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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dr. Poon's research focused on heart motion management in radiation therapy for irregular heartbeats. He quantified regional heart motion and investigated a technique to synchronize radiation delivery with the cardiac cycle, with the goal of improving treatment outcomes by reducing the treated volume and minimizing radiation to healthy tissue. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Orach investigated the dose-response to controlled air pollution exposure in a clinical trial. He identified blood proteins, breath measurements and symptoms that are closely related to diesel exhaust levels. This research facilitates health monitoring and improves our ability to assess and mitigate the harmful impacts of air pollution. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Baker worked on developing an in-house pre-clinical trial assay for incorporating genetic diversity into vaccine candidate selection. The immune system is the most genetically diverse part of the human genome and must be accounted for when creating vaccines with widespread immunity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Xing explored and improved the detection of topic shifts in natural language and multimedia using data-driven approaches. He proposed enhanced topic segmentation models with better coherence analysis strategies, showing potential to benefit other natural language understanding tasks like text summarization and dialogue modeling. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Wong found a human friendly virus called bacteriophages to be highly effective against a foodborne pathogen, Salmonella, in various fresh produce. For the Salmonella strains that are less susceptible to bacteriophage attack, she found them to utilize genes that can cleave bacteriophages before attack, thereby protecting themselves for survival. | Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Gupta investigated the rheology and flow dynamics of wormlike micellar gels. His experiments revealed previously unknown complex features in the flow of such fluids and will aid the synthesis, design and manipulation of similar soft matter. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Sacchi de Carvalho researched how labour markets function, focusing on how wages are determined, and the roles of firms and employees in production. His results will help policymakers and the public understand wage inequality and labour market dynamics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Manuel's research proposed a literary theory centered in the land and in the relations-based practices of the Syilx Okanagan people. The theory imagines new and dynamic methods of engaging with Indigenous literature beyond its textual form to also include stories told through the land, the body, and through dreams. | Doctor of Philosophy in English (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Lane studied changes in tidal marsh vegetation and seed germination potential in coastal conservation areas of BC. She found evidence for loss and limited germination of native species, and high risk of invasion by non-native species. This research highlights a need for active management and restoration in coastal ecosystems in BC and beyond. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Kreyenmeier studied human eye movements to understand how the brain transforms sensory signals into motor actions. He showed that eye movements can be used as a model system to reveal how humans perceive and interact with their complex and dynamic environment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Maschmeyer-Tombs examined the use of benchtop nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as a tool to monitor chemical reactions. He evaluated the use of different sampling methods and applied his findings to study a variety of chemical reactions, demonstrating how similar approaches can be used in industrial pharmaceutical research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Karimi developed a physics-based digital model of machining thin wall blades enabling the development of optimization algorithms that autonomously adjust cutting parameters. This approach ensures both stability and precision in the machining process. These advancements significantly enhance the efficiency of blade machining. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Kourehpaz enhanced seismic risk assessment methodologies for building structures by incorporating site-specific hazard considerations and addressing various sources of uncertainty in risk models. He employed statistical and machine learning methods to improve the accuracy of regional earthquake-induced damage and economic loss estimates. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Wu's research revolutionizes protein drug delivery, addressing medicine adherence and effectiveness. He developed a needle-free platform using cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), enhancing insulin delivery and blood glucose control. His Nano formulations promise breakthroughs in treating chronic conditions by delivery of monoclonal antibody. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Yuchi studied air pollution, green space and dementia risk in Canada. Her work underscores the importance of further improvements to the built environment and air quality to reduce the burden of dementia in settings where air pollution levels are relatively low. Urban planning to incorporate greenery and parks may help to reduce dementia risk | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Cho explored the transformative learning process among the 'Education Beyond Borders' members in Canada and Kenya in their collaboration. Her research helps to understand how the educators from the Global North and South navigated the issues of power and privilege in the postcolonial setting and adds to the conversation of decolonizing pedagogy. | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Gill examined how different types of childhood poverty experience affect children's development, health, and school success from kindergarten to high school graduation in British Columbia, and how these relationships differ by the child's immigration background. This work can inform intervention and policy to reduce harms related to poverty. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Carpentier developed a novel treatment planning technique for liver cancer patients receiving radiation therapy with real time tumour tracking. She created planning strategies and dose calculations that use the patient's anatomical information over their breathing cycle to ensure the organs near the tumour do not receive too much radiation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Strouth examined how people decide if a community is 'safe enough' from landslides. In addition, he put landslide risks into context with other types of risks. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Fournier uncovered a new role for ARID1A, a gene lost in about 7% of all cancers, in the maintenance of genome integrity. Using CRISPR screening, he also identified vulnerabilities of cancer cells that lose ARID1A. This work expands our understanding of how these tumours develop and provides potential new avenues for treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Sauve explored the experiences that early-career teachers had with social and emotional learning (SEL) as they completed their teacher preparation programs in Oregon. Her research contributes to the limited understanding of the degree to which teachers receive preparation in SEL as they complete their teacher preparation programs in the U.S. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD) |
| 2024 | Why is the natural world so diverse in its shape and form? Is diversity random or driven by natural selection? Dr. Boehm studied the beaks of tropical hummingbirds, and the flowers they visit, to answer these questions. He concludes that extreme curvature is a result of niche partitioning, while other shapes remain unknown in their origin. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Heltzel finds that people typically like political allies who engage constructively with opponents. And yet, US Senators' social media posts get more likes and shares when they dismiss opponents because active extremists prefer such content. For this and other reasons, people incorrectly expect backlash for engaging with opponents. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Zhang studied mathematics problem-solving and self-regulated learning in young students participating in after-school robotics programs. He observed that these children approached problem-solving through iterative processes, engaging in experimentation, assessing their ideas, setting goals, and self-correcting their efforts toward finding solutions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2024 | Dr. Horst employed innovative digital arts-based methods to inquire into the futures literacies of a group of teacher candidates. Her study found that futures literacies pedagogy can provide teacher candidates with creative outlets to express their extant feelings and narratives about the future in generative ways that enable new possibilities to emerge. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |