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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Dr. Beyers studied the distribution and abundance of elephants and other mammals in Central Africa and found that these are largely determined by human activity. The civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo caused major declines in populations of elephants, poached for ivory and forest antilopes, hunted for bushmeat. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Birmingham tested the long-held assumption that humans have a preferential bias to attend to the eyes of other people. Her dissertation fills in a substantial gap in the social attention literature, and brings to light important theoretical and methodological issues in social attention research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Petrie Thomas found that in 8-month-old infants born extremely preterm, decreases in heart-rate during focused attention and sustained focus while exploring novel objects strongly predicted cognitive development. This knowledge will lead to methods for the very early identification of infants at-risk for attention and cognitive problems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Hallbom developed a rheological model to explain the flow behaviour of non-settling slurry. He used this model to derive the engineering equations required for the hydraulic design of pipelines. His results were presented in a form that can foster an intutitive understanding of slurry pipe flow by practicing engineers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Meredith investigated social dynamics among skilled trades workers at a large West-coast shipyard. He found that the hiring practices and cultural norms of this workplace help to protect tradesmen from job competition, but that they also contribute to sustaining the peculiar demographic and social profile of heavy trades occupations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr Daniel studied grain size and energy effects on the results of the Standard Penetration Test, the dominant index of soil behaviour in foundation engineering worldwide. He improved our understanding and interpretation of test results from gravelly sites, a challenge of widespread concern in earthquake engineering. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr Cox studied the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of enzymes that cleave proteins, in regulating inflammatory processes. This research clarifies the contribution of MMPs in immune cell recruitment and diseases such as arthritis, leading to improved understanding of which MMPs are suitable drug targets for novel therapeutics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Morgan employed sociocultural frameworks to examine how online instructors negotiated their teaching presence in international contexts. She found that language, identity, and positioning were important mediators in online teaching, revealing new insights into online teaching and learning. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Dorfan studied the interplay of thoughts and emotions in relation to contaminants. Her study showed that what people think of a contaminating stimulus predicts their subsequent emotional and behavioural responses to it. Her research has direct implications for improving psychological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr Watkins traced the histories of scientific and technical knowledge that made possible the production of artificial cold and documented the domestication of the refrigerator. She showed how the ability to prolong the life of perishables reshaped shopping and eating practices but also reconfigured relationships between time, space and distance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Koch examined how speech melody is used to highlight important information in Thompson River Salish. This endangered First Nations language is spoken in the BC interior. Findings are based on a significant new body of valuable language recordings. The results challenge cognitive models of the link between information status and speech melody. | Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Kissinger developed an interregional ecology approach to sustainability in a globalizing, increasingly interconnected world. He documented trade related material flows, ecological footprints and ecological impacts, and analyzed their policy and planning implications for sustainability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Planning (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Musende demonstrated that cancer drugs can be combined with compounds isolated from ginseng to achieve better therapeutic activities. His work focused on preclinical models of prostate cancer and yielded evidence of synergy. This research contributes to our quest to minimize side effects of chemotherapy while maintaining anticancer efficacy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Katz's doctoral research involved the creation of a school program to develop compassionate learning communities by involving students in activities that made them aware of individual differences and the value of diversity. The program increased students' self-respect and respect for diverse others, and reduced bullying and discrimination. | Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Kranabetter developed an improved measure of soil nitrogen supply and demonstrated how foliar attributes of understory trees can be used to calibrate models of productivity in partial-cut forests. Information on how well trees grow when both light and nutrients are limiting is required for assessment of alternatives to clearcutting forests. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr Hennessey developed techniques for improving eye-gaze tracking and the ability to determine where one is looking in 3D space. The methods developed provide a novel means for human computer interaction, and may help to improve the quality of life of the disabled who use eye-gaze for communication. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr Pighini's multiple case studies examined the experiences of parents of developmentally at-risk children serviced by the Infant Development Program of BC. Her findings support the implementation of a primary-level early identification and intervention system for at-risk children within a family-centered and collaborative model of services. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Leung's dissertation was on the synthesis and study of metal-containing polymers. His doctoral work examined methods to combine metals with organic plastics to make flexible materials that can conduct electricity and emit light. The results of his thesis could lead to improved materials for flat panel displays. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Cuttler established a link between checking compulsions and prospective memory, which is the ability to remember to perform activities in the future. Her research indicates that a deficit in prospective memory contributes to the compulsion to check. Her findings have implications for the conceptualization and treatment of checking compulsions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Lam investigated how large datasets can be better displayed for exploratory analysis. Her work helps to improve visualization interface designs that provide dataset overviews and show data at multiple levels of detail. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr Krochak examined the orientation behavior of elongated particles flowing through a linearly contracting channel in a viscous fluid. He showed that particles interact with each other and with the fluid in such a way as to alter the particle orientations and to change the structure of the flow field. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Hinbest studied the implications of devolving the evaluation of social programs and services to nonprofit and grassroots organizations. He examined capacity challenges experienced by communities and organizations flowing from increased accountability expectations, and the role of evaluators in coping with such effects. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Sarkar investigated the microstructural evolution of a model microalloyed complex-phase steel, a class of steels being developed for automotive applications, under simulated hot strip rolling condition. Based on his results, a microstructure process model has been proposed with an emphasis on the metallurgical development during run out table cooling operations | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Schnurr investigated attempts by settlers and scientists to impose cotton as a commodity crop in the eastern region of South Africa known today as KwaZulu-Natal. He argued that, despite repeated failures, cotton facilitated important structural changes to the region's agricultural, political and economic landscape. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2008 | Dr. Mutonyi's case study investigated adolescent students' understanding of the relationship between Health Literacy, HIV/AIDS and Gender. The youth are a critical constituency of reform and it is important to engage them in issues that impact development including issues of health, literacy, HIV/AIDS and Gender. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |