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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dr. Wertman discovered a unique, putative mutualism between the alder bark beetle and a newly described species of fungus. Her research expands upon known bark beetle-fungus symbioses to include a hardwood tree-killing system and has implications for the future health of nitrogen-fixing red alder throughout the Pacific Coast of North America. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Montante studied the application of Artificial Intelligence for the advancement of biomedical research. Manual analysis of data extracted from blood samples is becoming increasingly complex. He developed a new Artificial Intelligence algorithm that is simple to use, accurate and able to analyze complex biomedical data in a few minutes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Zimmermann loves water. His primary research at UBC was understanding the science and application of a biological drinking water filter. However, his interests in water took him into the world of sustainable development when he got to visit nine NGOs on five continents to learn about their experiences with safe water for community health. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Azimi developed an integrated robotic system for advanced vision-based structural health monitoring. He introduced high-resolution image and point cloud segmentation methods and leveraged large language models for human-robot interactions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Triponez investigated the archival preservation of independent music production by interviewing music creators. He found that social and technological disruption, evolving creative practices, and the abundance of archival material pose preservation problems that result in an ongoing loss of documentary cultural heritage. | Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Zhang developed a flexible statistical model with which the relations among multiple time series variables can be considered after modeling each individual time series. It is applied to macroeconomic variables with changing business cycles. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Lerner investigated Chinook salmon marine ecology. He used lipid analysis to determine Chinook fat content, and chemical tracers to examine sub-adult Chinook marine distribution, foraging, and food webs. This research improves our understanding of the marine life stage of this valuable species and can enhance conservation and management objectives. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Inkster investigated DNA methylation in the human placenta to inform our understanding of pregnancy complications that differ by sex. Her work found that sex differences exist across the placental epigenome, and illuminated a unique relationship between DNA methylation and X-chromosome inactivation distinguishing placenta from other tissues. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Otani conducted a study on molecular complexes at low temperatures using spectroscopic techniques. Her realization of a signature of molecular superfluidity predicted by theory but not yet realized and the nature of chiral molecules offers valuable insights into atomic, molecular, and condensed matter. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Mozaffari examined the impact of diet diversity on type 2 diabetes. She showed that a diet diverse in five food groups, and a variety of vegetables and plant protein sources, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. These findings will inform the revision of some dietary guidelines, which currently advocate for a diet limited to only three food groups. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Hashemi developed a fast, non-invasive method to measure the elasticity of the tissue through ultrasound elastography. She applied her ultrafast elastography method in the liver ultrasound images to detect the liver fibrosis disease for more accurate tissue abnormality detection and reducing the ultrasound exam time substantially. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Heltzel finds that people typically like political allies who engage constructively with opponents. And yet, US Senators' social media posts get more likes and shares when they dismiss opponents because active extremists prefer such content. For this and other reasons, people incorrectly expect backlash for engaging with opponents. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Poon's research focused on heart motion management in radiation therapy for irregular heartbeats. He quantified regional heart motion and investigated a technique to synchronize radiation delivery with the cardiac cycle, with the goal of improving treatment outcomes by reducing the treated volume and minimizing radiation to healthy tissue. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Bi aimed at improving the electrolyzer design, operation, and measurement toward ammonia electrosynthesis. He pinpointed inefficiencies of commercial separators in aqueous setups and designed low-cost electrodes for non-aqueous electrolyzers to benefit sustainable ammonia production. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Mellema studied Modern Art specializing in Marxist feminism. Her dissertation provides an account of how artists index socially reproductive labour, the daily labour needed to sustain human beings and social communities. Her dissertation provides a corrective to art historical accounts that have ignored gendered labour and working people. | Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Dowd built on more than a decade of field experience in the Himalaya to create an ethnographic portrait of the Tibetan language and its role in Buddhist transmission. He argues transmission represents the culmination of silence, speech and writing, where these three modes of language converge to transmit the Buddha's teachings. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Chadwick developed methods for deriving critical assessment data for regenerating post-harvest stands in Alberta, Canada from drone imagery. His methods provide a basis to increase the efficiency with which monitoring can occur and offer a level of wall-to-wall detail that cannot be practically obtained with traditional methods. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Babaee studied the effects of cryogenic fluid spills on ship structure integrity, focusing on rapid cooling impacts on plates. Using theoretical models, the research showed even small spills cause significant stress, aiding in designing more resilient maritime vessels. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Sauve explored the experiences that early-career teachers had with social and emotional learning (SEL) as they completed their teacher preparation programs in Oregon. Her research contributes to the limited understanding of the degree to which teachers receive preparation in SEL as they complete their teacher preparation programs in the U.S. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Tilton examines feminist critiques of "traditional" epistemology, which is individualistic and assumes that epistemic standards are neutral. She links feminist critiques of traditional epistemology to a creeping anxiety that is undermining feminist epistemology's political possibilities, urging a return to more traditional notions of objectivity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Aleef augmented ultrasound systems with advanced elastography imaging technology to enhance the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Additionally, he developed methodologies employing cutting-edge machine learning techniques to automate, speed up, and improve prostate cancer brachytherapy treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Kuang studied the political economy of global 5G governance. Her dissertation, "A Mosaic of Mundane Innovations," shows how a new open and decentralized form of global governance took shape in the 5G technology regime. Her work foregrounds new possibilities for latecomer economies to participate in the making of the international economic order. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Takemon developed a computer-based method to examine cancer gene functions and identify cancer cell-specific vulnerabilities. Using this method, they found several vulnerabilities that can be exploited to selectively kill cancer cells using existing FDA approved drugs. Dr. Takemon's research illustrates a model for improving future precision cancer medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Cho explored the transformative learning process among the 'Education Beyond Borders' members in Canada and Kenya in their collaboration. Her research helps to understand how the educators from the Global North and South navigated the issues of power and privilege in the postcolonial setting and adds to the conversation of decolonizing pedagogy. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Tung investigated the disease mechanisms underlying heart attacks and cardiac hypertrophy by combining experimental medicine and data science. His study, published in Nature Communications, highlights the importance of timing and spatial considerations of treatment for heart diseases, providing a blueprint for future clinical research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |