Convocation November 2013

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership and Policy)

• Dr. Thomas Edwin Weegar: "Dr. Weegar studied Appreciative Leadership in BC colleges. Appreciative Leadership is a strength-based approach to leadership which focuses on seeing possibilities and opportunities. Appreciative Leadership in education can help address the leadership "skills shortages" and the challenges facing BC colleges in the twenty-first century."
• Dr. William Robert Jones: "Dr. Jones examined teachers' perceptions of the influence of technology integration on their relationships with students. The study revealed that open access to technology has the potential to alter the traditional roles of teachers and students in the learning process, mitigate power imbalances, and strengthen relational bonds."

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Dr. Timothy Benton Roark: "Dr. Roark studied experimental music theatre and composed the original score for a three-act work entitled "Hover" written for seven singers and five instrumentalists. It advances music theatre in many ways, including aquatic setting, physical theatre requirements, blend of musical styles, use of improvisation, and range of vocal techniques."
• Dr. Ryan McLean Trew: "Dr. Trew created an orchestral work that connects the human senses of hearing with the four basic physiological tastes: bitter, sweet, sour and salty. The application of the physical properties of each taste, combined with emotional associations and polystylistic techniques serve to effectively represent each taste as an independent musical movement."

Doctor of Philosophy (Asian Studies)

• Dr. Nathen Clerici: "Dr. Clerici examined the relationship between subculture and literature in modern Japan through his introduction of the concept of "subcultural affects." Using the writing and reception of author Yumeno Kyusaku as a test case, this research deals with questions of marginality, narrative and how texts travel through time and space."

Doctor of Philosophy (Astronomy)

• Dr. Samantha Michelle Lawler: "Dr. Lawler studied the small body populations in our Solar System and in exoplanet systems. She used the results of a large observational survey to determine the distribution of Kuiper belt objects in different orbital resonances with Neptune, and attempted to find asteroid belts in exoplanet systems discovered by the Kepler Mission."

Doctor of Philosophy (Atmospheric Science)

• Dr. Dominique Rochelle Bourdin: "Dr. Bourdin studied the way in which water flow into hydroelectric reservoirs is predicted by different forecast models. She showed that better flow forecasts are obtained through model combination. The economic risk in hydroelectric resource management can be reduced by combining many diverse models, which translates into more affordable electricity."

Doctor of Philosophy (Audiology and Speech Sciences)

• Dr. Daniel Lucien Bérubé: "Dr. Bérubé compared the language and reading skills, in both English and French, of Anglophone and ESL students in French immersion programs. He found that by Grade 6, all students had developed equally strong skills. This confirms that French immersion programs are viable for all students in promoting bilingualism in the official languages in Canada."

Doctor of Philosophy (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

• Dr. Anders Riis Kristensen: "Dr. Kristensen examined how a cell's proteins and all their interactions change in response to stimuli. He found that the interaction network is extensively regulated by protein phosphorylation and that changes in protein synthesis rates are the main contributor to the ability of cells to rewire their machinery during cellular differentiation."
• Dr. Antonio Craig Ruzzini: "Dr. Ruzzini showed how an important chemical reaction occurs in bacteria that degrade pollutants and cause disease. His findings have broader implications for the development of new bioremediation strategies and the rational design of therapeutics."
• Dr. Elizabeth Donohue: "Dr. Donohue identified an approved drug, verteporfin, as a chemical inhibitor of autophagy, a process that protects cancer cells against stress. Verteporfin was shown to counter autophagy and was characterized as a potential anticancer therapy. This study supports autophagy inhibition as a strategy to improve current cancer therapies"
• Dr. Justin Barry Lee: "Dr. Lee characterized and developed a novel therapeutic for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. He achieved this using a lipid drug delivery system that silenced the expression of cancer causing genes. This therapeutic holds great potential as a future treatment option for prostate cancer patients."
• Dr. Xin Du: "Dr. Du investigated treatments for osteoporosis, osteosclerosis, and cardiovascular and lung diseases. He showed how collagen and elastin are broken down by the proteins Cathepsins K and V. The significance of Dr. Du's work is that he identified alternative methods to reduce or eliminate the side-effects of classic treatments, for the benefit of patients."
• Dr. Jennifer Kristel Choi: "Dr. Choi conducted research in the field of biochemistry, with a focus on molecular biology and genetics. Her project focused on molecular mechanisms that affect the regulation of genes during cellular growth and differentiation. Her research adds to our understanding of how cellular functions can be misregulated, causing diseases such as cancer."

Doctor of Philosophy (Bioinformatics)

• Dr. Soroush Samadian: "Dr. Samadian studied at the iCapture centre in St Paul's hospital. He proposed a pathway towards "in silico" clinical research, investigating methodologies to facilitate the representation and sharing of clinical knowledge. The goal of the research is to provide a decision support framework to help clinicians make efficient healthcare decisions."

Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)

• Dr. Ramin Sebastian Sahebjavaher: "Dr. Sahebjavaher developed new methods for imaging of prostate cancer and liver fibrosis using MRI. He developed several MRI-compatible devices for clinical use at UBC hospital, and co-developed a new scan method in Paris currently being used in France, UK and Korea. The results of this research will ultimately translate into better patient diagnosis."

Doctor of Philosophy (Botany)

• Dr. Zorica Kotur: "Dr. Kotur studied nitrate and nitrite uptake in plants, which is critical for their growth. She found a novel nitrate transporter in roots that functions at low nitrate concentration, and induces other nitrate-responsive genes. This transporter may help breeders to improve nitrogen-use efficiency in crops, to minimize fertilizer consumption."
• Dr. Jan Janouskovec: "Dr. Janouskovec studied why some parasites, such as malaria, contain a chloroplast, which is responsible for harvesting light energy in plants. He showed that relatives of these parasites are abundant in nature and many of them also contain chloroplasts. These results confirm that, like plants, malaria evolved from an organism that harvested light."
• Dr. Jonathan Stewart Griffiths: "Dr. Griffiths analyzed cell wall biosynthesis in plants. He examined cellulose and the role it plays in seed coat epidermal cells. This work establishes how cellulose is synthesized in specialized cell types to give the cell unique properties. It provides scientists with a better understanding of how cell walls are synthesized and structured."
• Dr. William James Donaldson Iles: "Dr. Iles studied the evolution of two ancient groups of aquatic flowering plants. He examined phylogenetic relationships and inferred convergence of sexual systems in relatives of the water lilies and gene loss in the pond-weeds. He also provided new estimates for the timing of diversification within these two groups."

Doctor of Philosophy (Business Administration)

• Dr. Lior Limonad: "Dr. Limonad studied controls in business and IT, that is things or actions that ensure organizational compliance. He developed a control model, and derived two applications. The first, a classification scheme, can be used by companies to manage control assets. The second, a modeling notation, enables effective documentation of control activities.."
• Dr. Jeong Hwan Joo: "Dr. Joo studied how business cycles influence the usefulness of two income measures of U.S. Real Estate Investment Trusts, where net income includes depreciation expense, and Funds From Operations or FFO does not. He found that FFO is more useful than net income in booms. His study helps investors use a more useful income measure across business cycles."
• Dr. Yulai Wan: "Dr. Wan studied transportation systems, with a particular focus on measures to relieve congestion on urban roads that link major seaports to the inland region they serve. She also studied how airports should charge airlines facing with congestion on runways. The work will help policy makers improve pricing and investment rules."
• Dr. Pablo Christian Moran-Villar: "Dr. Moran examined the motivation and performance of corporate mergers and acquisitions. By focusing on the behaviour of those transactions over time, he showed that information frictions enrich--and potentially change--the interpretation of existing evidence. This research has implications for government policy and corporate governance."
• Dr. Alberto Romero: "Dr. Romero studied the effect of noisy information on investment decisions. He developed a statistical method for estimating unobserved variables. He applied this method to a stock market index and showed that most of its documented variability is due to the way it is estimated and not by the underlying risks of the economy"
• Dr. Vincent Gregoire: "Dr. Grégoire studied how investing in individual stocks can differ from investing in an index such as the S&P 500. He found that an increase in indexing causes stocks whose returns might otherwise behave randomly to move together with the other stocks in the index, lowering the diversification benefit investors gain by investing in a popular index."
• Dr. Deborah Jane O'Reilly: "Dr. O'Reilly studied the moral underpinnings of bystander reactions towards the mistreatment of others in organizations. Her research illuminates the role of moral identity, and moral anger in motivating decisions to either help someone who has been mistreated, or punish someone who has mistreated another"
• Dr. Dror Zvi Hermel: "Dr. Hermel studied supply chains which move products from manufacturers to consumers. He developed a model of bargaining in supply chains that draws on cooperative game theory. His model provides a framework for more effective supply chain management which has the potential to increase efficiency for business organizations."

Doctor of Philosophy (Cell and Developmental Biology)

• Dr. Tzu-Cheng Chao: "Dr. Chao studied cell biology in budding yeast. His research discovered how the cell orchestrates the events in cell division by restricting the diffusion of membrane proteins between the mother and daughter cells. His research contributes to understanding the spatial regulation of proteins and their diverse activities in eukaryotic cells."
• Dr. Ryan Daniel Viveiros: "Dr. Viveiros used Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study how muscle cells migrate and organize during embryogenesis. His studies identified a number of well-conserved components involved in regulating these processes, His work may aid further research into mammalian muscle morphogenesis and regeneration."

Doctor of Philosophy (Chemical and Biological Engineering)

• Dr. Xingxing Cheng: "Dr. Cheng modeled a reactor for treating nitric oxides in industrial flue gas. This novel reactor would overcome some difficulties in nitric oxide reduction technology. The model developed in this study could help with designing and optimizing the reactor, to further improve its performance and benefit both the environment and human health."
• Dr. Majid Ahmadlouydarab: "Dr. Ahmadlouydarab studied the flow of fluids with more than one component, such as air and water. He researched the flow mechanisms through media that have micro-scale pores and uncovered novel physics in the transition between flow regimes. These are important steps in the development of microfluidic devices, such as the heat exchangers in computers."
• Dr. Wanjing Xu: "Dr. Xu examined an inexpensive and sustainable method to remediate acid rock drainage with efficiency. She applied the regeneration routine to treat drainage resulting in less waste water volume. In this way, the used sorbent can also be re-utilized thereby reducing the solid waste generation."
• Dr. Stephen John Reaume: "Dr. Reaume studied the use of bio-diesel fuels. A process was developed for improving the cloud point of bio-diesel through the formation of an alkyl side chain on the biodiesel molecule. This helps us better understand the cold flow properties of bio-fuels and will provide insights into proper winter mixing of petroleum and bio-based fuels."
• Dr. Nazbanoo Noroozi: "Dr. Noroozi conducted doctoral research in the field of Chemical and Biological Engineering. He studied the processing, thermal and other behaviours of bio-degradable polymers. This research shows the promising potential of bio-degradables to be substitutes for conventional plastics in many industries."
• Dr. Victoria Marie Lynn Whiffen: "Dr. Whiffen's research was related to the catalytic conversion of wood biomass to renewable fuel. Her work identified a catalyst formulation that led to increased fuel yields from biomass. Her findings assist in the development of a renewable fuel technology that can potentially help to alleviate Canada's dependence on fossil fuel."
• Dr. Farzaneh Jalalinejad: "Dr. Jalalinejad studied electrostatics phenomena in gas-solid fluidized beds. Using a computational model, she showed that electrical charges play an important role in gas-solid flow. Her findings assist polymer industries to have a better understanding of this phenomenon and to improve reactor performance."
• Dr. Zahra Tooyserkani: "Dr. Tooyserkani investigated ways to make wooden pellets stronger and more water resistant by applying steam pre-treatments. She also investigated methods to lower the total energy input. She discovered that pre-treated pellets were suitable raw material for bioethanol production while they had more energy density for heat and power generation."
• Dr. Fahimeh Yazdanpanah: "Dr.Yazdan-Panah studied the concentrations of gases in stored wood pellets. She quantified those gases and investigated the effectiveness of ventilating procedures to reduce the gas concentration. Her work will help in designing ventilation systems to maintain safe levels of gases in storage of wood pellets."
• Dr. Hooman Rezaei: "Dr. Rezaei studied the performance of recycled catalysts for slurry-phase bitumen and residue-oil upgrading. He identified and proposed a conceptual model for the loss of catalyst activity in heavy-oil upgrading. His findings assist commercial development of slurry-phase bitumen upgraders that add value to Canada's vast oilsand reserves."

Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)

• Dr. Eva Kathrin Lang: "Dr. Lang studied hydrocarbon aerosols and showed that, at low temperatures, they can form long-lived liquid droplets before freezing. This is important for understanding clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. Her work provides data for astronomical remote sensing applications and can help to improve Titan's atmospheric models."
• Dr. In-Sun Yu: "Dr. Yu developed catalysts for the formation of bio-degradable and bio-compatible materials used in industrial and medical applications. She investigated the nature of these catalysts, allowing them to tune the physical properties of the resulting materials. Her work lead to a new family of functionalized polymeric materials for drug delivery systems."
• Dr. Ross David McCulloch: "Dr. McCulloch's research explored methods for improving the performance of mass spectrometers. These sensitive instruments are commonly applied to the analysis of complex biological and environmental samples. Mass spectrometers provide valuable information to a wide range of professionals including chemists, biologists, physicians, and engineers."
• Dr. Jonathan Paul Morrison: "Dr. Morrison investigated cold molecular plasmas formed from highly excited nitric oxide molecules. This exotic state of matter presents an experimentally accessible environment in which to gain further understanding of correlated plasma systems--such as those found in fusion reactors, and interstellar space."
• Dr. Alexander Dauth: "Dr. Dauth performed his research in the field of organo-metallic chemistry. He designed new and green pathways to create valuable alcohols and amines from cheap and readily available starting materials. His research lays the foundation for the future development of pharmaceuticals or materials."
• Dr. Donna Haga: "Dr. Haga studied how ice forms on particles in the atmosphere. She found that human-caused pollutant coatings on dust particles affect their ice forming properties, and also that ice formation on biological particles might change how they travel in air. These results have implications for climate processes and on the spread of biological diseases."
• Dr. Jean Michel Philipe Lauzon: "Dr. Lauzon's research focused on the development and understanding of catalysts based on non-toxic, inexpensive transition metals, such as tantalum and zirconium. These catalysts are able to facilitate difficult chemical reactions that were previously inaccessible and have implications in both the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries."
• Dr. Thamayanthy Sriskandakumar: "Dr. Sriskandakumar's research focussed on the ongoing attempts to develop promising alternatives to metallo-anticancer drugs. A new model was proposed for the activation and effectiveness of ruthenium-based anticancer drugs by probing their electronic structures. This helped to create new strategies to make effective metal-based anticancer drugs."
• Dr. Seino Jongkees: "Dr. Jongkees investigated bacterial enzymes known as unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolases, which can cause food poisoning and infections following surgery. He studied how these enzymes work chemically, in order to discover ways to stop them working. Understanding the enzymes could lead to better food preservatives and treatments to prevent infection."
• Dr. Marek Majewski: "Dr. Majewski studied the fundamental charge transfer processes that are involved in the conversion of visible light to usable energy within artificial photosynthetic assemblies. These assemblies, prepared and designed by Dr. Majewski, mimic the photosynthetic process Nature has perfected and offer insight into a form of solar energy conversion."
• Dr. Hai Zhu: "Dr. Zhu studied the chemical reactivity of oxygen atoms. He developed a general method in the laboratory to synthesize many novel organic molecules which are important in the pharmaceutical industries. His research might provide a new and reliable strategy for scientists to synthesize new, potent anti-cancer drugs in the future."
• Dr. Amanda Sarah Musgrove: "Dr. Musgrove conducted research in electro-chemical processes. She developed a new method for creating thin films on electrode surfaces and identified their characteristics using fluorescence and atomic-force microscopy. These discoveries may be developed for use in sensors for biological molecules or as model cell membranes."

Doctor of Philosophy (Civil Engineering)

• Dr. Omar Manuel Monroy-Concha: "Dr. Monroy developed an equation to predict lateral soil forces on pipelines buried in trenches. By conducting full-scale tests and numerical modeling, he simulated the development of soil forces. His research adds to our knowledge about the seismic design of buried pipelines, which will contribute to efforts to make pipelines safer."
• Dr. Majid Baradaran Shoraka: "Dr. Shoraka has developed a robust procedure for accurately assessing the collapse of buildings. Contributions have been made to the application of collapse fragilities to define collapse indicators. This work helps us to estimate loss in existing building frames, and in differentiating the collapse performances of existing and retrofitted frames."
• Dr. Bishnu Hari Pandey: "Dr. Pandey investigated the motion that buildings experience in earthquakes. He analyzed seismic records for buildings and developed a model that incorporates interaction between soil, foundation and structure. He found that the current building code provisions relating to motion in buildings with slab foundation are inaccurate and need re-examination"
• Dr. Anirban Guha: "Dr. Guha studied the dynamics of atmospheric and oceanic flows, especially how and why they become unstable. His investigation revealed the crucial role played by interacting waves in the development of cyclonic features on earth and other planets. His work will provide better understanding as well as prediction of the weather and climate."

Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)

• Dr. Marius Constantin Muja: "Dr. Muja researched efficient methods of indexing and searching large collections of data. He discovered ways of improving the efficiency of searches by using "approximate nearest neighbour" algorithms. The results of this work have been released as an open source library that is already being used by a large number of research groups around the world."
• Dr. Pooyan Fazli: "Dr. Fazli developed efficient algorithms to enable a team of robots to move around a target area and perform sensing and data collection. These robots can be used in challenging domains, such as search and rescue operations, planetary exploration, landmine detection, area patrolling, forest or ocean monitoring, and distributed servicing tasks.."
• Dr. Sarah Rastkar: "Dr. Rastkar conducted research in Human-centric Software Engineering. She developed techniques to produce text summaries for a variety of software artifacts generated during the software development process. By conducting user studies, she showed that those summaries help software developers address their information needs more quickly and easily."
• Dr. Stephen Frowe Ingram: "Dr.Ingram completed his research in the field of information visualization. His work focused on designing algorithms and tools for visually exploring large collections of text. These tools help researchers outside of computer science, like journalists, to summarize and understand these unstructured collections in less time than with existing tools."
• Dr. David Paul Meger: "Dr. Meger conducted research in the field of Computer Science. He developed methods for robotic vehicles to understand the objects in their environment, using camera sensors. His work has resulted in one of the world's most capable robots for this task and been demonstrated to improve the performance of autonomous driving and home-assistant devices"
• Dr. Humaira Kamal: "Dr. Kamal extended a widely-used system for high performance computing. She executed, for the first time ever, computer programs with over 100 Million processes. She designed and implemented Fine-Grain MPI, a flexible, scalable system that improves program performance, and has been recognized as a significant step towards exascale computing."
• Dr. Tristram Southey: "Dr. Southey investigated systems to help robots recognize objects. He studied the role of qualitative 3D spatial relationships that allows robots to differentiate between likely and unlikely spatial configurations, in order to detect objects. Someday it could help robots in tasks like personal care which require them to recognize household items."

Doctor of Philosophy (Counselling Psychology)

• Dr. Sandra Ellen Wiens: "Dr. Wiens studied the experiences of mothers living with the challenges and uncertainties associated with an adult child's mental illness. The findings of this research were best understood through the conceptual lens of nonfinite loss and have significant implications for theory, research, and counselling psychology practice."
• Dr. Tamara Lynn Williams: "Dr. Williams conducted focus groups to learn about the experiences of adults who had grown up in globally mobile families. New ways of understanding those adults, as well as cultures in general, will help professionals working with diverse populations to provide more effective support. It will also inform future research into cultural diversity."
• Dr. Michael Robert Dadson: "Dr. Dadson investigated the process of recovery for men who have been psychologically injured in their relationships with their fathers. The results show those men experience a convergence of trauma. The patterns of recovery provide counselling psychologists with the critical components of treatment and recovery for men who experience this injury."
• Dr. Hajera Rostam: "Dr. Rostam examined how counsellors understand and incorporate ethno-cultural diversity in substance-use counselling. While some counsellors recognized differences in their practice, those who subscribed to a prevailing disease model viewed them as secondary. The findings show alcohol and drug counselling is largely untouched by debates on diversity."

Doctor of Philosophy (Craniofacial Science)

• Dr. Sonja Stojicic: "Dr. Stojicic studied bacteria that are the main cause of tooth decay, periodontal and root canal infections. Her research contributed to finding the most efficient way for killing bacteria and curing dental diseases. Research findings documented in her thesis will be of great benefit both for dental practitioners and patients, to keep teeth healthy.."

Doctor of Philosophy (Curriculum Studies)

• Dr. Bo Sun Kim: "Dr. Kim explored ways of listening to and relating to children's perspectives. She has shed light on their links to learning in both theory and practice. She is committed to engagIng in theorizing the idea of children's participation in the early childhood curriculum, and broadening our understanding of children's participation in practice."
• Dr. Lissa Marie D'Amour: "Dr. D'Amour studied anxiety in learners. She worked for two years with one highly anxious math student. Her in-depth analysis of this case study drew from an unusual combination of psycho-analytic and complexity theory. The work contributes to a nuanced understanding of anxiety and the affective dimensions of learning."
• Dr. Ronald Robin Bowles: "Dr. Bowles studied how simulation eases the transition of paramedics from being students into operational roles. He found that effective simulations focus not just on patient care, but on interaction with other people and factors in the environment. These results have influenced paramedic curriculum and informed policy on paramedic certification."
• Dr. Heidi Marie May: "Dr. May investigated the notion of 'network' in art, learning, and teaching by examining artists who work with relational practices and digital media, and who also teach in universities. She found that there are connections between the participants' art and teaching practices that have significant implications for the future of art education."

Doctor of Philosophy (Economics)

• Dr. Javier Antonio Torres: "Dr. Torres studied the assimilation problems of immigrants to Canada. He focused on the origin of human capital and how it related to the immigrant-native wage gap. He discovered that much of the wage gap is due to the inability of immigrants to transfer their human capital. This information will be useful in future strategic planning for immigrants."
• Dr. Xiaodan Gao: "Dr. Gao studied the causes of cash hoarding within U.S. firms. She linked the cash rise to inventory reduction, and analyzed whether Just-in-Time inventory systems explain the rise in cash balances. She found that replacing inventory with cash can account for over half of the cash increase observed, so concerns over mounting corporate cash are exaggerated."
• Dr. David John Freeman: "Dr. Freeman investigated how to mathematically model and experimentally study decisions involving risks. His work focuses on how choice data can and cannot be used to test and measure behavioural models of decision-making. His work has implications for how we can understand decisions that appear irrational relative to standard economic models."
• Dr. Andrew John Hill: "Dr. Hill studied ways in which high school students are affected by their peers. He showed that school friends of the opposite gender reduce academic achievement, causing self-reported difficulties getting along with the teacher and paying attention in class. His findings indicate larger effects in mathematics and science, particularly for females."
• Dr. Guang Dai: "Dr. Guang Dai studied how seniors make the decision of purchasing a long term care insurance policy. His work also explored why people's family names matter in rural China area. His research advances our understanding of an individual's economic behaviour and market outcome, under various cultural and institutional environments."
• Dr. Brant Abbott: "Dr. Abbott's research focused on contemporary policy issues in education and housing economics. Findings improve our understanding of the complex roles of financial barriers in common household decisions, such as whether or not to attend college or buy a house. Future academic and public policy work in these areas will benefit from these findings."
• Dr. Donna Leanne Feir: "Dr. Feir conducted her studies in labour economics and applied econometrics. Donna used statistical analysis to demonstrate the dramatic, long term consequences of Canada's Indian Residential School system. Her findings will help both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike in their quest for truth and reconciliation."
• Dr. Cristian Andres Troncoso-Valverde: "Dr. Troncoso-Valverde studied models of gaming where auctioneers use information about the characteristics of their products to attract buyers. He found that auctioneers release more information when they compete for the same pool of buyers. His findings contribute to our understanding of the role played by information in competitive environments."

Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Studies)

• Dr. Carrie Patricia Hunter: "Dr. Hunter explored changing views on higher education at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. She contends that the construction of the "knowledge-based economy" as a framing context fortifies market-capitalist assumptions about education and economics. Meanwhile OECD shifts from these perspectives in other social policy fields."
• Dr. Nora Colleen Timmerman: "Dr. Timmerman explored how three respected university educators experience both conflict and coherence between their ecological ethics and day-to-day personal and professional lives. The stories she wrote and analyzed help to theorize the concept of ecological integrity, and offer opportunities for all educators to reflect upon how to work toward it."
• Dr. Ee-Seul Yoon: "Dr. Yoon conducted a study of school choice in Vancouver. Her findings suggest that those who choose and get selected into popular alternative public schools benefit from an enriched learning environment. However, those schools generate a new hierarchy in the public education system that contributes to maintaining educational and social inequality."

Doctor of Philosophy (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

• Dr. Roee Diamant: "Dr. Diamant contacted research in underwater telecommunication. He developed and demonstrated transmission in the ocean using acoustic waves to connect divers, submarine, and autonomous underwater vehicles, and to located their position underwater. His work has been recognized as an important step to assist oceanographers in exploring the ocean."
• Dr. Hamid Atighechi: "Dr. Atighechi investigated high power electronic converters and High Voltage Direct Current systems for electric power transmission. He developed a generalized and computationally efficient methodology for dynamic average-value modeling. The proposed methodology will assist engineers and researchers in developing the future smart energy grid."
• Dr. Arash Zargaran Yazd: "Dr. Zargaran explored methods to reduce the electric power demanded for communication through wires that form the backbone of modern data networks. Based on the developed methods, he designed several microchips that can be used for applications that require low power consumption and high operation speed, such as Smartphones and Internet routers."
• Dr. Samer Ishaq Al Kiswany: "Dr. Al-Kiswany developed a data storage system for scientific applications, such as bioinformatics. The storage system makes the most of each application's characteristics and the capabilities of computer video cards, to improve system performance significantly. Ultimately, this will help scientists to solve more complex problems in a shorter time."
• Dr. Mrigank Sharma: "Dr. Sharma studied the inertial motion sensors which deploy air bags, navigate aircraft and detect hand motions with devices such as Wii. He developed techniques to make micro-sensors smaller and more sensitive, relying on coupling between mechanical and electronics subsystems. This technology is evolving quickly and opening doors for new applications."
• Dr. Arghavan Emami Forooshani: "Dr. Emami studied an advanced wireless communication system for underground mines and tunnels. She used radio-frequency measurements and mathematical analyses to model the ways in which wireless signals behave. The design of the best antenna configurations for these environments will contribute to enhanced safety and productivity in underground mines."
• Dr. Peter Cornelius Pawliuk: "Dr. Pawliuk completed his doctoral studies in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His focus was on microscopy and he searched for ways of improving the resolution of imaging systems. His most notable contributions were in the development of novel electromagnetic scattering models."
• Dr. Ehsan Vahedi: "Dr. Vahedi's research focused on RFIDs, or Radio frequency identification Systems. RFID technology is widely used in such automated systems as building FOBS, highway toll booths and credit card chips. Dr. Vahedi's work at the forefront of today's automation technology will contribute to improving the efficiency, security and privacy of RFID systems."
• Dr. Amir Valizadeh: "Dr. Valizadeh's research focused on embedding information in digital media such as image and audio signals. The outcomes of his work include enhanced security of digital media and prevention of multimedia content piracy. This research significantly contributes to protecting the rights of intellectual property owners such as movie and song producers."
• Dr. Mani Malek Esmaeili: "Dr. Malek-Esmaeili has proposed copyright protection systems to detect illegally distributed content on multimedia sharing websites, such as YouTube. The systems can determine if a video, an image or a song contains any part of an original work, and are efficient in finding violations, even if illegal contents have been modified before distribution"
• Dr. Hooman Rashtian: "Dr. Rashtian's research focused on improving the performance of radio-frequency integrated circuits in the front-end of wireless communication systems, using an inexpensive and simple biasing technique. The results of his research can be used to increase the dynamic range and to decrease the power consumption in wireless communication devices."
• Dr. Tanaya Guha: "Dr. Guha developed automated methods to understand and classify images and videos. She applied these methods to interpret human activities in videos, to identify biological specimens, and to estimate how humans would perceive the quality of images. These methods have wide ranging applications, from security and surveillance to medical diagnosis."
• Dr. Elie Hanna Sarraf: "Dr. Sarraf conducted research in the field of micro-accelerometers, which are used to measure acceleration in a single or multiple directions. He developed and implemented novel techniques to increase their sensitivity, accuracy and resolution, making them suitable for applications such as non-invasive surgery, navigation or oil and gas exploration."
• Dr. Jens Huft: "Dr. Huft developed new methods for manufacturing small silicone chips for biomedical research. This new generation of microfluidic chips allows experiments to be automated so multiple experiments can be run at the same time with minimal resources. His work could facilitate advancements in prenatal diagnostics, drug development and DNA analysis"
• Dr. Behnam Molavi: "Dr. Molavi conducted research in the field of biomedical engineering. His work has led to the development of new methods for analyzing brain activity signals. These methods can be used to identify brain networks in newborn infants, which can help in early diagnosis of developmental disorders."
• Dr. Haoming Li: "Dr. Li studied how to manage interference and reduce power consumption in wireless networks by using fiber-connected antennas. To improve the data rate in WiFi and 4G networks, he devised novel schemes that transmit data to multiple users, while reducing power consumption. His work is helping to reduce radiation and tackle the global energy crisis."
• Dr. Noreen Rashda Kamal: "Dr. Kamal studied the use of online social networks to improve health behaviour. She created a theoretical framework for designing and evaluating those online social networks. From the framework, she developed a high-fidelity prototype called VivoSpace, which was successful in changing health behaviour for individuals associated with a clinic."
• Dr. Reza Molavi: "Dr. Molavi focused on integrated circuit design for communication applications and proposed various techniques to improve performance. He developed inductors and oscillators for wireless communication transceivers. He also analyzed electromagnetic coupling issues in communication systems and proposed a solution to alleviate the problem. ."

Doctor of Philosophy (English)

• Dr. Matthew Paul Hiebert: "Dr. Hiebert studied the political and aesthetic theory underlying the body of work of George Woodcock, the prolific writer who forged relations between Vancouver and the Dalai Lama in the sixties. The intellectual and geographical mobility of Woodcock is shown essential to the role he played in the formation of Canadian literature as a field."
• Dr. Sonnet L'Abbe: "Dr. L'Abbé studied ways in which Ronald Johnson, an American avant-garde poet, used botanical metaphors to represent the human mind and language. She argues that Johnson's poetry revives the horticultural metaphors in words such as cultivation and culture and shows how plant metaphors apply to the study of cognition, perception and poetic vision."

Doctor of Philosophy (Experimental Medicine)

• Dr. Aaron Alexander Phillips: "Dr. Phillips examined brain blood flow regulation in humans with traumatic spinal cord injury. His studies showed that a specific pharmaceutical, which increases blood pressure, enhanced brain blood flow regulation in this population and led to marked clinical benefits."
• Dr. Shirley Candice Wong: "Dr.Wong investigated the effects of spinal cord injury on the autonomic nervous system, which is involved in cardiovascular control. She examined these spinal cord pathways by measuring heart rate and blood pressure. She discovered these pathways may be damaged in addition to motor and sensory dysfunction, leading to abnormal cardiovascular control."
• Dr. Wing-ki Cheng: "Dr. Cheng demonstrated a novel immunization strategy using a rub-on drug rather than an injection to enhance vaccine effectiveness. The drug mimics bacterial DNA, augments immune responses in the skin and provides long-lasting protection against infection. Her findings point to ways to improve vaccine responses to common infections like influenza."
• Dr. Shelley Bonnie Weisser: "Dr. Weisser's research focused on Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She examined the impact of immune cells, called macrophages, on disease severity. She found that converting inflammatory "killer" macrophages to healing cells offers promising new treatment options for patients suffering from intestinal inflammation."
• Dr. Kristin Louise Bowden: "Low levels of HDL cholesterol increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Bowden's research found that an enzyme called Lysosomal Acid Lipase is necessary to regulate HDL particle formation and remove the cholesterol from cells in the artery wall. This may lead to therapies that increase HDL and prevent heart disease."
• Dr. Katherine Roberta Thain: "Dr. Thain identified functional variations in two genes that affect the mortality of patients with septic shock. This furthers the development of personalized treatment options. One of the genes was previously unknown to impact the outcome of severe infections and now has the potential to be developed as a much needed treatment in intensive care units."
• Dr. Kristen May Reipas: "Dr. Reipas helped to verify that a protein called RSK is essential to the survival of triple-negative breast cancer, a subtype that is notoriously difficult to treat. Inhibiting RSK eliminates cancer cells and shows promise for developing new therapies. This finding holds potential to improve the outcome of patients with triple negative breast cancer."
• Dr. Cathy Yi-Shang Lee: "Dr. Lee studied human brain tumours. In her pre-clinical investigations, she discovered that the depletion of a protein called polo-like kinase 1 not only killed the majority of the brain cancer cells tested, but also eliminated the notoriously chemo-resistant "brain cancer initiating cell", which may be one of the causes of disease recurrence."
• Dr. Ho Pan Sham: "Dr. Sham showed that the cells that line the intestines produce a protein that dampens inflammation, to maintain a healthy relationship with our gut microbiota, or bacteria. Without this protein, gut cells can attack our micro-biota, leaving us open to infection. His research identifies a key role for our micro-biota in protecting us from disease."
• Dr. Simone Anita Thair: "Dr. Thair studied how the DNA of each individual affects the way in which that person responds to severe infections called septic shock. She has identified two key genes that play a genetic role in the disease, which led to the discovery of the previously unknown function of one of them. This may lead to treatments that increase patient survival."
• Dr. Christopher Larson Cochrane: "Dr. Cochrane studied genes involved in a form of childhood leukemia. He found that PCGF5, a member of a gene family known as the Polycomb Group, was switched on in leukemia. His research offers new insight into the way genes are regulated during development of the embryo, in the production of white blood cells, and in cancer."

Doctor of Philosophy (Forestry)

• Dr. Trisha Brooke Atwood: "Dr. Atwood showed how the loss of top predators from freshwater ecosystems influences the magnitude of carbon dioxide emissions from freshwaters. This research greatly expands our knowledge and understanding of how species loss may ultimately influence greenhouse gas dynamics and climate change."
• Dr. Xiaoqin Liu: "Dr. Liu developed a theoretical computer program to simulate the mechanical behavior of metal-plate-connected joints in wood trusses. The information derived from the program results can be used to evaluate the adequacy of a given structural design, facilitate truss plate, truss joint and overall truss design."
• Dr. Pontus Maurits F Lindgren: "Dr. Lindgren has spent over 20 years studying the environmental impact of intensive management of young forests throughout BC's interior. His research has clearly demonstrated that forests can be managed for increased productivity without compromising biodiversity. These results can enhance the economic and environmental values of our forests."
• Dr. Lee Anthony Kalcsits: "Dr. Kalcsits developed and tested a model describing how nitrogen movement in plants influences nitrogen isotope composition. He applied it to identify genetic variation in nitrogen use in balsam poplar. This research provides a new way to measure plant nitrogen-use traits, which are often technically challenging to measure."
• Dr. Mahmood Ebadian: "Dr. Ebadian evaluated the agricultural biomass supply chain. The purpose was to determine whether performance could be improved in terms of demand fulfillment and logistics costs. To this end, he developed an integrated tactical and operational planning model to design and schedule the supply chain for a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant."
• Dr. Andres Varhola: "Dr. Varhola studied the impact of mountain pine beetle on forest structure and snow melt in the interior of British Columbia. He showed how three-dimensional remote sensing tools are necessary to more accurately predict catastrophic flooding events. This research is essential to hydrologic forecasters, foresters and local ranchers."
• Dr. Carolyn Trelawny Churchland: "Dr. Churchland studied the effect of forest harvesting on Pacific Northwest soil microbes. She found that retaining individual trees in harvested sites best maintains the structure and functions of soil microbial communities. Application of these findings will result in tree-harvesting methods that maintain soil nutrients and microbial biodiversity."

Doctor of Philosophy (French)

• Dr. Molleen Alice Shilliday: "Dr. Shilliday studied trauma and World War Two in the French contemporary novel. Her research explored the works of World War Two survivors and authors and second-generation writers. Her findings underline the importance of an empathetic engagement with testimony, an aesthetic relationship to the text and a sense of responsibility towards history."

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

• Dr. Emilia Victoria Llewellyn Nielsen: "Dr. Nielsen completed her research in the field of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice. She explored the personal narratives of women who had experienced breast cancer. She argues that "disruptive breast cancer narratives" have the potential to shift public perceptions, breast cancer culture, and biomedical understandings of the disease."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geography)

• Dr. Nicholas Andrew Lynch: "Dr. Lynch explored the re-use of churches as loft apartments in downtown Toronto. The transformation of these former sacred spaces to lofts illustrates the relationships between religious change and new forms of urban development. Beyond their former purpose, church-style lofts represent new secular and economic arrangements in urban landscapes."
• Dr. Yolande Eloise Pottie-Sherman: "Dr. Pottie-Sherman examined the intercultural interaction in Vancouver's summer night markets. These public events illustrate the vast changes in the social geography of immigration, and the ethno-cultural diversity in Metro Vancouver in the last quarter century. This research illuminates how public market places can serve as inclusive public spaces."
• Dr. Elliot Siemiatycki: "Dr. Siemiatycki examined Vancouver's shift from the resource economy of the 1980s to a consumption economy, defined by business-class immigration, tourism and real estate development. Case studies of the hospitality, legal and video game sectors show this economic shift has left workers and firms in a precarious condition which needs further study."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geological Engineering)

• Dr. Neda Zangeneh: "Dr. Zangeneh examined the influence of geology on the design of hydraulic fracturing, to improve extraction from natural gas reservoirs. She developed procedures to design effective hydraulic fractures, and to mitigate against induced seismicity. Her study will help operators to maximize oil and natural gas extraction in a safe and sustainable manner."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geological Sciences)

• Dr. Tashia Jayne Dzikowski: "Dr. Dzikowski studied ruby and sapphire bearing rocks near Revelstoke, British Columbia and Kimmirut, Nunavut. Her work describes how gem corundum formed in these rocks and provides exploration strategies for finding more of these types of deposits. This work will assist those studying and searching for gem corundum deposits around the world."
• Dr. Jeremy Reid Vaughan: "Dr. Vaughan examined the chemistry of Carlin-type gold deposits in Nevada. He showed that chemical changes in rocks surrounding Carlin-type mineralization can extend more than 1 km out from the largest known gold deposit. The outcome of this research provides a means to effectively explore for large gold systems well outside of traditional methods."
• Dr. Abdul Razique: "Dr. Razique studied the geology of economic mineral deposits and built a genetic model of copper-gold systems. He found most precious metal deposits are linked to a fertile magmatic system that has been active for as long as 1 million years. His space-time evolution model is used in the exploration and discovery of giant copper-gold deposits worldwide."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geophysics)

• Dr. Brendan Robert Smithyman: "Dr. Smithyman developed novel methods that enable processing of on-land seismic data, to generate detailed geophysical images. He applied the new techniques to produce models of rock type in the Nechako-Chilcotin plateau, British Columbia. These models can be used to infer rock type and interpret underground geology, from surface to about 2 km depth."

Doctor of Philosophy (Hispanic Studies)

• Dr. Maria Teresa Grillo Arbulu: "Dr. Grillo examined representations of race and ethnicity in discourses by Peruvian Andean indigenous authors, from the conquest of Peru by Spaniards in the 16th century to the present. She argues that an idea of race is imposed to Andean subjects through discourses on religion and education, and can be traced back to the beginning of colonization."

Doctor of Philosophy (History)

• Dr. Somaditya Banerjee: "Dr.Banerjee's research produced a history of quantum physics in India during the first half of the twentieth century. He conducted extensive archival research in India, Canada and the United States. His research findings analyze how modern science was pursued in conjunction with, and as an instrument of Indian national liberation."
• Dr. Chelsea Dawn Horton: "Dr. Horton explored, through oral history, how and why diverse Indigenous people in North America joined the Baha'i religion during the second half of the twentieth century. Her study argues that becoming Baha'i was also a process of becoming Indigenous. In so doing, it offers fresh perspective on Indigenous identity, conversion, and community."
• Dr. Philip Marten Van Huizen: "Dr. Van Huizen examined the 1926-1984 Canadian-U.S. controversy over Seattle's many attempts to build the High Ross Dam and flood into British Columbia. He demonstrates that such disputes hinge on conflicting ideas about development and the politics of cross-border places, and points to the prevalence of "green liberalism" to resolve them."

Doctor of Philosophy (Human Development, Learning, and Culture)

• Dr. Lynda Hutchinson: "Dr. Hutchinson examined how young children learn to regulate emotions, learning, and social interactions in classrooms. She found classroom tasks and teacher support were essential in children's developing self-regulation. Her study adds to growing evidence indicating the importance of self-regulation for children's success in the early school years."

Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems)

• Dr. Lorenzo Magzul: "Dr. Magzul examined and compared the adaptation to climate change by two Indigenous communities: the Blood Tribe (Blackfoot) in Canada and Patzun (Maya) in Guatemala. This research shows that traditional livelihoods and economic independence lead to stronger social support systems, which in turn lead to greater adaptability and adaptive capacity."

Doctor of Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Oncology)

• Dr. Kelsie Thu: "Dr. Thu compared lung tumours of smokers and people who have never smoked. She found they exhibit differential disruption of genes and cellular pathways, supporting the hypothesis that lung cancers in these two cohorts are distinct diseases. Dr. Thu's findings suggest lung cancer patients may benefit from treatment that considers their smoking history."

Doctor of Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Studies)

• Dr. Bertha Carolina Vidal: "Dr. Vidal's research focussed on depression in Latin American immigrants in Canada. She applied a global mental health approach to culturally adapt a psychotherapy treatment. It is the first clinical tool designed to treat depression in immigrants in Canada."
• Dr. Danya Fast: "Dr. Fast conducted research with young people who were street-involved and using drugs in Greater Vancouver. Her work encouraged youth to create a series of photo essays, to explore their complex senses of place in the city, over time. The findings have implications for how we think about, and attempt to intervene in the lives of marginalized youth."
• Dr. Ryan Stanley McNeil: "Dr. McNeil studied access to health and harm reduction services for people who inject drugs. He examined how social, structural, and environmental forces affect access to these services. His work highlights the need to scale up harm reduction interventions, and expand these into hospitals, to improve health equity for people who inject drugs."
• Dr. Kanna Hayashi: "Dr. Hayashi examined the relationship between policing and the health of people who inject drugs in Bangkok, Thailand. Her research found that repressive policing did not suppress the illegal drug market and instead contributed to human rights abuses and health-related harm. Her findings support the call for more balanced approaches to drug control."
• Dr. Edward Lee Durgan: "Dr. Durgan studied people with mental and behavioural disorders in Vancouver's downtown eastside. This interdisciplinary project suggests grassroots movements, combined with a scientific approach, provide a comprehensive solution to issues that are global in scope. The findings benefit professionals working in psychiatry, architecture and philosophy."
• Dr. Christopher Thomas Scott: "Dr. Scott examined the ethical, legal, and social, implications of North American stem cell research. He revealed how researchers navigate regulatory and political environments and how their actions influence collaboration and productivity. These findings can inform the development of government policies, for the benefit of citizens and economies."
• Dr. Rajdeep Gill: "Dr. Gill examined the nurturing of creativity as a society-wide ecology and reasoned that this curation requires an ethic of care and connectedness. Through re-imagining experiences and knowledges that shape curation, he expands understandings of the artworld, science, culture, archiving and technology. His work provides a unique rationale for curation."

Doctor of Philosophy (Language and Literacy Education)

• Dr. Diane Renee Collier: "Dr. Collier conducted research about children and literacy on Canada's East coast. She studied how children create texts across the settings of home and school, and how different literacy practices are valued. Her research has implications for including home resources in schools and asks educators to reconsider what counts as literacy in schools."
• Dr. Meike Wernicke-Heinrichs: "Dr. Wernicke examined the impact on BC French teachers of their study abroad experiences in France, and how those affected their sense of professional identity. She found that an overwhelming concern with being an "authentic" French speaker can diminish teachers' sense of expertise and shapes how they teach and engage in further teacher development"

Doctor of Philosophy (Law)

• Dr. Sarah Grayce Marsden: "Dr. Marsden studied the role of law in the lives of individuals with uncertain migration status. She found that these migrants faced barriers both in workplace rights and in obtaining access to education, health care, and social benefits. She argues that social exclusion of migrants is maintained through these areas of the law."
• Dr. Patricia Anne Cochran: "Dr. Cochran explored the meaning and consequences of the term "common sense" when it is invoked in legal judgments. Her study focussed on issues of poverty and inequality. She showed that, while the concept of "common sense" can be conservative and majoritarian, it also has aspects that promote egalitarianism and political reflection in legal judgment."

Doctor of Philosophy (Library, Archival and Information Studies)

• Dr. Jean Marie McKendry: "Dr. McKendry investigated ways in which homeless men use Vancouver public libraries. She found that, in addition to information needs, public libraries are inclusive places that also serve the social needs of homeless men. These findings may be of interest to librarians planning library programs and to architects designing future library buildings."

Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Engineering)

• Dr. Tirdad Nickchi: "Dr. Nickchi studied how materials interact with environment in extreme temperatures and under high pressure. His studies contributed to the understanding of mechanisms and to improving the measurement methods in corrosion science. The findings help in selecting more compatible materials to ensure the safety and reliability of our future power plants. ."
• Dr. Rahul Lodha: "Dr. Lodha developed environmentally-friendly, magnesia-based ceramics for metal convertors, which operate like furnaces. These non-ferrous, metallurgical convertors are used to extract metals other than iron. Since the improved liners require lower heat treatment temperatures they result in a more efficient and energy-saving extraction process."
• Dr. Philip Sean Tomlinson: "Dr. Tomlinson developed experimental apparatus to investigate magnesium alloys. He studied the behaviour of those alloys as well as their shifting atomic structure. The results of the research will contribute to the increased use of lightweight magnesium alloys in the auto sector, to improve fuel economy and decrease greenhouse gas emissions."
• Dr. Sina Shahandeh: "Dr. Shahandeh developed a mathematical model for simulating the evolution of structure in crystalline materials. This modelling technique provides a major contribution to understanding how alloying elements modify the structure of materials. It helps to design materials with superior physical and mechanical properties."
• Dr. Mykola Kulakov: "Dr. Kulakov studied the evolution of microstructure during the processing of ferrite-martensite dual-phase steels. He then developed a mathematical model to describe the microstructure evolution. The model will be used for the optimization of the industrial processing of dual-phase steels."
• Dr. Matthew Jeremy Roy: "Dr. Roy studied rotary forming techniques, a type of metal forming which enhances material utilization. He developed frameworks to assist industry in process adoption and determining process effects on final products. His research has assisted in creating more economical manufacturing techniques for the automotive, aerospace and chemical industries."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)

• Dr. Zhengzheng Yang: "Dr. Yang investigated symmetries and exact solutions for partial differential equations. He introduced a new method for seeking further symmetries and he also obtained new solutions for the non-linear Kompaneets equation. Researchers in applied mathematics and physics may benefit from his results."
• Dr. Roland Bauerschmidt: "Dr. Bauerschmidt studied problems related to the mathematical analysis of long chains of molecules, so-called polymer chains. Physicists and chemists have been interested in properties of these chains for decades, but their rigorous mathematical study has proven to be challenging. Dr. Bauerschmidt's thesis contributes to this theoretical understanding."
• Dr. Chao Pang: "Dr. Pang studied Geometric Analysis. Together with his supervisors, he obtained results on the uniqueness of solutions of certain nonlinear differential equations, and how to construct minimal surfaces, which are surfaces of critical area, in general boundary situations. These works enhance the theory of minimal surfaces."
• Dr. David-Emmanuel Kohler: "Dr. Kohler proved a generalization of the Alon conjecture in algebraic graph theory. This establishes an important algebraic property of random large networks."
• Dr. Jay Ira Heumann: "Dr. Heumann's research was in the field of number theory. Using mechanisms known as modular symbols, he constructed a framework that helps study special values of L-functions, which is a key concept in number theory. His thesis finished the solution to a problem that number theorists have been working on since the 1980s."
• Dr. Matthew Bryan Folz: "Dr. Folz conducted research in probability and analysis, with an emphasis on random walks. He proved results relating the large-scale geometry of graphs to various behaviors of interest for the associated random walks. He developed techniques that have been used by other researchers and improved substantially upon prior results in this area."
• Dr. Mclean Robert Edwards: "Dr. Edwards conducted research in optimization, the mathematics of solving problems efficiently. He described relationships between certain kinds of problems, and developed methods for splitting these into two simpler parts. This work may help solve problems in areas such as physics, finance, and computation."

Doctor of Philosophy (Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology)

• Dr. Lara Beate Russell: "Dr. Russell examined whether a new measure of Quality of Life is relevant and appropriate to use with people who are homeless, or vulnerably housed. Her study findings support the use of this measure. However, she also proposed a new approach to evaluating the content validity of measures, and that has application across many disciplines."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering)

• Dr. Yuntao (Anthony) An: "Dr. An investigated state-of-the-art CT scanning technologies for sorting and grading logs in a sawmill. He developed a coarse-resolution CT scanning system which gained attention in academia and among industry partners. If successfully applied, Dr. An's work will help boost profits in the sawmill industry and add value to the forest products industry."
• Dr. Hayder Jabbar Salem: "Dr. Salem studied the maximum flow through pulp pressure screens that enhance quality in pulp and paper production. He developed a new model that explains why existing screens fail and supported his theory with extensive experimental data. The outcome of this research will enhance the understanding of pulp screening methods and benefit the industry."
• Dr. Nader Noroozi: "Dr. Noroozi conducted research in Mechanical Engineering at UBC's Applied Fluid Mechanics laboratory. He examined the flow of liquid crystalline materials as a substitute for lubricants in human body joints. His findings will contribute greatly to the advancement of medical science in treating patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis."
• Dr. Kamran Alba: "Dr. Alba studied the flow of two liquids in inclined pipes. The two fluids were found to mix differently depending on their densities, pumping rate and the angle at which the pipes inclined. The results obtained can be used to efficiently predict and design the flows in oil well processes and also in the food and chemical processing industries."
• Dr. Agnes Germaine d'Entremont: "Dr. d'Entremont developed MRI-based methods to reduce image distortion caused by surgical implants and to measure knee motion. She used these methods to study patients undergoing surgery to correct knee alignment, and found previously unreported changes in knee motion. This suggests that understanding mechanical changes may improve surgical treatment."

Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Genetics)

• Dr. Charles Norval de Leeuw: "Dr. de Leeuw developed and evaluated MiniPromoter tools, using mice as a model organism. These tools may lead to future applications in both brain and eye clinical gene therapies. He subsequently employed them to generate novel genetic models of a key neural stem cell gene. His studies advance our knowledge of genome regulation and brain development"
• Dr. Alireza Baradaran Heravi: "Dr. Baradaran-Heravi conducted research in medical genetics. He discovered the underlying molecular mechanism for a fatal, multisystem childhood genetic disorder called "Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia".Patients, clinicians and basic scientists will benefit from the findings of this research."
• Dr. Gelareh Mazarei: "Dr. Mazarei studied biochemical modifications in Huntington's disease. She discovered novel metabolic changes using a mouse model, paving the way to greater understanding of disease mechanisms and potential treatments. The results of this work are likely to benefit patients with HD and other neurodegenerative disorders."
• Dr. Julia Lynn MacIsaac: "Dr. MacIsaac completed her doctoral research in the field of Medical Genetics. She established a model for neighboring gene interactions as a new mechanism for the regulation of imprinted expression in mammals."

Doctor of Philosophy (Microbiology and Immunology)

• Dr. Brigitte Cadieux: "Dr. Cadieux studied C. neoformans, a fungus that causes disease in humans and animals. She found this fungus has different mechanisms to acquire heme, a nutrient essential to humans, and she identified the first protein involved in heme uptake. Her findings may lead to better treatment for diseases caused by the fungus, such as pneumonia and meningitis."
• Dr. Olga M. Pena: "Dr. Pena studied sepsis, which is the major infection-related cause of death worldwide. She demonstrated that most sepsis patients have a strong immuno-suppression profile known as endo-toxin tolerance. She also discovered valuable biomarkers that identify this profile, predict severity, and may enhance treatments to improve sepsis survival rates."
• Dr. Michelle Monique Buckner: "Dr. Buckner studied S. enterica, proteins that contribute to disease such as Typhoid fever and gastroenteritis. She found one host hormone affects bacterial colonization. This has furthered our understanding of how Salmonella causes disease, and may lead to better treatments for the 90 million people infected annually worldwide."
• Dr. Jody Jennifer Wright: "Dr. Wright studied the ecology of microbes living in the oxygen starved waters of the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Her research showed that an abundant group of bacteria called Marine Group A may play a role in marine sulfur cycling. These results will assist us in understanding the impact of microbial processes on marine ecosystems and climate."
• Dr. Grace Fong-Ting Poon: "Dr. Poon studied a set of immune cells called macrophages and their role during lung inflammation. She discovered that the binding of macrophages to hyaluronan, a common carbohydrate, is required for their proliferation and retention in the lung. Her work provides insight that will further the development of treatment for respiratory diseases."
• Dr. Jessica Labonte: "Dr. Labonté studied marine communities of an important but understudied group of viruses: single-stranded DNA viruses. Her research expanded our knowledge of their genetic diversity and evolution. She showed that they play a significant role as pathogens of marine phyto-plankton and micro-zooplankton that are at the base of the marine food chain."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mining Engineering)

• Dr. Esau M. T. Arinaitwe: "Dr. Arinaitwe studied the interactions between bitumen and waste minerals in Canadian oil sands. He showed that biodegradable polymers control the interactions by binding to waste minerals, thereby promoting the separation of bitumen from that waste. Findings will help the oil sands industry to improve the extraction efficiency of oil."
• Dr. Juliana Parreira: "Dr. Parreira conducted research into haulage systems for open pit mining. She developed a simulation model to compare an Autonomous Haulage Truck System with a conventional manually-operated system. The work identified the degree of improvement achievable, including economic, safety, and environmental protection benefits."

Doctor of Philosophy (Music)

• Dr. Mei Han: "Dr. Han examined the living tradition of the zheng, a Chinese long zither. She provides a critical overview of the instrument's aesthetics, dissemination, composition, and performance techniques. Her insight is a valuable contribution to Chinese music studies, specifically the broader understanding of Chinese modernity."

Doctor of Philosophy (Neuroscience)

• Dr. Jan-Marie Kozicky: "Dr. Kozicky studied executive functioning in patients who had recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She examined the contributions of brain structural changes, illness progression, and medication to the severity of deficits. This research provides important understanding of the neurobiology and treatment of this severe mental illness."
• Dr. Shuting Zhang: "Dr. Zhang examined Alzheimer's disease in families, or FAD. She found the unique mechanisms underlying two FAD-causing mutations. This research shed light on the causes of Alzheimer's disease and also highlighted the possibility of developing potential treatment strategies."
• Dr. David Joseph Bond: "Dr. Bond studied how the common condition of obesity leads to more rapid neuro-biological disease progression in people with bipolar disorder. His research suggests an explanation for the more severe psychiatric illness courses seen in obese patients, and opens new avenues for understanding disease progression in people with psychiatric illnesses."
• Dr. Jennifer Carol Whitman: "Dr. Whitman identified several biases in how people judge hypotheses and found one bias was increased in delusional schizophrenia patients. She also developed new ways to analyze brain imaging data, using them to study brain networks involved in hypothesis judgment. This work will help us to understand the brain activity involved in delusional beliefs."

Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing)

• Dr. Margery Edith Hawkins: "Dr. Hawkins explored the experiences of nurses educated in the Philippines seeking RN licensure in Canada. She found their experiences are shaped by prevailing ideologies of neocolonialism and neo-liberalism and intersecting relations of gender, race, and class. Such structures put nurses at risk of marginalization, exploitation, and powerlessness.."
• Dr. Sherry Ann Dahlke: "Dr. Dahlke studied nursing practice with hospitalized older adults. Her theory of orchestrating care highlights the complexity and the importance of the role of nurses in caring for older adults. Solutions that will advance care of hospitalized older adults must consider the perspective of nurses, and the challenges they face"

Doctor of Philosophy (Oceanography)

• Dr. Desiree Tommasi: "Dr. Tommasi examined zooplankton populations in Rivers Inlet, a fjord in central BC. The research showed which zooplankton species are dominant under specific environmental conditions. Knowledge of how environmental forces shape zooplankton is essential to fisheries managers assessing how fish stocks such as salmon will vary in the future."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)

• Dr. Kimberly Charlotte Wiegand: "Dr. Wiegand studied the genetic origins of ovarian cancers linked to endometriosis. Her work revealed a new tumour suppressor gene in ovarian cancer, which has substantially improved the understanding of this disease. Her work could lead to improvements in the management of ovarian and other cancer types."
• Dr. Alon Hendel: "Dr. Hendel's research focussed on the role of Granzyme B in athero-sclerosis, the primary cause of heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Hendel's work uncovered a novel mechanism by which Granzyme B disrupts new blood vessel formation during tissue repair. The results of his work are now published and also resulted in the filing of an international patent."
• Dr. Kasmintan Alexandra Schrader: "Dr. Schrader investigated the association between germline mutations in CDH1 and familial lobular breast cancer. She showed the utility of new sequencing technologies to identify disease susceptibility genes. Her work has implications for identification of novel cancer susceptibility genes which will benefit people at high-risk for familial cancers."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

• Dr. Tingting Zhang: "Dr. Zhang showed that patients who do not use asthma drugs appropriately are more likely to use health services to manage their disease, compared with those who use medications according to guidelines. These findings reinforce to clinicians the importance of closely monitoring patient drug therapy and encouraging appropriate use of asthma drugs."
• Dr. Claudio Alberto Erratico: "Dr. Erratico investigated a family of enzymes present in the human body, namely the cytochrome P450. He studied their ability to transform two major environmental pollutants. These results show the role that metabolism plays in limiting the ability of these two environmental pollutants to accumulate in the human body."
• Dr. Sajad Amin War: "Dr. War's research focused on breast cancer cells. Using somatostatin receptor-3, which is present on the surface of the cells to receive signals from outside the cells, he developed strategies aimed at treating breast cancer. This work provides valuable information for the better understanding of breast cancer and its treatment."
• Dr. Dylan Thomas: "Dr. Thomas completed his research studying the binding interactions of a family of human enzymes. It was found that the extent of binding controlled how quickly these enzymes could perform their function in the body. This work will allow us to better understand the role of these complexes in the development of cancer and heart disease."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacology)

• Dr. Heidi Noel Boyda: "Dr. Boyda investigated the side-effects of anti-psychotic medication and determined an underlying rationale for how these diabetic-like side-effects occur. Her research may aid psychiatrists to make more informed decisions regarding treatment and monitoring strategies, and offer patients better understanding of the medications they are taking."
• Dr. Ryan Arthur Whitehead: "Dr. Whitehead evaluated a new class of painkillers. These peripheral analgesic drugs block pain at the site of origin, and do not cause patients to become sedated. . This new analgesic class is expected to have tremendous benefit for treatment of arthritis and neuropathic pain."

Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophy)

• Dr. Oisin Nial Deery: "Dr. Deery argues that neither the belief in being free to do otherwise nor the experience of having such freedom is inconsistent with there being just one physically possible future. Drawing on recent work in psychology, Dr. Deery develops a view that preserves our self-image as agents who can navigate among alternative pathways into the future."
• Dr. Jillian Alexandra Isenberg: "Dr. Isenberg's work explains how we can have real beliefs and emotions about fictional characters and situations when we know that they do not exist and did not occur. She developed a framework for characterizing these responses that will provide guidance for future work in the semantics of fiction and the philosophy of film."
• Dr. Ian Gregory Brooks: "Dr. Brooks studied ways that attention and emotion can be adversely affected by circumstances, causing people to make moral mistakes. He found that there is no set of character traits that can protect against all of these effects in all circumstances, making it impossible for any individual to become morally perfect."

Doctor of Philosophy (Physics)

• Dr. Si Chen: "Dr. Chen conducted his research in the field of quantum gravity. He developed a model of gravitational field which hypothesized that although the space-time is continuous when viewed on a large scale, a closer view shows it is actually made up of discrete points. This work has provided a means to remove anomolies from quantum gravity calculations. ."
• Dr. Benjamin Gutierrez: "Dr. Gutierrez performed numerical studies in the field of mathematical physics. His work focuses on the Skyrme model, which describes the atomic nucleus as a wave in a fluid. He developed techniques to solve the complicated equations of this model using computers. His contributions are relevant to stellar astrophysics and parallel computing."
• Dr. Kevin Robert Leslie Whyte: "Within String Theory exists a mathematical conjecture linking two fundamental aspects of physics. Through this structure, Dr. Whyte studied models related to the force that binds the nuclei of atoms. He used the same mathematical structure to study a model describing the universe's rapid expansion in the initial fraction of a second of its existence."
• Dr. Peter Thomas Winslow: "Dr. Winslow conducted theoretical physics research into the interactions of fundamental particles. His work has contributed to our understanding of the possible existence of extra spatial dimensions at current experiments, the lack of primordial antimatter throughout the universe, and the unexpected, recently observed behaviour of the top quark."
• Dr. Joseph John Lucido: "Dr. Lucido studied advanced modelling techniques for treatment planning in Radiation Oncology. He designed a method to incorporate microscopic details into clinical treatment planning, to more accurately predict the patient's response to the therapy. This was the first approach capable of making use of these details for realistic clinical situations."
• Dr. Zhihuai (Jason) Zhu: "Dr. Zhu studied the electronic structure of topological insulators, furthering our understanding beyond all previous theoretical descriptions. For the first time, he has demonstrated how to achieve full control of the photoelectron spin polarization. His work paves the way to the application of topological materials in novel opto-spintronic devices."
• Dr. Ali Reza Mohazab: "Dr. Mohazab conducted research in Biological Physics. The mathematical models he developed help in understanding the underlying mechanism of the Protein Folding process, and make predictions on its rate. The research will help the scientific community towards curing many misfolding induced diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS."

Doctor of Philosophy (Planning)

• Dr. Sarah P. Church: "Dr. Church studied human dimensions of urban nature. Her results suggest that rather than simply adding nature to the city, planners should consider how residents interact with and access nature, their ability to personalize space, and how they find solitude in those spaces. These results are important in the face of urbanization and city densification."
• Dr. Dilnoor Panjwani: "Dr. Panjwani explored community recovery across five villages impacted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia. Her study reveals the nuances of resettlement after disaster and the role of place-based and built environment mechanisms on wellbeing outcomes. Findings support the development of effective strategies for disaster recovery."
• Dr. Jennie Lynn Moore: "Dr. Moore refined a method for analyzing the urban ecological footprint. She estimated the reduction in energy and materials consumption needed to help achieve Vancouver's goal of becoming the Greenest City, and suggested planning policies to achieve the goal. The City used Dr. Moore's research to inform its Greenest City 2020 Action Plan."
• Dr. Aftab Erfan: "Dr. Erfan explored the healing potential of the planning profession while working with a small Indigenous community on Vancouver Island. Her dissertation, written largely as autobiographical fiction, tells the stories of her action research engagement, and proposes a path forward for a therapeutic orientation to planning."

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)

• Dr. Aubin Patricia Calvert: "Dr. Calvert developed a framework for determining when and how political rhetoric threatens the democratic quality of political judgments. She identified new practices and functions by which democratic institutions might promote good political judgments, despite the fact that the ways people use language in politics are almost always strategic"
• Dr. Oskar Daniel Drugge: "Dr. Drugge studied the political thought of Isaiah Berlin. Berlin's work was used to explore ways in which different accounts of moral conflict affect how we think about political action and judgment. Getting our account of moral conflict right, Dr. Drugge shows, can help us think more productively about political disagreement and compromise."
• Dr. Michael Kenneth MacKenzie: "Dr. MacKenzie examined long-term decision-making in democratic systems. He argues that democratic institutions can help produce conditions that are conducive to effective longer-term thinking and farsighted action. This research challenges the notion that democracies are not capable of effectively managing pressing long-term economic problems."
• Dr. Kristi Heather Kenyon: "Dr. Kenyon investigated why some African HIV advocacy groups choose to use the language of human rights. She found this was due to leadership, organizational structure and the belief that rights-based advocacy changes health-seeking behaviour, improving access to care. This research will be useful to those living with and conducting advocacy on HIV."
• Dr. Olga Beznosova: "Dr. Kniazeva studied links between oil rents and political systems in petro-states such as Russia and Venezuela. She found that in times of prosperity, the state provides social welfare, but when oil prices drop the social contract disintegrates. Her compelling argument is that oil rent fluctuations lead to regime fluctuations in oil-rich states."

Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)

• Dr. Marci Joan Regambal: "Dr. Regambal examined the traumatic events experienced by first responders in northern British Columbia. She found that first responders were more likely to experience traumatic stress if they were called to events they perceived as chaotic or exceeding their resources. This underscores the need to understand the characteristics of traumatic events."
• Dr. Kristina Andrea Uban: "Dr. Uban demonstrated neuro-biological alterations in central dopamine-stress interactions following prenatal alcohol exposure. These novel neurobiological findings help explain the increased prevalence of substance use disorders observed among individuals with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder."
• Dr. Gillian Sandstrom: "Dr. Sandstrom studied how relationships with acquaintances, or weak social ties, are associated with well-being. People are happier on days when they interact with more weak ties than they usually do. This research suggests that minimal social interactions, like the ones with your usual coffee barista, might provide a hidden source of happiness."
• Dr. David Brian King: "Dr. King studied how paramedics and their spouses cope with high levels of work stress. He showed that this stress transfers to the home and affects the health and relationships of the couples. The findings identify the forms of stress experienced by a population that is essential to pre-hospital care in Canada, informing policies and procedures."
• Dr. Joey Cheng: "Dr. Cheng's research examined the ways in which individuals pursue and effectively acquire social status. Challenging prior assumptions that demonstrating competence is the only route to the highest status ranks, Dr. Cheng's work revealed that, in fact, intimidation and expertise are equally viable pathways to status and influence among humans."
• Dr. Matthew Chudek: "Human culture's a biological mystery no other beast has such a history mutating faster than mere genes can by knowledge shared freely, 'tween woman and man. Dr. Chudek asks how this strange cascade started our phenotypes outpacing what our genome charted. He says: reputataional exploitation's the key to beating evil teachers and setting culture free."
• Dr. Jelena Brcic: "Dr. Brcic examined the motivations of astronauts, soldiers, search and rescue team members, and high-altitude mountaineers. She investigated the ways in which they cope with stressors throughout their expeditions. This research helps us understand and explain the performance of small, mission-oriented teams in extreme and unusual environments."
• Dr. Marcus Robert Watson: "Dr. Watson studied letter-colour synaesthesia, an unusual trait where each letter is associated with a particular colour. He showed that many of these associations are acquired in childhood, and that they can be useful for learning. These findings will help us understand the development of such unusual traits, but also of more typical associations."
• Dr. William Lewis Dunlop: "Dr. Dunlop examined the ways in which individuals make sense of their lives. He argued that such sense-making pursuits can manifest within distinct modes of thought. These processes carry implications for our understanding of culture, the self, and psychological functioning."
• Dr. Jacqueline Lauren Human: "Dr. Human examined why the personalities of some individuals are more accurately perceived in first impression situations. She found that well-adjusted individuals are seen more accurately because they behave more in line with their unique personality traits. This research sheds light on the factors that enable us to better understand others."
• Dr. Lindsay Nagamatsu: "Dr. Nagamatsu examined the relationship between impaired attentional processing and falls in older adults. Her research provides the critical link between cognitive function and mobility. Her findings have the potential to inform future intervention strategies, to improve quality of life and independence among older adults."
• Dr. Jennifer Lea Trew: "Dr. Trew examined the goals people have for social interactions. She found that those who experienced positive emotions were less worried about avoiding rejection and that people with social anxiety who engaged in kind acts were less concerned about avoiding negative outcomes. This suggests that kindness may improve the treatment of social anxiety."
• Dr. Damian Robertson Murray: "Dr. Murray completed his studies in the field of Psychology. He showed that the perceived threat of infectious disease causes higher levels of social and political conservatism, and causes lower levels of scientific innovation. These findings add to our understanding of what causes psychological variation between people and across cultures."
• Dr. Amy Elizabeth Zwicker: "Dr. Zwicker examined the effect of parent-child relationships on stepfamily functioning. With the increasing prevalence of complex family systems in Western society, this research points to important ways in which broad stepfamily dynamics affect the success of remarriages."

Doctor of Philosophy (Rehabilitation Sciences)

• Dr. Regina Mary Casey: "Dr. Casey engaged ten people living with schizophrenia to understand their "experience of meaning in activity". After two years of research, she concluded that participating in meaningful activity is influenced by notions of social inclusion and justice, that experiences are varied and ultimately connected to meaning in life, well-being and recovery."
• Dr. Hana Radhi Al-Bannay: "Dr. Al-Bannay focused on the health of women in Saudi Arabia, with special reference to type 2 diabetes mellitus. She studied the health beliefs and behaviours of the women, and the outcomes of a pilot diabetes education program. Findings show that Saudi women experience lifestyle-related conditions and could benefit from the education program."
• Dr. Brodie Masaru Sakakibara: "Dr. Sakakibara studied the confidence, mobility, and participation in daily and social activities of adult wheelchair users. His findings demonstrate that confidence with wheelchair use has important implications for mobility and participation. His work provides a foundation for developing strategies to enhance confidence for those using wheelchairs."

Doctor of Philosophy (Resource Management and Environmental Studies)

• Dr. Janalyn Gail Kotaska: "Dr. Kotaska examined new relationships and reconciliation between First Nations and the BC government. She developed criteria for determining if reconciliation is genuine and found that policymakers now see it as an ongoing process of co-governing. Her work clarifies what is required to decolonize land and resource governance in BC."
• Dr. Thomas William Berkhout: "Dr. Berkhout examined efforts to steer transformative energy efficiency and conservation in the built environment. Working with BC Hydro and the Province, he showed the advantages of using participatory and emergent practices. His assessment framework also provides a practical methodology for assessing other sustainability-oriented change efforts."

Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work)

• Dr. Sydney Michelle Weaver: "Dr. Weaver conducted the first known qualitative study with marginalized drug-using fathers. They were partners of patients in a harm reduction maternity unit serving poor, substance-using pregnant women from Vancouver's downtown east side. This study revealed the nature and negative impact of father exclusion on these mothers, fathers and families."

Doctor of Philosophy (Sociology)

• Dr. Monica Mi Hee Clara Hwang: "Dr. Hwang studied ethno-racial variations in two facets of cohesion in Canada: trust in others and trust in political institutions. She explored why trust among ethno-racial communities may differ from established cultural groups. The amount of trust can differ substantially, depending on which group is asked the question and the type of trust."

Doctor of Philosophy (Statistics)

• Dr. Camila Pedroso Estevam de Souza: "Dr. de Souza studied nonparametric regression, a statistical technique that allows for varying forms of data dependencies. She proposed a new methodology to study dependencies when crucial information is absent from the data. She applied her method to determine power usage in buildings when the status of cooling and heating devices is not recorded."
• Dr. Jabed Hossain Tomal: "Dr. Tomal conducted his research in the field of Statistics. He developed new statistical methods to search more efficiently for potential pharmaceutical drug molecules in a large collection of chemical compounds. His methods capitalized on the richness of information contained in high-dimensional data, which have many useful variables."
• Dr. Chaoxiong Xia: "Dr. Xia developed statistical approaches, known as Bayesian methods, for use when it is difficult to identify a unique statistical model based on observed data. She showed that the proposed models provide better statistical inference by acknowledging the issues. The models can be used in statistical modeling in health, insurance and road safety."
• Dr. Aline Talhouk: "Dr. Talhouk developed algorithms to estimate the relationship between data measurements to improve the understanding of how they simultaneously change under different conditions. Modelling the heart rate of patients under anesthesia and modelling the daily return of stocks in a financial portfolio are examples of ways these algorithms can be used."

Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology)

• Dr. Gwylim Seaton Blackburn: "Dr. Blackburn studied jumping spiders in order to explore the evolution of new species. He found that natural selection promotes the evolution of distinct mating displays among closely related populations, even when gene exchange between populations is high. This work shows that, in sexual species, mating displays may help initiate speciation."
• Dr. Catalina Reyes: "Dr. Reyes studied the chemo-receptors in amphibians and reptiles that sense changes in the level of oxygen in the blood. Cardiovascular and respiratory changes triggered by these chemo-receptors ensure an adequate oxygen supply to the tissues. Her study broadens our understanding of the evolution of chemo-sensing in vertebrates."
• Dr. Heather Marie Kharouba: "Dr. Kharouba showed that historical records can be used to study the influence of temperature on the timing of animal and plant life cycle events, such as flowering. The timing of these events was sensitive to temperature and differed among interacting species. These findings will be helpful in predicting how species will respond to climate change."