A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Dr. Vent-Schmidt studied an inherited, blinding eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. It has no cure. Her work in animal models showed that knowing the genetic cause of this condition is vital for a class of drugs. Findings suggest that future clinical trials for retinitis pigmentosa should consider genetic testing on patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Hackinen studied how corporations use donations to non-profits as a tool to influence regulators during the notice and comment process for U.S. federal rulemaking. He also developed new tools measuring for political influence using the text of comments submitted to regulators. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Reid showed how glaciation, landslides, and forestry practices impact mountain stream channels and salmon habitat through time and across space. This study helps watershed managers predict effects of land cover changes and water widthdrawals on sensitive fish habitat. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Cuen-Rochin participated in precise measurements of rare pion decays. His analysis of an extensive data set recorded by the PIENU experiment at TRIUMF, and evaluation of experimental systematic effects allowed high precision measurements to be obtained. This work will lead to stringent tests of the Standard Model of particle physics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. LaPierre's community-based research with grade 12 Indigenous students examined their experiences and definitions of success. The study sheds light on Indigenous students' perceptions of success and how to create more suitable learning environments. The results of this study will inform practices in a range of public and Indigenous-led education systems. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Maltesen engaged in a discourse analysis of how policies, perceptions and contexts create conditions for participation in Adult Basic Education at Vancouver Island University. She reveals that power and governmentality, located in welfare regimes and policy structures, bind thought and constrain action. Her findings will impact local practice. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Kar studied how and why millions of rural poor in Asia and Africa continue to use polluting cooking fuels like firewood even after adopting clean fuels like gas. He mapped the fuel transition process and its underlying behavioural determinants. He recommends that policymakers focus on behaviour change interventions for clean fuel adopters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Sommerville researched recent agricultural investment ventures pairing marginalized communities with wealthy investors in Canada and South Africa. She found that the schemes allow investors to benefit from land claims and land reform programs, compromising the benefits offered by such programs to First Nations and black African communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Greer qualitatively examined the work and pay conditions for people who use drugs engaged in harm reduction settings. Her findings point to various economic, social, and political systems that impact these conditions. Her research advances participatory methods that promote equity for marginalized groups engaged in harm reduction work. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Burugu characterized the immune system in the tissues of breast cancer patients. Using conventional and novel techniques, she found the presence of immune cells that can be reactivated to eliminate cancer cells. Her work can inform the prioritization and design of immunotherapy clinical trials for breast cancer patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Lee explored ways to non-invasively stimulate the brain safely to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms. She investigated effects of electrical vestibular stimulation on brain activity and motor behaviours altered in Parkinson's disease. This work provided insights into neural mechanisms behind the effects and brain-behaviour relationships. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Jansen's research analyzed technological features of preservation systems that support the authenticity of digital records. From his findings, he produced a model that can be used by memory institutions to evaluate their digital archives' ability to assess, document and maintain the authenticity of digital records over the long-term. | Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Kwon examined insulin independent ways to lower blood sugar in order to find new therapies for diabetes. She found that the hormone leptin lowers blood sugar by remodeling metabolic pathways in the liver and discovered a small molecule, which mimics leptin. These results indicate that leptin or its mimetic may be a useful therapy for diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Zhang developed new and efficient synthetic technologies using radical reactions for the production of pharmaceutically relevant molecules, which have either fluorine atoms or nitrogen rings. These technologies are able to address some of the long standing challenges that are present in chemical synthesis for drug discovery. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Too much blood clotting is a prevalent cause of death worldwide. Dr. Lin explored common virus infection as a risk factor. He found that a normal clotting protein is incorporated into several viruses and may contribute to heart disease and stroke. Since this clotting factor can enhance infection, new antiviral strategies are on the horizon. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Zacchia studied the production of radioactive material for use in medical scans. Combining knowledge from engineering, chemistry and nuclear physics, he developed new theoretical models to understand radioactivity production. The tools he developed will facilitate new and more efficient medical scans for diagnostics and medical research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Held studied the interaction process between two fundamental particles, the Higgs boson and the top quark. He contributed to the observation of this rare process by analyzing proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector. The measurement experimentally confirms an important prediction by the Standard Model of particle physics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Simard-Duplain examined how divorce influences the labour supply of married women, from the time of marriage to the period following dissolution. She found that divorce impacts women by exacerbating vulnerabilities that already existed during marriage. This research informs how public policy can support people through marital transitions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Leung used applied voltages to deposit chemically modified DNA molecules onto gold surfaces. Using electrochemical fluorescence microscopy, she investigated the effect of the gold surface morphology and other conditions on this process. Her research could be used to optimize DNA biosensors that are to be used as medical diagnostic devices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Fice studied neck muscle activity during simulated car crashes when the volunteers braced or turned their head before impact. He found increased pre-impact muscle activity and altered head motions that help explain these situation's increased neck injury risks. His results will help improve computer models of humans and lead to safer vehicles. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Smith developed a training program facilitated by novel technology, to teach older adults with memory loss to drive powered wheelchairs. Her research explored the skills required for powered wheelchair use and demonstrated that individuals with memory loss are capable of learning to use a powered wheelchair, promoting mobility and independence. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Peters developed mathematical tools and software to merge measurements and prior knowledge to improve the quality of imaging methods. His work focussed on imaging applications in the earth sciences. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Many sites in Canada and elsewhere are contaminated by both aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Dr. Saeedi's doctoral studies improved our understanding of these contaminants' behavior in soil. This research also provided insights into the remediation of real soils contaminated by both aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metal. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Buckler examined physical literacy training programs for early childhood educators. Her findings support the effectiveness of these programs and argue the need to offer training and ongoing support to educators. Her work has implications on early childhood education, training curriculum and professional development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Nigge studied the design of novel quantum phenomena. He used the two-dimensional, atomically thin material of graphene as a platform. His research paves the way towards the on demand engineering of quantum materials. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |