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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Dr. Wang demonstrated effectiveness of a novel agent in preventing islet transplantation rejection. This strategy by using co-stimulation blockade provides proof-of-principle for clinical application in treating diabetes via beta cell replacement therapy without ongoing immuno-suppressive regimen. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Shaw has examined a new type of organometallic complex to investigate their ability as catalysts to introduce further manipulations to otherwise unreactive molecules. During this research a number of new reactions were uncovered providing valuable groundwork for future developments in this important area of chemistry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Ebacher studied how human bone deforms and fractures. His findings point to conditions that alter the ability of our bones to control microcracks which cause bone fragility. The study showed that bone microstucture plays a crucial role in resisting fractures, and it will contribute to initiatives to prevent bone and hip fractures. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Sepasi investigated data storage devices and mechanical machining in mass production lines. He developed a technique for highly precise system controls, which is a benchmark for future research in manufacturing. He improved the precision of machining during operation, and increased the capacity of manufactured data storage devices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Miyamoto studied voluntary and market-based approaches to environmental regulation. He found that voluntary pollution abatement programs can sometimes yield better environmental outcomes than traditional regulation. His study also revealed some shortcomings of voluntary programs and will be useful in the design of better environmental policy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Smith investigated interactions between snowmelt processes, soil physics, and topography in controlling stream runoff in forested, mountainous watersheds. His findings help us to understand better the impacts of land-use changes on water supply and will lead to improved models for predicting river flooding. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2011 | Integrated circuit technology has transformed nearly all aspects of our lives. Dr. Yan used theory from calculus and geometry to develop algorithms that verify that the analog parts of these chips work as intended. He demonstrated his verification methods work efficiently on several practical circuits from industry with promising results. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Fiddler examined trust building in the Canadian blood system. She found that stakeholder engagement, particularly the inclusion of hemophilia patients, helps the blood operator re-build trust and organizational reputation. However, these stakeholders may also become an organizational risk if their interests are not reflected in blood policy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Cho's study in the field of Experimental Medicine investigated neural stem cells in the brain. His research examined the effect of high-frequency electrical stimulation and he found that this stimulation regulates the fate of neural stem cells. The results of this study will contribute to treatments for brain diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Vanden Hoek investigated how a vital blood clotting protein also plays a subsequent role in dissolving the clot. Her research suggests a novel target for the development of safer and more effective therapeutics for heart attack and stroke due to thrombosis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Sotoodeh studied the rate of hydrogen storage and recovery from organic liquids. She developed a catalytic system for fast release of hydrogen from organic liquids. Her research will contribute to the use of hydrogen in vehicular systems and in developing the hydrogen economy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Andrew Penner has shown through numerical simulation that accretion of a magnetofluid onto a black hole allows for the development of a time independent accretion flow. This work extends existing accretion theories to include more astrophysically relevant scenarios. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Chang developed a prototype of a composite material made of plastic and wood attacked by mountain pine beetles. He studied its long-term deformation, using methods that predicted the behaviour of the composite efficiently. He found that varying temperatures greatly influence properties, which is very significant to its load-bearing applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Blohmkes research focused on the inflammation in the lungs of patients suffering from the fatal genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis. He identified the receptor mediating the immune response to bacterial pathogens as a modifying gene and novel anti-inflammatory target in Cystic Fibrosis lung disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Carr studied the architecture of Indian Residential Schools to show how they were designed to subvert the cultural, economic and political life of Indigenous populations. Dr. Carr's research also suggests the need for sustained commemoration of residential school buildings and history, to improve relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. | Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD) |
| 2011 | In her dissertation, Dr. Roy analyzed autobiographies written by individuals who were spied upon by the Stasi, the former East German secret police. She studied how these authors used their own Stasi files to write about their lives under surveillance and how these file-based autobiographies constitute a new autobiographical sub-genre. | Doctor of Philosophy in Germanic Studies (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Shah-Mansouri studied protocol design for wireless sensor networks. Wireless sensor networks are communication networks consisting of small and inexpensive wireless devices used for home automation and disaster management. Using mathematical tools like optimization theory, Dr. Shah-Mansouri developed algorithms aiming to prolong the lifetime of such networks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Jordan used mathematical and experimental methods to study plant evolution. He found that taking into account genes that affect multiple functions can help explain why plants use a mixture of self-pollination and cross-pollination. Furthermore, he explored the conditions under which sex chromosomes are likely to harbour genetic variation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Chavez identified a novel keratinocyte-derived complex that functions as a collagen inhibitory factor for fibroblasts. The identification of this complex provides a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent the formation of hypetrophic scars, frequently observed in patients following burn injury, deep trauma and some surgical incisions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Regan studied the characteristics of British Columbia's registered nurse workforce and their associations with population health status and hospital mortality. Her research contributes new information about the patterns and trends of the registered nurse workforce, the relationship between registered nurse managers and hospital mortality, and implications for planning the future workforce. | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Liu has studied the molecular evolution of duplicated genes in flowering plants. Duplicated genes are considered as the major raw materials for evolutionary innovations in organisms. These studies have assisted us in understanding how functional divergence of duplicated genes shapes the genome and phenotypic evolution of flowering plants. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Yao developed a novel model to predict defect formation in an aluminum alloy that is widely used in the automotive industry. Her work provides a better understanding of defect formation and allows foundry engineers to optimize the manufacturing process, minimize defects and improve the performance and profitability of the final products. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Herrera improved methods for analyzing fuel cells and their failure modes. These studies have helped to advance the understanding and the subsequent commercialization of fuel cells. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Zahir has studied the genetic basis for disease in children born with intellectual disability. She has identified previously unknown causative genes, recognized new syndromes, and has highlighted the contribution to neurodevelopment of an important class of proteins. This work has bridged the scientific and clinical understanding of cognitive disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Gibson examined her son's earliest, delayed, acquisition of words, focusing on his comprehension, using data collected in a longitudinal diary study. Her son has autism. She showed that his word learning related to milestones in his social and cognitive development, and argues for a broader definition of early word production. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |