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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dr. Loos investigated sustainable materials for oil spill remediation using gels. This research was conducted in collaboration with a local company, and is now being considered for commercialization. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Starosta's research examined high school teachers responses to exclusionary behavior. Not only did teachers in her study recognize that both identity- and non-identity-based bullying were serious and required intervention, but they also appreciated the need to respond in ways that were supportive and addressed the specific type of bullying. | Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Santos studied how pathogenic E. coli manipulates normal human intestinal cell functions. He found that E. coli modifies important human signalling proteins, allowing it to influence how cells behave throughout an infection. This research provides insight into the mechanisms E. coli uses to survive and thrive during infection. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2023 | P-F-A-S, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as forever chemicals are one of the biggest environmental challenges of the decade. Dr. Banayan Esfahani studied the application and mechanism of photochemical processes in destroying PFAS molecules, providing insight into the better strategies towards treating polluted waters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Hurtado Martinez examined how existing knowledge can be applied to habitat and corridor models and evaluated the importance of forest connectivity for carnivore conservation. This research helps inform the management of carnivores in high biodiversity areas. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Danesh studied thoroughly linear and nonlinear rheological properties of salt-induced gels of cellulose nanocrystals. She also examined stability of zirconia microparticles by using CNC through gelation. Her research produced long-term stable suspensions for bio-based ceramics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Hunter investigated urban youth sustainability leaders' competencies in engaging social innovative solutions to wicked problems. With a focus on self-transformation through values clarification and reflective discourse, she proposes a novel Transformative Sustainability Learning model that advances our understanding of sustainability education. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Wadden examined the bioethical implications of using artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare decision-making, specifically focusing on advanced diagnostic systems. He demonstrated how these systems entail new obligations for clinicians toward their patients and how they may impact a patient's ability to consent to treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Park studied the multifunctionality of food forests and community gardens in Vancouver, Canada. She observed synergies among food and cultural benefits. Three important design and management factors including trees, garden size, and management characterized the multifunctionality. Her study informs the design and management of urban green spaces. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Glass studied stories of human encounters with the divine in ancient Jewish, Christian, and pagan literature, often called epiphanies. This comparative research illustrated shared beliefs in how and why the gods intervened in human life, and contributes to our understanding of intercultural relations in the ancient Mediterranean. | Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Hayes used the high-energy proton collisions of the Large Hadron Collider to study the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle that gives mass to all other particles. Her work contributed to the first observation of a specific process involving the Higgs boson and furthered our understanding of this piece of the Standard Model of particle physics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Philippe identified novel neuronal targets involved in adaptive responses to stress. He subsequently demonstrated these to modulate the serotonin subtype 1A receptor. Finally, he set the stage to study the role, connectivity, and effects of this modulation on health-related risk factors (e.g. metabolism, stress hormone, behaviour). | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Esposito used nuclear imaging techniques to study the pharmacokinetics of native and nano-formulated cationic host defense peptides (CHDPs), naturally occurring compounds that direct kill bacteria and bolster the immune system to better fight infections. Important insights were gained in this work that are expected to help advance the development of CHDPs and their formulations toward clinical use. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2023 | American Indians have the highest rates of early school leaving but are often left out of data. Working with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Dr. Keegahn examines this omission through Indigenous education and data sovereignty. Her research reveals the ongoing erasure of American Indians and ways the Swinomish have sought to address this. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Zhao investigated membrane proteins using a membrane mimetic -- peptidiscs. Results showed peptidiscs enables the enrichment of membrane proteins in a water-soluble environment. The study can be beneficial to cancer biologists to discover novel biomarkers and drug targets and to biochemists to study membrane proteins in a native-like state. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Ignatovich's work challenges Western-centric views on lifelong learning in Russian and Soviet history. It explores education-related terms in Russian discourse and identifies five unique lifelong education models. The findings benefit policymakers, educators, and scholars studying non-Western modernity projects and education models. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Archibald's research focused on non-invasive neurochemical measurement, yielding a normative database for structural, functional, and biochemical measures of the adult human brain. These findings aid disease comparisons and can benefit individuals with neurological disorders, by advancing scientific understanding. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Nosek showed how corporations have leveraged a multi-pronged strategy to simultaneously expand their reach over public discourse on climate change while undermining important checks on influence over discourse, like public protest and government enforcement actions for false and misleading speech. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) |
| 2023 | How do conservation actors make decisions in practice? Dr. Stevens shows that governance of protected areas is changing to reflect new commitments to human rights, collaboration and evidence. Her analyses highlight diverse solutions to the biodiversity crisis, offering policy-relevant insights for more just and effective community-led conservation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Kim introduced a new theory to understand terrestrial evaporation from a land-atmosphere coupling perspective. The proposed theory effectively estimates evaporation and its upper limit, which he evaluated using field observations and climate simulations. This study improves hydrologic analyses particularly in warming climatic conditions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Khan examined the meaning of home for people who experienced turbulence and unexpected dislocation in refugee situations, and how their understanding of home may shift once they leave refugee camps and resettle in new places. The study reflected on the concept of home as associated with a sense of belonging, security, and hope. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Mitra examined the role of socioeconomic marginalization in the production of overdose risk in an urban cohort of men and women who use drugs. Findings from this research emphasize the need for gender-informed, multi-level overdose prevention policies and programs to address the ongoing overdose crisis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Stensrud studied the function of hypocrisy accusations in the U.S. slavery debates, tracing this rhetoric's influence on nineteenth-century writers. He demonstrates that authors incorporated anti-slavery invective in their work to translate political economic analysis into a moral vocabulary capable of mobilizing the public against slavery. | Doctor of Philosophy in English (PhD) |
| 2023 | As the air flows through our towns, fields, and forests, it moves in chaotic, ever-evolving patterns. Dr. Schmid worked to improve the mathematical and computational tools we use to study this motion in order to enable more accurate and flexible modeling. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2023 | Dr. Ma developed a novel electrochemical DNA biosensor fabrication method. This method results in biosensors with higher binding efficiency and stability. Her work addressed key limitations hindering commercial application and provides valuable guidance for improved sensor fabrication. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |