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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Dr. Zhang developed new and efficient synthetic technologies using radical reactions for the production of pharmaceutically relevant molecules, which have either fluorine atoms or nitrogen rings. These technologies are able to address some of the long standing challenges that are present in chemical synthesis for drug discovery. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Livernois examined the theoretical foundations of market-based policies and cost-benefit analysis, arguing that both fall short of delivering results that could forge sound environmental policy. The outcome of this research was to clarify misguided economic concepts with the aim of contributing to the improvement of environmental policy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Defrenne showed that tree species can adjust to climate through their fine roots and associated symbiotic fungi, called mycorrhizal fungi. Her research on Douglas-fir suggests that the success of Douglas-fir as climate changes and stress increases may be dependent on maintaining strong associations with local communities of mycorrhizal fungi. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Duff examined the role of exercise in modifying the biophysical properties of the aorta which may be compromised in children and adolescents with obesity. Specifically, she studied changes to aortic pulse wave velocity following an exercise intervention. This work has determined that exercise can reduce vascular dysfunction and serve as useful therapy in the management of childhood obesity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2019 | If automation is inevitable, one must either fear it or embrace it; Dr. Christy believes the latter. His research focuses on bringing automation to the pulp and paper industry. He developed a spectroscopic method to predict product quality based on in-process pulp, and deployed it in a pilot plant. His goal is a full-scale mill implementation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Burugu characterized the immune system in the tissues of breast cancer patients. Using conventional and novel techniques, she found the presence of immune cells that can be reactivated to eliminate cancer cells. Her work can inform the prioritization and design of immunotherapy clinical trials for breast cancer patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Colalillo examined how characteristics of mothers, such as memory, self-control, personality, and attitudes toward parenting, are linked to their parenting behaviors. She found that these relations differ depending on the nature of the childrearing context. This research sheds light on the complexity of parenting and parent-child interactions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2019 | A controlled CD4+ T cell response is essential for protective immunity against influenza. Dr. Fonseca showed that CD4+ T cells are modulated by the infection-induced cytokine IL-27 and dynamic histone modifications during infection. Her work provides insight into the mechanisms that balance effective immunity and immunopathology during disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Warner studied the effect of medications on recovery after spinal cord injury. Using secondary data, she performed analyses to identify the beneficial effects of a specific drug, as well as map the progression of pain after injury. Her research contributes to the search for treatments after spinal cord injury and their potential clinical applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Arnadottir examined the emergence of contemporary artistic practices in Iceland through a study of the activities of the artist collective SUM from 1965 to 1978. She argued that Icelandic contemporary art is uniquely shaped by the country's historically peripheral status within the Danish empire and by the profound influence of romantic and nationalist discourse in Iceland. | Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Abdelmagid conducted his research in the field of chemistry, and his doctoral studies focused on the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway enzymes. He developed an inhibition strategy for enzymes that are considered potential drug targets for cancer therapy. His novel work may lead to the development of a new class of anti-cancer drugs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Choquette studied territorial expansion in the history of Canada to look at the ideas that justified it. This work serves as a cautionary tale because it reveals that expansion, which required the displacement and dispossession of Indigenous Peoples, was made on the reason that it would improve their standard of living. | Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Tigchelaar dedicated the last decade towards improving the outcomes of patients with spinal cord injury. He discovered a set of genetic markers that could serve as diagnostic and prognostic tools for patients suffering from paralysis. His work will continue to advance recovery and outcomes for patients with spinal cord injury. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2019 | Half of our DNA is self-replicating, "jumping genes" called transposable elements (TEs), a fifth of which are genetic fossils of ancient retroviruses. Dr. Babaian explored how these normally repressed viral genes are resurrected in human cancers, and how this re-activation drives the evolution of novel cancer-promoting genes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Kwon examined the existence and ill-posedness for partial differential equations describing the motion of fluid when the given data is rough. The construction of the various type of flows with desired properties gives a deeper understanding of the behavior of fluid flows. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Beattie examined how nickel, a sustainable and cheap metal element, can activate carbon-hydrogen bonds, including effects of different reaction variables. His studies inform the inorganic and organic chemical communities on the mechanism of how nickel can be used for sustainable chemical transformations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Hetherington's research focused on improving performance and energy efficiency in datacenters. He proposed novel software and hardware systems, demonstrating the potential for a broader scope of important applications to benefit from efficient graphics processing units. His work can help reduce the environmental impacts of datacenters. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Neuenfeld applied quantum information theory to study gravitational physics. He investigated how information is transferred in processes involving gravity, and explored how quantum information restricts the spacetimes that can be realized in nature. His results contribute to a better understanding of a quantum theory of gravity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Naef studied the challenges of regulating multinational corporations operating in fragile states. He argued that home states must take steps to control their corporate citizens abroad and showed how traditional readings of international law permit them to avoid doing so. His proposed solution lies in reconsidering customary international law. | Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Toker's research on user-adaptive information visualizations is at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Human Computer Interaction. His work leveraged eye tracking to show how adaptive interventions could be devised to support users according to their individual needs and differences. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Sommerville researched recent agricultural investment ventures pairing marginalized communities with wealthy investors in Canada and South Africa. She found that the schemes allow investors to benefit from land claims and land reform programs, compromising the benefits offered by such programs to First Nations and black African communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Vabi examined the link between public-private partnerships and corporate social responsibility. He identified conditions under which partnerships can be used to responsibly and efficiently drive community development. This research highlights one way corporations can successfully achieve sustainable development goals. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Kendall studied how cartoony faces, such as in comics or emojis, are processed when compared to photorealistic faces. She found evidence that illuminated how cartoony images are processed faster and more easily than photorealistic images, which may underlie their use in broader applications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. LaPierre's community-based research with grade 12 Indigenous students examined their experiences and definitions of success. The study sheds light on Indigenous students' perceptions of success and how to create more suitable learning environments. The results of this study will inform practices in a range of public and Indigenous-led education systems. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Daros studied some of the most common diseases of milk producing cows. Aiming to improve dairy cow's welfare he has revealed some of the factors associated with disease onset that will help guide future disease prevention protocols. Such protocols include better hoof care and nutritional management for indoor and outdoor housed cows. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |