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. Dabeet used numerical and experimental techniques to investigate aspects of the behaviour of soil specimens. He tested the specimens under different loading conditions, including earthquake loading. His study provides a better understanding of soil response to earthquakes loading as observed from a commonly used soil laboratory test. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Courtot demonstrated that biomedical knowledge can be logically encoded and processed by computers. She developed a knowledge representation model to accurately automate the diagnosis of adverse events following immunization. Her research improves public health by allowing for faster and cheaper detection of safety issues related to vaccination. | Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Elfert designed, delivered, and evaluated the impact of a support group for 12 fathers of children with autism. Fathers found the group helpful, enjoyed sharing stories, and recommended it to other fathers. Her study provides information about the psychological experiences of fathers of children with autism, an under-researched population. | Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Islam's thesis focused on developing novel system design for the advancement of broadband wireless communications. He proposed intelligent uses of relay nodes between transmitters and receivers, in order to achieve reliable communication. His research outcomes can be applied to cellular networks, to improve the quality of signal transmission. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Cizek displayed the existing and future Alberta tar sands and associated pipelines using Google Earth software, to study responses from members of the general public. Focus group participants experienced significant learning and expressed emotional reactions. This research will help practitioners communicate the scale of very large projects. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Slater developed a chemical analysis protocol to detect hormones in water with high solid content. She applied this protocol along with bioassays to evaluate environmental water treatment technologies. This protocol will help advance our understanding of what happens to contaminants and the best approach to remove them from engineered systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Castellanos studied how differences in the brains of females and males are generated. By studying Drosophila, she found that making a female versus a male brain require distinct sex-specific genetic mechanisms. Her studies unveil unexpected complexity in the genetic mechanisms that generate sex differences in the brain. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Chisholm examined the effects of action video game experience on visual attention. Using eye movements as a measure of attention, he showed that video game players are less susceptible to distraction than non-players. This provides insight into the mechanisms underlying a host of cognitive benefits associated with action video game experience. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lukatela examined how international development agencies adopt and implement mainstreaming policies. She found that the behaviour of senior managers is influenced by their networks, while middle managers are directed by personal values. This research explains the persistence of challenges in achieving development goals, such as gender equality. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Loveday examined the regulation of genes during infection with Influenza A virus. She discovered that changes in gene expression are dependent on the duration of the infection and the influenza strain. This research may lead to the development of new bio-markers and treatments for Influenza A viral infections. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Kendall studied the effects of financial market panics on stock prices. His work showed that, during times of market panic, economic agents have reduced incentives to research the stocks that they trade. As a result, he concluded, market panics can result in inaccurate stock prices, even when all agents behave rationally. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Woo studied the mechanisms that underlie differences in sexual desire between women of Asian and European ancestry. She found that higher sex guilt among Asian women may explain their lower sexual desire compared to women of European descent. The findings have implications for the treatment of women with high sex guilt and low sexual desire. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Gautam investigated and designed new electronic circuits for charging the batteries of electric vehicles. He has successfully shown that the performance of his circuits, in terms of efficiency, size and cost, is superior to the traditional charger. This work is also expected to benefit applications such as renewable energy system and telecom. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Sakuhuni developed an approach for improving the separation performance of continuous centrifugal concentrators in the mining industry. He designed a lab procedure to predict potential uses for this innovation. The research outcomes have industrial application and support the development of environmentally clean mineral extraction technologies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Dancer's international research examines how intensive listening brings awareness to everyday sound environments, as an expression of culture, states of Being, identity and ones sense of place. It introduces listening and sound as a unique learning modality utilised by artists, researchers and educators, to influence practices and curriculum. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Chandler studied ecosystem response 20 years after clearcutting and slashburning in conifer forest of central British Columbia. Significant contributions of her work include determining the relative importance of climate and disturbance to resilience, and developing a trait data set with functional type classes for more than 180 plant species. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Centko used natural products chemistry techniques to discover novel compounds from fungi and marine sponges. A synthetic route was devised for one new molecule that acts as a potent inhibitor of IDO, a cancer immune evasion mechanism. These compounds may one day lead to a cancer treatment which aids the innate immune response to the disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Schiariti developed the first international instrument to describe the abilities of children with Cerebral Palsy and the limitations they face every day. She conducted international studies, including children with Cerebral Palsy and world leaders in this field. This important information can guide better treatments for this population worldwide. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Quastel studied efforts to make a wide variety of commodities, such as tuna, bauxite and housing, more sustainable. Through case study research he found that new forms of sustainability policy are being created. This research helps expand scholarship in the geography of the global economy, environmental governance and sustainability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Lau investigated the channels in our cells that release calcium, allowing for the contraction of the heart and muscles. He found that a protein binds to them differently depending on where they are found in our bodies, and he created a 3D model of the channels. These findings help to explain how proteins and mutations may cause disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Bsoul designed computer chips that consume less power. His research opens the door to using these chips in applications such as mobile phones and wearable devices, and helps reduce the carbon emissions of large systems. Ultimately, this innovation will lead to better systems, and greener computing. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. McKee conducted ethnographic fieldwork among the horse people of Bluegrass Kentucky in order to understand the cultural and historical connections between horse racing, animal slaughter, equine rescue, and prison educational programs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Conte studied how species adapt to their environments and how this can occasionally lead to the formation of new species. In particular, she focused on the genetic changes that occur during adaptation and speciation, finding that they are somewhat predictable. Her work helps us understand mechanisms that generate and promote biodiversity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Jetha characterized the physics of DNA transport through nanometre-scale pores for application in optimizing the design of nanopore-based DNA sequencing technologies. He also developed methods to extend nanopore technology for protein and small molecule analysis. His work will benefit groups developing nanopore-based biomedical technologies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2014 | Dr. Warner found that, in patients with asthma, the cells that line the airways do not undergo normal repair, leading to the formation of an abnormal barrier. Her work defined several biological mechanisms that might cause this defect. It is hoped that modification of these pathways will help prevent the progression of asthma. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |