Doctoral Citations

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
2023 Dr. Johnson examined the political history of evolutionary biology in England, Europe, and Russia in the nineteenth century. While Social Darwinism has been analyzed as a political application of evolutionary thought, Dr. Johnson argues that this perspective arose in opposition to what he identifies as Socialist Darwinism. Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
2023 Dr. Soltani examined the behavior of materials at the atomistic scale. He used computer simulation of atoms and machine learning algorithms to understand how the dynamic processes derive the evolution of micro-structure of materials and how these processes determine the properties of materials like glasses and metals. Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
2023 Dr. Guzman studied the behavior of monetary and fiscal policy during economic crises. He showed how fiscal expansions can affect the ability of central banks to use monetary policy against recessions. His work contributes to the understanding of monetary and fiscal policy interactions, and why these policies can exhibit lack of coordination in a crisis. Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Nelson's work focussed on the role of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme within the unique respiratory system responsible for the success of the teleost fishes. Her work advances our understanding of the function, development, and evolution of a respiratory system present in half of all vertebrate species. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Pascual showed how variation in genetics, habitat and time impact gene exchange in Texan wild sunflowers. Their encounter with Hurricane Harvey revealed the remarkable resilience of the species. These findings provide unique insights into how a single species can diverge into two, and how some species might respond to climate-driven disasters. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2023 Dr. van der List studies how the economy interacts with geographic space. She has shown that firms trade off labor-market power and productivity spillovers when choosing a location. Her research has implications for the design of government subsidies affecting specific locations. Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Nitoslawski's research explored the role of technology in urban forestry, and tested new ways to collect data on urban ecosystems. This work revealed nuanced relationships between people, nature, and technology, informing both research and practice as we tackle critical environmental issues in this digital age. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023 Dr. Lan identified three genes that regulate an important signal molecule NHP in systemic acquired resistance in plants. The three genes function together and negatively regulate defence-related genes in epigenetic level. These findings assist us in understanding plant defence mechanism and plant disease control. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2023 Dr. Lin's work focused on developing the theory and practice of geometric methods in machine learning. His research opens a new direction for exploiting hidden mathematical structures in real-world applications. His methodology was used to win the Bayesian Deep Learning Challenge in Neural Information Processing Systems 2021. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2023 Dr. Degioanni explored AC-DC three-phase power converters used in grid-connected systems, developing innovative tools and solutions for their modelling and control. His work enables seamless integration of technologies like renewables, electric vehicles, and battery chargers, shaping the future of the electric grid. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2023 Dr. Ahmadvand developed a robust optimization model that minimizes the costs and GHGs of forest biomass supply chain for production of syngas to replace natural gas at BC Kraft pulp mills. She also presented an optimal pricing scheme to make the investment in renewable fuels such as syngas more appealing to the pulp and paper industry. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023 Dr. Engstrom explored how someone's social class affects how much we trust them. She found people see lower-class people as more moral - but they also implicitly associate low social class with immorality, and believe lower-class people are more tempted by financial need to betray trust. This research shows the complexity of class stereotypes. Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Li explored the dynamics of ocean extreme temperature events, Marine Heatwaves, and their ecological impacts. Her work improves our understanding of the historical and future changes in multiple novel heat stress characteristics globally, and also demonstrates the protective impacts of "training" heat stress conditions on global coral reefs. Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD)
2023 Dr. Gallagher examined the visual and musical features of pastoral landscapes (forests and fields) and anti-pastoral areas (ruins and caves) in the video games Final Fantasy X, XII, XIII, and XV. Her research shows that music significantly impacts players' perceptions of these areas, making them feel more relaxed and apprehensive, respectively. Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Musicology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Matavelli examined the role of lack of communication in perpetuating misperceptions about social norms, especifically in the context of masculinity norms. She also investigated the role of norms change, proxied by an election outcome, on violence against women. She then showed that psychedelic intake led people to leave the formal labour market. Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Heydari conducted research on how groups of stem cells behave together. He showed that we can use mathematics to understand and predict their behavior. This newfound knowledge can be used to develop better methods for creating tissues and organs in stem cell research. Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD)
2023 Dr. Al-Muftah analyzes Qatar University to explore evolving trends in higher education internationalization, emphasizing shifts over time and space. This study urges policymakers to move beyond Euro-American perspectives, promoting localized concepts for internationalization. Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD)
2023 Dr. Morse worked on how a common intestinal virus infection influences the immune system and the gut microbiome to trigger the onset of type 1 diabetes. His research shows how environmental stressors engage in cross-communication with the host to impact development of autoimmune diseases. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Zhang studied the effect of non-invasive stimulation therapies on brain neurobiology. Stimulation therapies are critical for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and her work showed that stimulation therapies can affect the generation of new neurons in the brain to potentially mediate therapeutic and side-effects. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2023 Dr. Akinlaja adapted proteomics methods towards understanding the infectious processes of a pathogen of the honey bee midgut. Her work provides new insight into how host protein expression and interactions are altered by pathogen infection, and identifies candidate proteins that could be potential therapeutic targets in the resulting disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2023 Using lipid nanoparticle technology, Dr. Leung uncovered novel methods to genetically modify platelets and discovered strategies to improve the efficacy of nanoparticles. His research brings us one step closer to better transfusion products while advancing our understanding of lipid nanoparticles. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2023 Dr. King studied the experiences of youth returning to high school and re-engaging in their education after sustaining a mild traumatic brain injury/concussion. This research helps us understand the barriers these students face, what is helpful to them in this time, and what can be improved to better support their transition back to school. Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Jelsing examined Indigenous and settler colonial visions of the future as they were articulated through prophecy in two nineteenth-century North American "northwests". He showed how these prophecies expressed divergent modes of relationship that help us understand how settler colonialism unfolded in these two distinct places. Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
2023 Dr. Nierves explored the application of mass spectrometry in the interrogation of pediatric leukemia cells and microenvironment. His study assists in the characterization of leukemic cells and the pursuit of better therapeutic options for children with cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Bellwood developed a novel method to document current medical practices aimed at changing human behaviour and inform strategies to improve such practices using the example of prescribing physical activity in primary care. This method has a potential application beyond physical activity prescribing and beyond primary care in future research. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)