Doctoral Citations

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. Huang studied game theory and its various applications in wireless communication networks. She proposed several approaches which help to improve system performances. The main contribution of her work is to demonstrate how artificial intelligence and cognitive technology can be applied in modern wireless communication systems. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2012 Dr. Woodman's thesis shows citizenship in China is a local rather than national relationship that means participation and entitlements are connected to membership in the specific place where a person belongs. Her research proposes new theoretical avenues for the study of citizenship focusing on subnational locations of politics. Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Kang used mass spectrometry to study the structures and stabilities of gas-phase, noncovalent protein complexes. This research provides a better understanding of the properties of gas-phase protein ions and also illustrates the relation of these properties to solution properties. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2012 Dr. French provided new perspectives on brain structure and function by employing computational methods to analyze large-scale genomic and anatomical data. Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)
2012 Dr. Bai investigated diesel exhaust and cardiovascular disease to extend our understanding of how particulate matter air pollution causes increased risk for heart attack. She found that exposure to diesel exhaust causes progression of atherosclerosis, a disease in which plaque builds up inside arteries and lead to heart attacks. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Preston studied the optical properties of conducting and non-conducting particles. He explored the relationship between particle shape and spectra using both modelling and experiments. This work is important for understanding how solar radiation interacts with planetary atmospheres and the fabrication of novel nanostructures. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2012 Dr. St.Onge showed how brain regions within a specific neural circuit in the rat help us make decisions among different options that vary in the amount and probability of reward. This research helps explain how interactions between different brain systems shape preferences for larger, risky or smaller, more conservative rewards. Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Bunjun studied organizational power relations at Vancouver Status of Women from 1971 to 2008. Using intersectional feminist analysis, she argues that organizations are not neutral, but rather sites of colonial encounters. Based on her findings, she proposes a nuanced understanding of power and entitlement, and a more ethical Affirmative Action Policy. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2012 Dr. De La Torre's research provides new insights into the evolutionary relationships between two species of spruce trees. By integrating molecular and quantitative genetics with climate modeling, Dr. De La Torre has deepened our understanding of the genomic basis of local adaptation to climate. Her work has significant implications for forest management in British Columbia. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2012 Dr. Crowley developed a method for automated planning under uncertainty in spatial domains such as forestry and other environmental planning fields. He showed that systems of simple, local policies can be used to build complex, landscape policies. Furthermore, these systems can be used to evaluate ways of making these landscape policies most effective. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2012 Dr. Capyk investigated oxygenases that degrade cholesterol in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and explored the diversity of the Rieske oxygenase superfamily. This research contributes to understanding of the mechanisms used during mycobacterial infections and provides a new perspective on industrial and environmental applications for Rieske oxygenases. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Beausoleil examined the possibilities and challenges of democratic engagement through the performative arts. This work has provided a general theory for these practices, isolated key democratic resources within them, and articulated the contribution such practices offer to democratic politics more broadly. Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD)
2012 Dr. Ahmadnia studied the response of underground power transmission cables subjected to earthquake induced permanent ground deformation. Using advanced numerical simulations calibrated and validated with experimental data, he proposed a methodology to assess the seismic response of underground power transmission cables. Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD)
2012 Dr. Berkhout examined the role of social identity in gender-based disparities to using antiretroviral therapy in Vancouver's inner city. Her work demonstrated how social interests, institutional authorities, relations of power, and strategies of social control are resisted and internalized by women negotiating HIV/AIDS care. Using feminist philosophy and social studies of medicine, Dr. Berkhout reframes adherence issues using agency and autonomy. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2012 Dr. So studied novel tumor-suppressing proteins in ovarian cancer. He found that they could inhibit cancer cell invasion through maintaining intercellular adhesion, which is important information for ovarian cancer metastasis and developing therapeutics against ovarian cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD)
2012 Dr. Guo studied the physiological role of copper in marine phytoplankton, and elucidated, for the first time, the presence of two copper transport systems (a high and a low affinity). Her research highlights the importance of copper for phytoplankton growth and the complex interaction between iron and copper nutrition. Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD)
2012 Dr. Ramer studied abnormalities in cardiovascular function that occur after spinal cord injury. She identified changes in the nervous system and in the blood vessels that may contribute to cardiovascular problems and premature death in these individuals. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Anderson's research examined, documented, and contributed to knowledge about how generations of Indigenous Nlakapmux Grandmothers from the Interior of British Columbia carried out their responsibilities to transmit Nlakapmux educational and socio-cultural knowledge to their family and community members. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2012 Dr. Hadfield used the philosophical lens of Hans George Gadamer to reinvigorate the notion of praxis in nursing curricula. Working through narratives of her teaching practice, Dr. Hadfield points to the centrality of dialogue to praxis, which Gadamer viewed as acting morally in response to particular situations while drawing on general frameworks. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2012 Dr. Hiatt demonstrated that the kidney collecting duct epithelium plays an important and underappreciated role in the progression of injury and repair following urinary tract obstruction. This work highlights novel features and mechanisms in the pathogenesis of kidney injury, and provides insight into new avenues for therapeutic interventions. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2012 Dr. Sulmona studied the geography of advanced border controls in Canada and the Netherlands from 1985 to 2010. This revealed a "trade with security" partnership strategy among airlines, airports, and border control agencies. Conceptually, this extra-territorial and virtual relocation of state frontiers enhances sovereignty and global mobility. Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD)
2012 Dr. Mohammadnia worked on the next generation wireless networks. He proposed new formulas to evaluate the performance of such systems. He also introduced new techniques to increase the data rate and reliability of these systems. The results of his research can be used in cell-phone networks for a better user experience. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2012 Dr. Olmstead discovered new therapeutic targets and agents for inhibiting the hepatitis c virus, one of the leading causes of liver cancer and liver transplantation worldwide. The identified targets control human lipid metabolism pathways essential for the virus life cycle. Her findings may lead to the development of new antiviral drugs. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2012 Dr. Brayshaw studied the frequencies and magnitudes of flooding and sediment transport in mountain streams. He found that these streams are responding to deglaciation and intermittent sediment supply by downcutting into glacial sediments. Therefore, these streams transport sediment frequently even though flooding is rare. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2012 Dr. Taghavi experimentally, computationally, and analytically studied the phenomenon of pushing a fluid by a heavier one inside an inclined duct. He classified various possibilities and developed models for these flows. The many applications include flows that occur during the construction of oil and gas wells, and in processing industries. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)

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