Convocation November 2017

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership and Policy)

• Dr. Virginia Marie Rego: "As educators we are asked to know ourselves in order to teach. Dr. Rego used a narrative approach to write her story of being a student and a teacher with mental illness. Her research is an invitation and a pedagogical tool for new teachers to look at their own stories and histories as they develop their educational practice."

Doctor of Musical Arts (Voice)

• Dr. Stephanie Eiko Nakagawa: "Canadian opera has often been overlooked due to lack of access. To remedy this, Dr. Nakagawa created an anthology of arias from operas by Canadian composers and writers. Her work will increase exposure to Canadian opera for both performers and audiences, resulting in better recognition, appreciation and understanding of this genre."

Doctor of Philosophy (Anthropology)

• Dr. Huma Mohibullah: "Dr. Mohibullah examined how legacies of the 9/11 attacks, particularly Islamophobia, affected the senses of self and place of Muslims living in New York City. Her research linked questions of citizenship, identity, place and affect, and challenged the misconceptions that Muslims are monolithic and that Islam is an inherently violent belief system."

Doctor of Philosophy (Applied Animal Biology)

• Dr. Jesse Andrew Robbins: "Dr. Robbins examined attitudes towards contentious animal welfare issues. He also experimentally explored how ordinary people understand the concept of animal welfare. His research highlights the vital role social science and philosophy play in the debate about farm animal welfare."

Doctor of Philosophy (Asian Studies)

• Dr. Clayton Howard Ashton: "Dr. Ashton studied new historical texts to examine how theories of human psychology were used to design early political institutions. He demonstrated a correlation between the rise of China's first empire and the rituals that affect people's emotions. This research changes our understanding of early political and religious history."

Doctor of Philosophy (Astronomy)

• Dr. Hideki Tanimura: "Dr. Tanimura revealed missing gas and plasma in the universe, which was expected to exist, but not yet observed. His findings help us to understand the entire structure of the universe as well as the evolution of the universe along the time continuum."

Doctor of Philosophy (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

• Dr. Desmond Ka Wing Lau: "The interplay between ETS transcription factors and DNA is tightly regulated to maintain our normal daily life, and misregulation often leads to disease such as prostate cancer. Dr. Lau investigated the mechanism that regulates the activity of ETS factors. He also worked to develop new molecules that inhibit ETS-DNA interaction."

Doctor of Philosophy (Bioinformatics)

• Dr. Fong Chun Chan: "Dr. Chan studied how tumours from lymphoma patients evolved over time under treatment. He identified markers of treatment resistance that can be used towards the design of future diagnostic tests. His work exemplifies the application of genomics in precision medicine."
• Dr. Wenqiang Shi: "Dr. Shi created computer methods that identify which DNA sequence alterations impact the on/off switches for gene activity. This research will help us understand how each person's DNA increases or decreases the risk for health problems."
• Dr. Hamid Mohamadi: "Dr. Mohamadi designed and developed a collection of novel algorithms and software tools for the analysis of massive bioinformatics data. Theses algorithms and software tools are publicly available for free to facilitate research at health and life sciences laboratories and other organizations worldwide."

Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)

• Dr. Navid Shirzad: "Dr. Lambert-Shirzad studied arm motion coordination in healthy and post-stroke populations. He created a mathematical model to show how a stroke alters healthy motion coordination patterns. This model provides a better understanding of impairment post-stroke and will aid in the design of more efficient therapies for people with stroke."
• Dr. Arezoo Abdolla Bidshahri: "Dr. Bidshahri completed her PhD in Biomedical Engineering. During her PhD, she developed a powerful cancer genetic test that can detect any possible mutation at a cancer hotspot. This test is now being used at the BC Cancer Agency to ensure that colorectal cancer patients are receiving the appropriate treatment."
• Dr. Bulmaro Adolfo Valdes Benavides: "Dr. Valdés studied how robots and motion-tracking technology improve therapy effectiveness for people post-stroke. Through realtime force and visual feedback, findings showed reduced undesirable trunk compensation during upper-limb exercise. His results support the idea of using technology for the rehabilitation of people with stroke."

Doctor of Philosophy (Botany)

• Dr. Sishuo Wang: "Dr. Wang studied the evolution of non-coding RNAs and duplicated genes in plants. He found the rapid evolution of non-coding RNAs and their distinct features from proteins in evolution. This knowledge will provide important clues to further functional studies of plant genomes."

Doctor of Philosophy (Cell and Developmental Biology)

• Dr. Ursula Hope Neumann: "Aside from insulin, the hormones leptin and glucagon also play a role in controlling blood sugar levels. Dr. Neumann examined the effects of leptin therapy and glucagon suppression therapy in various models of diabetes. Her work revealed potential benefits and limitations of these therapies for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes."
• Dr. Jiangyuan Gao: "Dr. Gao studied what causes retinal cells to die in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an important eye disease. He found that a protein complex, called the inflammasome, is responsible for molecular interactions between inflammation and cell death pathways. His discoveries will aid in the development of new therapies to stop blindness in AMD."
• Dr. Anna Marie D'souza: "Dr. D'souza examined the role of the hormone leptin on body weight and blood glucose levels. She assessed the role of leptin signalling on insulin secretion and the significance of insulin levels when leptin is absent. These studies have further expanded our knowledge of leptin function in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes."

Doctor of Philosophy (Chemical and Biological Engineering)

• Dr. Winton Hoy Kay Li: "Dr. Li developed a novel method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a combination of existing fuel cell technologies and a special catalyst that facilitates hydrogen peroxide generation. This method can be powered either with Hydrogen/oxygen as fuel source or electricity. His work can be applied to remote communities where on-site water treatment agents are needed."
• Dr. Sonia Rahmani: "Dr. Rahmani investigated and provided a detailed understanding of the various forces and molecular interactions involved in removing natural organic matter from different water sources by ion exchange resins. This study leads to better practices of ion exchange technology in water treatment facilities for an efficient organic matter removal."
• Dr. Zhaoyang Yuan: "Dr. Yuan tackled a longstanding problem of understanding the evolution of acid during hydrolysis of xylan and successfully posed a mathematical model, with experimental evidence, to explain this behavior. Dr. Yuan also developed a bio-refinery concept for implementing bamboo into the kraft pulping process to produce dissolving pulp and ethanol."
• Dr. Dimitrios Vavlekas: "Dr. Vavlekas studied the polytetrafluoroethylene paste extrusion, to explain the role of structure formation on the Poissons ratio of final products such as stents and other implants. He used a model to simulate the transient tensile results. This work increases our understanding of potential treatments for atrial fibrillation or esophageal diseases."
• Dr. Salma Falah Toosi: "Dr. Falah-Toosi studied superhydrophobic polymeric surfaces and their antibacterial activities as potential application to medical sciences. Superhydrophobic surfaces have the ability to hold air pockets in their surface in contact with liquids and remain extraordinarily clean of fouling in highly bacteria-rich systems."

Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)

• Dr. Seyed Hessam Moosavi Mehr: "Dr. Mehr looked at the dynamic nature of atomic connectivity and electron distribution in a family of organic compounds. He showed that the insights gained can be used to design new compounds with unusual and potentially useful properties."
• Dr. Fraser Pick: "Taking inspiration from poly-iron cofactors found in nature, Dr. Pick synthesized poly-iron coordination complexes and studied their reactivity. He discovered a system that cleaves a nitrogen nitrogen double bond. This work offers insight into what a potential iron-based catalyst for nitrogen functionalization might look like."
• Dr. Narges Hadjesfandiari: "Platelets are a highly valued blood product but their storage is limited to 1 week. Dr. Hadjesfandiari has developed a polymer coating for platelet bags to minimize unwanted effects of bag material on platelets. A decrease in platelet and bacterial adhesion on the coated bags has the potential to improve quality and safety of platelet transfusion."
• Dr. Addison Nole Desnoyer: "Dr. Desnoyer studied the fundamental reactivity of late transition metal complexes. He examined how metals like nickel and rhodium interact with other molecules to either make or break chemical bonds. His work will be used to develop new, more efficient methods to make more complex products from simple, abundant starting materials."
• Dr. Katherine Anne Cochrane: "Dr. Cochrane examined the relationship between structural and electronic properties of materials used for organic photovoltaics on the single molecule level with scanning probe microscopy. This work results in information that can lead to development of more efficient solar cell devices."
• Dr. Benjamin Charles Loosley: "Dr. Loosley studied organic chemistry. His work investigated the synthesis of complex molecules with potential as cancer pharmaceuticals. This work could ultimately result in new ways to treat various types of cancer."
• Dr. Benjamin Rawe: "Dr. Rawe developed new methods to synthesize phosphorus-containing polymers. He discovered a new class of chemically active polymer that has changing fluorescence properties when exposed to oxygen or gold ions. His research provides evidence that phosphorus-containing polymers may be useful materials to detect specific analytes in low concentrations."
• Dr. Antoine Blanc: "Tumors, within the endocrine system, are difficult to detect as well as treat. Dr. Blanc developed a novel method producing unique bioactive peptides. This process paves the way for improved therapeutics and imaging agents, particularly against aggressive and lethal cancers."
• Dr. Love-Ese Chile: "Despite their negative image, plastics are still critical to modern life. Dr. Chile investigated how modifications to bio-plastics can impact material properties, with the aim of increasing their widespread use. Her work provides insight into the feasibility of developing bio-derived and biodegradeable plastics to replace synthetic plastics."
• Dr. Najmeh Tavassoli: "Dr. Tavassoli developed novel data mining methods to study a range of complex materials, from pulp samples to cancer cells. This work has applications in many industries, particularly benefiting pulp makers as the unique combination of techniques offers insights to improve the accuracy of predicting product properties of the variety of raw materials."
• Dr. Nicholas Mitchell Hein: "Dr. Hein developed a new class of asymmetric ancillary ligand scaffolds for the synthesis of base-metal complexes. Low-coordinate species were isolated and used for small-molecule activation and catalysis. This research was an exploration into chemical space and will have useful impacts in future catalyst development."
• Dr. Mitchell Robert Perry: "The doctoral studies of Dr. Perry focused on the development of environmentally friendly catalysts to generate amines. These nitrogen containing molecules could be efficiently transformed into new plastics with tunable properties."
• Dr. Nikita Jain: "Dr. Jain studied synthetic organic chemistry. She investigated naphthols, an important chemical intermediate used to make many other compounds. Her findings advance our overall understanding of chemical synthesis."

Doctor of Philosophy (Civil Engineering)

• Dr. Joerg Winter: "Dr. Winter studied Nanofiltration, a technology that can treat drinking water from polluted sources in a single step. His research identified optimal design and operating conditions that make this advanced technology economically attractive."
• Dr. Hasan Burak Cavka: "Dr. Cavka studied the digital representation of physical spaces. He developed a framework to characterize alignment between organizational constructs, and designed a methodology to deploy and evaluate building information modeling requirements. His work contributes to the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a variety of public works."
• Dr. Saeid Allahdadian: "Dr. Allahdadian studied building structures and their irregularities. He developed and validated several theories and methods to detect the existence and location of damage to bridges and towers. His work not only helps in assuring the safety of these structures, but also greatly minimizes their maintenance cost."
• Dr. Mina Shahbazi: "Dr. Shahbazi has developed a numerical tool to predict the evolution of critical damage modes in composite materials. This virtual testing framework can replace physical testing and will reduce associated costs. Her novel methodology will be applied to advanced aerospace structures and automotive components."
• Dr. Sina Amini Niaki: "Dr. Amini Niaki studied computational mechanics and structural analysis. He developed a multi-phase, integrated model to simulate the processing of composite materials. His work will provide engineers and researchers in the composite manufacturing industry with a fast, convenient, and accurate simulation tool."

Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)

• Dr. Samad Kardan: "Dr. Kardan proposed a framework for adding personalized support to educational tools such as interactive computer simulations. It relies on user data and data mining to automatically provide hints to students when they need them. Experimental evaluations show that this framework can make the existing educational tools significantly more effective."
• Dr. Jake Taylor Wires: "Dr. Wires investigated software techniques for efficiently processing very large data sets. As part of his research, he built a high-performance storage system that dynamically optimizes how hardware resources are allocated as workload requirements evolve. His work reduces the time and money required to perform data-intensive analysis tasks."
• Dr. Gerwin Damberg: "Dr. Damberg studied brightness perception in cinema and found that we need intensities up to 20 times or higher compared to today's movie projectors for realistic looking images. He developed a new technology to efficiently achieve these intensities and commercialized it in a local start-up. He recently sold to the world's largest cinema projector maker."
• Dr. Monir Hajiaghayi: "Dr. Hajiaghayi studied bioinformatics, which combines computer science and statistics to interpret biological systems. She investigated RNA/DNA structure prediction, RNA/DNA folding pathways, and chemical reaction networks. Her work helps us to more efficiently compute and analyze complex functions using interacting molecules."
• Dr. Xinxin Zhang: "Dr. Zhang's dissertation concerns computer graphics. He has developed novel numerical schemes that allow for restoring vorticity in fluid flow. Xinxin's work uses modern particle methods to solve large-scale problems with high speed. The resulting models provide realistic simulations that are rich in detail and are faithful to the physical properties of the fluid."
• Dr. Todd Douglas Keeler: "Dr. Keeler studied fast methods for integral equations applied to problems in fluid animation. The resulting surface-only methods implicitly handled infinite boundaries such as the ocean's depth. He also studied compressing the resulting surface data for use in real-time applications such as virtual reality and computer games."
• Dr. Md. Enamul Hoque Prince: "Dr. Prince studied the integration of language processing with visualization techniques in asynchronous conversations. Findings revealed that language processing identifies topics and opinions, while visualization techniques provide overviews of the data. This work highlights the benefits of adding visualization techniques in supporting web-based conversations."

Doctor of Philosophy (Counselling Psychology)

• Dr. Enza Maria Patrizia Tavormina: "Dr. Tavormina completed her research in Counselling Psychology. Her research comprised a qualitative micro-analysis of the process of attunement, disruption and repair in the therapist/client dyad. Her study filled in a significant gap in the literature, informed existing theory on affect regulation, attachment, and the change process in therapy."
• Dr. Kirsten Elsa Maier: "Dr. Maier studied the experience of therapists when providing counselling about the human journey of spiritual development. The results show how spiritual counselling looks for an enlivening thread in life and fits with counselling theory. Her research contributes to knowledge for psychologists about working competently with spirituality in clinical practice."
• Dr. Maria Timm: "Dr. Timm studied building online rapport with suicidal clients. She found that counsellors with rapport interacted in a genuine, often informal manner. In chats without rapport, clients perceived the chats as scripted, robotic, and circular. The results suggest that traditional counselling techniques may require revision in an online environment."

Doctor of Philosophy (Curriculum Studies)

• Dr. Thompson Mumuni: "Dr. Mumuni studied teacher practices in kindergarten classrooms, in Ghana. His findings revealed that teaching practices were developmentally appropriate, making learning meaningful through contextually relevant language of instruction, age-and culturally-appropriate learning materials, and the use of storytelling, traditional songs and traditional rhymes."
• Dr. Yu-Ling Lee: "Dr. Lee studied how religion and spirituality matter in the consumer use, design, and engineering of media and technology. His research showcases how educators, makers, and hackers, articulate networks of theological values alongside technological creations, practices, and personal ways of being."

Doctor of Philosophy (Economics)

• Dr. Jonathan Lewis Graves: "Dr. Graves studied the economic interactions between consumers and firms in both established and emerging markets. His research highlights the sophisticated motivations behind features of the economy we observe every day, such as sales at a grocery store or entrepreneurs pitching new projects."
• Dr. Timea Laura Molnar: "Dr. Molnar's research areas are in family economics, education and health, with a focus on disadvantaged members of our society. Her work helps us understand parents' time allocation behavior at home, how delayed school entry fosters child development, and Medicare's impact on how much private insurers pay physicians in the US healthcare system."
• Dr. Anujit Chakraborty: "Dr. Chakraborty investigated decision making under conditions of risk, uncertainty and temporal delay. Instead of studying each of these behaviors in isolation, he provides a more comprehensive theory of human behavior by studying the interplay of uncertainty and time as influencing factors in different environments."
• Dr. Jutong Pan: "Dr. Pan developed a new method for measuring consumption allocations within households. He applied this method to study household behaviors in situations where members' income fluctuates. His research highlights the importance of taking bargaining between couples into the analysis of how couples insure themselves against income risks."

Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Studies)

• Dr. Patrick Mdelwa Radebe: "Dr. Radebe examined the perceptions of Afrocentric education and Toronto Afrocentric Alternative Schools by Black parents. Findings shed light on how parents perceive the role of race, culture and history in education, particularly with respect to academic performance. This work will improve educational policies and practices in Afrocentric education."
• Dr. Jennifer Tong: "Dr. Tong studied schooling of BC students with behaviour disorders and mental illness. Enrolling in non-standard schools, repeating grades, frequent school changes and being Aboriginal were strong predictors that these students would not complete high school. This work informs policy and practice on a critical problem in British Columbia schools."
• Dr. Kapil Dev Regmi: "Dr. Regmi examined how educational policy agendas recommended by the World Bank have influenced lifelong learning policies of Least Developed Countries such as Nepal. He found that the World Bank has promoted a neoliberal understanding of lifelong learning that has almost no potential in addressing the multifarious problems faced by these countries."
• Dr. Yao Xiao: "Dr. Xiao studied the political emotion of pride through activists, artists, and educators of various Chinese heritages in Greater Vancouver. Discovering the power of pride in grassroots mobilization and public representation, his study has brought new depth to intellectual activism, identity politics, and cross-cultural learning."
• Dr. Sharon Stein: "Dr. Stein examined the colonial roots of the ethical and political challenges that arise in contemporary higher education internationalization efforts, and traced how these colonial roots shape contrasting ideas of global justice in this work."
• Dr. Ashley Michelle Pullman: "Dr. Pullman studied forms of inequality connected to educational outcomes in Canada. She examined the connection between education and employment, well-being, and values in ways that implicate social policy. Her research provides greater insight into how education functions as a mechanism of stratification in Canadian society."

Doctor of Philosophy (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

• Dr. Mohammad Beikahmadi: "Dr. Beikahmadi studied solid-state radiation detectors, devices that measure the level of an ion charge. He developed a methodology for designing low-power and low-noise readout circuits of these detectors. His work has broad application in several areas including the field of gamma ray and x-ray spectrometry."
• Dr. Sima Valizadeh: "Dr. Valizadeh completed her doctoral studies in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She studied video compression algorithms for 2D and 3D videos. Her work focused on improving compression efficiency of the latest video coding standard. Her research enables better video quality compared to the previous state-of-the art methods."
• Dr. Rowshan Rahmanian: "Sun is the energy source of nature. But unlike our high-tech solar cells, the solar devices of nature (leaves!) use flexible materials, wet processes and low temperatures. Dr. Rahmanian has developed flexible leaf-like materials and room-temperature wet deposition for solar cells that are cheap, light weight and can be integrated into our clothing."
• Dr. Nasim Arianpoo: "Dr. Arianpoo studied the transfer of data over wireless networks. She demonstrated how the use of machine learning can significantly improve the performance of data transport in multi hop wireless networks. The proposed dynamic approach is one step closer to unlocking the great potential of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence in our day-to-day life."
• Dr. Parmida Beigi: "Accurate needle placement is crucial for the success of interventional procedures. Dr. Beigi proposed a methodology to improve needle localization in ultrasound using signal processing, time-series analytics and machine learning. She demonstrated that motion pattern analysis can be used to detect & track an otherwise invisible needle in ultrasound."
• Dr. Farid Molazem Tabrizi: "Dr. Molazem developed intrusion detection techniques to improve security of IoT, or Internet-of-Things. These systems are used in critical settings such as smart grids, and medical devices. Yet, it is difficult to make them secure as they are resource-constrained. This research proposes new ways to protect IoT devices against software attacks."
• Dr. Naveen Mysore Balasubramanya: "Dr. Mysore Balasubramanya proposed novel, cost-effective enhancements to the power saving mechanism currently adopted by the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. The proposed solutions address battery operated Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices, especially those in low network coverage and result in improved energy efficiency, thus increasing their battery life."
• Dr. Zeqin Lu: "Dr. Lu developed high-performance data switches based on integrated optics technology. His research demonstrated that integrated optical switches can provide low-cost, high-speed, and high-capacity data switching service for next generation optical communication networks. This work will help to meet the rapid growth of data traffic."
• Dr. Shahab Bahrami: "Dr. Bahrami studied energy management programs to reduce cost and increase reliability in power grids. He designed algorithms to match power generation levels to residential energy demands and data centers in distribution networks. His work will help balance peak electricity demands with consumer use."
• Dr. Hao Ma: "Dr. Ma completed his studies in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering with a focus on data communication. He developed several signal processing designs to improve the performance of visible light communication in indoor environments. His work provides insight for designing next-generation wireless communication systems."
• Dr. Liang Zou: "The world is full of mixtures of unobserved source signals. Dr. Zou's doctoral studies focused on recovering the underlying source signals from a limited number of observations. His proposed methods can be utilized in a wide class of physiological signals for artifact removal and for better interpretations of these signals."
• Dr. Emanuel Serban: "Dr. Serban created advanced solar power converters. His contribution includes higher efficiency, better stability, and improved safety for the next generation solar and energy storage power systems."

Doctor of Philosophy (English)

• Dr. Jasmine Rachael Spencer: "Dr. Spencer created a framework which expands the concept of deixis to analyze Dene/Athabaskan poetics in dual-language textualized orature, focussing on the epistemological power of animals within these texts to consider the concept of "narrative revitalization," which she defines as cognate to and coeval with community practices of language revitalization."

Doctor of Philosophy (Experimental Medicine)

• Dr. Ling Guan: "Dr. Guan studied the effect of the autonomic nervous system and individual stress profile in predicting ischemic stroke after an initial transient ischemic attack. She developed a novel predictive tool for use in emergency and other clinical settings to help physicians identify the high-risk patients and provide personalized medical care for them."
• Dr. Erin Michelle Macri: "Knee osteoarthritis, or OA, is prevalent and disabling, and for many, OA begins behind the knee cap. Dr. Macri studied knee alignment using MRI. Results showed knee caps are malaligned in knee cap OA, and are more malaligned when standing compared to laying supine. Results will inform the development of effective strategies for treating knee OA."
• Dr. Bernard Clement Lo: "Dr. Lo studied the cellular components of tissue fibrosis - a chronic and degenerative disease with limited treatment options. His work identified inflammatory and vascular factors, which can be modulated to potentially promote repair processes. These findings offer an avenue for therapeutic intervention in fibrotic diseases."
• Dr. Mir Kaber Mosavian Pour: "Dr. Mosavianpour demonstrated that social and experiential collaborative learning enhanced the quality of individual patient care and led to quality improvement in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. This work highlights the importance of continuous collaborative, sociocultural learning supported by scaffolding in our health care system."
• Dr. Christopher Trevor Daniel Dickman: "Dr. Dickman examined the serum of individuals with oral cancer to detect molecules that could be used in an early diagnosis test. He also found that similar molecules are secreted from cancer cells to alter the tissue around them to promote tumor growth. His work will have significant impact on oral cancer diagnosis and treatment."
• Dr. Mir Sohail Fazeli: "Dr. Fazeli showed that children with Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction (BBD) have significantly weaker overall Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activity compared to healthy children. He also proposed a new method for eliminating symptoms of BBD. This research illuminates the important role of the ANS when investigating the cause and management of children with BBD."
• Dr. Ganive Bhinder: "Dr. Bhinder studied the dynamic changes occurring in the intestine during newborn development and in response to food poisoning. She found that signalling within the intestinal lining and resident bacteria were critical to achieve optimal health in her models. These findings provide new insights into promoting the health of vulnerable populations."
• Dr. Kriti Singh: "Dr. Singh developed novel anti breast cancer therapeutics that bind to a new region on the estrogen receptor. These drug candidates are able to outsmart the cancer and overcome mutation driven drug resistance problem. Dr. Singh's results may have important clinical applications in terms of prolonging the life span of breast cancer patients."
• Dr. Christopher Robin Joseph Laver: "Dr. Laver studied stem cell treatments for retinal degenerative diseases. He developed a cell-based therapeutic approach for regenerating co-dependent layers of the retina. His work will have significant impact on treatment for patients that suffer from advanced retinal degeneration."
• Dr. Mario Fidanza: "Dr. Fidanza studied how immune responses to common infections, primarily those occurring early in life, can be protective against leukemia development. This work provides meaningful insight into the natural history of childhood leukemia and helps explain a number of long standing epidemiological associations."
• Dr. Kyla Anne McKay: "Dr. McKay studied the epidemiology and impact of psychiatric disorders in multiple sclerosis."

Doctor of Philosophy (Forestry)

• Dr. Rene Reyes: "Dr. Reyes examined the influence of markets and culture on the use of native forests in Chile. This research helps us to understand how forests are used and why, in the context of a complex socioecological system."
• Dr. Kahlil Baker: "In response to the common underperformance of smallholder afforestation programs, Dr. Baker developed a novel theory to explain how smallholder farmers make their forestland-use decisions in two regions of Nicaragua. His research provides a basis for improving the design of smallholder afforestation programs for many regions of the world."
• Dr. Ian Robert MacLachlan: "Trees are rooted to the spot and evolutionarily adapted to local climates. Dr. MacLachlan found that tree breeding programs increase tree growth and maintain climatic adaptation, without compromising provincial reforestation policies designed to mitigate the effects of climate change, and they help to maintain future timber supplies in western Canada."
• Dr. Greg James Rickbeil: "Dr. Rickbeil assessed how changing environmental conditions are affecting barren ground caribou habitat use and movement in the Canadian Arctic."
• Dr. Maria Fernanda Tomaselli: "Dr. Tomaselli explored different mental models and attitudes about economic growth and the environment among Canadians. A majority of the sampled population supports moving into an economic model based on lower levels of consumption. This research supports the development of political discourses less focused on economic growth as a main goal."
• Dr. Jingbo Shi: "Dr. Shi completed her doctoral studies in the field of wood physics. She focused on water behavior inside the wood cell walls and used water molecules to unlock the cell wall structures. Her findings contribute to a better understanding of water sorption in wood and cell wall nanostructure and subsequent application to wood products in service."
• Dr. Xiaoyue Zhang: "Dr. Zhang evaluated the seismic performance of a novel mass timber-steel hybrid high-rise system. This research serves as a precursor for developing design guidelines for tall wood-hybrid building systems in seismic regions, and providing appropriate information to increase the acceptance and use of this mass-timber steel hybrid high-rise structural concept."
• Dr. Rui Zhai: "Wood and plants release inhibitors that prevent enzymes from breaking them down into valuable chemicals. Dr. Zhai developed a feasible way to eliminate these inhibitors and boost the function of enzymes. This work showed how a likely industrial bioconversion process could be enhanced."
• Dr. Adam Michael Erickson: "Dr. Erickson researched the effects of warming and human activity on forests in Alberta. He found that human activity changed forest fires in a way that may slow tree migrations while reducing understory light. His work was the first to combine dynamic vegetation modeling and machine learning, which may broadly benefit earth systems modeling."
• Dr. Shalom Daniel Addo-Danso: "The extent to which tropical forests change after the harvesting of trees is not clear. Dr. Addo-Danso's research showed that the forest structure, biomass and productivity in a tropical forest in Ghana recovered to pre-harvesting levels 54 years after the trees were cut. His findings have important implications for the management of tropical forests."
• Dr. Monika A Gorzelak: "Dr. Gorzelak studied belowground communication through mycorrhizal (or fungal) networks between Douglas-fir trees. She demonstrated that communication signals were preferentially transferred between genetically related, or kin Douglas-fir seedlings. This work suggests that trees may be able to recognize and respond to kin."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geography)

• Dr. Emily Rosenman: "Dr. Rosenman studied social finance, a form of investing that tries to generate benefits for society alongside private profits. She found that social finance depends on public subsidies, but gives investors more control over the governance of anti-poverty services. The study illustrates some of the limitations of market-based poverty solutions."
• Dr. Derek Walter van der Kamp: "Fires play an important role in forests. Dr. van der Kamp examined how fuel moisture changes across a forested landscape due to variations in terrain and forest cover. By applying a novel model for simulating fuel moisture, he found that knowing how forest cover changes is important when predicting patterns in fuel moisture."
• Dr. Caroline Sage Ponder: "Dr. Ponder studied the causality of municipal bankruptcy in the United States. She found that majority-minority urban areas experience higher rates of bankruptcy while causes are linked to costly repairs on ageing infrastructure. Her research contributes to understandings of how sustainability efforts, austerity governance, and finance intersect."
• Dr. Bradley Maguire: "Imagine your favorite place. Can you describe your thoughts and feelings about that place to someone else? Dr. Maguire's research examined how to create detailed 3D maps of places using a geographic information system. For the first time, we can see place attachment, and can combine and analyze the maps for groups, elevating the study of place."
• Dr. May Leanne Farrales: "Dr. Farrales studied the sexualities of Filipino and Filipinas in Canada through two of the three so-called B's of Filipino culture: basketball and beauty pageants. She explained how the Philippines and Canada's colonial conditions influence how they express their sexualities, affecting how they envision themselves as workers and citizens."
• Dr. Craig Andrew Jones: "Dr. Jones examined the involvement of military lawyers in U.S. and Israeli lethal targeting operations. His findings reveal that law does not minimise military violence; rather law enables, legitimises and sometimes even extends violence. His work contributes to our understanding of the relationship between law, violence and military operations in the 21st century."
• Dr. Shawn Michael Chartrand: "Dr. Chartrand studied how riverbed shapes form along mountain streams. Using experiments, he found that their formation is determined by how channel width and velocity change moving downstream, which he captured with a mathematical model. This knowledge will aid in the design of river restoration projects that seek to improve conditions for salmon."
• Dr. Genevieve Parente: "Dr. Parente examined emerging forms of governance in the Russian and American Arctic, particularly the role of transnational natural resource corporations. Her project helps us understand how decision-making practices shape policy outcomes."
• Dr. Noemie Boulanger-Lapointe: "Dr. Boulanger-Lapointe examined the cultural and ecological importance of berries across Inuit territories in Canada. She showed that the species are widespread and abundant, benefiting both humans and animals. Her findings also showed that the quality and accessibility of berry patches are negatively affected by climate change, pollution and community development."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geological Engineering)

• Dr. Jordan Balfour Aaron: "Dr. Aaron developed new techniques to understand the mechanisms governing flow-like landslides, as well as methodologies to predict their motion. This research has resulted in practical tools that can be used to protect society from certain landslide hazards."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geological Sciences)

• Dr. Lauren Nicole Harrison: "Dr. Harrison studied the elemental and isotopic composition of volcanoes along the 2300 km Northwest Hawaiian Ridge. She integrated those results with the entire 5800 km-long chain, and showed the chemistry varies temporally. This implies that the deep mantle contains distinct reservoirs sampled episodically by the moving Hawaiian plume."

Doctor of Philosophy (Geophysics)

• Dr. Haneet Wason: "Dr. Wason studied the acquisition and processing of seismic data. She designed simultaneous-source acquisitions that provide flexibility for better survey-area coverage and speedup acquisition, and developed processing techniques to address the challenge of source separation. This work will help improve survey efficiency and accuracy while reducing cost."
• Dr. Rajiv Kumar: "Dr. Kumar developed a faster and scalable algorithm for large-scale seismic data processing. His work demonstrated the possibility of avoiding the conventional practices of seismic data processing in the Oil and Gas industry and resulted in a novel formulation that provides efficient ways to extract information from large-scale seismic data."
• Dr. Felix Onovughe Oghenekohwo: "To monitor time-lapse changes that occur in the earth subsurface, current practice requires difficult-to-repeat seismic surveys. Dr. Oghenekohwo proposed a new, fast, and cheaper method practitioners can adopt to monitor these changes without having to repeat the surveys. His method will have a significant impact in the field of data acquisition."
• Dr. Luz Angelica Caudillo Mata: "Dr. Caudillo-Mata developed mathematical solutions to reduce the computing cost of simulating geophysical electromagnetic responses. Such simulations are used to detect mineral, groundwater and hydrocarbon deposits. This study will help create more powerful computer modelling tools that enable geoscientists to tackle larger and more complex problems."

Doctor of Philosophy (Hispanic Studies)

• Dr. Sara Jenny Barnard: "Dr. Barnard studied connections between prisons and culture in contemporary Spain. Her research explored how cultural texts and practices changed understanding of the penitentiary system and suggested alternatives to punishment. Linking prisons, belonging, movement, and borders, she illuminates a central challenge facing today's Spain."

Doctor of Philosophy (History)

• Dr. Maria Grazia Petrucci: "Dr. Petrucci studied Japanese piracy in southern Japan from the early 16th century. She determined that Kyushu pirates contributed to the economic integration of Kyushu within regional trade and that their absorption into local militia groups facilitated the political integration of Kyushu under the Tokugawa regime."
• Dr. Brandon Cody Davis: "Dr. Davis' study uncovers the procedures and policies governing the military's acquisition and ongoing control of vast tracts of national territory in Canada and the United States. In examining how emergency war powers and land use practices took hold and were given permanent spatial arrangements, this study provides a critical overview into origins and functions of North American defense lands."
• Dr. Matt Galway: "Dr. Galway examined how radical intellectuals in the developing world engaged with Mao Zedong Thought and how they became Communists as responses to crises in their homelands. His research explored how outside ideas are received and adapted to both respond to and cope with the intense pressures of economic, industrial, and political modernization."
• Dr. Sebastian Huebel: "Dr. Huebel examined the identity of Jewish men in Nazi Germany through the lens of gender. His findings show how the Nazis tried to emasculate Jewish men by ways of propaganda, law and violence and how Jewish men's self-understanding of their own identity changed. This work helps us better understand the consequences of gender roles and discrimination."

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

• Dr. Suvaporn Phasuk: "Dr. Phasuk studied labor migration in Thailand. Her research found that while wages played a key role, raising the price of agricultural products to compensate for increased wages lured a surplus of workers that eventually reduced farm worker's wage rates. This research enriches our understanding of migration and informs labor market policy."
• Dr. Katarzyna Pankowska: "Dr. Pankowska researched the role of terroir and VQA certification in pricing and sales of BC made wines. Her results show that terroir has limited importance in wine pricing. She also proved that VQA certification positively influences the volume of wine sales, but it doesn't impact wine pricing."
• Dr. Christopher Patrick Hergesheimer: "Dr. Hergesheimer examined small-scale farmer participation in international fair trade banana and mango supply chains in Haiti and Ecuador. His work explores practical mergers between market-based approaches, such as fair trade, and more radical approaches such as food sovereignty. His work informs policy for more equitable, sustainable and participatory international trading arrangements."

Doctor of Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Oncology)

• Dr. Catherine Enfield: "Dr. Enfield developed new methods to identify cancer genes. She discovered a set of genes that enable lung tumours to become aggressive. Her research has led to the identification of new drug targets for stopping tumour growth and metastasis."
• Dr. Gemma Marie Dias: "Traditional production of radiometals for cancer imaging requires the use of a cyclotron with a solid target system that may not be available in all clinical cyclotron centres. Dr. Dias explored the feasibility of producing radiometals with a liquid target on a clinical cyclotron and sufficiently produced, purified and radiolabeled antibodies and peptides for preclinical cancer imaging."
• Dr. Svetlana Bortnik: "Cancer cells use various mechanisms to resist treatment; one of them is called "autophagy", or "self-eating". Dr. Bortnik studied autophagy in breast cancer and showed that targeting this pathway in specific disease subtypes can sensitize cancer cells to therapy. Her research advances our understanding of the biology and treatment of breast cancer."
• Dr. Ling-I Olivia Tseng: "Dr. Tseng examined bone health in women who had been treated for breast cancer. She showed that some breast cancer therapies are associated with higher fracture risk, and examined the effect of educational materials discussing bone scans, exercise, and calcium intake, on bone health in these women."

Doctor of Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Studies)

• Dr. Jennifer Mary Selman: "Dr. Selman examined the lasting impact of the compassion of strangers. She describes how it broadens perspectives of strangers, builds gratitude, and positively alters one's sense of self. She presents her work as an a/r/tographer, an innovative means of demonstrating the value of addressing and appreciating the role of compassion in our lives."

Doctor of Philosophy (Kinesiology)

• Dr. Catherine Marie Mills: "Dr. Mills investigated the tensions former high-performance figure skaters experienced in their training and competition. She used narrative inquiry to help collect and report participant's stories. Her findings support the need for critical conversations about the normalizing conditions in figure skating and their cost on participant well-being."
• Dr. Erica Valerie Bennett: "Dr. Bennett explored how women cope with age-related changes to body function, health, and appearance. Women were accepting yet critical of their bodies, felt fear, shame, and guilt in relation to body decline, and used activity and healthy diet to maintain body function and health. The findings advance our understanding of later life body image."
• Dr. Desmond McEwan: "Dr. McEwan examined teamwork in sports. His research contributions included providing a theoretical model and definition of teamwork, developing a questionnaire of teamwork, and creating a teamwork training program that sports teams can utilize. Together, his work has opened up a new line of research in the field of sport psychology."

Doctor of Philosophy (Language and Literacy Education)

• Dr. Tomoyo Otani: "Dr. Otani studied a Japanese university's writing centre, and examined how it was established and how it used imported pedagogical ideas in tutoring sessions. Her study connected the mechanism of policy borrowing to internationalization, revealing conflicts with local disciplinary practices and learning needs for Japanese and English academic writing."
• Dr. Abby Ryann Wener: "Dr. Wener examined her experiences as a facilitator at a creative writing organization for 'at-risk' young women. Using poetic inquiry, her findings reveal a need to get rid of the notions of 'fixing' and 'reforming' and speak to the problematic 'at-risk' label. This work sheds light on how poetry can be used to expand and work to change stigmas, policy, and pedagogy."

Doctor of Philosophy (Law)

• Dr. Maggie Juan Li: "Dr. Li examined the Chinese migrant construction workers' values, ideas, opinions, and attitudes with regard to the general legal system in China, especially with respect to labour dispute resolution, and trade unions. This study explores how traditional local values in China still play a dominant role in the migrant workers' daily lives."
• Dr. Gerardo Juan Munarriz: "Dr. Munarriz studied the opposition and resistance of Indigenous communities in Peru to extractive projects that affect their lands, health and life. He examined the central role of law in the dispossession of Indigenous lands by multinational corporations, as well as in the increasing criminalization and repression of affected communities."
• Dr. Fernando Villasenor Rodriguez: "Dr. Villase"

Doctor of Philosophy (Library, Archival and Information Studies)

• Dr. Colleen Victoria Addison: "Dr. Addison examined the avoidance of health information in people with health concerns. She showed that limiting methods, such as filtering and delegating, were particularly common in cases where people felt fear, disinterest, or distrust. Her work will contribute to our understanding of how we manage and experience health issues."

Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Engineering)

• Dr. Kamyar Gordnian: "Dr. Gordnian developed mathematical models to simulate the behaviour of polymer composite materials during manufacturing. The proposed methodology is a promising tool for industries, such as aerospace, to better understand the effects of process parameters, and minimize the production risks and costs."
• Dr. Li-Ting Lin: "Dr. Lin conducted research on carbon nanofibre made from a low cost and bio-renewable lignin material. He applied different methods to improve the mechanical properties and developed electrodes for energy storage devices. His research provides guidance to tailor the performance of lignin carbon nanofibre for structural and functional applications."
• Dr. Benjamin Rutter Lawrence: "Dr. Lawrence developed a method for creating amorphous iron-carbon films for use in the strengthening of steel sheet and investigated the crystallization of these films. His work provides new insights into the crystallization of amorphous iron-carbon, specifically how this process is affected by carbon content and annealing temperature."
• Dr. Abhijit Arun Pandhari: "Dr. Pandhari developed a model to predict the formation of cracks in refractory materials, used as lining in metallurgical reactors. He also developed a novel experimental technique to test refractories on a laboratory scale. This technique could be used to avoid frequent shut-downs of the reactors, thus increasing the efficiency of manufacturing."
• Dr. James David Kay: "Dr. Kay's work has established a scientific understanding of how gasses flow during the production of composite materials. This understanding will help engineers to create processes that can produce high quality composite parts at reduced costs compared to current methods."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)

• Dr. Brett Thomas Kolesnik: "Dr. Kolesnik analyzed two aspects of random spaces. He studied geodesics, or shortest paths, in a random fractal surface called the Brownian map, which is related to quantum gravity from theoretical physics. He also studied conditions in random networks which allow for the existence of a small part that can influence the whole network."
• Dr. Qingsan Zhu: "Dr. Zhu studied branching random walks. He introduced novel concepts and developed a comprehensive analysis of critical branching random walks by building an analogy with classical results on random walks. His work contributes to our understanding of branching random walks."
• Dr. Dimitrios Roxanas: "Dr. Roxanas studied evolution Partial Differential Equations, focusing on the Nonlinear Heat Equation and the Harmonic Map Heat Flow. He investigated conditions under which the solutions exist for all times, and studied their asymptotic behaviour."
• Dr. Matthew Preston Coles: "Dr. Coles studied the nonlinear Schr"
• Dr. Thomas Mark Hutchcroft: "Dr. Hutchcroft studied the connection between the geometry of a space and the behavior of random processes on that space."
• Dr. Bernardo Villarreal-Herrera: "Dr. Villarreal-Herrera used algebraic tools to understand geometric objects such as shapes and graphs, or in general, abstract spaces. He focused primarily in the space of commuting elements of a Lie group. This object expands classical concepts in algebraic topology, such as vector bundles and their characteristic classes."
• Dr. Benjamin Wallace: "Dr. Wallace computed universal critical exponents for phase transitions in models of ferromagnets and linear polymers."
• Dr. Curt Leonildo Da Silva: "Dr. Da Silva developed algorithms and software systems for solving large-scale inverse problems. His work helps to reduce the impact of missing data on solving these problems, leading to more robust and cost-effective data-acquisition methods."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering)

• Dr. AJung Moon: "Dr. Moon designed robots to move in communicative ways so they can better coordinate their actions with people. She developed a way for robots to hesitate in human-inspired ways when they encounter conflicts with people. Her work demonstrates that robots can be designed to negotiate with people in an intuitive, efficient, and safe manner."
• Dr. Mohammad Rezayi Khoshdarregi: "Dr. Khoshdarregi developed physics-based mathematical models for threading oil pipes. His models help improve the productivity and accuracy of the threading operation and minimize rupture of oil pipes in offshore and land-based oil transportation."
• Dr. Ehsan Zaman: "Dr. Zaman studied the numerical modelling of swirling turbulent flows of water encountered in a variety of natural and engineering phenomena including in hydrocyclones. He proposed a novel criterion to help analyze such flows. His work provides a foundation to reduce the computational cost of numerical modelling of swirling flows"
• Dr. Lili Meng: "Dr. Meng developed new methods for image-based learning for mobile robot localization, achieving state-of-the-art performance. She also developed an integrated software and hardware framework for autonomous navigation of mobile robots in uneven and unstructured environments and demonstrated the system through real-world experiments."
• Dr. Min Xia: "Dr. Xia developed a systematic approach to apply machine health monitoring in design optimization of mechatronic systems. He improved the approaches of machine health monitoring with deep learning methods. The research enhances continuous and on demand design improvement of mechatronic systems."
• Dr. Jimin Joy: "Dr. Joy studied geometry modeling for the mathematical description of the shape of machining workpieces. He also studied machining simulation to cut these workpieces in a virtual environment. His research has lead to a more accurate and efficient method that enables fast and accurate process verification for complex multi-axis milling operations."

Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Genetics)

• Dr. Carol Chia-Lu Chen: "Using DNA sequencing-based strategies, Dr. Chen showed that histone phosphorylation was far more prevalent than previously thought in mammalian cells. These experiments are consistent with a role for this conserved epigenetic mark in bookmarking regions of the genome for gene expression and replication."
• Dr. Christopher Kay: "Dr. Kay revealed the frequency of the Huntington disease mutation in our population and described new genetic variations in the surrounding gene. He showed that sets of variations, called haplotypes, are associated with the Huntington disease mutation around the world, offering therapeutic targets for silencing the gene in the majority of patients."
• Dr. Alexandre Andre Lussier: "Dr. Lussier studied the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on epigenetic mechanisms using basic and clinical models. In addition to identifying new effects of alcohol in the developing brain, he also found an epigenetic signature that could be used to screen children at risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder for early interventions."

Doctor of Philosophy (Microbiology and Immunology)

• Dr. Kelli Christine Wuerth: "Dr. Wuerth examined the use of small proteins, called peptides, as alternatives to antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections. Her research showed encouraging results for using a peptide to prevent or treat lung infections caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa."
• Dr. Sally Shang Ming Lee-Sayer: "Dr. Lee-Sayer studied how interaction with the environment influences the function of blood cells. Specifically, she investigated the ability to interact with hyaluronan. This work has highlighted the importance of hyaluronan in regulating the development and function of blood cells."

Doctor of Philosophy (Mining Engineering)

• Dr. Debra Mary Stokes: "Dr. Stokes investigated how First Nations could benefit from LNG projects in northern B.C., while mitigating any negative impacts. Study results showed that initiatives for education, training, employment, good governance, social historical barriers, environmental protection and other supports are needed to ensure long-term sustainability."
• Dr. Sanaz Moghadam Zadeh: "Dr. Moghadam-zadeh studied mineral process engineering. She developed a test procedure to evaluate the advantages of high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR), an application for extracting precious compounds. This test procedure will replace conventional techniques with energy-efficient methods in the early stages of industrial project studies."
• Dr. Nastaran Arianpoo: "Dr. Arianpoo studied the contribution of energy projects to the sustainable development of their host communities. With a focus on geothermal power projects, she designed a sustainable development framework and maturity model. Her work will help industry to implement appropriate sustainable development strategies resulting in good neighbour projects."
• Dr. Jocelynn Ruth Fraser: "Mining makes a significant contribution to society, but can adversely impact the environment and the lives of people living in regions where mining occurs. Dr. Fraser's research demonstrated how the use of an economic theory to create shared value could reduce mining-community conflict and advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals."

Doctor of Philosophy (Neuroscience)

• Dr. Juelu Wang: "Dr. Wang studied the molecular mechanisms underlying selective neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Her work indicates two genes, SDC3 and FGFRL1, could be potential targets to alleviate neuronal death in these two disorders."
• Dr. Paul Daniel Metzak: "Dr. Metzak examined the changes in brain structure and function in schizophrenia patients while performing an attentional biasing task. He found that patients exhibited inefficient patterns of activity as task difficulty increased. This work contributes to our understanding of disease related brain changes in schizophrenia."
• Dr. Peggy Lee Assinck: "Dr. Assinck examined the efficacy of cell transplantation after spinal cord injury in rodents. She further examined the role of endogenous cells and their contribution to myelination after injury. This work is important for the rational development of strategies to promote recovery after spinal cord injury."
• Dr. Jacqueline-Marie Ferland: "Dr. Ferland's research investigated the importance of decision making in addiction. She found that rats who naturally made poor choices were more sensitive to cocaine and showed enhanced risky decision making after a drug experience. Her work may help to inform therapies for addiction, and will hopefully reduce stigma around the condition."
• Dr. Andrea Kathleen Globa: "Dr. Globa's work has demonstrated that drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, impact how brain cells communicate with one another at specialized points of contact called 'synapses'. Her work specifically shows that synaptic connections must be malleable or 'plastic' to promote behaviours associated with addiction in mice."
• Dr. Aarthi Raksha Gobinath: "Dr. Gobinath examined pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in a postpartum depression model. She found that exercise and the drug, fluoxetine, functioned differently in mothers, and male offspring were more sensitive to drug exposure. This research emphasizes the importance of investigating postpartum interventions."
• Dr. Conny Hsin-Cheng Lin: "Dr. Lin developed new ways to study behaviors influenced by alcohol. She found alcohol disturbed normal responses to stimuli, and that different genes modulated sub-components of responses. She also found tolerance to the effects of alcohol involves enzymes that control gene expression levels."

Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing)

• Dr. Lillian Mei Kuen Hung: "Dr. Hung studied the impact that the physical and social environment has on people with dementia. She developed a Team Engagement Action Model (TEAM) to bring patients, families, and a team of staff across disciplines together to make positive change in acute care. Her work offers practical strategies for improving dementia care in hospitals."

Doctor of Philosophy (Oceanography)

• Dr. Jan Felix Finke: "Dr. Finke investigated the abundance and genetic diversity of marine viruses. He also studied the composition of viral communities and how the dynamics of viral replication is affected by in situ environmental conditions."
• Dr. Anna Magdalena Posacka: "Dr. Posacka examined the biogeochemical cycle of copper in the ocean. Her research identified major processes that influence copper concentrations in the Northeast Pacific and highlighted the importance of copper nutrition in marine bacteria. This work provides insights into how copper regulates biological processes in the ocean."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)

• Dr. Kyle Aaron Burrows: "Dr. Burrows identified and characterized a vitamin A responsive transcription factor expressed in immune cells of the intestine and uncovered its role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease."
• Dr. Sarah Melonie Fernando: "Dr. Fernando investigated the role of extracellular vesicles in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. Her findings revealed that specific vesicle populations are capable of transmitting protein misfolding to recipient cells. This research provides novel evidence for the role of extracellular vesicles in human ALS disease."
• Dr. Ye Qiu: "Dr. Qiu studied the interplay of heart cells and coxsackievirus B3, a virus causing lethal heart diseases. He clarified the modulation and role of two cardiac proteins in supporting viral survival. His research advances our understanding of viral infection in the heart and provides potential drug targets for the treatment of infectious heart diseases."
• Dr. Rolinda Louise Raphaelle Carter: "Blood clots affect millions of people every day. Through her research, Dr. Carter identified a novel mechanism by which new generation anticoagulants enhance the breakdown of clots. Her findings are of particular interest in the treatment of thrombosis."
• Dr. Christa Klein-Bosgoed: "Dr. Klein-Bosgoed studied protein synthesis in anucleate blood platelets. She investigated a technology based on UV light and vitamin B2 that is designed to kill potential pathogens in blood products. Her findings will lead to the advancement of blood safety in transfusion medicine."
• Dr. Anja Mottok: "Dr. Mottok characterized gene mutations that are frequent in blood cancers and she found that they play an important role in the interaction of cancer cells with normal immune cells. These findings improve our understanding of how cancer cells avoid immune attacks and will inform on how new drugs can lead to better outcomes for lymphoma patients."
• Dr. Hani Bagheri: "Dr. Bagheri studied genetic causes of human prenatal and postnatal developmental abnormalities. Using multiple approaches including bioinformatics, patient cell and transgenic zebrafish analysis, he identified three new genes for developmental disorders. His study represents a blueprint for future genetic studies of abnormal human development."
• Dr. Ahmad Fawzi Arbaeen: "Dr. Arbaeen studied the effectiveness of platelet concentrates in blood transfusions. He investigated the ability of platelet activation and clot formation in a manner that more closely models these same processes in the bloodstream. This work furthers our understanding of blood product functionality and will improve the quality of blood transfusions."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

• Dr. Ying Gong: "Dr. Gong studied Rho-kinase, an enzyme involved in regulating the shape and movement of cells. She studied its effectiveness for the treatment of diabetic cardiovascular disease, different cancers, HIV, as well as inhibitors of protein for the treatment of cancer. Her work advances our understanding of disease at the molecular level."
• Dr. Amy Pei-Ling Chiu: "Dr. Chiu studied the changes in cardiac metabolism during diabetes. Her findings revealed that during the onset of diabetes the heart switches from using fats and sugars for energy to use only fats, a switch that eventually leads to heart disease. Her research assists in identifying ways to treat or prevent diabetes-related heart disease."
• Dr. Jose Carlos Lopez De La Vega: "Dr. De La Vega's research revolved around rhenium, a silverish heavy metal and the last detected element. He formulated it into a diagnostic X-ray imaging agent, and, in radioactive form, into a therapeutic agent for liver cancer therapy. His work established the foundations for expanding rhenium's use in medical imaging and nuclear medicine."
• Dr. Mohamed Wehbe: "Dr. Wehbe developed a method to form insoluble copper complexes inside lipid nanoparticles. This method allowed for the preclinical testing of copper-based therapeutics to treat blood, brain and ovarian cancers. His findings will aid in the design and development of future anti-cancer copper-based medicines."

Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacology)

• Dr. Robin Yongkyu Kim: "Dr. Kim studied the mechanisms of an emerging class of therapeutics used for the treatment of epilepsy. His research revealed critical molecular interactions between a drug named retigabine (RETI GABINE] and potassium channel proteins in the brain. These novel findings will contribute to the development of more effective therapies in the future."
• Dr. Zhe Cui: "Dr. Cui investigated the mechanisms underlying the progression of aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome - a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. He developed novel analyses of elastin that could lead to an early diagnostic method of the disease. His ultrasound studies strongly support potential use of doxycycline for prevention of Marfan-linked aneurysm."
• Dr. Stephanie Leigh Sellers: "Dr. Sellers studied the vascular biology of Marfan syndrome with a focus on understanding how current therapies work and finding new potential drug targets. Her work helps to better understand Marfan syndrome and provide the basis upon which to design new treatments for patients in the future."
• Dr. Emmanuel Twumasi Osei: "Dr. Osei assessed cell communication within the airways of asthmatic and COPD patients. His work showed the importance of Interleukin-1 alpha in the mediation of inflammation and fibrosis. This work increases our knowledge in chronic inflammation and remodelling that occurs in asthma and COPD, and provides avenues for new therapeutic research."
• Dr. Logan Campbell Macdonald: "The human ether-"

Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophy)

• Dr. Jiwon Byun: "Dr. Byun examined the philosophical origin of agnosticism by analyzing underappreciated works of the inventor of the word "agnostic." Thomas Huxley, also known as "Darwin's bulldog," proposed agnosticism as a guide to knowledge. This research shows that it is not a passive, wishy-washy stance, but a constructive, confident position on evidence."

Doctor of Philosophy (Physics)

• Dr. Matthew Gignac: "Dr. Gignac performed two searches for particles predicted by Supersymmetry using proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector. Findings showed no evidence for Supersymmetric particles. In addition, he studied next generation detectors that will be used to continue searches for new physics with the ATLAS detector."
• Dr. Ellen Natalie Schelew: "Dr. Schelew designed a photonic integrated circuit in a silicon microchip with potential applications in information processing. She developed a novel protocol for extracting all relevant information about the circuits' optical response. The results of this work will help guide future designs of circuit components used to process optical signals."
• Dr. Shirin Sabouri: "Dr. Sabouri's doctoral studies focused on the development and evaluation of a new magnetic resonance imaging technique for diagnosis of prostate cancer. The proposed technique provides higher accuracy than the conventional clinical protocols, and can be incorporated into clinical settings to improve the screening and monitoring of prostate cancer."
• Dr. Zheng Shi: "In recognition of his accomplishment, we are pleased to congratulate Dr. Zheng on the completion of his doctoral program in Physics."
• Dr. Ali Khademi: "Dr. Khademi studied the effect of depositing metal atoms on a sheet of graphene, the first known two-dimensional material. His research advanced our understanding of interactions between graphene and atoms laying on it. He also found an experimental solution to an outstanding inconsistency between predictions and experiments in this field."
• Dr. Tilman Jochen Troester: "Dr. Troester studied dark matter by combining measurements of gravitational lensing with other cosmological probes. The measurements provided new insights into the nature of dark matter and its relationship with ordinary matter on cosmological scales, informing the analyses of upcoming, large-scale cosmology experiments."
• Dr. Markus Jan Schulz-Weiling: "Dr. Schulz-Weiling studied the evolution of plasma near the exotic regime of Coulomb coupling. He found unexpected system behaviour in the arrest of energy redistribution channels for uncharacteristic durations, suggesting new physics."
• Dr. Alexandre Vincart-Emard: "Dr. Vincart-Emard simulated black hole dynamics to address fundamental questions related to superconductivity, entanglement propagation, and spacetime instabilities in higher-dimensional settings. Findings revealed unexpected physical consequences that may impact the solid state and gravitational physics communities alike."

Doctor of Philosophy (Plant Science)

• Dr. Li Ma: "Dr. Ma investigated eco-physiology of effects of red/far-red light ratio on tomato and common weeds. Her research improves our understanding of how red/far-red ratio modifies plant growth, which affects plant-plant interactions. This understanding will help in management of agro-ecosystems to minimize crop losses due to weeds."
• Dr. Syed Benazir Alam: "Dr. Alam studied the infection process of plant viruses. She examined and clarified the mechanism underlying two essential aspects of the viral infection cycle - virion assembly and disassembly. Her work furthers our understanding of how plant viruses establish infection, how new viruses form, and virus disease control."
• Dr. Siddhartha Biswas: "Dr. Biswas studied the molecular mechanisms by which virus particles escape infected cells. Utilizing insect viruses, he discovered novel methods by which virus particles interact with host proteins to enable the rapid escape from infected cells. This information is critical for understanding virus pathology and disease spread."

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)

• Dr. Daniel Jesse Westlake: "Dr. Westlake studied the impact of political parties on multicultural policy adoption. He showed that the positions of both government and opposition parties matter, and that parties are responsive to competing pressures from ethnic minorities and far-right parties."
• Dr. Edana Beauvais: "Dr. Beauvais studied the importance of talking for democratic politics, and the problem of inequality. Her work revealed that women participate in in political talk at lower rates than men, and have less influence than men when they speak. Her research clarified how inequality can undermine discursive political participation."
• Dr. Andrea Dominique Nuesser: "Dr. Nuesser asked whether parties follow voters in adjusting policies to popular demand or whether voters base their own opinions on the positions of the party they prefer for other, non-policy reasons. She found that voters routinely follow the party, not the other way around. These results point to a major democratic deficit."
• Dr. Justin Alger: "Dr. Alger studied the political reasons behind the creation of large marine protected areas. He devised an original framework for understanding global norm diffusion, grounded in domestic political economies. His work increases our understanding of the interplay between governments, environmental groups and industry interests in marine conservation."

Doctor of Philosophy (Population and Public Health)

• Dr. Barbara Joanna Pakula: "Dr. Pakula's research provided the first national estimates for mental health disorders among gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual Canadians. Her analysis revealed sexual minorities face a disproportionate mental health burden, linked to stress and isolation. Her research is informing the elimination of mental health disparities."
• Dr. Amy Lee Hall: "Shift work is common in our society but also affects health. Dr. Hall investigated ways to improve the measurement of shift work, for better research on worker health. She demonstrated that current methods can be enhanced by measuring light at night, using detailed definitions of exposure, and examining shift work policies and practices."
• Dr. Samantha Taylor Pollard: "Dr. Pollard investigated the role of a shared approach to decision making within the context of asthma treatment. The results of her work support the use of individualized care plans for asthma patients as well as the involvement of a multidisciplinary team throughout the treatment decision-making process."
• Dr. Rachel Margaret McKay: "Antibiotic use drives the global problem of antibiotic resistance. Dr. McKay studied physician practice patterns related to antibiotic use, and found wide variation in practice. Her research draws attention to the nature of interventions to improve the responsible use of antibiotics, with the goal of preserving their usefulness."

Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)

• Dr. Natalie Viola Miller: "Dr. Miller studied the relationship between patterns in a child's visual attention and how well they get along with others. She found that children who were faster to perceive angry expressions also were more likely to be aggressive. This research increases our understanding of attention and will inform programs targeting social wellbeing."
• Dr. Matt Luke Dixon: "Dr. Dixon used functional magnetic resonance imaging (or fMRI) to explore the neurobiological basis of attention. This research provides new insights about the effect of time and context on how different brain networks interact."
• Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Victor: "Dr. Victor examined the causes of negative emotions in people who self-injure, including the contributions of stressful experiences, biased attention, cognitive interpretations, and emotional reactivity. She found that some of these causes were more important than others, which has applications for improving treatments for self-injury."
• Dr. Karen Wei Auyeung: "Dr. Auyeung investigated the relationship between social anxiety, social exclusion, and empathy. Socially anxious individuals were more accurate at empathizing with others' negative emotions, but were less likely to engage in positive social behaviours. Her research has important implications for treatment of social anxiety."
• Dr. Heather Lea Woodworth Morton: "Dr. Morton investigated the impact of novelty on sexual desire and sexual satisfaction in men and women in committed relationships. This research has important implications for couple therapy and self-help resources aimed at benefiting couples in long-term relationships who want to enhance their sexual desire and satisfaction."
• Dr. Ashley Victoria Whillans: "Dr. Whillans examined the relationship between time, money, and subjective well-being. Using large scale surveys and experiments, she found that choosing time over money, both in daily and major life decisions, promotes greater happiness."
• Dr. Grace Ai Truong: "Dr. Truong studied how object-person relationships, such as ownership, influence memory and attention. She demonstrated that the psychological effects of ownership on attention to objects are revealed and sometimes changed when the scope of the self is expanded to include action, motivational significance, and continuity of self-relevance over time."
• Dr. Melanie Tremblay: "Dr. Tremblay studied the mechanism by which the anti-Parkinsonian drug ropinirole induces impulse control disorders. Her studies with rats demonstrated the involvement of a specific neural dopaminergic pathway and intracellular signaling cascade. Her findings may help develop strategies to mitigate these effects while preserving benefits this drug provides."
• Dr. Janel Lynn Fergusson: "Dr. Fergusson researched the cognitive mechanisms involved in the timing of everyday activities, such as steeping a cup of tea or cooking an egg. These intervals had previously received very little attention in the timing literature. Her research demonstrates that these intervals appear to be reconstructed based on our memory for the events that have occurred."
• Dr. David Kenneth Williamson: "Dr. Williamson demonstrated that a variety of maternal characteristics (e.g., mental health, feelings towards children) are related to parenting stress and are associated with feeling ineffective as a parent. This helps us better understand the experience of parenting and helps to guide our treatment approach when working with children and their mothers."
• Dr. Conor Steckler: "Dr. Steckler examined how people make moral judgments - that is, how they decide whether something is right or wrong. He found evidence that moral judgments are in part generated by intuitive processes and may not depend on linguistic reasoning."

Doctor of Philosophy (Rehabilitation Sciences)

• Dr. Katie Patricia Wadden: "Dr. Wadden studied an individual's ability to re-learn motor skills following a stroke. She discovered the importance of the health of brain connections to determine an individual's capacity for motor learning post-stroke. This knowledge will encourage the delivery of individualized motor rehabilitation interventions to improve the effectiveness of treatments on motor recovery in people with stroke."
• Dr. Katlyn Brown: "Dr. Brown studied how sensory information from the environment can be used to inform movement. Her findings demonstrate that healthy aging and stroke change the neurophysiological processes underpinning this relationship. Her findings also suggest that interventions may be able to target this process to improve motor outcomes in these populations."
• Dr. Carmen Aurelia Sima: "Dr. Sima studied ischemic heart disease risk factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She found that exercise training reduces arterial stiffness, but does not impact the resting heart rate. Her findings contribute to the field of pulmonary rehabilitation."

Doctor of Philosophy (Reproductive and Developmental Sciences)

• Dr. Lesley Ann Hill: "Dr. Hill studied the plasma protein CBG, which is responsible for transporting the stress hormone cortisol. She investigated the impact of DNA variations on CBG protein function, laying the foundation for further clinical investigations. Furthermore, her research revealed that CBG plays a vital role in mediating our bodies' response to inflammation."
• Dr. Ugochinyere Vivian Ukah: "Dr. Ukah assessed the validity of the fullPIERS model, a clinical risk prediction model, for women admitted with pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and showed that it can be used to guide effective management of such women to prevent maternal complications."

Doctor of Philosophy (Resources, Environment and Sustainability)

• Dr. Jason Minton Brown: "Dr. Brown demonstrated that Catholic monks living in the American West blend biblical motifs, religious symbols and environmental discourse into their experience of place and landscape. This research shows that religious and environmental discourses are relationally attached to and molded by experience with land."

Doctor of Philosophy (School Psychology)

• Dr. Marita Helmi Partanen: "Dr. Partanen examined the outcomes of reading intervention programs in school. Results showed that students who completed an intensive reading program had increased reading skills over time, and there were changes in brain function but not brain structure. These studies help to increase our understanding of reading impairments and its treatment."
• Dr. Ekaterina Jitlina: "Dr. Jitlina studied the development of anxiety in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She examined the measurement properties of an anxiety rating scale and examined what early childhood factors predict elevated anxiety in later childhood."

Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work)

• Dr. Kathryn Margaret Murray: "What is meant when we promote the idea of development? Dr. Murray explored political meanings of "development" in one site of social struggle-a public hearing on building heights in Vancouver's Chinatown. She offers an activist method for unpacking the social, material and historical dynamics through which such clashing public truths are produced."

Doctor of Philosophy (Sociology)

• Dr. Biorn Ivemark: "Dr. Ivemark compared how French Antilleans and West Africans assimilate across two generations in the Paris region. His work not only sheds light on what generates different group outcomes, it also advances our understanding of the importance of race, culture and religion in the integration experiences of different parts of France's Black population."
• Dr. Christine Valerie Hochbaum: "Dr. Hochbaum explored the extent to which child characteristics determine parental disciplinary behaviours. She showed that mothers respond to increasingly socially competent children by rewarding them more and punishing them less. The findings of her study strongly suggest that child characteristics contribute significantly to parenting behaviour."
• Dr. Jennifer Lynn Dengate: "Dr. Dengate studied the maternity leave experiences of Canadian mothers. She found that mothers' jobs were central to both the structure of leave and the transition back to paid employment. This knowledge will aid the development of more responsive federal and workplace family policies to support women's engagement in motherhood and career."

Doctor of Philosophy (Soil Science)

• Dr. Sean Patrick Kearney: "Dr. Kearney used field trials and remote sensing to evaluate environmental impacts of agriculture in El Salvador. He demonstrated that agroforestry provides multiple benefits at the field scale and stores large amounts of carbon across landscapes. He hopes his work will contribute to programs that reward farmers for their stewardship of the land."

Doctor of Philosophy (Statistics)

• Dr. Hongyang Zhang: "Using machine learning techniques, Dr. Zhang developed a method to group high-dimensional cases using hierarchical approaches. He also developed a predictive framework called Regression Phalanxes which selects subsets of features that work well together for prediction. This new framework outperforms current methods in a variety of applications."

Doctor of Philosophy (Theatre)

• Dr. Alexander Ferguson: "Dr. Ferguson studied principles of cognitive neuroscience to better understand how we use our bodies and minds to make sense of our surroundings during a theatre performance. He examined how artists create spatial compositions in which audience members use their physical memories and neural patterns to create meaning and new experiences."

Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology)

• Dr. Jennifer Coyle Selgrath: "Dr. Selgrath quantified how small-scale fisheries shifted from benign to damaging through a growing use of destructive fishing gears and an increasing number of fishers. She demonstrated that past fishing impacted contemporary coral reefs, and identified opportunities for conservation programs to foster sustainable fisheries."
• Dr. Ruth Victoria Sharpe: "Dr. Sharpe used social spider populations to demonstrate that over-sharing of food could result in population extinction. However, using a computer simulation, she showed that rare but random events could increase food available to large colonies, allowing individual spiders to obtain enough food to disperse, thus maintaining the overall population."
• Dr. Taylor Christian Gibbons: "Dr. Gibbons examined the evolution of physiological traits in the threespine stickleback fish using both whole organism and molecular genetic approaches. He explored the roles of salinity and temperature in driving evolutionary divergence during freshwater colonization by this species. His work helps us understand current patterns in fish distribution."
• Dr. Kathryn Michele Anderson: "Dr. Anderson studied the impacts of global change on marine ecosystems. Her research showed that shifts in species interactions in response to environmental change can have as large an impact on local biodiversity as environmental change on its own. Her research sheds light on important leverage points of ecological change and biodiversity loss."
• Dr. G.D. Nadika Gayathri Samarasekera: "Barriers in epithelia block germs and prevent fluid loss. Gliotactin is essential to form these barriers, but too much Gliotactin leads to tumor-like growth and tissue disruption. Dr. Samarasekera identified cellular pathways that are involved in this tissue disruption, increasing our understanding why misregulation of barrier proteins can lead to cancer."
• Dr. Zohreh Sharif Khodaei: "Dr. Sharif Khodaei's work has provided new insight into the fundamental question of how protective barriers are created between cells to block pathogen invasion and fluid loss. She identified a group of proteins that create barriers at the corners of cells and a novel mechanism that controls the levels of the main protein at cell corners."
• Dr. Matthew Ray Siegle: "Dr. Siegle examined how heat waves affect individual energy balance, reproduction, and population growth in an intertidal crustacean. His research identified gaps in bioenergetic models, demonstrating that the effect of transient heat stress on populations is sensitive to time-scale and broader life-history traits."
• Dr. Sara Lynn Northrup: "Dr. Northrup demonstrated how populations of rainbow trout are able to tolerate high pH and how altering hatchery practices can affect this tolerance. This research will aid in the management of rainbow trout and help to sustain an important recreational fishery in the face of environmental change."
• Dr. Matthew Daniel Regan: "Dr. Regan developed an experimental apparatus to precisely measure the metabolism of animals, and used it to examine the metabolic pathways allowing certain fish species to survive long periods of time with little to no oxygen. This research benefits conservation efforts as human activities reduce the O2 levels of the world's aquatic environments."
• Dr. Ting-Chun Kuo: "Focussing on seahorses, Dr. Kuo studied how fisheries and trade of marine fishes changed with international export regulations. Her work helps improve the way we quantify seahorse catch and trade, and helps identify the countries that need more conservation efforts. Her study has implications for the management of sustainable wildlife trade."
• Dr. Alys Granados: "Dr. Granados studied the effects of human activities on plants and animals in a Malaysian Borneo. She showed that the combined threats of logging and hunting could affect tropical forest regeneration and could also affect how animals use the forest."