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 | NID |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Dr. Holland studied the effect of electrophilic stress on macrophages. Their work led to the development of a novel compound, its cellular mechanism, and its demonstrated efficacy in a model of neurodegenerative disease. This provides the groundwork for the compound to be clinically translated to in-human use. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Royea explored elementary mathematics teacher candidates experiences participating in professional development focused on collaboratively planning, teaching, and revising learning situations. Findings reveal that teacher candidates discerned new relationships between theory and practice in ways that support professional learning. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Cheung-Ismailzai’s research shows how the Standard North American Family (SNAF) ideal marginalizes diverse households by imposing hidden food-related labor. Her concept of “SNA-Foodwork” uncovers how class and race shape burdens in food planning and access. She calls for inclusive policies that address the needs of families. | Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (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. 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. 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. Ross designed a novel solution for real time collections provenance tracking in gallery, library, archive, and museum institutions using distributed ledger technologies, hardware controllers, and monitoring sensors. Positioned at the intersection of engineering and humanities, this design is currently being implemented in an industry setting. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Zhu dedicated her research to developing smart materials by exploring cellulose-water interactions and uncovering their underlying mechanisms. She has engineered high-performance materials and successfully demonstrated their real-world applications. Her work with biopolymers advances sustainability and contributes to a greener future. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (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. Ziao Wang's dissertation develops new strategies to analyze structured data like sequences and networks. His work improves how we sort items, find important elements, and match similar structures—advancing tools used in fields from computer science to social science and beyond. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | In a longitudinal study, Dr. Drew followed 500 infants’ socio-cognitive development from birth to preschool, to assess whether a mature moral sense can be traced back to rudimentary behaviours exhibited during infancy. Her work contributes to our understanding of individual differences in the earliest stages of moral and social development. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Lee’s research revealed that pregnancy history has opposing effects on various biomarkers of brain health depending on genetic risk for late-onset sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Her work advances our understanding of women’s health and underscores the importance of considering within-sex factors in research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Zhan studied biostatistical methods for improving clinical trial design in SPPH. He developed Bayesian adaptive approaches that allow trials to respond more effectively to accumulating data. His research enhances the efficiency and ethical conduct of trials, benefiting researchers and patients alike. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2025 | With the goal of expanding the therapeutic utility of platelet transfusions, Dr. Strong developed novel methods to genetically engineer platelets with mRNA-lipid nanoparticles that are compatible with blood banking practices. His research lays the foundation for the development of next-generation platelet products with expanded therapeutic uses. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Matsell characterized the function and role of the enzyme ATP8A2, contributing to a deeper understanding of its connection to neurodegenerative disease. This work has strengthened the link between ATP8A2's function and disease mechanism, paving the way for the development of targeted therapeutics to aid patients affected by this condition. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Kim examined Korea’s military reform and exile policies from 1863 to 1894. He found that military service was viewed as a social disgrace and reforms remained deeply rooted in traditional values. His work challenges Eurocentric narratives of military history during this period. | Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Studies (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Ding studied how mobile health technologies are used to support youth mental health. Her research showed that health technologies should be designed with youth input to be effective and equitable. These findings will benefit youth, care providers, health policymakers, and other health partners. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (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. Long explored how school leadership practices contribute to fostering a democratic way of life in a Western Canadian public school context. Dr. Long’s research showed that a set of context-dependent distributed leadership practices enacted by all school members brought about the conditions necessary for a democratic way of life to occur. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (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. Indran developed a yeast-based platform using genetic interaction to measure functional effects of human gene variants and mutations. Applying this to TP53, a key cancer gene, revealed how specific mutations alter its activity. This work supports improved classification of uncertain variants in cancer diagnostics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Mirzaee developed an accurate and efficient method for simulating three-dimensional turbulent flows, widely seen in aerospace and automotive industries. His work on higher-order finite volume solvers reduces computational costs while preserving accuracy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2025 | Dr. Fox’s research examined patterns in the environmental and cultural histories of residential, industrial, and military waste plumes in Washington and British Columbia. Her dissertation offers a model of these patterns for scholars and communities working on pollution, climate change, public health and environmental policy issues. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 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 | Dr. Ibrahim investigated the mechanisms underlying cleft lip, a common congenital condition. Her research demonstrated that disrupting RhoA signaling interferes with normal lip development. In the future, these findings will inform therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing the frequency and severity of clefting. | Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science (PhD) |