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. Mitchell researched bark beetle and woodborer outbreaks following wildfires in dry conifer forests. She discovered high levels of competition between insects postfire may prevent widespread bark beetle outbreaks, altering expected forest damage patterns as stands recover. Her work informs postfire forest management across western North America. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Chantapakul studied the use of bacteriophages, viruses that target bacteria, to manage stem gall disease in blueberries in British Columbia. He found that phages can reduce soil-borne bacteria, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical treatments. His research supports blueberry growers and promotes sustainable farming practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Sidrow developed new statistical methods to infer hidden behaviours from complex biologging data collected by modern sensors. He applied these methods to investigate the foraging behaviour of Killer Whales off the coast of British Columbia using animal-borne tags. | Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Berjisian studied how cyclists balance time and energy during daily trips. Using GPS data, she found that road grade, sex, traffic controls, and facility types influence cyclists' choice of speed. Her research supports designing infrastructure for riders of all ages and abilities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Fernández Boyano investigated placental DNA methylation to better understand early-onset preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication. Her work revealed distinct molecular features of this condition and informed a science communication initiative to bring placental research closer to the public. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Ribosomes are critical molecular machines that carry out the process of translation. Dr. Hay investigated how changes in the ribosome enhance the production of proteins in the interferon response, a critical component of the innate immune response. Her work provides novel insights into our understanding of immunity and viral infection. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Yavarinasab studied how bacteria can produce electricity. He found a way to measure their electrical activities and created a simple sensor to detect chemicals such bacteria release. His discoveries could support the development of low-cost, bacteria-powered batteries to provide electricity in off-grid areas and during emergencies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Kim developed a computational tool to categorize the brain’s immune cells by shape and explored how these changes relate to immune memory. Her work introduces new approaches for studying microglial diversity and offers insights into the connection between cell shape and gene expression, advancing our understanding of brain health and disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Holmberg studied how USAID’s PREDICT program shaped emerging disease response and global health inequalities. She found that it introduced new risks and inefficiencies into public health systems while framing the West as inherently disease-free relative to the rest of the world. Her findings shed light on why global health security fails. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Press investigated how the avian brain uses visual motion to guide flight. He developed techniques to record neural activity in flying zebra finches and found that neurons known to mediate stabilizing eye movements are also implicated in locomotion. This research improves our understanding of how self-motion is encoded in behaving animals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Ee studied parents with ADHD and their experiences of raising children with the same condition. Her research provides a unique perspective on the complex family dynamics when parent and child share similar ADHD traits, highlighting how parental ADHD can be leveraged as a strength to help overcome challenges and support children's development. | Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Dufresne studied the ultrafast electron dynamics of a novel quantum material, revealing how electronic interactions drive its exotic insulating state. Utilising a developed laser system to and probe ultrathin samples, their work showed how light and dimensionality can tune and control emergent quantum phases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2025 | Ice nucleating substances can initiate ice formation in clouds, affecting cloud properties and climate. Dr. Worthy developed a new technique for studying ice nucleating substances in the environment, which can improve our understanding of their concentrations and identities, and thus their impacts on climate. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Yi studied how people respond to discounts. He found that some discounts lead people to hold unrealistic expectations and thus feel unfair. He also discovered that subtle wording changes influence consumer opinion toward discounts. His findings reveal the reference-dependent nature of preferences and inform ethical marketing strategies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Marketing and Behavioural Science (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Pathak’s research focused on the interplay between topology and unconventional superconductivity in layered, two-dimensional quantum materials. Her research predicted novel mechanisms for topological phase formation, occurrence of Majorana modes and spontaneous edge currents, contributing to the development of future quantum technologies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Trainini's research looks at how an approach that integrates body and mind enhances instrumental learning and music performance, with a focus on bodily awareness and multisensory feedback within the paradigm of embodied cognition. | Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Instrument (DMA) |
| 2025 | Dr. Manu investigated critical relationships between measured and perceived indoor environmental quality, occupant well-being, and productivity in home-based workspaces. Her findings underscore the pivotal role subjective IEQ experiences play in shaping occupant health, offering essential guidance to designers, researchers, and policy-makers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Kerai-Sayani created survey in Urdu, in consultation with children in Pakistan, to assess their positive development and wellbeing. She also evaluated aspects of its accuracy and found that the survey effectively captures children's feelings and daily experiences, making it a valuable tool for monitoring- and developing programs to support their wellbeing. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Lee investigated the respiratory adaptations of water-breathing insects that evolved from air-breathing ancestors. Using larval dragonflies, he found that their respiratory system is conducive for obtaining oxygen but inhibitory for living in deep depths, highlighting a key evolutionary constraint within the insect lineage | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Building codes in North America currently aim to protect lives, but do not ensure a building is functional after a large earthquake. Dr. Blowes evaluated the risk of long post-earthquake recovery times and identified factors that drive this risk. Her research also proposed methods to include recovery in future seismic design provisions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Migrants in Latin America increasingly come from demographically diverse backgrounds. Dr. Yates found that non-Latin American migrants experiences and reception in Latin America differ widely based on the race, nationality, religion, & language of migrants themselves. This research informs hemispheric migration enforcement & protection policies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Lee used a genetic approach to study the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, identifying a novel pathway for antifungal drug development. He also highlighted a new class of synthetic proteins with therapeutic potential against Cryptococcus. This research enhances our knowledge of cryptococcal disease and supports a new treatment strategy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Shenasa studied immune cells surrounding tumors to identify markers linked to patients’ responses to cancer treatments. She compared methods for detecting these immune markers, from standard tests to novel, cutting-edge techniques. Her work can help researchers optimize treatment options for cancer patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Gowton examined extrafloral nectar, or EFN, production in Faba bean to understand how biotic factors, like rhizobia and herbivory, and abiotic factors, such as elevated CO2, nitrogen, and silicon, affect plant defenses. She found EFN production relied more on biotic interactions rather than abiotic interactions, highlighting its context-dependent role | Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Science (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Derriche studied how electric polarization affects a wide class of solids. He discovered that relaxing common approximations in the treatment of polarization leads to the emergence of interesting behaviors explaining experimental results related to lattice distortions, topological insulators and high-temperature superconductors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |