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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Dr. Denizot examined the predictors of reading comprehension in French immersion. She found that when students are not familiar with the culture of the text they compensate for the unknown vocabulary and part of the missing cultural knowledge with grammatical knowledge to understand what they are reading. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Lee developed viral-based therapies to specifically target and kill prostate cancer cells. She demonstrated that genetically modified viruses can be utilized to eliminate tumour cells without causing collateral damage to normal tissues. This research provides a new promising approach for the treatment of advanced cancers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Moughrabiah designed and built high-pressure fluidization equipment to study the effect of operating conditions and particle properties on electrostatic charges in gas-solid fluidized beds. He also investigated different charge reduction methods. These studies improve our understanding of the generation and dissipation of electrostatic charges and their effects on chemical reactors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Duncan investigated the influence of psychological disease-avoidance mechanisms on the way that people perceive and respond to other individuals in their social environment. The results have implications for understanding the psychological origins of prejudices, and for reducing those prejudices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Meng invented a novel active decoupling capacitor that significantly reduces on-chip power supply noise levels. Dr Meng's research provides a quick fix to the problem of localized supply noise violations that the industry has recently encountered. The solution targets complex digital chips at a 90-nanometer process and beyond. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Gosselin studied ways to streamline scientific and engineering simulations. He developed techniques for efficient, robust and automatic treatment of complex geometric models, reducing the time needed to prepare these simulations. This work is key to decreasing unnecessary human interaction in computer-aided analysis and design workflows. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Wang examined aspects of watershed sustainability by using remote sensing technology integrated with social science and systematic model. This holistic watershed assessment approach opened a new door for watershed managers to assess human activities in a watershed, especially the interrelationships of stakeholders competing for the use of watershed resources. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Tai studied the cholinergic modulation of three Ca2+-permable ion channels (R-type VGCCs, TRPC5 channels and NMDA receptors) in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and the potential functional roles of these modulations in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. His finding helps to develop treatments for epilepsy and ischemia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Purcell investigated why social spiders are generally restricted to the tropical rainforest, while their non-social relatives occur in a broader range of environments but are absent from the rainforest. Her findings suggest that social behaviours may evolve in part to enable groups to overcome environmental disturbances and predation in some environments. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Lockwood developed novel genome scanning approaches to discover genes disrupted in cancer. He applied this method to identify the mechanisms involved in the initiation and progression of different subtypes of lung cancer. His findings highlight the need for developing targeted therapies tailored to tumor biology. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Fortney examined and critiqued power relationships between First Nations and museums, from how concepts of collaboration are understood, to the ways museums work with communities to implement projects. Her research provides insights into the perspectives of Coast Salish communities, identifying areas where relationships can be strengthened. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Mortenson explored the impact of wheelchairs on those in residential care. His research revealed the pivotal role that wheelchairs play in their lives and uncovered facility practices that may curtail their mobility and social activity. These findings have the potential to inform practice and policy changes to improve their quality of life. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Yuan validated a CT method to analyze lung structures in a cohort of smokers. These cross sectional and longitudinal studies provide important insights regarding the onset and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A novel finding is that CT analysis could serve as a useful biomarker to identify the "susceptible" smokers who will develop the disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Tossonian evaluated the treatment of HIV infection in injection drug users on the Downtown East side of Vancouver showing that treatment of HIV infection in this vulnerable population can be remarkably successful if implemented within a directly observed therapy program. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Thomas found that heterosexual university men at low risk for sexual aggression were just as likely as high-risk men to behave in a sexually aggressive manner, following exposure to sexually coercive material. This research suggests that even fleeting exposure to such material can increase risk for sexual aggression. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Springer developed a postanarchist analysis of the intersections between free-market neoliberalism and the geographies of violence in Cambodia. Through a series of theoretical dialogues, Dr Springer sought to open geographical imaginations to the possibility of remaking space in ways that make possible a transformative and emancipatory politics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Gretes studied the x-ray crystal structures of proteins involved in bacterial antibiotic resistance. He also examined the way that two new drugs precisely interact with their protein targets. It is hoped that his work will help guide the development of new, more effective antibiotics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Dehghan developed new methods to study needle insertion into soft tissue and proposed new methods that will make needle insertion more accurate. He tested his methods using tissue mimicking materials. Accurate needle targeting has immediate benefit for many medical procedures such as prostate brachytherapy, biopsy and anesthesia. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Ghrebi investigated the effect of surface roughness on the activation of an inflammatory pathway mediated by macrophage cells. These studies will allow the design of dental implants with specific surfaces that lead to more bone formation around the implant, which is crucial for long term implant survival. | Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Hui showed that specific regions of a plant virus coat protein are essential for virus transmission to its host. The protein was also found to be localized at specific sites within plant cells, suggesting a possible role in virus particle disassembly. These findings will aid in the development of new strategies for plant virus disease control. | Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Science (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Wood studied how interactions among species in a marine ecosystem can be used to explain species diversity and the responses of ecosystems to environmental change. His research demonstrated the potential to predict ecological dynamics using simple organismal traits, such as body size, without the need for detailed information on communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Dimitriu studied how microbes respond to the restoration of surface-mined boreal forest soil. His research highlighted that, in drastically-disturbed land, key biological components may take decades until they resemble those of natural forests. Information on microbial attributes in degraded soil will be useful for guiding future restoration strategies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Fajardo examined the existential and phenomenological writing of the highly distinguished, albeit controversial, contemporary gay Spanish novelist and philosopher, Álvaro Pombo. In his research Dr. Fajardo showed that Pombo is above all, and despite what his critics say, a writer of great optimism and hope about the human condition. | Doctor of Philosophy in Hispanic Studies (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Robinson studied the relationships between wood-forming metabolism and genetic and phenotypic traits in hardwood and softwood tree species. Variation in industrially relevant wood traits correlated strongly with that in metabolic trait subsets. The results support development of metabolism-based selection technology for tree breeding programs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2009 | Dr. Riley examined how teachers' expectations and stereotypes influenced the learning opportunities afforded Aboriginal students. She found that, despite their best intentions, some teachers provided poor, confused or arbitrary reasons for denying students opportunities for educational remediation or advancement. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |