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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Coles studied the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which describes various waves in quantum physics, fluid dynamics, and nonlinear optics. His findings revealed several results which characterize the qualitative long time behaviour of these waves. In particular, he found the waves may die out and disperse or form a singularity and explode. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Asian Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Geological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Social Work (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Science (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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 in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2017 | 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. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |