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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Dr. Donnelly studied filamentous structures called microtubules, which control plant cell shape. She focused on how the organization of microtubules is regulated under stressful environmental conditions. Her results are important for understanding how plants change their growth in response to stress. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Cowin analyzed federal and provincial government policy on both public and private post-secondary education in BC. His research centered on fair access for students, job preparation and marketization. His focus on long term trends across the entire post-secondary system will help policy makers better assess the cumulative implications of their decisions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. McMillan looked at ways to improve 3D imaging of the Earth for natural resource detection and monitoring. He developed new techniques to detect thin metallic ore bodies buried in the ground from airborne electromagnetic data collected with helicopters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Li studied how drug-resistant prostate cancer develops. He found a novel target for this lethal disease and applied a computer-aided system to screen for superior inhibitors of this target. His study provides a potential therapeutic strategy for drug-resistant prostate cancer that may eventually benefit the patient survival. | |
| 2017 | Dr. Brown discovered how malnutrition can affect gut microbes, metabolites and the immune system in the intestine. He used this information to develop the first animal model of an inflammatory disease called environmental enteropathy, which will be used to screen new therapies for reversing malnutrition. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Hyrina investigated the role of key regulators of host lipid metabolism, including microRNAs and proprotein convertases during hepatitis C and dengue virus infections. These studies provide new insights into the complex host-virus interactions, which may be utilized as targets for antiviral development as well as biomarkers of infection. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Patterson challenged modern ideas of games by examining the social significance of parlour games as forms of cultural expression in medieval and early modern England and France. Her research shows the varied methods by which medieval players enjoyed playing games and how the idea of 'game' developed and changed over time. | Doctor of Philosophy in English (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Petryayeva developed an inexpensive and portable smartphone-based platform for molecular diagnostic tests, which can be used to identify and to treat diseases. This platform took advantage of smartphone built-in cameras and light-emitting nanomaterials. Her work may have important applications in point-of-care testing and personalized medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Blood transfusions are an integral component of modern-day healthcare. Dr. Atkins developed an innovative analytical tool to non-invasively determine the quality of stored red blood cells without needing to compromise the sterility of the storage bag. His findings have implications for the management and use of donated blood in medical treatments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (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 | Due to increasingly high demand for Electric Vehicles, Dr. Shafiei studied the problems with DC-DC power converters as battery chargers. He also investigated the application of novel power converters and modulation strategies at various power levels. His work will help improve the efficiency and range of Electric Vehicle battery chargers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Polymer behaves like both solid and liquid in its melt state. Thus, controlling product dimensions in polymer processing applications is challenging and requires thorough understanding of molten polymer. Dr. Konaganti developed a novel mathematical model that can predict the extruded polymer dimensions while accounting for the complex flow phenomena. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Jaung studied certification of forest ecosystem services. His findings show the opportunities and challenges of applying certification to ecosystem services management. His work contributes to analyzing comprehensive management of forest resources. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Christian examined how Indigenous cultural knowledge informs production practices when making films for Fourth World/Indigenous Cinema. Her work highlights the connections between land, story, and cultural protocols. This work will be of interest to social, political, film theorists and policy/decision makers who intersect with Indigenous arts organizations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lyon studied the third age, a life course stage promoted by academic, professional and popular texts consisting of a healthy, prosperous, flexible retirement. Her ethnographic work showed that low-income women from the baby boomer generation interpreted these discourses in distinct ways according to their class, gender, and status. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Chen validated the use of MRI based myelin imaging technique with electron microscopy. His work enhanced our understanding and interpretation of this technique in studying white matter damage following spinal cord injury. He also developed an accelerated version of this technique that has the potential to increase its clinical applicability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Brisson explored identity among plurilingual students in a Francophone school in BC. Her research highlights factors preventing the expression of some linguistic and cultural identities as legitimate and supports current views of identity as dynamic. This work will have important implications for plurilingual learners in regular classrooms. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Pon characterized how mutations in the gene MEF2B may contribute to lymphoma development. She mapped, for the first time, interactions between MEF2B and other genes throughout the genome, including genes involved in cancer development. Her research contributes to our understanding of the regulatory networks altered in cancer development. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. He created a 3D network structure in wood composites by structural modification. Such structural modification significantly improved properties of the composite. This innovative approach will aid product development in the wood composites industry to compete with other advanced composite materials for demanding applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Ali investigated the complex process of Canadian crude oil refining. His study highlighted the role of molecular structure and process conditions on gum formation. These results will help find ways to limit catalyst deactivation by gum formation, a major obstacle in oil sands upgrading, and will improve the proficiency of plants in Canada. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Beausoleil's research addresses how Canada can create a more innovative society. She experimented with UBC's strategic design method to develop a way of teaching the core thinking competencies required to be an innovator and devised a way to measure levels of innovativeness in individuals and organizations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Lau engineered an immunogenic tuberculosis vaccine strain that is highly visible to the host immune system. Her work presents a novel approach to tuberculosis vaccine design and paves the way for eradication of the disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (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. Kolpashnikova studied the gendered division of housework in Canada, paying special attention to changes over time and to the factors explaining women's and men's differential participation in routine and non-routine housework tasks. This research reveals patterns and processes that could propel societal changes toward greater gender equality. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2017 | Dr. Harrower showed how the structure of temperate grassland food webs changed when ecosystems go from wet to dry. His experiments help us understand how climate change events, such as persistent drought, will impact grassland biodiversity and ultimately have an effect on human activities such as ranching. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |