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 | Dr. Granek investigated the application of advanced machine learning algorithms to the field of mineral mapping. In particular his work focused on the development of supervised learning models and artificial neural network algorithms for the exploration of copper-gold porphyry, a type of rock with large crystals found in British Columbia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Using laboratory models, Dr. Toren investigated novel combination treatment strategies against prostate cancer that is resistant to the best current treatments available. His work identified two promising strategies, which subsequently progressed to clinical studies in patients with treatment-resistant prostate cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | One in ten people lack access to safe drinking water. Dr. Rezaei studied the effectiveness of photocatalytic processes on the removal of chemical contamination of water supplies and developed a kinetic model for better understanding photocatalytic reactions. His work will improve our ability to provide small and rural communities with safe drinking water. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Stiemsma studied the intestinal microbiome and identified specific bacteria associated with the development of asthma in children. Her work suggests the microbiome as both an early life marker of asthma and a potential preventive treatment against this disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Liu's doctoral studies focused on further uncovering the underlying causes of chronic myeloid leukemia. He discovered a novel protein complex in the leukemia cells and investigated the functional roles of the protein complex in disease development. His research advances our knowledge and understanding in leukemogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Okawa explored how people in the past created order by overcoming conflicts, using the example of the Buddhist temple of Koyasan in Japan. He argued that the indescribable power of divine beings morphed onto their geography and was the source of order for a regional society before the advent of the early modern state at the turn of the 17th century. | Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Gamal El-Dien studied Quantitative Genomics. She focused on infusing genomic information in White Spruce Tree improvement programs using a novel concept called Genomic Selection. Her research increases our knowledge of how genomics can shorten the breeding cycle of organisms and provides insights into increasing the benefit of such programs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Moscrop asked 'Can we make good political decisions?' and 'How can we make better ones?' His work bridges the gap between political theory and social psychology, and helps us understand how we might change ourselves and our institutions in order to produce rational and autonomous judgments and decisions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Ghasemi's doctoral work focused on the development and monitoring of smart power grids. In his thesis, he proposed mathematical formulations and algorithmic solutions for the integration of renewable energy sources and distributed energy storage systems into modern power systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Adeli studied the conversion of solar energy to clean fuels. He developed novel materials that reported among the highest global artificial photosynthesis efficiencies. His research provides an in-depth understanding of photochemistry and nanotechnology that will contribute significantly to continued development of alternative fuel technologies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Wang studied the networking problems in the Internet of Things, device-to-device, and 5G cellular networks. His work improves the efficiency of the 4G networks for a huge number of users, enables the P2P file sharing in mobile social networks, and increases the aggregate users' experience by considering the diversity of running applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient for healthy growth and brain development, especially during pregnancy and infancy. Dr. Schroder developed a novel method for convenient and minimally invasive diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. This method has been clinically translated and used in newborns here in Vancouver as well as in field studies in Indonesia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Crosby studied 19th century Salish Passion Plays - a public form of live religious theatre. Her findings revealed that local and global news coverage of these plays indicated an overlap with religious and secular practices of First Nations and that Indigenous leaders exploited this media interest and inter-cultural exchange for political benefit. | Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Vidler examined community perceptions of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy through ethnographic studies in Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan and India. She further explored these perceptions using two methods of evidence synthesis. Her work aims to improve detection of these disorders and ultimately reduce maternal and perinatal mortality rates. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Romengo examined the paratexts, work that accompanies a text, of sixteenth century French writer, Marguerite de Navarre. Her analysis brought to light not only the material and historical conditions of their publication, but also the literary and extraliterary stakes involved in the early editions of Marguerite de Navarre's works. | Doctor of Philosophy in French (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Li examined how stories and events emerge and evolve in social stream websites like Twitter. He used a graph-based approach and invented algorithms to extract cohesion, context and evolution patterns from raw social media data. This research enhances our understanding of analyzing patterns and trends in social media networks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Pokrishevsky developed an innovative method for studying protein misfolding and aggregation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He then used it to identify novel pathological mechanisms in ALS which may lead to the generation of new drugs. His studies may also provide a framework for understanding other neurodegenerative diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Afsahi looked at the willingness and capacity of people to discuss cultural and religious values and practices. She designed and tested new and promising methods of facilitation for such conversations. Her research has important implications for both theorists and practitioners interested in finding ways of talking about deeply-divisive issues. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2017 | Neutrino oscillations may hold the key to understanding the fundamental physics laws governing the universe. Dr. Tobayama analyzed the oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos detected at Super-Kamiokande, a large neutrino detector in Japan. The new analysis techniques he developed also benefit other on-going and future measurements at the detector. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Chen's work focused on understanding the role of a protein called HMMR in cancer cell division. She demonstrated that HMMR integrates structural and biochemical pathways to ensure the fidelity of cell division. These findings contribute to a better understanding of cancer cell biology and may assist the design of next-generation anti-tumor drugs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Derakhshandeh worked on improving the processing of various polymers used to fabricate plastic products. He addressed the effect of different molecular structures and processing conditions, making it possible to model and optimize the current polymer processing techniques in order to obtain better quality products such as stronger shopping bags and pipes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Mackie's work focused on how the pronunciation of words changes over generations. Using computer simulation, he showed that simple phonetic misperceptions can influence the total number and type of consonant sounds found in a language. This research contributes more generally to our understanding of how and why human languages change over time. | Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Hejazi developed a comprehensive reactor model, taking into account the kinetic, energy and environmental constraints for a novel process that can capture carbon dioxide, while also converting forest wastes into a useful gas for combustion and synthesis. His research is useful for the design, evaluation and improvement of reactors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Karakochuk examined whether iron deficiency was a major cause of anemia among women of reproductive age in Cambodia. This research is essential for the design and implementation of effective anemia reduction strategies. Her findings helped to reshape the current policy for iron supplementation among women of reproductive age in Cambodia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Gadala examined how modern high-strength, low-alloy pipeline steels corrode and degrade in underground service conditions. He subsequently developed advanced numerical models to simulate pipeline corrosion control and structural integrity. This research enhances the safety and reliability of both existing and future energy pipeline infrastructure. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |