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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Dr. Chen developed real-time electricity market pricing methods incorporating power system frequency dynamics and uncertainty. His research enhances grid reliability by incentivizing generators to efficiently support renewable energy integration. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | How can we gauge risk of experiencing gambling harm? Dr. Deng examined online gambling data in British Columbia and found gambling products with higher usage and spending concentrations attracted gamblers with elevated risk. Gambling risk was also predicted by deposit and withdrawal behaviors and by a combination of product risk and usage. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Hagar discovered antimicrobial compounds from cave soil bacteria. These compounds, named 'caveamides', were found by combining genetic analysis and chemical detection methods. Beyond their pharmaceutical potential, caveamides have rare structural elements that give key insights into a poorly understood aspect of microbial biochemistry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Zargar developed an integrated analytical platform to evaluate and optimize forest biorefineries for both environmental and economic performance. Her research identifies production pathways and strategies that balance emissions reduction and economic return, supporting industries and policymakers working toward a sustainable bioeconomy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Kotapalli studied the function of an epigenetic modulator in luminal muscle invasive bladder cancer. Her research provided a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms critical for development of luminal MIBC. The findings of the research will guide development of new therapies for bladder cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Polymeric coatings are the first line of defense in the pipeline industry but are not immune to aging. Dr. Zargar's research showed that while they effectively prevent corrosion in certain environments, irreversible degradation can lead to substrate oxidation. This study also provided fundamental insights for predictive modelling of their failure. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Owolabi’s research focused on enhancing the comfort of building users with timber-based floors. He examined how the flooring system vibrates due to human activity and developed a method to mitigate annoying vibrations that occupants may feel in such buildings. Insights from the study promote the adoption of timber-based floors in practice. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Belkadi's work examines how uncertainty during the transition phase of displacement impacts key actors, from government agencies to displaced households. It highlights financial, spatial and social challenges that shape post-displacement outcomes. The study also offers insights for improving displacement policies and practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Planning (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Brass explored the experiences of skilled immigrant women language teachers. Her findings revealed systemic inequities in the Canadian workforce. Her research also highlights how non-humans, such as pets and objects, support these women navigate their lives in Canada, challenging traditional human-centered analyses of immigration and identity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Gillette’s doctoral studies focused on the role of scientific authority in democracy. He developed criteria for how to balance popular will and expert input in democratic decision-making despite conflicts over science. His research also reframed questions about the causes of public distrust in science. | Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Boudina investigated the role of geometry on the flow of viscous liquids and state of drops in elastic narrow channels. His analysis revealed that taper improves the flow and prevents occlusion. The outcome of his thesis can inspire practical and cheap biomedical tools and protect microdevices from damage. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | The energy transition will likely require increased mining of critical metals. Dr. Vanderzee's research can be used to help certain critical metal mines offset their greenhouse gas emissions by using their waste products for CO2 sequestration. The research can also be used to improve mine efficiency by leveraging detailed geological knowledge. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Checkervarty examined newborn blood profiles to gain a deeper understanding of early-life immunity and vaccine response. By utilizing various machine learning techniques, he identified key biological markers distinguishing weak from optimal vaccine responders. The research provides new insights into the understudied early-life immune system. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Zheng explored new efforts in green and sustainable organic synthesis towards creating pharmaceutically relevant nitrogen-containing compounds by leveraging the use of earth abundant metal catalysts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Gavilan-Acuña advanced Precision Forestry by integrating ALS and satellite data to optimize plantation management. His research developed models for soil mapping, tree growth, and volume monitoring, creating a framework that enhances sustainable, site-specific forest management practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr.Nyamayaro explored bioderived materials as replacements for harmful plastics in advanced applications. He chemically tailored the properties of cellulosic materials and used them to fabricate biodegradable electronics and design innovative materials with novel flow properties. His findings advance eco-friendly materials in sustainable technology | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Mellesmoen analysed reduplication across all 23 Salish languages using a combination of novel fieldwork and existing documentation. Her research furthers the understanding of word-building strategies, which allows for the creation of teaching materials for language revitalisation and challenges existing theoretical approaches in linguistics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Wang’s research focuses on deploying AI on robots by integrating physics into model learning. By leveraging Gaussian processes to incorporate prior knowledge from physics and machine learning, Dr. Wang demonstrates how AI agents can incorporate multiple data modalities and physics-based priors for more adaptable and intelligent systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Monjaras studies focused on tissue engineering to improve treatment for bladder cancer patients. He developed a tumor model as a tool for drug efficacy testing and transformed stem cells into cells that could potentially be used in organ regeneration. These findings he hopes lead to the improved quality life and outcomes for patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Krabbe examined the effectiveness of community autoethnographic workshops in generating resistance against colonial violence among white women Research Assistants. Through communal reflection and art making, participants gained skills to face their complicity and confront whiteness. This research equips RAs to do less harm within their roles. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Malone explored the use of optical imaging catheters for cancer detection and management. Her work focused on detecting the earliest ovarian cancers where they form in the fallopian tubes. She demonstrated these devices can distinguish disease from normal tissue - the first step towards developing screening tools for ovarian cancer detection. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | XIST is a long non-coding RNA that triggers X-chromosome inactivation, an essential process to compensate for dosage between females and males. Dr. Navarro Cobos tested different transgenes containing human and mouse XIST domains and found a functional shorter XIST version that could be used for chromosome therapy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Thandi's research resulted in the development of a validated electronic frailty screening tool for older adults, the first of it's kind in Canada. This tool is ready for pilot implementation within primary care and provides a tremendous opportunity to detect and manage frailty to improve older adults' holistic health and quality of life . | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Bornarel developed an end-to-end model to investigate trophic amplification (how environmental changes intensify higher in the food web) along BC’s coast. By coupling physical-biogeochemical and food web models, they identified key feedbacks driving this process, advancing ecosystem modeling for fisheries and conservation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Jewell examined lived experience of anxiety and how an individual’s sense of self and reality become altered in anxiety disorders. Her work integrated empirical data and phenomenological insights to reinterpret anxiety disorders and provide a novel framework for understanding self-disorders, or disruptions of self- and world-experience. | Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD) |