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. Kangave studied communities displaced by infrastructure projects such as large dams. Focusing on Uganda 's Bujagali Hydroelectric Project, she investigated the impact of resettlement through legal, economic and humanitarian lenses. She concluded that to adequately protect displaced communities, multiple layers of legal protection are essential. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Zhang discovered a previously unknown cell death mechanism that underlies brain injuries following ischemic stroke. She subsequently developed a specific inhibitor for this cell death cascade and demonstrated that it represents a novel effective stroke treatment, whose therapeutic time window is notably longer than other anti-stroke medications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Charish showed that Drosophila septate junctions and Gliotactin are necessary for epithelial cell division. This work demonstrates a new and unconventional role for junctional proteins | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Yuen studied the role of epigenetics, or inheritable changes, in human pregnancy. He found factors that contribute to the individual biological differences and the development of adverse pregnancy outcomes. These findings illuminate new areas of research and facilitate the development of strategies for clinical diagnosis of pregnancy disorders. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Celebrini demonstrated the effects of a novel movement strategy in reducinging risk factors for knee injuries in young female soccer players. This research provides a practical contribution to knee injury prevention programs in young female athletes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Nepal developed a novel approach that allows construction professionals to automatically identify the most relevant and useful design information from a digital model of a building. His work has the potential to improve efficiency and productivity in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Marchand used computer simulations to study models which describe polarons, objects composed of one electron and a surrounding cloud of sound waves. He discovered that the properties of polarons can be significantly modified in those models. This work extended previous techniques to allow these more complex models to be investigated efficiently. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Markel investigated how variable ocean climate, marine protected areas, and the loss of top predators such as sea otters affect rockfish population dynamics on the west coast of Vancouver Island. His findings contribute broadly towards understanding how marine species and ecosystems respond to climate change and overfishing. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Zhang studied clostridial necrotic enteritis, which is an intestinal disease of broiler chickens. He developed a process using microwave vacuum dehydration technology to protect the natural antimicrobial lysozyme from heat damage. This development will contribute to the improvement of heat resistance of biomaterials and also to animal health. | Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Davis examined how forest-based communities in the Pacific Northwest have responded to mountain pine beetle and wildfire threats by forming regional organizations. She found traditional leaders and established relationships may limit resource-sharing among stakeholders, but regional organizations have helped bring new resources to rural communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Charbonneau contributed to the description of an exotic new current, which is not generated by a voltage, like a typical electrical current, but is generated by the processes that occur in the dense cores of neutron stars and the remnants of high-energy particle collisions. His work furthers our understanding of matter in extreme environments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Thomas examined the housing and transportation choices of Filipino immigrants in Toronto. The study illustrates the resiliency of Filipinos' choices throughout decades of structural changes in housing policy, immigration policy, transportation infrastructure, and the labour market. | Doctor of Philosophy in Planning (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Lee examined psychological and institutional factors that shape individual attitudes toward trade policies. She found that concerns about economic insecurity and the lack of government commitment to social protection had a greater effect on the public perception of trade liberalization than the promise of economic growth. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Mustafa studies focused on iron chelation therapy and its importance in the Maldives, a hot spot for e-thalassemia. e-thalassemia requires regular blood transfusions and chelation therapy to prevent iron toxicity from the donor blood. Improved chelators and therapeutic approaches may have clinical benefits in nations like the Maldives. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Flores studied the use of human Retinal Pigment Epithelial (hRPE) cells as a tissue transplant alternative for the treatment of Parkinsons disease. He found that hRPE-cell transplants survive and improve parkinsonian behavioural deficits, making hRPE cells a viable treatment option for Parkinson's disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Wang revealed high blood glucose releases endothelial heparanase, while high fatty acids induces heparanase nuclear translocation during diabetes. These studies assist us in understanding the metabolism of heart, and may serve to reduce the cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Lam studied the use of steam pretreatment on Douglas Fir to produce durable wood pellets. Wood pellet is a form of renewable energy which can replace coal as fuel. Since completing his study, Dr. Lam has been working as a senior engineer for the Ontario Power Generation Corporation to help them switch to biomass as an option in their thermal power stations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Tuberculosis is a infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Dr. Yam studied a bacterial pathway for cholesterol breakdown important for infecting the host. She demonstrated the role of two enzymes in this cholesterol pathway and identified several compounds which may lead to the development of new drugs against TB. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Frimer's research asks what motivates some people to devote their lives to promoting the greater good. He found that highly moral people like Gandhi have achieved enlightened self-interest. His studies shed light on how moral motivation develops, and offer insights into how we might foster a civil society. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Naghibi developed a methodology for estimating the impact of floods on the environment downstream of dams. Combining concepts of civil engineering and ecology, he modelled fish behaviour during high floods, estimated fish loss and assessed the environmental impact. This work will contribute to environmental risk assessment in dams. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Cheung developed a new approach to interpreting the society of Ming dynasty China by analyzing the history of famous places in the city of Hangzhou. He showed how different social groups helped construct significant sites and the sites' meanings, thereby enhancing current perspectives on social interaction and contestation in late imperial China. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Khajeh developed a theoretical expression to describe the evolution of permeability during solidification of aluminum alloys. He verified and validated the expression through novel physical and numerical modeling techniques. This research improves our understanding of phenomena that lead to defects during the solidification of metallic alloys. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Penner examined the counselling process of young adult clients and professional counsellors. His research described how clients' self-efficacy beliefs, defined as perceptions of the clients' capabilities, were constructed within their communicative exchanges. His research generated valuable knowledge for practitioners and offers an innovative methodological example for future self-efficacy research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Pirmoradi developed a miniature implantable device for drug delivery. Using this device, physicians can deliver precisely controlled dosage of highly potent drugs, thus avoiding adverse side effects. A novel application of this device is through implantation behind the eye to treat retinal damage caused by diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2011 | Dr. Yang investigated the surface chemistry of water and organic solvents at liquid/mineral interfaces using nonlinear spectroscopy. These studies are relevant to environmental and industrial processes, such as the mechanism of ice formation and the development of oilsands extraction. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |