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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dr. Goldson studied enzyme activity in a micro-organism, specifically a form of yeast. She investigated the way in which the enzyme known as PAL reacts with two specific amino acids. Dr. Goldson's findings contribute to our understanding of the enzyme's ability to react with both, which has implications for how the enzyme is able to differentiate between them. | Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Janaun developed a catalyst, made from sugar, which triggers a chemical reaction to produce biodiesel fuel. This catalyst has several advantages: it is easily prepared, made from renewable resources, and has a high potential for commercial application. This discovery contributes to our efforts in pursuit of a cleaner environment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Madokoro explored ways in which settler societies of the British Commonwealth responded to refugees from the People's Republic of China between 1949 and 1989. She demonstrated how Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa resisted humanitarian appeals to assist refugees and instead, forced migrants to overcome persistent barriers to entry. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Green examined how sustainability commitments made by BC universities have influenced introductory economics curriculum. The economy depends upon the environment, but Green found the economic theory taught in first year economics is oversimplified and neglects this dependence. He showed that such courses do little to help students understand sustainability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Carlyle examined how changing climate will interact with plant removal caused by cattle grazing the grasslands of the British Columbia Interior. He detected complex interactions that alter plant species diversity and production. His research demonstrated that ecosystems that are similar may not respond to climate change in the same manner, providing insight into management of BC grasslands. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Viswanathan designed an intelligent, powered wheelchair system for cognitively-impaired older adults in nursing homes. She demonstrated, through user studies, that the system increased safety and assisted users in navigating along the shortest route to their destination. These studies help us in understanding the mobility needs of the target users. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Warner conducted research using a species of roundworm to identify genes required for normal muscle function. He characterized the role of two genes in muscle, and added to the model of how muscle adhesions are organized. This research assists us in understanding how muscle tissue is built and maintained. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Alyabyshev studied the effects of electromagnetic fields on the dynamics of atoms and molecules at low temperatures, and suggested a new method for detection of electromagnetic fields. This research can benefit different areas of science and technology, ranging from fundamental physical measurements to medical imaging and detection of explosive materials. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Skourtes investigated everyday practices of working-class, teenage girls, living on the urban fringe. She studied ways in which classist, racist, and sexist institutions work to reproduce the negative social positioning of the girls, and keep them in poverty. This research shows how the symbolic and tangible elements of social class affect the lives of young people. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr.Kozey examined historical,colonialist, and professional practices that have contributed to a high rate of Aboriginal children being placed in the protective custody of the state in Canada. His research demonstrates that the inclusion of local Indigenous knowledges and cultural practices can transform child welfare services to Aboriginal children and families. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Erbad studied new techniques to improve the quality of multimedia using available resources, such as computer hardware and network bandwidth. He improved the transfer time and ensured more consistent quality in video games and streaming applications. His findings will contribute to the next generation of multimedia development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Mohamed Ali developed a new method to wirelessly control "smart" materials that respond to heat, such as shape-memory alloy micro-actuators. He successfully applied this technique to biomedical instruments, including implantable devices and surgical tools. The results suggest many opportunities to use wireless micro-actuators in biomedical areas and beyond. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Johnson studied the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the first plant to have a completely sequenced genome. He identified three neighbouring genes that play sequential roles in one of the plant's specialized metabolic pathways. This adds to our understanding of the evolution of these kinds of pathways in plants. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Higashi conducted research on peace-building initiatives in Afghanistan and East Timor. His findings and recommendations factored into the decision of the Japanese government to support the reconciliation efforts in Afgahanistan. Because of his outstanding research, Dr. Higashi received an appointment as Associate Professor in the University of Tokyo, and has subsequently been assigned to be Minister-Counsellor for the Japanese mission to the United Nations in New York. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Iqbal studied departmental practices that contribute to professional growth in teaching among tenure-track university professors. She found that, although summative peer review of teaching makes little contribution to professional growth, there are numerous informal and formal departmental practices that are conducive to a culture that values teaching. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Wu worked with industry to develop a more efficient way of bidirectional electrical power conversion and revolutionized the world-famous Lyapunov method for power converter stability analysis. This development has many applications including storage of wind energy and solar energy, and power conversion in electrical vehicles and aircraft. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Carter's arts based research led to understandings that include the connections between developing consciousness and having a noetic experience; the new a/r/tographic rendering of residue used to describe the way that having an illuminating experience in theatre school affects individuals; and how an immanent curriculum can be understood by theatrical engagement. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Yu examined how inflation indexed bonds help to explain home bias in equity portfolios. She studied ways in which international financial development affects risk-sharing across countries. These studies assist us in understanding how international financial markets help to share income risk across borders. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2012 | Hydrate inhibitors delay the formation of crystals in oil and gas pipelines. Dr. Daraboina developed a new engineering approach to evaluate and understand the hydrate inhibition mechanism of proteins from fish and plants. These "green" proteins reduce the risk of blockages and harmful chemicals in pipelines. His findings contribute to environmental and human safety, and to reductions in energy costs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Anderson studied hydrogen fuel cells with a specific focus on the role of the water produced by the reaction. Understanding the fluid mechanics of air and water in the millimeter sized channels of a fuel cell helps improve overall fuel cell efficiency and performance. Academic researchers and industry can benefit from these results. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Zheng used various proteomics methods to study cell membranes, especially lipid rafts on those membranes, which carry many biological functions. One of her findings was that the presence of lipid rafts may provide an entry point for life-threatening bacteria like Salmonella. Her research contributes to our knowledge of the function of membranes and the way bacteria affect them. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Ruby investigated the reasons why people either consume or avoid eating meat, taking into account various environmental and internal factors. Drawing on participants form diverse cultures, his inquiry focussed on the role of emotion, social influence, perceived animal quality and moral intuitions. His conclusions will contribute to research in the field of Psychology. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Stephens explored the ecological bases underlying successful biological control of invasive weed species, particularly the rangeland weed, diffuse knapweed. Using a range of methods, she has advanced the understanding of how the characteristics of, and interactions among herbivorous insects, help to naturally control the spread of their host-plant. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Nwapi examined the feasibility of bringing a criminal or civil suit in Canada, against Canadian companies, for wrongs allegedly committed overseas. He focused on the bases that Canadian courts use for exercising jurisdiction over conduct outside of this country. He found that Canada holds prospects for success in such litigation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Kaynama developed mathematical theories and algorithms that provide a guarantee of safety in safety-critical systems, such as anesthesia automation, to ensure an adequate depth of patient hypnosis. The adaptability of these techniques to large systems is a key contribution, and is critical for their application to real-world situations such as in health care and aviation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |