Convocation May 2019

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership and Policy)

• Dr. Ryan Timothy Sikkes: "Dr. Sikkes studied Yukon's public school system during Yukon's transition to having provincial-type powers. He found that Yukon's constitutional and democratic development had direct effects on educational policy, especially school governance. His research will help inform the decision making of Yukon's present day educators and school leaders."

Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy

• Dr. Daniel James Woodsworth: "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."
• Dr. Alexander David Wright: "Dr. Wright's work evaluated the effects of sport-related concussions on brain physiology, including the control of brain blood flow. His work highlighted the longer time required for brain physiology to recover as compared to symptoms - a concept since incorporated into the latest international guidelines for concussion management."
• Dr. Victor Li: "Dr. Li characterized a new-in-class NMDA receptor positive allosteric modulator. The new drug has applications as a research tool and potential therapeutic in psychiatric and neurological disorders."

Doctor of Musical Arts (Orchestral Instrument)

• Dr. Liam James Hockley: "Dr. Hockley examined performer agency in complexism, a contemporary musical aesthetic. Although complexism is often suggested as leaving the performer no room for interpretation or expression, he developed a new analytical perspective that examines how complexism's distinctive material and conceptual elements engage unique forms of performer agency."

Doctor of Musical Arts (Piano)

• Dr. Ross Edillor Salvosa: "Dr. Salvosa studied Alberto Jonas' Master School and its role in early twentieth-century piano playing and virtuosity. He discovered that the Master School was the most comprehensive work written in the early twentieth century on piano playing, which still stands as an invaluable resource tool for pianists of today."
• Dr. Irene Margarete Setiawan: "Dr. Setiawan investigated how Hummel adapted Mozart's music to suit the early nineteenth-century audience. She found that while Hummel modified select passages, Hummel still showed respect for Mozart's original materials. For pianists, Hummel's arrangement can serve as an example that mediates between Mozart and a new audience in a balanced way."

Doctor of Philosophy (Anthropology)

• Dr. Alejandra Lydia Macdonald-Miller Diaz: "Dr. Diaz studied the prehistoric diet of dogs and other animals over the last 3,000 years in British Columbia. She identified regionally specific patterns in diet that generally don't change through time. This research provides some of the first data of its kind to B.C. archaeology and highlights the importance of understanding locally-oriented past relationships between humans and animals."
• Dr. Vishala Amita Parmasad: "Dr. Parmasad studied Type 2 diabetes among Indian Trinidadians in Debe, Trinidad and Tobago. She examined reasons people did not follow medical advice. These included structural inequities in healthcare access and incompatibilities with local sociocultural contexts. Her findings highlight the importance of tailoring standardized treatment regimens."
• Dr. Gregory Gan: "Dr. Gan conducted multi-sited anthropological research amongst educated Russian migrants in Moscow, Paris, Berlin, and New York, showing that Russian state strategies have historically relied, and continue to rely on migrant discourses in defining Russian national identity."

Doctor of Philosophy (Applied Animal Biology)

• Dr. Amelia Mari MacRae: "Dr. MacRae examined facial expression, vocalizations and changes in eye temperature as potential indicators of pain in harbour seals. This work represents some of the first research on pain and pain indicators of the harbour seal. Her research contributes to the welfare of seals by improving understanding of their pain responses."

Doctor of Philosophy (Art History)

• Dr. Kristen Marie Carter: "Dr. Carter studied the role of art education after student revolt between 1968 and 1972 in the United States and France. She argued that at a moment when the traditional vehicles of activism failed, the university classroom became one place where artists and students alike could negotiate new forms of political resistance."

Doctor of Philosophy (Asian Studies)

• Dr. Eunseon Kim: "Dr. Kim asks what socio-historical contexts led to a linguistic understanding of the epithet 'Nation of Propriety in the East' for Korea. She traces the genealogy of representations of linguistic politeness, and examines how Koreans and non-Koreans constructed saturated cultural images of Korean honorifics."

Doctor of Philosophy (Astronomy)

• Dr. Agueda Paula Granados Contreras: "Dr. Granados studied the formation of Jupiter sized planets that are very close to their host star. Using numerical simulations, she found that under certain conditions, these 'close-in Jupiters' can form in the region we observe them today through multiple planet-to-planet collisions while there is still considerable amount of gas present in the protoplanetary disk."

Doctor of Philosophy (Atmospheric Science)

• Dr. Noel Patrick Fitzpatrick: "The ongoing loss of mountain glaciers influences sea level rise and the supply of freshwater to communities and ecosystems. Through observations in the mountains of British Columbia, Dr. Fitzpatrick examined the atmospheric conditions affecting melt rates, and developed methods to better understand the response of glaciers in a changing climate."
• Dr. Pedro Odon: "Dr. Ivo Odon completed his research in the field of Atmospheric Sciences. He investigated the behaviour of extreme weather events across BC, and the impacts of climate change on such events. The results of his dissertation are being used by BC Hydro so they can better prepare for peaks in electricity demand and power outages."

Doctor of Philosophy (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

• Dr. Simon Sau Yin Law: "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."
• Dr. Stefanie Kim Novakowski: "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."
• Dr. Woosuk Hur: "Dr. Hur identified how the fibrinolytic system regulates coagulation factor XIII. He then investigated the significance of this regulation during thrombolytic therapy for deep vein thrombosis. His work aims to improve treatment for thrombosis patients."
• Dr. Tamiza Nanji: "Dr. Nanji studied autophagy, a method in which our bodies deal with the destruction of cells. By comparing the autophagy systems of fission yeast and mammals she was able to develop a model of autophagy initiation in fission yeast and humans. This work further unravelled the complicated interactions associated with autophagy."

Doctor of Philosophy (Bioinformatics)

• Dr. Jake Alastair Barnett Lever: "Dr. Lever developed methods to extract biomedical knowledge from published academic papers. Working at BC Cancer's Genome Sciences Centre, he used machine learning approaches to find genetic information useful to clinicians treating cancer patients in a personalized way. His results are accessed daily by cancer researchers around the world."
• Dr. Shaun Dunn Jackman: "DNA sequencing machines read the A, C, G, and T nucleotides that compose chromosomes, but they read only short snippets of DNA and make errors. Dr. Jackman developed tools to reconstruct the true genome sequence from imperfect DNA sequencing reads. He used these tools to assemble the western red cedar genome, which is four times larger than the human genome."

Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)

• Dr. Felipe Eltit: "Dr. Eltit explored the mechanisms of medical implants failure. His project described the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which patients develop adverse reactions to metal elements. The conclusions of his work will lead to the introduction of new therapeutic strategies in orthopaedic surgery."
• Dr. Qiong Wang: "Dr. Wang studied the corrosion process of hip implants and the associated clinical failures. His research showed unexpected vulnerability of hip implants to corrosion under mechanical wear. His findings revealed the unknown failure process of current materials used in hip implants and called for the development of new materials in the future."

Doctor of Philosophy (Botany)

• Dr. Sam Starko: "Dr. Starko explored how environmental conditions have shaped the evolutionary dynamics and ecological strategies of an important group of marine primary producers. His work spanned multiple spatial and temporal scales from large-scale patterns of evolution through deep time to the development of individual species."
• Dr. Yukino Nitta: "Dr. Nitta studied the regulation of signal transduction that occurs during plant immunity. Her work contributes to help uncover mechanisms which plants use to control the magnitude of defense responses."
• Dr. Kresimir Sola: "Dr. Sola explored how modifications of carbohydrates influence plant cell wall function. He discovered a novel mechanism that reinforces the connections between the walls of adjacent cells. His results provide insight into how plants can provide strength in specialized tissues."
• Dr. Jianhua Huang: "Dr. Huang studied how plant immunity is regulated in a small plant called Arabidopsis. He found out that plants use two sets of proteins to oppositely control the synthesis of salicylic acid, a hormone vital for plant immunity. Such knowledge will assist the development of eco-friendly strategies to protect agriculture from plant diseases."
• Dr. Miranda Jade Meents: "Dr. Meents characterized plant Golgi during secondary cell wall formation, helping to explain how many essential molecules are made in the cell. Dr. Meents also employed education research to compare different teaching techniques in cell biology classes, leading to significant improvement in problem solving instruction in courses at UBC."
• Dr. Tongjun Sun: "Dr. Sun studied the regulation of plant immune responses mediated by two transcription factors, which were found to play a broad role in plant immunity. His study also provided new insight on how plants perceive salicylic acid, an essential plant defense hormone."
• Dr. Ya'nan Liu: "Dr. Liu studied plant immunity using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Her studies provide new insights on how plants sense pathogens and regulate defense responses, which help us better understand the complicated plant immune system"
• Dr. James Daniel Arnold Fenneman: "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 (Cell and Developmental Biology)

• Dr. Leslie Jing Chan: "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."
• Dr. Wilder Scott: "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."
• Dr. Sarah Jane Gignac: "Dr. Gignac studied a rare genetic disease called Robinow syndrome that is caused by mutations in the Wingless or WNT signaling pathway. Her work demonstrated how WNT5A and DVL1 genetic mutations disrupt formation of the skeleton. In future, these studies will lead to therapies for WNT diseases in humans such as cancer or bone related disorders."
• Dr. Stephanie Ann Campbell: "Dr. Campbell investigated the role of the Trithorax Group (TrxG) protein complexes during pancreas development. She discovered that loss of TrxG epigenetic activity resulted in fewer insulin-producing beta-cells and diabetes. Her research may improve the generation of functional pancreatic beta-cells from stem cells as a potential diabetes therapy."

Doctor of Philosophy (Chemical and Biological Engineering)

• Dr. Majid Keshavarzfathy: "Dr. Keshavarzfathy developed a computational model to simulate the performance of ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV-LED) reactors for water treatment. He subsequently applied the model to several UV-LED reactor concepts. His work increases our understanding of the design and optimization of UV-LED reactors."
• Dr. Haiyan Wang: "Dr. Wang spent the past four years developing carbide catalysts using petroleum coke. She combined experimental data and theoretical calculations to study the performance of her catalysts during the hydrotreating process. Her work provides a potential way to turn waste from oil sands refinery into a valuable product."
• Dr. Huimin Yun: "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."
• Dr. Jorge Enrique Rubiano Berna: "Dr. Rubiano developed a mathematical model and simulation of low consistency refining, a process used in the forest products sector to improve the mechanical properties of paper and other natural materials. His experiments have been used to optimize the papermaking process and have demonstrated large industrial energy savings."
• Dr. Mehr Negar Mirvakili: "Dr. Mirvakili's work focused on environmentally benign techniques to fabricate water repellent papers with low gas permeability. She investigated the effect of wood fiber size and drying mechanism on the barrier, optical, and mechanical properties of paper. Such paper is suitable for flexible electronics, paper-fluidics and packaging applications."

Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)

• Dr. Omar Sadek: "Dr. Sadek demonstrated novel uses of organofluoroborates as sources of fluorine for chemical reactions, and synthesized boron and fluorine containing fluorescent molecules with novel structures and properties. These works serve to expand the chemical reactivity of organofluoroborates as well as the development of potential tools for medical imaging."
• Dr. Christopher Mark Brown: "Dr. Brown developed metal complexes that manipulate light. He demonstrated that the number of oxygen atoms bonded to a sulfur atom can finely tune the properties of metal complexes, in particular regarding the colour of light emitted from a material. This work opens a new avenue of control for lighting technologies."
• Dr. Peter Michael Edwards: "Dr. Edwards developed new methods for using air and water sensitive catalysts for the synthesis of amines with minimal generation of waste. He has also used these methods to create new molecules that could have potential uses in the development of new pharmaceuticals."
• Dr. Kevan Dettelbach: "Dr. Dettelbach demonstrated how ultraviolet light could be used to produce a silver-copper alloy that is difficult to obtain through commonly used methods. This alloy has applications toward clean energy conversion."
• Dr. Victoria Emilie Irish: "Dr. Irish researched the concentrations, properties and sources of particles that catalyse the formation of ice crystals in clouds in the Arctic. The results from this research will be used in numerical models for predicting future climate in this region."
• Dr. Veronica Carta: "Dr. Carta studied macrocycles, defined as molecules with a cyclic structure. She developed new metal-containing macrocycles and investigated their change in properties when large molecules are hosted in their cavity. This new approach could make certain polymerization reactions accessible to a wider number of macrocycles."
• Dr. Meng Si: "Dr. Si investigated the particles that catalyze ice formation in the atmosphere. These particles influence clouds, precipitation, and climate. She quantified the concentrations, properties, and identified sources of these ice-nucleating particles at remote Canadian environments. Her findings can help improve the accuracy of climate models."
• Dr. Chantal Lian Mustoe: "Dr. Mustoe specialised in understanding weak chemical bonds. To resolve an argument in her field, she developed a new method to study halogen bonds. She used this method to identify when these bonds can play an important role, such as helping generate electricity in solar cells."
• Dr. Rebecca Sarah Sherbo: "Dr. Sherbo studied ways to perform common chemical transformations by using renewable electricity. Utilizing a specially designed reactor, she explored how to perform hydrogenation reactions with electricity and water rather than with pressurized hydrogen gas. This method decreases the energy, and carbon intensity of these routine reactions."
• Dr. Isaac Martens: "Dr. Martens studied the surface chemistry of platinum catalysts inside hydrogen fuel cells. A better mechanistic understanding of corrosion and degradation in these devices is critical for the development of economically viable clean power systems."
• Dr. Tengfei Li: "Dr. Li studied chemical reactions that can be performed in a photoelectrochemical or electrochemical cell. Reactions are driven by sunlight and electricity to make fuels and valuable chemicals. His research provides a promising means to store solar electricity into useful chemicals."
• Dr. Damon John Gilmour: "Dr. Gilmour completed his doctoral studies in the field of Chemistry. He investigated new catalytic methods to functionalize polymeric materials, for example to allow them to self-heal or bio-degrade. This work may contribute to the replacement of traditional plastics with advanced materials that are sustainably produced."
• Dr. Rodrigo Alejandr Vargas Hernandez: "Can artificial intelligence learn quantum physics? Dr. Vargas Hernandez's research shows that big data tools can reduce the computational resources needed to predict the properties of quantum systems and also help us discover new phases of matter."
• Dr. Lingyu Wang: "Dr. Wang explored scientific advancement in analytical methods for the quantification of small molecule medicines and the characterization of complex biopharmaceutical substances. His study assists people in producing medicines with better safety and efficacy."
• Dr. Erika Siren: "Dr. Siren completed her doctoral studies in the field of biomaterials chemistry. She studied how naturally occurring polymers at the blood vessel surface influence the immune response. These findings led to the development of a synthetic polymer-based therapeutic which was used to suppress the onset of organ rejection with reduced side-effects."

Doctor of Philosophy (Civil Engineering)

• Dr. Sepideh Ashtari: "Dr. Ashtari evaluated the performance-based seismic design provisions of the 2014 Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code for reinforced concrete bridges. She identified, for the first time, the challenges of implementing the provisions in practice and addressed them with regards to design framework, performance criteria, analysis, and performance verification."
• Dr. Marcia Fromberg: "Phosphorus is recovered from wastewater as a compound called struvite. Dr. Fromberg studied how struvite pellets form and how to maximize pellet-formation in UBC's previously pioneered, phosphorus-recovery technology. Maximizing yield increases the value of the technology, and results in greater recovery of this valuable and dwindling resource."
• Dr. Seyed Abdolnaser Moosavian: "Water distribution networks are one of the most important elements in urban infrastructure systems and require huge investment for construction. Dr. Moosavian studied several optimization methods and applied multi-objective models for a reliable design of pipe networks. This work will contribute to more efficient evaluation and optimal design of water systems."
• Dr. Pascale Corine Rouse: "Geosynthetics are synthetic sheets that can be used to reinforce soil to improve the stability of earth retaining walls. Dr. Rouse proposed a numerical model that helps to have a better understanding of the factors that influence the soil-geosynthetic interaction for design purposes."

Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)

• Dr. Mihir Sudarshan Nanavati: "Dr. Nanavati examined how modern high-performance servers can safely be shared across multiple applications. He then developed systems that enabled high resource efficiency on these shared servers, while isolating applications and providing them with virtual hardware abstractions, all with performance comparable to dedicated hardware."
• Dr. Mohamed Osama Ahmed: "Dr. Ahmed worked on developing better optimization algorithms. Optimization plays a key role in building more efficient artificial intelligence systems. Through Dr. Ahmed's work, machine learning systems can be trained faster and use less computer memory. This work has a lot of applications such as computer vision and natural language processing."
• Dr. Michael Philip Wathen: "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."
• Dr. Julieta Martinez-Covarrubias: "Dr. Martinez-Covarrubias developed compression algorithms for very large databases of high-dimensional vectors. The compressed database can be used to speed up search using a variety of similarity measures. These algorithms can be used in image search engines, recommender systems, or machine learning algorithms."
• Dr. Yufeng Zhu: "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."
• Dr. Sharan Rajesh Vaswani: "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."
• Dr. Glen Paul Berseth: "Dr. Berseth developed new methods for controlling the movement of simulated characters and robots. Using machine learning methods, he developed control structures that allow for more efficient learning as well as the integration of multiple motion skills."
• Dr. Seyed Mehran Kazemi: "Dr. Kazemi explored how machine learning can be applied to worlds composed of objects and relations. He devised models and facilitated computational techniques that use data about objects to make predictions about their properties and relations. His work can be used in applications where the underlying data is in the form of a graph."

Doctor of Philosophy (Counselling Psychology)

• Dr. Danika Marie Overmars: "Dr. Overmars explored Indigenous peoples' experiences in the workplace, identifying factors that help and hinder wellbeing. This research highlights unique considerations for Indigenous people, such as connection to culture at work, and provides a perspective that challenges negative narratives of Indigenous peoples' experiences at work."
• Dr. Karolina Anna Rozworska: "Dr. Rozworska's research showed that mothers who support their daughters emotionally and can manage their own emotions, have daughters with fewer eating disorder difficulties. She concluded that teaching mothers strategies for emotional support can be a beneficial addition to traditional therapies for eating disorders in youth."
• Dr. Fred Chou: "Dr. Chou examined the narratives of intergenerational trauma and resilience among Chinese-Canadian families. His study was one of the first to examine this psychological construct for this population and has implications for counselling psychology in the areas of narrative and multicultural research as well as family and trauma therapy."

Doctor of Philosophy (Craniofacial Science)

• Dr. Abbas Ali Jessani: "Dr. Jessani studied the oral health needs and services of people living with HIV in British Columbia. His results identified three quarters of this population had unmet dental treatment needs, half of the respondents had not visited a dentist with in the last year and half had experienced some kind of discrimination by their oral health providers."

Doctor of Philosophy (Curriculum Studies)

• Dr. Rasunah M Marsden: "Dr. Marsden's articulation and application of The World Pattern of Process provides a unique, interdisciplinary approach to the Great Chain of Being, Indigenous world views, and Theories of Everything. Based on energy and key patterns inherent in a four-fold process, her study offers a holistic approach to knowledge systems and re-invigorates dialectics on human be-ing."
• Dr. Priya Anka Lekhi: "Dr. Lekhi researched international students' views of scientific knowledge and their experiences in first-year undergraduate chemistry courses. Her work revealed the importance of active learning techniques in transforming student views towards those that are more aligned with the tenets of science. These views tended to manifest better academic behaviours."
• Dr. Elizabeth Clara Lenz Kothe: "In her research, Dr. Lenz Kothe asks, "What are community-based, responsive participatory art museum practices, and what does education mean within those practices?" She advances the understanding that education in responsive participatory practices is an ongoing process of creating conditions for potential learning and mutual transformation."
• Dr. Ying Ma: "Having been a high school teacher for seven years in Beijing China, Dr. Ma brought her passion for education to UBC. Her research built dialogues among Aristotelian and Confucian wisdom traditions and sought to go beyond them. Her research makes significant contributions to re-conceptualize teaching in ethical-educational dimensions."
• Dr. Winston Edward Massam: "Teaching relevant and meaningful science is a challenge to most high school science teachers. Dr. Winston's research demonstrated how linking school science with local manufacturing in Tanzania can create relevant and meaningful science learning. His findings have implications for the ongoing curriculum and instruction reforms in Tanzania"
• Dr. Sam Carleton Stiegler: "Dr. Stiegler utilized mobile methodological lenses to explore innovative ways of moving, thinking, and writing alongside trans, queer, and genderqueer youth in New York City. This work ensures their lives are animated in ways that make central the knowledge young people produce about themselves and how they are able to move through social worlds."
• Dr. Fu-Hui Liu Baergen: "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 (Economics)

• Dr. Joao Alfredo Galindo da Fonseca: "Dr. Galindo da Fonseca studied the decision of an individual to open a firm or look for a job. He found that although unemployed are more likely to start a firm, they create smaller less successful firms. This work has important implications for understanding the consequences of policies promoting entrepreneurship."

Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Studies)

• Dr. Alejandra Sanchez: "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."
• Dr. Ashenafi Alemu Aboye: "Dr. Alemu studied Ethiopian public intellectuals in Canada and the United States. He adapted the narrative methodology to write an original novella that explored academic freedom. His writing described the tensions between inevitable silences and the necessity of speaking out that mark the realities of many scholars of the African diaspora."
• Dr. Kari May Grain: "Dr. Grain studied the impacts of service-learning (an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service) in Kitengesa, Uganda. She found that participants reinforce efforts of local community leaders to enhance education, financial literacy and human rights. This work informs relational politics in global engagement."
• Dr. Gloria Lin: "Dr. Lin examined how web-based news media constructs international students and a public imaginary of society and citizenship. She developed an anticolonial and decolonizing content analysis to disrupt colonial gazes as operationalized in virtual spaces. Her research raises awareness of the need for the host society to recognize the continuing logic of racism, hegemony and dominance in BC's international education phenomenon."

Doctor of Philosophy (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

• Dr. Cesar Lopez: "Dr. Lopez studied the real time simulation of complex systems, focussing on disaster response scenarios. He explored critical infrastructure interdependencies, machine learning, and parallel processing and was able to test over hundreds of scenarios within a couple of minutes. This research provides first responders with a tool to help them save lives."
• Dr. Saeedeh Ebrahimi Takalloo: "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."
• Dr. Bader Naim Alahmad: "Safety is a primary issue of driverless cars. Dr. Alahmad advanced new mathematical models and cost effective methods to enable both safety integrity and timing predictability for real-time computer systems. His work will continue to advance safety in emergent intelligent systems that are becoming ubiquitous in our daily lives."
• Dr. Guanpeng Li: "Dr. Li focused on building fault-tolerant software in commodity computer systems. He proposed an analytical model to guide developers to improve the resilience of their applications at low cost. His technique allows people to continue enjoying fast computers without sacrificing their reliability."
• Dr. Chinmaya Mahapatra: "Dr. Mahapatra completed his doctoral studies in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research concentrated on developing energy-efficient and secure models for the Internet-of-Everything systems. His findings will help the vendors as well as consumers save energy and cost while maintaining high quality of service."
• Dr. Dawood Mohammed Safo Almasslawi: "With participation of 121 homecare nurses, Dr. Al-Masslawi studied barriers to their work, their problem solving strategies, and developed new patient documentation software that was inspired by their creative problem solving. The software used speech recognition, wearable technology, and smart phones, which nurses found very useful and easy to use."
• Dr. Carlos Antonio Sanchez: "Dr. Sanchez developed methods for constructing and simulating digital biomechanical models of the human body. These models can be used to help plan or guide surgeries and other medical treatments."
• Dr. Gautham Prasad: "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."
• Dr. Mahdi Yousefi: "Dr. Yousefi developed mathematical tools for formal safety verification of autonomous systems. Using this technique, he demonstrated the safety of automated anesthesia drug delivery systems. The proposed tools may facilitate the process of obtaining regulatory approval for automated drug delivery systems and their emergence in hospitals"
• Dr. Lin Huang: "Optical biopsy provides a non-invasive method for delivering tissue images. Dr. Huang developed a novel, handheld multiphoton microscopy system to achieve optical biopsy. Such a compact and portable optical imaging system can potentially help to detect oral cancer at early stage."
• Dr. Fatemeh Eslami: "Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology is gaining attention in a variety of computer applications, but is challenged by resource intense debugging processes. Dr. Eslami worked on enhancing existing verification and debugging techniques to help designers identify functional bugs and ensure the correct functionality of designs implemented on FPGAs."
• Dr. Hamid Moradi Kashkouli: "Dr. Moradi developed methods and systems for robot-assisted intra-operative photoacoustic imaging of the prostate and tested these in simulation and ex vivo experimental studies. Providing high resolution images of vasculature and blood oxygenation, photoacoustic imaging promises to help surgeons achieve better outcomes during prostate surgery."
• Dr. Xiuhua Li: "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."
• Dr. Seyyedmilad Ebrahimi: "Dr. Ebrahimi developed new and computationally efficient models of power-electronic converters which allow faster simulations for studying power systems. These models will be widely used in the simulation software industry and by thousands of engineers around the world to conduct studies of power systems in less amount of time."
• Dr. Zenan Jiang: "Dr. Jiang studied the temperature dependent conductivity and flexibility of large area single layer graphene. She integrated graphene films with charge selective materials to fabricate flexible transparent conductors and subsequently applied them as electrodes in flexible organic photovoltaic devices."
• Dr. Tan Ngoc Nguyen: "Dr. Nguyen studied the fabrication method, the electrochemomechanical properties, and the modeling of ultrathin conducting polymer transducers. This research assists us in understanding the performance and demonstrates the adaptability in microsystems of such a thin beam."
• Dr. Hossein Omidian Savarbaghi: "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."
• Dr. Svetozar Miucin: "Dr. Miucin studied the ways in which the programs we write interact with computer memories. His work introduces data-driven techniques which can help programmers improve the performance of the software they write."

Doctor of Philosophy (English)

• Dr. Dallas Mark Hunt: "Dr. Hunt studied the intersections of Indigenous studies, Everyday Life Theory, and Kinship studies to explore everyday relational obligations in Treaty Eight territory. He investigated the potential of establishing more equitable relations by examining the knowledge systems we produce, the relations we cultivate, and the communities we inhabit."

Doctor of Philosophy (Experimental Medicine)

• Dr. Aaron Joshua Marcus Hirsch Allen: "Dr. Hirsch Allen produced the most comprehensive and robust series of studies to date on the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and the risk of occupational injuries."
• Dr. Larissa Sbaglia Celiberto: "Dr. Celiberto investigated how good bacteria in the gut protect against Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and the role of intestinal mucus in providing protection against bacterial infections. Her research may help in the development of new therapies for patients suffering acute infectious and chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract."
• Dr. Kelly Roveran Genga: "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."
• Dr. Johann Dirk Windt: "Dr. Windt extended knowledge in sport and exercise medicine by exploring why some athletes get hurt and others do not. He analyzed novel international data sets using advanced methods to unpack the association between sport participation and injury. His discoveries will reduce the burden of sports injury and allow athletes to perform their best."
• Dr. Lisa Kimberly Kozicky: "Dr. Kozicky studied the mechanism of action of the widely used drug intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). She found that IVIg causes immune cells called macrophages to become anti-inflammatory and produce the cytokine IL-10.This knowledge will help in using IVIg more effectively and designing replacement therapies, as IVIg is a limited blood product."
• Dr. Bisher Hassan E Abuyassin: "Dr. Bisher's research demonstrated that intermittent hypoxia, a key pathological feature of sleep apnea, causes structural and functional renal injury in mice. His data also showed that the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid can prevent this injury. These studies add to our information on the mechanisms of kidney injury in sleep apnea."
• Dr. Elizabeth Audrey Marchant: "Dr. Marchant studied the immune system of premature babies. Examining the function and development of immune cells, her work characterizes the maturation of the infant's immune response and explains their high susceptibility to infections. Her research helps to develop interventions to prevent life-threatening infections in the premature infant."

Doctor of Philosophy (Food Science)

• Dr. Yaxi Hu: "Dr. Hu developed several novel analytical techniques to rapidly and accurately determine food adulteration. The methods developed in her studies can be applied by governmental laboratories and the food industry to better guarantee the authenticity of food products and protect consumers from economic loss and potential health risks."

Doctor of Philosophy (Forestry)

• Dr. Sara Uldene Barron: "Dr. Barron explored the multiple ways suburban trees can be configured to maximize a range of benefits for the local community. Using a scenario approach that was informed by local residents, urban forest practitioners, and academics, she concluded that future forests can thrive in more dense suburban landscapes."
• Dr. Shaghaygh Akhtari: "Dr. Akhtari studied bioenergy and biofuel production using forestry by-products in British Columbia. In her work, she developed decision making models that inform decisions related to designing a supply chain. This is aimed at generating additional revenue for the forest industry, and replacing fossil fuels with bioenergy in forest-dependent communities."
• Dr. Blaise Atom Ratcliffe: "Dr. Ratcliffe researched the integration of genomic information into tree breeding programs. He developed models for early prediction of key traits, such as tree height, from information contained in thousands of genetic markers. His research enables tree breeding programs to rapidly respond to market demands for forest products and emerging threats."
• Dr. Tristan Robert Heinrich Goodbody: "Dr. Goodbody analyzed the potential of digital photogrammetry to provide data products and analytical methods to enhance forest inventories. With reference to its areas of success, limitation, and future directions, digital photogrammetry is justified as a technology capable of and improving forest resources monitoring and management."
• Dr. Faisal Khalid G. Alharbi: "Dr. Alharbi studied the genetic diversity, the population structure, and the phenotypic leaf variation among peripheral and core mangrove populations on the Red Sea. His study opened avenues for the advancement of the conservation and sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems on the Red Sea."
• Dr. Tonya Lee Ramey: "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."
• Dr. Jingjing Liu: "Dr. Liu examined the structural behaviour of typical cross-laminated timber (CLT) connections, commonly used in multi-story buildings. Work entailed robust experimental setup, a mechanism-based model and detailed parameter study. This research increases our understanding of the structural performance of the CLT connections under complex loading."
• Dr. Katrina Vaughan Cook: "Dr. Cook monitored a set of parameters that evaluate the external condition, stress, and immune function among non-target salmon species that are discarded as bycatch. This research improves our understanding of the effects of acute stress on the physiology and survival of fish, and can be applied to improving the welfare of fishes discarded from fisheries."
• Dr. Alex Chee Yu Yeung: "Forest harvesting affects the stability of stream ecosystems by altering organic matter flows. Dr. Yeung studied how and why leaf litter breakdown and quantity vary across space and time in natural and logging-affected streams. His findings provide new directions for managing forests and watersheds to sustain the ecological integrity of streams."

Doctor of Philosophy (Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice)

• Dr. Amel Abdelfadil Eldihaib Elradi: "Dr. Elradi investigated the relationship between women's organizations, nationalism and violence in Sudan and discovered that violence is perceived differently by local, national and international women's organizations. Findings suggest that mitigating racialized gendered violence in Sudan and the Nuba Mountains will require national and transnational alliances."

Doctor of Philosophy (Genome Science and Technology)

• Dr. Jessica Jae Yun Lee: "Dr. Lee examined and developed human-computer interactive approaches, where clinical experts and computers collaboratively analyze genomic data for rare genetic disease diagnoses. This research will contribute to future genome analysis methods that empower experts to expedite critical diagnoses."
• Dr. Eugene Kuatsjah: "Dr. Kuatsjah's work describes the characterization of three different enzymes that microorganisms use to degrade lignin. This work provides insights into how microorganisms contribute to the global carbon cycle and how Nature uses metals in enzymes. It also facilitates the development of tools to transform plant biomass into commodity chemicals."
• Dr. Alison McAfee: "Dr. McAfee studied how honey bees fight off diseases and parasites by selectively removing sick brood from their colonies. She discovered odorants that interact with receptors in the antennae to stimulate this behaviour. Her results improve our understanding of bee behaviour and validate existing methods of selectively breeding disease-resistant stock."
• Dr. Scott Derek Brown: "Dr. Brown studied the interaction between tumours and the immune system in thousands of cancer patients. He used computational genomics methods to make predictions about how immune cells may recognize and attack these tumours, relating this to patient outcomes. This work identified patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapies."
• Dr. Govinda Sharma: "Dr. Sharma pioneered a method to examine the landscape of protein targets that can be recognized by a specialized class of immune cells called T cells. This method enables us to explore how the immune system successfully protects the body from possible threats and use this knowledge to develop new immune-based therapies for a wide array of diseases."
• Dr. Karissa Lynn Milbury: "Dr. Milbury analyzed the effects of common blood cancer mutations to determine how they may contribute to the development of cancer. She demonstrated that cancer mutations in the gene DIS3 interfere with the stability of DNA in a yeast cell model. This finding could influence drug selection for patients carrying these mutations."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geography)

• Dr. Szu-Yun Hsu: "Dr. Hsu studied trade politics and its relations with historical development of nationalism and populism in Taiwan. Her research unravels multiple drivers and complex forms of discursive mediation that contributed to trade and economic liberalization. It challenges conventional understanding of neoliberalism and indicates space for social change."
• Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Zell: "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 assertedand resistedin globalized labour markets."
• Dr. Marc Yoshio Tadaki: "Dr. Tadaki examined the implementation of an ambitious freshwater policy in Aotearoa New Zealand. By analyzing how different actors influenced the implementation process, his research shows that there is space for political struggle over policy outcomes, even after a policy has been written."
• Dr. Michael Simpson: "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 (Geological Engineering)

• Dr. Mehrnoush Javadi: "Dr. Javadi studied the waste rock piles that mining companies pile up following excavation. She developed numerical models to investigate and understand flow rates, and the chemistry of the water that discharges from stockpiled waste. These models can help industry make more informed decisions to manage the potential effects of contaminated water."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geological Sciences)

• Dr. Silja Verena Hund: "Dr. Hund investigated the impacts of climate change and population growth on water supplies in the seasonally-dry tropics. She monitored streams and groundwater, modelled future climate scenarios, and worked with communities to develop novel tools to support adaptation to drought."
• Dr. Philippe Maxime Belley: "Dr. Belley studied how the gemstones sapphire, spinel, and lapis lazuli formed on Baffin Island. He identified key metamorphic and geochemical factors that lead to gemstone genesis, and their relation to large-scale geologic processes. His findings contribute to our understanding of gem deposits and informs exploration strategies."
• Dr. Jamie Alistair Cutts: "Dr. Cutts used novel radiometric dating methods to study the dynamics of Himalayan-style mountain building and the role of the mantle in preserving Earth's oldest crust. His results provide key insight and predictions into the uniformity of continental collision through time and on the feedbacks and interactions between the crust and mantle and the other Earth systems."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geophysics)

• Dr. Anna Magdalena Mittelholz: "Dr. Mittelholz explored the magnetic field environment of Mars, addressing the crustal, ionospheric and magnetospheric fields from satellite data. Her work also addressed the longevity of the ancient dynamo field, a constraint on Mars' early thermal evolution."
• Dr. Lindsey Justine Heagy: "Dr. Heagy studied the use of electromagnetic data for monitoring hydraulic fracturing operations. Her work contributed to the understanding of electromagnetic fields and fluxes in settings with steel-cased wells, as well as the development of open-source software tools for building models of the subsurface from geophysical data."
• Dr. Patrick Timothy Albert Belliveau: "Dr. Belliveau developed algorithms that produce three-dimensional images of the interior of the earth from remotely collected electrical and magnetic measurements. These images help scientists understand the Earth's interior."

Doctor of Philosophy (Hispanic Studies)

• Dr. Olga Albarran Caselles: "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 (Human Development, Learning, and Culture)

• Dr. Aloysius Chijioke Anyichie: "Dr. Anyichie developed a Culturally Responsive Self-Regulated Learning Framework (CR-SRL) to help educators in creating supportive environments for culturally diverse learners. Building on this framework, his in-depth case study analyses showed how two teachers' CR-SRL practices could be associated with the qualities of students' engagement."
• Dr. Molly Elizabeth Lawlor: "Dr. Lawlor investigated mindfulness, self-compassion, and well-being in a group of early adolescents. She found that mindfulness and self-compassion had differing relations to indicators of well-being. Results suggest that mindfulness may serve as a protective factor, while self-compassion may have a promotive role in early adolescent well-being."

Doctor of Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Oncology)

• Dr. Daiana Diamantina Becker dos Santos: "Dr. Becker dos Santos discovered that essential genes for human fetal lung development are being reactivated in lung cancer. By exploring the downstream consequences of such reactivation, she identified a novel biomarker for lung cancer aggressiveness and patient outcome."
• Dr. Jamie Simin Emma Yu: "Myxoid liposarcoma is a type of cancer that predominantly affects young adults. Dr. Yu's doctoral studies examined the role of how a mutant protein functions as the main cause of myxoid liposarcoma. Her research uncovered a new function of the mutant protein that can form the basis of future treatment strategies for this disease."
• Dr. Yi-Jye Chern: "Dr. Chern studied the chemotherapy resistance mechanisms in colon cancer. She found that HSP47 proteins promote drug resistance, and the interaction between SPARC and GRP78 proteins enhances the stress level and increases cell death in cancer cells under chemotherapy. Her findings provide insights into overcoming chemoresistance in colon cancer."
• Dr. Mannan Nouri: "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 (Interdisciplinary Studies)

• Dr. Shenaz Anjum Shahban: "Dr. Shahban researched Canadian federal policy and psychological well-being. Aimed at global change, her research in the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Public Policy, led to key policy recommendations & the Federal Settlement Platform. Her work is directed to help restore Canada's place globally as an innovator in peace and human solutions."
• Dr. Sabrina Mary Chang: "Dr. Chang examined the subjective experiences of musicians engaged in free improvisation where conventional musical elements are largely forsaken. Her findings bring novel insight into how musicians navigate these performances and how free improvisation can be applied in therapeutic settings."
• Dr. Deanna Leslie Nyce: "Dr. Nyce studied traditional Nisga'a leadership through times of imposed cultural and ecological change. She focused on Nisga'a wisdom passed down over millennia through the sharing of Nisga'a adaawak, the stories, legends and history, and the ayuukw, the ancient Nisga'a laws."
• Dr. Marcelo Emilio Bravo: "Dr. Bravo explored and designed the prospectus for a Knowledge Exchange Unit at UBC to connect ideas, evidence and expertise from research to practice. He applied the Strategic Design Method to co-design a broader Knowledge Exchange framework that will improve UBC's research impact capacity. His contribution supports the expansion of knowledge mobilization research in Canada and in the world."
• Dr. Nur Afiqah Mohd Salleh: "Studies have shown that people living with HIV who use illicit drugs present poor HIV treatment outcomes. Dr. Mohd Salleh examined how different institutional configurations support or inhibit the ability of HIV-positive people who use illicit drugs to comply with their HIV medication regimens. Her work will support HIV treatment for marginalized populations."

Doctor of Philosophy (Kinesiology)

• Dr. April Davis Karlinsky: "Dr. Karlinsky studied how partners impact each other when learning motor skills. In addition to her novel methodological contributions, Dr. Karlinsky's research adds to our understanding of principles of motor learning in social contexts and informs the design of efficient and effective practice in the field."
• Dr. Liv Gi-He Yoon: "Dr. Yoon examined the communication, politics and social inequalities surrounding an Olympic-related environmental issue, and its underlying power struggles. She sought out various responses to this controversy as a way to challenge dominant representations and show how crises could be a site for imagining alternative politics and futures."

Doctor of Philosophy (Language and Literacy Education)

• Dr. Ronald Perfecto Raymundo Darvin: "Dr. Darvin examined how migrant Filipino youth in Vancouver, of contrasting social classes, are socialized into unequal digital practices. He identified critical issues that emerge from the integration of technology in education and designed a framework for digital literacy instruction. His work will help students navigate online spaces in empowering ways."

Doctor of Philosophy (Law)

• Dr. Susan Bazilli: "Dr. Bazilli interviewed global women's activists on how transnational feminist movements use international human rights law. Her research illustrates how autonomous women's organizations address violence against women and other rights issues. Her research will be used by feminist activists in the ongoing struggle for gender equality."
• Dr. Kurt Daniels Mundorff: "Dr. Mundorff used a wide array of historical materials and legal documents to examine the role played by the concept of "culture" in the original meaning of the Genocide Convention. He argued that current interpretations of the Genocide Convention, which exclude considerations of culture, are legally and historically untenable."
• Dr. Bingyu Liu: "Dr. Liu examined the social and environmental performance of Chinese state-owned companies in Kenya. Findings revealed the promises and limitations of China's state-centric corporate social responsibility approach to shape Chinese companies' behaviour overseas. This research contributes to the regulation of sustainable investment in Africa and beyond."

Doctor of Philosophy (Library, Archival and Information Studies)

• Dr. Weimei Pan: "Dr. Pan's research focused on the management of electronic records as evidence and information in Chinese enterprises in the cloud context. She found that, while there are issues with the methods used for evidence protection and verification, efforts to exploit the informational content of records for business needs are increasing."

Doctor of Philosophy (Linguistics)

• Dr. Wai Man Lam: "Dr. Lam investigated how post-childhood linguistic experience affects the way bilingual adults perceive speech sounds. In a Cantonese word identification experiment, Cantonese speakers who grew up in Canada used different listening strategies from those who grew up in Hong Kong. These results advance our understanding of bilingual competence."

Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Engineering)

• Dr. Janna Noemi Fabris: "Dr. Fabris developed a simulation-based framework to encourage the systematic integration and aggregation of the composites manufacturing science base. Known as Knowledge in Practice, this framework formalizes knowledge use to enable the composites industry to adopt science-based practices to minimize production risk, cost, and development time."
• Dr. Sebastian Medrano: "Using experimental and modeling methods, Dr. Medrano studied aluminum alloys for automotive applications. His work linked the strength of the alloy to the formation of nanoclusters during processing, and their relationship with the material's defects. This study supports the use of these alloys to produce vehicles with less environmental impact."
• Dr. Andrew Lawrence Stewart: "Dr. Stewart studied the origin and growth of fibre misalignments during carbon fibre composite manufacturing. He developed automated strategies which regressed data sets several orders of magnitude larger than those found in the literature. Using these datasets, he created new models which should lead to less expensive and lighter planes and cars."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)

• Dr. William Christopher Carlquist: "Dr. Carlquist developed a method to map experimental measurements onto mathematical models that describe how a system changes in time and space. Applying his method, he unravelled the mechanism underlying dynamic pattern formation in the E. coli Min system, one of the simplest biological systems known to demonstrate diverse complex dynamic behaviour."
• Dr. Laurent Charette: "Dr. Charette studied pattern formations on evolving surfaces. He provided new findings on the bifurcations of reaction-diffusion systems and developed a numerical method to demonstrate his findings using the Closest Point Method. His work can be extended to many other evolving domain problems."
• Dr. Ye Liu: "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 (Mechanical Engineering)

• Dr. Oguzhan Tuysuz: "Dr. Tuysuz studied virtual process modeling of machining complex thin-walled components used in the aerospace industry. He developed novel mathematical models and algorithms for digital manufacturing of jet engine rotors. His work helps identify manufacturing related defects so they can be solved before the actual part is produced."
• Dr. Graham Ronald Rupert Hendra: "Dr. Hendra developed and tested mathematical models for the simulation of turbulence, chemistry, and their interactions. These models could aid in the development of cleaner and more efficient internal combustion and jet engines."
• Dr. Amir Maleki Zamenjani: "Dr. Maleki studied leakage in oil and gas wells in Canada. Through rigorous mathematical modelling and computational analysis, his research identified the key root causes of well leakage along with several methods to reduce or eliminate this leakage. His work contributes to more environmentally-friendly energy policy development and practices."
• Dr. Teng Li: "Dr. Li studied the planning issues when applying mobile sensing robots in environmental monitoring. He proposed a systematic planning framework for navigating the robots in an environmental survey. His work improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the mobile sensing process and the application in aquatic monitoring."
• Dr. Jiahong Chen: "Dr. Chen's research aimed at optimizing sensor deployment locations for environmental monitoring. He developed information-based sampling techniques so that sensor nodes can retrieve maximum information from the environment. This research can lead to better sampling strategies and result in reduced costs and increased efficiency."
• Dr. - Manav: "Dr. Manav studied the mechanics of polymeric soft active materials using a combination of theory, molecular simulations, and experiments. His research established a relationship between the molecular scale properties of these materials and their macroscale mechanical properties. His work enables the application of these materials in the biomedical industry."
• Dr. Kui Pan: "Dr. Pan developed a novel numerical model to simulate the creping process, a key operation in the manufacturing of tissue paper. The study has helped the industry to better understand the creping process and potentially improve the tissue paper quality."

Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Genetics)

• Dr. Chaahat S.B. Singh: "Dr. Singh studied cerebral vessel growth in Alzheimer's disease. She repurposed drugs used in cancer therapy to reduce pathogenic blood vessel formation and improve cognition in mouse models of Alzheimer's. Findings from these studies improve our understanding of how an altered blood vessel growth can contribute to pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease."

Doctor of Philosophy (Microbiology and Immunology)

• Dr. Monica Torres-Beltran: "Dr. Torres-Beltran explored how microbes interact to build networks driving methane consumption under low water column oxygen conditions. Her observations expand our understanding on how this greenhouse gas is cycled in ocean regions where oxygen loss is ongoing due to global warming effects."
• Dr. James Wycherley Round: "Oleaginous bacteria have considerable potential for the sustainable production of lipid-based chemicals. Dr. Round's research characterized and exploited lipid biosynthesis enzymes to create a biocatalyst. The work provides insight into bacterial lipid biosynthesis and facilitates the development of processes to sustainably produce oleochemicals."
• Dr. Ana Citlali Marquez Hernandez: "Dr. Marquez used a mouse model to study the relationship between Epstein-Barr Virus (the virus that causes Infectious Mononucleosis) and the development of Multiple Sclerosis (or MS). She found that B cells infected with the mouse version of Epstein-Barr directly contribute to the worsening of the mouse version of MS."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mining Engineering)

• Dr. Stefan Nadolski: "Dr. Nadolski developed an integrated mine-and-mill approach to improve the productivity of block cave mines. He identified and evaluated methods, such as the implementation of grade sensors, to increase cave mine productivity. His work will have significant implications to future copper supply."

Doctor of Philosophy (Neuroscience)

• Dr. Alexander McGirr: "Dr. McGirr used mouse models of stress to study large scale brain network changes. He also studied how existing and novel treatments rescue normative network function."
• Dr. Shaina Patricia A Cahill: "Dr. Cahill looked at cells in the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory. She found a different pattern of survival between cells born during adulthood and development and that adult-born cells can inhibit development cells. This research allows some insight into where importance should be placed on finding treatments for memory loss."
• Dr. Claire Elaine Bomkamp: "Dr. Bomkamp examined presynaptic differentiation mediated by PTP sigma, providing evidence that its binding site for liprin-alpha, but not its phosphatase activity, is required for it to induce synapses. She also modeled relationships between gene expression and neuronal properties in order to generate hypotheses about how these properties are regulated."

Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing)

• Dr. Loryle Marie Cender: "Dr. Cender explored the communication and decision-making dynamics associated with prenatal screening and the diagnoses of fetal anomalies. Findings show how dominant frameworks and power relations shape antenatal interactions and contribute to health inequities. This work offers guidance for promoting excellence and equity in antenatal care."

Doctor of Philosophy (Oceanography)

• Dr. Nari Sim: "Dr. Sim studied biogeochemical cycling of trace metals in the world oceans. She evaluated the relative importance of input and removal mechanisms of trace metals in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Her research expands our knowledge about the cycling of trace metals and the role of particles in determining the distribution of dissolved metals in the ocean."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)

• Dr. Charles Soong: "Dr. Soong used DNA sequencing and mouse models to characterize drug sensitivities in cancer cells with faulty DNA repair machineries. Altogether, this study increased our understanding of the additional function of a pre-existing drug, with novel potential therapeutic targets."
• Dr. Xining Yang: "Dr. Yang developed a novel cell-free cancer therapeutic from bioreactor systems. She demonstrated that this therapeutic efficiently activated naive immune cells to kill cancer cells. The therapeutic consists of small natural molecules called microRNAs. Her research may result in a safer, faster and lower-cost approach for treating cancer."
• Dr. Jonathon Kyle Obst: "Dr. Obst investigated drug resistance in advanced prostate cancer. His work led to the recognition of a drug metabolism pathway exploited by resistant cells, and found that sensitivity could be restored using second-generation inhibitors. This study will hopefully aid in the development of novel compounds used to treat lethal prostate cancer."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

• Dr. Dana Marie Lambert: "Dr. Lambert investigated causes of pain in fibromyalgia and determined that specialized immune cells in the brain may play a critical role. She also created two novel molecules which act on the endocannabinoid system to reduce the pain-causing actions of these immune cells. Her work may form the basis of a new therapeutic strategy for chronic pain."
• Dr. Ana Koperniku: "Drug discovery can be lengthy, complicated and requires extensive resources. Working in partnership with the pharmacy and chemistry departments, Dr. Koperniku explored access to pharmaceutically relevant small molecules. Her work advances the optimization of pharmaceuticals and informs improved patient care. Her past and future dedication is to serve humanity."
• Dr. Jialin Xu: "Aberrant telomere length maintenance can lead to premature aging disorders. Dr. Xu studied genetic modifiers of telomere maintenance and revealed their contributions to the variable manifestations in telomere biology disorders. This study will help to build individualized models for the prediction of short telomere-associated disease presentations."
• Dr. Fulong Wang: "Dr. Wang found out that heparanase, using its properties to promote cell survival, protect the heart cells against multiple stresses frequently seen in patients with ischemia and diabetes-induced heart diseases, in both cell experiments and animal studies. This research could help devise new strategies to combat heart diseases."
• Dr. Christian Buchwalder: "Dr. Buchwalder developed a new class of molecules to bind radioactive isotopes and attach them to disease targeting vectors. Specifically, he found that ligand molecules bind zirconium ions particularly strongly. His work contributes to the development of better diagnostic and potentially therapeutic agents for applications in nuclear medicine."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacology)

• Dr. Mohammad Badran: "Dr. Badran showed that intermittent hypoxia, a hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea, can cause uterine artery dysfunction during pregnancy and lead to cardiometabolic disease in the offspring using an animal model of sleep disordered breathing. His work provides insight in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy."

Doctor of Philosophy (Physics)

• Dr. Huai-Che Yeh: "New understanding of space and time arises in the fundamental realization of the Universe. Dr. Yeh studied space as a pixel picture encoded in a set of matrices. He found how matrices reconstruct smooth spaces. His research contributes to revealing the origin of the Universe."
• Dr. Arash Khazraie Zamanpour: "Dr. Khazraie studied the electronic structure of bismuth oxides. He showed that holes form on oxygen ions in contradiction to the ideas of charge fluctuations in Bismuths. His work can create a new class of materials that can host coexisting electron and hole gasses and lead to the realization of excitonic insulators."
• Dr. Alan Patrick Manning: "Myelin is a material in the brain which is damaged by certain diseases. Dr. Manning researched techniques to better detect myelin with an MRI scan."
• Dr. Jeff Maki: "Dr. Maki studied the motion of expanding strongly interacting atomic gases. His research showed that the symmetry associated with fractals, a type of geometric figure, enables predictions about the rate of expansion for these gases. This research improves our understanding of atomic gases, which are a prime candidate for novel quantum technologies."
• Dr. Leonard Ruocco: "Dr. Ruocco developed a new analytical model for exploring the effects of quantum coherence in macroscopic systems. He found that in certain photosynthetic systems, quantum mechanics can play a significant role in facilitating highly efficient energy transfer."
• Dr. Nikita Bernier: "Dr. Bernier investigated the nuclear structure of neutron-rich cadmium isotopes relevant to nuclear astrophysics using gamma-ray spectroscopy. Her work contributed to explain how the nuclear force holds atomic nuclei together and how heavy elements are created in stars."
• Dr. William Page: "Dr. Page developed sensitive detectors designed to detect dark matter particles. To search for the dark matter particles, he operated the detectors from a low-radiation cavern in a mine half a mile underground. Analysis of data from the detectors ruled out certain dark matter particles with a mass close to the proton mass."
• Dr. John Sous: "Dr. Sous studied bipolarons, a type of paired electron, and localization. His results show that bipolarons can be very light, opening the possibility to a new mechanism for high-temperature superconductivity. His work also explains the non-equilibrium behaviour of quenched molecular gases in terms of the quantum phenomenon of localization."

Doctor of Philosophy (Planning)

• Dr. Lilia Anverovna Yumagulova: "Dr. Yumagulova examined how cities and regions can build their resilience to disasters and climate change using the Metro Vancouver region as her case study. Her research shows the importance of collaboration and learning to ensure coordinated, multi-level governance of risk."
• Dr. Magdalena Ugarte Urzua: "Dr. Ugarte examined the evolution of Indigenous policy in Chile, and how it has enabled Indigenous dispossession and ignored Indigenous legal orders. Her research suggests that the tensions between the state and Indigenous peoples today are the visible face of different legal orders clashing, making a call for planners to engage in legal pluralism."

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)

• Dr. Mendee Jargalsaikhan: "Dr. Mendee studied the democratic developments of Mongolia and Kyrgyz Republic. He showed that the absence of geopolitical interests of great powers and presence of a strong political party are important for the democratization process. His research adds to our understanding of the politics of Asian small states."
• Dr. Miriam Matejova: "Dr. Matejova examined environmental disasters and their effects on nonviolent protest. She argues that uncertainty about disaster impacts plays a crucial role in the protest mobilization process. Her findings can be used to improve disaster communication practices, and open opportunities for resolution of social conflict."
• Dr. Eric Merkley: "Dr. Merkley examined critical limits of expert influence on public opinion. He showed that news media content rarely features relevant expert consensus and that some people are more likely to reject such consensus when exposed to populist rhetoric or cues from politicians. His work will aid efforts at science communication by journalists and experts."

Doctor of Philosophy (Population and Public Health)

• Dr. Bojosi Moitsemang Gamontle: "Dr. Gamontle demonstrated that healthcare workers in Botswana were of the perspective that occupational health and infection control measures used in preventing Tuberculosis in the hospital environment were not adequate. Improving such measures can contribute to protecting the health of healthcare workers which in turn can improve patient care."
• Dr. Ryan Reginald Woods: "Dr. Woods researched factors influencing low breast cancer screening in British Columbia. He examined characteristics from both family physicians and patients, looking at immigration factors as well as different measures of patient-physician relationships to identify under-screened populations of women. This work helps focus intervention strategies."
• Dr. Nichole Andrea Garzia: "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."
• Dr. Hector Alexander Velasquez Garcia: "Dr. Velasquez Garcia made use of novel methods to estimate the causal effects of breast density on breast cancer risk, and to determine whether genetic mutations related to breast cancer act through breast density. His findings provide insights regarding potential future methods of breast cancer prevention."
• Dr. Prince Asumadu Adu: "Dr. Adu's research focused on the systemic factors, which create barriers to tuberculosis prevention and control in an increasingly connected world. Dr. Adu found evidence of an association between globalization and tuberculosis and further showed how systemic factors drove tuberculosis incidence among healthcare workers in South Africa."
• Dr. Emily Jessica Rugel: "Dr. Rugel created a model of natural spaces such as parks, street trees, and beaches across Vancouver. She applied it to prescription and survey data to identify how specific forms of nature influence our mental health and social connections. Her work advances our understanding of how best to integrate nature into healthy urban policies and designs."
• Dr. Jennifer Lee Guthrie: "Tuberculosis remains a disease of public health importance in Canada. Dr. Guthrie used genomics to understand the person-to-person spread of TB over a decade in BC. Her research provided important insights into transmission, including risk factors related to the spread of TB. This work will inform public health strategies to prevent transmission."
• Dr. Mary Clare Kennedy: "Dr. Kennedy found that use of supervised drug consumption facilities helps to prevent serious harms, including violence and premature mortality. She also found that involving people who use drugs as staff enhanced the effectiveness of this service. This research has provided important evidence to improve health services for people who use drugs."

Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)

• Dr. Samuel Peter Rumak: "Dr. Rumak studied auditory brain processes in recreational cannabis users. He found that cannabis users had slower attentional processing under difficult task conditions. He also found that cannabis users had superior working memory performance. This research suggests that the lasting effects of cannabis use are more nuanced than previously assumed."
• Dr. Sophie Nicole Lanthier: "Dr. Lanthier studied how people use a speaker's eye gaze, hand gestures, and vocal signals to infer, tune out or be attentive to what a speaker says. This knowledge will aid in the design of more effective learning environments, and will help us to develop a better understanding of human communication and social interaction."
• Dr. Anita Sarah Hibbert: "Dr. Hibbert examined how current mood state impacts ratings of self-reported personality traits. Her findings help clarify the interplay of emotion and self-perceptions, and increase confidence in the use of self-report measures of personality across varying affective contexts."
• Dr. Antonya Marie Gonzalez: "Dr. Gonzalez examined the development of race attitudes and gender stereotypes. She found that biases can affect children's behaviour as early as preschool but negative bias can be reduced through counter-stereotypical examples. Her research presents a strong case for developing bias interventions as early as possible."
• Dr. Michael Macfarlane Barrus: "Dr. Barrus examined gambling behaviour. His work demonstrated that gambling cues such as flashing lights cause rats to make risky choices, and that gambling and normal decision-making rely on different networks of brain regions and brain chemicals. This research helps us to understand why gambling becomes addictive for some people."
• Dr. Ellen Christine Stephenson: "Dr. Stephenson studied the interplay between chronic stress and close relationships. Her work shows that coping with stress can be better understood as a social process, involving not just one person, but also those around them. Her findings highlight specific ways that close relationships can promote better health and wellbeing in times of stress."

Doctor of Philosophy (Rehabilitation Sciences)

• Dr. Kristine Annette Sabine Theurer: "Dr. Theurer examined a novel, social citizenship-based, peer mentoring team program addressing loneliness among people living in residential care homes. She found significant decreases in loneliness and depression among mentors and mentees and increased engagement. This research illuminates the potential capacity for residents to help one another."
• Dr. Beena Pieuse Parappilly: "Dr. Parappilly assessed the determinants of a healthy life-style profile of stroke survivors. Her study revealed that many patients lack knowledge about stroke and those with better stroke knowledge have better health-related behaviours. These findings demonstrate the importance of strengthening current stroke prevention programs."

Doctor of Philosophy (Reproductive and Developmental Sciences)

• Dr. Hongjin Zhao: "Dr. Zhao studied the effect of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) on placental development during pregnancy. He found that BMP2 positively regulates human placental cell invasion and the underlying mechanisms involved, which may inform advances in clinical diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for pregnancy disorders."
• Dr. Ahn Rhi Lee: "Dr. Lee identified splicing mechanisms orchestrating the progression of an aggressive therapy-resistant prostate cancer subtype. Her research pertains to the clinical implications of splicing mechanisms in informing future therapeutic strategies that may be effective in detecting and preventing or mitigating the disease course."

Doctor of Philosophy (School Psychology)

• Dr. Jessica Justine Trach: "Who would you help? Dr. Trach's study on bullying and group processes found that youth's peer relationships predicted how they felt when witnessing bullying, and their feelings influenced whether or not they tried to help the victim. Her work highlights the importance of teaching youth social-emotional skills to create a more compassionate world."

Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work)

• Dr. Jonathon Steven Breen: "Success in employment for people with disabilities is often hampered by the negative attitudes of others within the workplace. Dr. Breen's research has resulted in his development of a questionnaire to measure these attitudes. The results of these measurements will aid in planning and determining the success of workplace training interventions."

Doctor of Philosophy (Sociology)

• Dr. Patrick John Burnett: "Dr. Burnett's research examined how past experiences of people who pay for sexual services in Canada inform their behaviours. His analysis revealed the diversity of this population and their role in shaping safety outcomes. This research will inform health and safety policy changes in the sex industry."

Doctor of Philosophy (Statistics)

• Dr. Shing Fu: "Researchers today are able to study the behaviour of deep diving animals via sensors that generate high volumes of data. Dr. Fu developed automatic data analytic methods to group dive depth trajectories of southern elephant seals by dive shape. His methods help researchers understand seals' foraging and resting behaviour."
• Dr. Tingting Zhao: "Dr. Zhao worked on improving probabilistic models for Continuous Time Markov Chains and developing Bayesian models and associated Monte Carlo methods for inference. Her modelling framework has been applied to build novel protein evolution models, where the model complexity can be controlled and good estimation is achieved."
• Dr. Tingting Yu: "Dr. Yu developed statistical models and methods that can assess associations between longitudinal data and survival data, and handle the complications in the longitudinal data simultaneously. She applied her methods to an HIV vaccine study and discovered significant relationships between the risk of HIV infection and some immune response biomarkers."

Doctor of Philosophy (Teaching English as a Second Language)

• Dr. Nasrin Kowkabi: "To understand and scaffold source-based writing practices of graduate students, Dr. Kowkabi offered a socio-pedagogical approach for analyzing the processes of source selection and source integration in student writing. Her study provides insights for institutional and educational action plans to support student interactions with source texts."
• Dr. Victoria Christine Ishbel Surtees: "Dr. Surtees investigated English language learning, focussing on conversations between study abroad students and their peers. Her findings highlight factors that help and hinder abilities to build peer networks in English as well as the important role that previous international experience plays in facilitating interaction and relationship building."

Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology)

• Dr. Sarah Fortune: "Dr. Fortune discovered that bowhead whales feed year-round in the Eastern Canadian Arctic, and use flexible feeding strategies that may help them adapt to climate induced changes in their prey. She also found that bowheads slough their skin and rub against rocks to exfoliate - providing a new understanding of bowhead whale biology."
• Dr. Elizabeth Jean Kleynhans: "Dr. Kleynhans studied how species evolve to environmental change when interacting with other species. She found that species interactions alter the probability of persistence and trajectory of evolution. Findings show that overall, the community in which a species lives profoundly influences how it evolves to climate change."
• Dr. Michael Andrew Hawkshaw: "Dr. Hawkshaw explored the interaction of salmon and fisheries. He developed models to balance catch and escapement, estimate run timing, and manage fisheries based on in-season data. This research will inform better management of salmon fisheries."
• Dr. Marina Mussoi Giacomin: "Dr. Giacomin investigated how different species of fish deal with environmental stressors. As the world's aquatic environments become more variable due to human impacts and climate change, the findings of her thesis advance our understanding of how diverse species of fish can cope and survive in challenging environments."
• Dr. Xiong Zhang: "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."