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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Dr. Shi conducted research into the interconnection between plant molecules, or lipid metabolites, and cell wall components. First, he studied seeds with high oil production, and then he examined ways in which metabolites are transported in plant cells. His research expands our knowledge of plant metabolites and suggests ways to engineer high-oil seeds. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Yan investigated ice formation induced by electric fields using computational simulations. This project provides a deep understanding of ice nucleation mechanism, and the associated thermodynamic properties of the nucleation process, which is related to precipitation phenomena and many other physical changes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Plasencia studied safety-seeking behaviour in social anxiety and its connection to sense of self, including self-esteem, self-authenticity, and social relatedness. Examining these interrelationships helps us understand how change occurs during psychotherapy and highlights areas for improving treatments for social anxiety disorder. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kordas experimentally simulated climate warming on rocky shores. She showed that the ecological effects of elevated temperature hinge on both the tolerance of individual organisms and the interactions among species. This research reveals pathways by which global change can impact the dynamics of natural systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Levine investigated the role of cognition and culture in sustainable development. He synthesized theory on human cognition from a diversity of disciplines into a single foundational model, and then combined this with innovative empirical methods to produce directly management-relevant insights into two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Santos-Neto designed a new method to assess the value of information exchanged in online social systems. The novel method uses information theory to model the users' search tasks and to quantify the ability of one user's shared information to help others. The results can benefit the design of future online social systems and search tools. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Behzadfar investigated a promising method to tackle climate change: underground storage of carbon dioxide. By examining the effects on the flow properties of bitumen, he showed that carbon dioxide can be stored in depleted oil reservoirs. This method is also economical because the carbon dioxide can recover stranded oils from those reservoirs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Shelford examined the role of viruses that infect bacteria in the ocean. She provides evidence that viruses are adding back vital nitrogen to the ocean for the benefit of other organisms such as phytoplankton, and this helps to sustain marine food webs. Her work contributes to the field of marine microbial nutrient cycling. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Polak examined body image development as a social process. She studied the conversations about appearance between six pairs of mothers and daughters, and illustrated how their joint appearance projects were connected to their relationships. These findings will benefit theory and further research on the social nature of body image. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Pikor completed her doctoral studies in the field of Interdisciplinary Oncology. She analyzed the genetic alterations that characterize the main subtypes of lung cancer, and influence the treatment response. She identified several genes and pathways involved in subtype tumor biology, and a new potential treatment for squamous cell carcinoma. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Ford studied large, African mammals in Laikipia, Kenya - a landscape occupied by people and their traditional ranching practices. Dr. Ford's work demonstrates how both antelope and the trees they eat were changed by large predators. Through his findings, he is helping to find new ways for people, livestock, and wildlife to coexist in African savannas. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Baglo studied the electronic behaviour of copper-based superconductors, which conduct electricity perfectly at unusually high temperatures. He measured their conductivity in detail using microwaves, with surprising results. This has advanced our understanding of how such superconductors work, one of the biggest outstanding problems in physics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Viel searched for a new force of Nature using data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The mass spectrum of events with muon pairs was found to agree with predictions from the Standard Model of particle physics. Dr. Viel also contributed to the search for one of the production and decay modes of the Higgs boson. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Wilson examined how the heart rate is controlled in the ancestral chordate, the Pacific hagfish. The hagfish heart has no nerves, and can contract in absence of oxygen (anoxia) for over 2 days. In doing so, he discovered a new bicarbonate-mediated pathway to control heart rate, which could lead to advances in the medical field. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Horowitz examined the ways in which Assiniboine people have preserved their cultural knowledge since the late nineteenth century. His study showed that archives, oral history, ceremony, sacred sites, written texts and artwork, work together to help sustain Indigenous bodies of knowledge. This may benefit Indigenous communities and archival studies. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Grover examined gender bias in a large-scale, school reading and math test. He found that assumptions about which questions might challenge girls and which might be difficult for boys were not always valid. This research revisits the so-called gender gap and provides insights into which boys do poorly in reading and which girls do poorly in math. | Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Borikar evaluated advanced drinking water treatments for removal of emerging pollutants and their effects on chlorine by-product formation. This study helps drinking water treatment plants to improve their performance significantly, to meet regulatory requirements, and to take a proactive initiative to improve drinking water quality. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Al-Samari conducted research into particle losses in installations such as catalytic reactors. He developed a theory that electro-static forces are responsible for the difficulties in predicting particle loss. This research will contribute to the efforts to prevent pollution and the loss of valuable material in chemical reactions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Rosales modeled a reaction to convert wheat straw into sugars, which can be fermented to become ethanol. He subsequently simulated and economically analysed an industrial process for the production of ethanol. This research assists us in the commercialization of bio-ethanol which can reduce our fossil fuel consumption and environmental impact. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Talebi Fard completed his PhD in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He examined energy efficiency and proposed reliable communication mechanisms for intelligent networking of information. This research will lead to more meaningful networking among users, and devices which will contribute to the Internet of Things. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Smith investigated the discussions by Chinese intellectuals of East Asian regionalism in the early twentieth century. He found that the discourse of Chinese "Asianism" had a strong influence upon the construction of Chinese nationalism. Writings on nation, race and civilization created overlaps which are still evident today. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lee studied the effects of genetic and environmental factors on the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, as well as its clinical variation, in populations of Asian ancestry. This research advances current understanding of the factors underlying population differences in the risk and severity of multiple sclerosis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Swenson used a new sequencing method to detect HIV drug resistance in blood with better accuracy and sensitivity. He used this technique in over 2800 patients receiving HIV therapy, and found that it was the best predictor of their future clinical outcomes. This approach is now being used across Canada for routine monitoring of HIV drug resistance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. McLellan studied how 5- to 7-year-old children do math. Her study highlighted the communication processes of arithmetic and algebra. It helps teachers understand how to build on the skills and abilities young children bring with them when they enter formal classrooms, and reminds teachers not to pre-define what mathematics is supposed to be. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Hughes investigated design guidelines for mining techniques in high stress and poor ground conditions. His research took him to mines located in Canada, the U.S. and Indonesia. Recommendations from the study have led to safety and cost improvements in operating mines. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |