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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dr. Nasiopoulos examined how real and implied presence are similar or different from each other, and explored potential mechanisms that can account for the effects observed. The evidence from this group of studies furthers our knowledge of social presence effects. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Wawrykow's research investigated Aboriginal students' sources of and access to self-worth. She modified an analysis method to fit with Indigenous oral storytelling traditions. Her findings highlight Indigenous ways of healing and fostering self-worth and contribute to culturally sensitive delivery of clinical service and conducting research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Price attends to a Welsh cultural approach to contemplative connection with the living world. As a response to climate change, her writing explores ways of knowing with trees, culture, words, and ancestors. It offers a creative, devotional, and regenerative approach to environmental and contemplative education. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Karimibiuki studied security solutions for dynamic systems within the Internet-of-Things (IoT), such as drones and rovers. He developed mathematical-based methods to detect software vulnerabilities in mobile computer systems such as drones. His work enables the detection of malicious behaviors in autonomous IoT systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Fong worked on understanding Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen, and bacteriophages, the viruses that predate these bacteria. She identified several bacteriophages with high efficacy in controlling Salmonella that would be of high value to the food industry. Her research sheds insight into mitigation of this human pathogen in the food chain. | Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Marpeau studied the reception of Madame Bovary by Flaubert over time, according to various interpretive communities. Her research contributes to the field of cultural studies in the sense that it uses interdisciplinary academic approaches to understand a cultural object and its effects on its readers. | Doctor of Philosophy in French (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Robazza's research focused on the seismic performance of slender ductile reinforced masonry shear walls. His research included both extensive experimental testing and numerical analyses, which demonstrated that properly detailed reinforced masonry shear walls can possess very good energy dissipation and offer reliable seismic force resistance. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Ramos Musalem studied how submarine canyons that incise the continental shelf enhance the exchange of tracers, such as nutrients and dissolved gases, between the deep ocean and the shallow shelf. Her research provided a link between biological productivity and biodiversity around the canyons and the dynamics within the canyons. | Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Kuhlmann studied how a mutation in the LRRK2 gene and its corresponding protein alters neurotransmission in Parkinson's disease. She found that the mutation disrupts glutamate transmission in young mice, which may contribute to disease onset. A drug targeting LRRK2 function restored normal neurotransmission, suggesting its treatment potential. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Stephens studied the climate trends, carbon, and water use of two forests in central Canada for the past two decades. This study helps to quantify the carbon uptake potential of these forests in the future under further climate change. | Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Mei developed a universal coating that could prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections. With the application of the new coating, interactions between the catheters and urine components can be reduced. This study improves the safety and performance of medical devices, thus improving patients' health. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Brothers investigated Roman spectacles as a medium for dynastic promotion in the Severan age. She discovered that during this tumultuous period, spectacles offered an opportunity for the emperor to demonstrate his benefaction, to create a positive public image for himself, and to associate himself with the great emperors of the past. | Doctor of Philosophy in Classics (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Roberson investigated the impact of immigration background on social belonging. Situating the measurement of social belonging in schools within an international comparative context, he shows that immigration background and national multicultural integration policy are valuable explanatory variables in the ecological validity argument. | Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Ye used the nematode worm to study how living organisms faithfully maintain and pass down genetic information encoded in their DNA. His study characterized genes and therapeutics that affect this process and provided insights that can shed light on future development of anticancer therapy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. McClymont examined multiple aspects of HPV vaccination in women living with HIV. She found that while the vaccine has good efficacy, the post-vaccination burden of oncogenic HPV suggests that cervical screening remains important. These findings will inform the World Health Organization's global strategy for eliminating cervical cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Su developed two radiation therapy modalities, known as trajectory-based treatments, where the couch moves continuously. This work introduces a novel algorithm for treatment planning, which can accurately model proposed treatment modalities. This method can achieve plans superior to those generated by standard planning systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Farahbod studied gene expression in human tissues and showed that observed patterns of expression can be attributed to the diverse cellular composition of the samples. By characterizing this feature of expression data, her study assists us in furthering our knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms behind the regulation of gene expression. | Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. ten Brinke examined the effect of lifestyle strategies on cognitive function in older adults. She showed that computerized cognitive training, especially when combined with exercise, improved cognitive function and its brain networks. Overall, her research supports cognitive training as a promising strategy to promote healthy cognitive aging. | Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Varao-Sousa examined whether studies of mind wandering in the lab reflect mind wandering in real life. Her research provides evidence that rates of inattention are affected by both the task and the naturalness of the setting, a conclusion which has profound implications for theories of human attention. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Chung developed new automated technologies to solve difficult problems relevant to modern organic chemistry. By providing access to data-rich information, these technologies have the potential to alleviate bottlenecks in chemical process development in both academic and industrial settings, with an overall reduction in time and resources. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Gibson examined how acute hospital settings shape patients' and family members' experiences with heart failure and end-of-life planning and care. She found that the ways in which healthcare professionals understood, spoke, and felt about end of life impacted care. Her research highlights how hospital cultures influence patients and families. | Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Okot Bitek examined the haunting effects of historical events and the subsequent relationship between political and social memory in thinking about resistance, reconciliation and reclamation. This work explores the role of the Bitekian song as a space for social and political commentary, an integral aspect of the decolonizing project in Uganda. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Dorri explored methods for detecting genetic mutations with a resolution down to one cell. The accumulation of genetic mutations disrupts regular cell activity and leads to tumour development. Her findings can be applied to the study of clonal dynamics in tumours, which can potentially lead to enhanced cancer diagnosis and treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Wiggermann examined two MRI techniques in the context of myelin health in multiple sclerosis. Through simulations, studies of tissue samples, control and MS populations, she linked the MR measures to the biology of MS. By establishing their robustness for probing myelin at different field strength, she addressed a key issue of using MRI for MS. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Kitil studied the role that executive functions play in important developmental outcomes. She found that 4th and 5th grade students who had better executive functions earned higher academic grades eight years later. Given its malleability, this research highlights the importance of finding ways to support executive functions at an early age. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |