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 | NID |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dr. Contreras investigated claims of a hemispheric asymmetry of power in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), showing some models can be ruled out with the current data, but very sensitive polarization data are required for many others. He also showed that the CMB is consistent with no parity violation at the tightest precision available with current data. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Based on Nuu-chah-nulth principles and personal experiences of teaching Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in higher education, Dr. Smith explored the collisions that occur between different knowledge systems. She notes that while progress is being made, decolonization and reconciliation require more attention and action from educational leaders. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Song studied why individuals with Down syndrome inevitably develop Alzheimer's diseases. She discovered a gene overexpressed in Down syndrome that promotes neurodegeneration and supresses neurogenesis. This work provides insights for the development of potential interventions to treat Alzheimer's in Down syndrome by targeting the USP25 gene. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2018 | Soils play a crucial, but often under-estimated, role in the water cycle. Dr. Roa-García analyzed the properties of common soils in the Colombian Andes, and found that nano-particle size minerals increase the ability of these soils to hold and release water. This knowledge informs management practices to optimize water for food and communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science (PhD) |
| 2018 | A longstanding question in the study of language development is how infants understand their first object words. Dr. Campbell found evidence that infants as young as six months have a capacity to learn words with individual scope and words with categorical scope. Her findings reveal a previously undocumented richness in early word comprehension. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Dzal's research focused on the physiological responses of mammals in extreme environments. Looking at newborns and adult mammals, she showed that hibernation may have evolved via retention of newborn traits. Her comparative studies enhance our understanding of the adaptations that permit animals to live in extreme environments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Deeg discovered and characterized several unusual pathogens that infect and kill aquatic microbes: an abundant giant virus and a highly reduced bacteria that infect eukaryotic plankton and a vampire-like bacterial predator of bacteria. His work revealed evolutionary innovations that allow these remarkable pathogens to exploit their hosts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Iron is a critical nutritional requirement for bacteria to establish infection. Dr. Verstraete investigated how the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus produces molecules to steal iron from the host. Her work demonstrates the ability of this pathogen to cause disease and opens new avenues for the development of diagnostics and therapies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Elleouet studied spruce populations in Alaska to understand how expanding forests evolve in a changing climate. She found that the trees' long time to maturity and the capacity to disperse pollen across large distances might help these forests keep a healthy level of genetic diversity. She also explored the use of genomic data to infer past demographic changes in natural tree populations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Rabayrol studied the formation of gold deposits in Anatolia in Turkey. He showed the genetic relationship between the Arabian continental collision, mantle flow, magmatism and gold mineralization. His research provides the mining industry with a new exploration model in Anatolia, and insights into metallogeny in collisional tectonic domains. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Chattaraj explored the effect of long-range hopping in dynamics of interacting particles. His research developed a method for efficient calculation of two-particle Green's functions in higher dimensional lattices and graph structures such as binary trees. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Former U.S. President Bush once said, "The world is addicted to oil". To address this, Dr. Zhong examined the possibility of making bioethanol from sustainably sourced wood residues as an alternative to oil for transport. Her research advances the industrialization of lignocellulosic bioethanol production. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Bass studied the fate of upstream migrating adult Pacific salmon that encounter fishing nets but escape or are released. He found that some net types cause higher mortality than others and that biological factors may have a large impact on survival. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Aijazi examined how people have flourished following natural disasters in the mountainscapes of Northern Pakistan and Kashmir. He highlights the diverse ways his participants sustain themselves despite conditions of violence. He reveals that lived and felt experience are sites of knowledge, and theory is not just about seeing, but also feeling. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Teichert examined digital literacy practices of children in their homes before and after kindergarten entry. She found children moved fluidly between digital and non-digital activities during play, but that parents had concerns about their children's use of digital devices and preferred that their children engage in non-digital activities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Lin investigated neural communication between brain regions and how these neuronal connections are related to cognitive performance in Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. The research strengthens our understanding of disease effects in neurological diseases and provides insights to treatment development for cognitive impairments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Murcia studied how corporate social responsibility practices affect companies' strategic decisions. She found that socially responsible companies outsource value chain activities significantly less. In addition, socially responsible practices improve employee relations, which through knowledge retention, lead to product innovation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Kreynes studied how specific cell signalling mechanisms impact a plant's ability to produce flavonoid antioxidants in order to improve our understanding and yield of beneficial phytochemicals. Flavonoids help plants cope with stress, and are components in medicinal plants that can help us treat diseases and live longer healthier lives. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Chan worked on developing ways to enhance the natural function of platelets by loading them with potential drugs, such as clotting factors. These modified platelets may improve the effectiveness of platelet transfusions during uncontrolled bleeding, and platelets loaded with other drugs may also be useful in treating diseases such as cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Mehrbod studied how teams work together using state of the art 3D and 4D-modelling technologies during building design. He formalized the coordination processes, identified bottlenecks, and proposed novel design considerations. His results have practical implications for the construction industry, and the software development community. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Houlahan designed, developed, implemented, and evaluated a competency-based program for municipal police recruit training in British Columbia. Recruits trained in this program have a more accurate view of their abilities compared to recruits in a lecture-based program. This program is now standard for municipal police recruit training in BC. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Bedo studied cognitive neuroscience, with a focus on how children's brains develop the ability to read. His research examined how brain networks coordinate to make reading happen and how this differs in kids who struggle with reading. His research offers insights into how reading programs affect brain development and how this training can be improved. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Yu Ko explored the connections between masculinity and radical prostatectomy in the context of men returning to work after being treated for prostate cancer. Findings advance understandings about the processes used by men to secure a graduated return to work post radical prostatectomy and guide the design of gender-sensitive interventions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Sumner demonstrated that promoting cooperation among dairy farmers and veterinarians can identify shared goals and improve communication across their diverse perspectives in improving calf welfare. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Fraser studied electricity use by households in British Columbia, as well as the choice of air versus ocean shipping in international trade. His work helps us find ways to improve the efficient use of energy by understanding how households respond to financial incentives, and through opportunities to ship products by sea instead of by air. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |