techniques for large-scale multi-physics problems arising from fluid dynamics and electromagnetics. These problems appear in many applications from industry to geophysics and thus the development of models and simulations is of great importance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Yun compared different torrefied wood pellet production configurations, and quantified economic, environmental, and energetic impacts of B.C. wood pellet supply chains to different markets. Findings will assist the pellet industry in improving pellet plant operations, identifying future market opportunities, and seeking government policy support. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Woodsworth developed a cell-to-cell delivery system, in which a therapeutic molecule is inserted into a delivery cell, carried to a disease site and transferred to a specific target cell. This will allow for smart, active therapeutic devices capable of engaging directly with the fundamental cellular and molecular causes of disease. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Chan studied signaling pathways that control cellular metabolism. He defined the role of specific enzymes that regulate the synthesis of lipids at a transcriptional level. His research builds on our understanding of cellular metabolism and pathways involved in metabolic diseases including obesity and diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Osteoporosis is a disease marked by excessive bone loss and affects one out of three women and one out of five over the age of 50. Dr. Law studied a novel and less side effect prone type of enzyme inhibition which targets bone degradation. This has the potential to be developed into a novel type of anti resorptive drug. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Omidian studied high-level synthesis. He examined new ways to convert software systems into hardware, making them faster and more energy efficient. His findings were able to automatically control the amount of hardware generated, producing a wide range of solutions at different performance levels and cost points, for computer vision applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Sanchez Alvarez studied how early childhood educators can broaden their understanding of children's ideas and actions and teachers' practices. By systematically questioning and discussing their interpretations, educators come to see their own and others' assumptions about children and pedagogy, and gain a richer understanding of the children's capabilities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Liu Baergen examined a pivotal Canadian curriculum scholar's life and work within its historical, societal and intellectual context. Her research brings forth new understanding and invites other scholars to engage in studies that further contribute to the field of Canadian curriculum studies in all its particularity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Ebrahimi developed a reproducible fabrication process for polymeric fast actuators, created a web-based tool for modeling and design optimization of these devices, and successfully encapsulated them using a flexible polymer. Her work paves the way to employ these devices in real applications, such as robotics and micro-machines. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Fenneman revised the taxonomy of two genera of plants in the sunflower family, and developed novel criteria for the defining of these species in British Columbia. These developments will help to better understand the biodiversity of the province, and provide a stronger framework for species conservation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2019 | Adult stem cells are a central theme in the rapidly expanding field of regenerative medicine. Dr. Scott has used a genetic marker to characterize a stem cell that is present in all adult tissues and identified a mechanism that allows these cells to remain dormant until they are required for tissue maintenance and repair. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Liu studied the free-surface flow of non-Newtonian fluids under gravity. His research provides insights in the dynamics of visco-plastic dambreak problems in different contexts. His results can be applied in many industrial and natural processes ranging from cementing to glacier movement. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Prasad designed a full-duplex communication solution for data transfer over existing power lines to enable simultaneous two-way signal flow in the same frequency band. As a result, he doubled the data rate, improved the network operation efficiency, and effectively handled the high-frequency electromagnetic radiation from power line signals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Zhang mapped global seahorse populations to reveal distribution and threat patterns for these data-poor marine fishes. He discovered which seahorses are threatened and what the major threats are. This work will help prioritize urgently needed conservation plans, inform fishery policies and support the establishment of marine protected areas. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Zhu studied the optimal mapping problem: finding a bijective function between two topologically equivalent or inequivalent shapes. He developed several mapping algorithms that play crucial roles in many computer graphic applications such as planar embedding of curved surface, mesh deformation, and elastic simulations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Genga investigated how lipids and genetic mutations associated with lipid metabolism influence the prognosis of patients with sepsis, such as mortality and re-hospitalizations. This research may lead to the discovery of new promising biomarkers that can identify septic patients at high risk of worse outcomes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Albarran investigated new discourses about reproduction in contemporary Spanish literature. She analyzed the work of three women authors that explore the topic of procreation through novels, memoirs, and diaries. This work informs the concept's critical re-evaluation in light of technological change and a rethinking of some of the basic tenets of feminist thought. | Doctor of Philosophy in Hispanic Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Zell examined the role of labour recruiters who facilitate temporary migration for lower-skilled jobs in Canada. She developed a conceptual framework for understanding them as mobile petty sovereigns, who exercise discretionary power at borders. Her work reveals where and how state power is asserted and resisted in globalized labour markets. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Ramey explored how water and nutrient additions influenced invertebrates communities and leaf litter decomposition near small streams in British Columbia. Her work has applications to wildlife conservation and forest management of riparian zones in the Pacific Northwest, and contributes to our understanding of riparian headwater ecosystems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Measuring past pesticide exposure for farmers has many challenges. Dr. Garzia developed a new method to estimate past exposures, and compared it to other existing methods. She then applied the new method to assess pesticide exposure in relation to multiple myeloma risk in BC. Her findings also provide advice for future research in this area. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |