Doctoral Citations

Dr. Masoud developed an adaptive learning-based travel behaviour model and proposed a suite of empirical tools that provide a comprehensive evaluation of the influence of neighbourhood design on quality of life. He subsequently utilized his evaluation tools to demonstrate the sustainability benefits of the SMARTer Growth design in Kelowna.

Dr. Alghamdi developed a framework for the sustainability performance and benchmarking of higher education institutions (HEI) in terms of Water, Energy, and Carbon (WEC) flows. The findings help decision-makers assess the environmental progress made in HEIs and enhance community engagement by providing tools to enable institutions to shift toward a sustainable campus.

Dr. Elmouchi provided a solution for the excessive settlement of Muskeg soils using an environmentally-friendly stabilization technique by making use of the inherent biomass inside the soil. This technique improved the weak soil’s behaviour and led to a small settlement, which will confirm the overlying structures’ safety.

Dr. Patrician explored how iron bioavailability can influence blood flow responses across different organs (i.e. lungs, brain and peripheral tissues) at high altitude, and whether indigenous high altitude populations (Sherpa and Andeans; who have lived a high altitude for generations) exhibit more advanced strategies for using iron. Over two high altitude expeditions to Nepal and Peru, new evidence is provided that supports that iron status may influence blood flow regulation at high altitude.

Dr. Rana critically analyzed the performance of financial incentives in promoting green buildings in Canada. Her work recommends practical solutions for stakeholders by focusing on building design and related economic factors. Her recommendations will improve the strategies for offering financial incentives, and help maximize both environmental and economic benefits.

Dr. Reinholz developed a novel solenoid with the unique ability to measure and control the position of its plunger using two methods that simultaneously calculate position based on the voltage and current being supplied. Westport Fuel Systems Canada Inc. patented Dr. Reinholz’s work and is looking at applying it to their fuel delivery systems.

Dr. Crawford developed artificial intelligence-based models to support manufacturing composite aerospace structures, integrating the knowledge of experts to improve transparency for both the model builders and users. This research demonstrates how we can utilize black-box models in regulated industries with high-stakes decision-making.

Dr. Peña examined sustainability in the wine industry using three concepts that emerged from his research: ideological conflicts on how sustainability is defined and practiced; the contested sensory normative of wine; and sustainable wine framed as subversive art. His research aids in understanding how sustainable markets and social movements develop.

Dr. Durrer investigated the use of a low-carbohydrate, energy-restricted diet implemented by community pharmacists for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. He demonstrated that this dietary strategy is effective in reducing the need for diabetes medications while concurrently improving cardiometabolic health in people with type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Netherton examined the relationship between Indigenous nations and the Canadian government to identify a governance framework to facilitate a respectful partnership. A new framework is based on indigeneity as a social paradigm with a consensus decision-making process, treaty federalism and co-management agreements, and local knowledge.

Dr. Loland explored the connections between nature, mindful attention, and teacher wellbeing, discerning new knowledge and practices that can support mental health in education contexts. Her study further offers the method of eco-mandala as an arts-based approach to data collection when studying nature and human wellbeing.

Dr. Lisi investigated the use of digital (vs. in-person) communication for managing daily emotions in young adults. Her research helps explain why modes of communication may have different effects on social and emotional well-being and suggests specific targets for digital literacy interventions.

Dr. Benson explored how networking and strengthening community relationships could improve food quality and quantity for the Penticton Salvation Army food bank. Her work with the community and students has inspired further university-community collaborations in the Okanagan and internationally.

Dr. Ghanem worked on different positioning technologies used in autonomous vehicles. He was able to use low-cost Ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors, to provide positioning capabilities comparable to other positioning technologies based on sensor fusion. This work can be applied to autonomous vehicles in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Dr. Musolino explored the impact of pornography consumption on romantic relationships using model-based cluster analysis. Using this technique, she found distinct clusters in terms of individual and relationship functioning, for both the men and the women. This research highlights the complexity of romantic relationships and outlines critical differences between men and women, particularly in how they choose to respond when faced with sensitive questions about their romantic relationships.

Dr. Hitendra Kumar developed biomaterials that harness the energy from visible light to form complex 3D shapes for recreating tissue mimics which are structurally and functionally like natural tissues in the human body. Further, Dr. Kumar presented a framework for designing complex blood vessel networks for these artificial tissues to sustain the long-term growth of embedded cells.

Dr. Smith explored systemic barriers experienced by disabled mothers across the lifespan. This study focused on the human rights implications of barriers experienced by disabled women and girls, in particular, how these experiences limit reproductive and sexual health decisions and choices for disabled women who are parents.

Dr. Niu systematically studied the security and performance of three influential next-generation blockchain protocols. The research has identified several security vulnerabilities in these protocols and then provided some countermeasures. These outcomes help us to design better blockchain protocols.

Dr. Gelinas investigated exercise limitations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and showed that the cardiovascular system significantly contributes to exercise limitation in many patients. She also developed 2 novel indices of sustainable exercise intensity to optimize exercise prescription for pulmonary rehabilitation.

Dr. Gupta demonstrated the efficacy of exploiting abstract symmetries to efficiently train complex reinforcement learning agents. Inspired by human learning, the research provokes the use of symmetry to train simple agents, which in turn learn to solve otherwise intractable scenarios, forming a momentous base for the future of reinforcement learning (RL) applications.

Dr. Todd examined whether exercise can reduce neuropathic pain and improve well-being among persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI). She found that moderate-frequency and -intensity exercise can lead to analgesic effects and improvements in well-being, suggesting that exercise may be used as a management option for neuropathic pain among persons with SCI.

Dr. Crosby examined how price affects hypothetical purchases of cannabis for both recreational and medical cannabis users. She found availability of alternative substances, such as alcohol or prescription opioid medication, affects purchasing of cannabis. The research highlights the importance of unit price as a determinant of choice when it comes to choosing cannabis over other substances.

Dr. Skandalos studied the seismic design and performance assessment of seismically isolated and mass timber lateral load resisting systems for building structures. To investigate and optimize these systems, he applied different seismic design approaches, finite element analysis and soft computing tools.

Dr. Arias’ research presented a poietic autoethnography using ceremony as method in her exploration of the cultural restoration of birth and mothering practices among Xicana Indigenous mothers, women and girls including herself. She offered liberatory restoration principles and processes for the cultural resurgence of the Temazcalli sweathouse, rebozo healing, and Xilonen coming of age ceremonies.

Dr. Mackowiak examined the recovery of tellurium through the recycling of an industrial by-product. Tellurium is an important element in the manufacture of solar panels and other green technologies. Through the development of a three-step process, high purity metallic tellurium was able to be produced.

Dr. Giles-Hansen studied the effect of cumulative forest disturbance on water and carbon cycles in the interior of British Columbia. A new method for regional forest evapotranspiration was developed.

Dr. Harris used ethnographic and community based participatory research methods to describe the history and current context of the Kamloops Food Policy Council. She argues that the Council’s many initiatives build the community capacity that is needed to bring about expansive visions for a local food system that is regenerative, sovereign and just.

Dr Volkmann examined how Pacific marten and other carnivores use forests that have been altered by fire and post-fire salvage logging. This work highlights the importance of residual habitat structure for sensitive species and improves our ability to manage burned landscapes for wildlife in the face of climate change.

Dr. Bergen performed a theoretical and experimental analysis of devices for passive terahertz wireless communication systems. His research highlights opportunities and challenges for this new class of high-speed low-power wireless communication devices.

Dr. Udala examined public perceptions of the Canadian infanticide defence. The results of this dissertation inform how sexism and mental health stigma can influence decisions in the criminal justice system.

Dr. Mian developed an integrated water quality management framework to identify, predict, evaluate, and control the occurrence of contaminants in distribution networks. The framework has the potential to be used by utility managers, planners, and water purveyors to improve drinking water quality.

Dr. Tabatabaee identified the essential role of two different ion channels in morphological anomalies of glioma cells that underpin the progression and therapy-resistance of cancers in the brain. These proteins can be targeted to control the progression of invasive brain cancers.

Dr. AlHashmi developed an energy and environmental performance management framework to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and decrease the associated cost of residential buildings in hot and arid regions.

Dr. Sharif developed an integrated framework, which employs WQ & energy-use modelling techniques to identify, evaluate, and simultaneously measure the causes of depleted WQ and high-energy use in a large water distribution system.

Dr. Ahadi’s research study explored the settlement and integration experiences of recent Iranian immigrants who live in the suburbs of Surrey, Burnaby, and Coquitlam, the barriers and challenges they face, and the coping strategies they use when faced with a lack of settlement services.

Dr. Piette-Lauzière combined regional field mapping and micro-analysis of faults structures to document the geological evolution of the Appalachian Mountains. In the process, he contributed to the fundamental understanding of mountain belt evolution, fault formation and displacement in the context of continent collisions.

Dr. Wu investigated how to estimate the channel property of 5G wireless signal propagation. She developed algorithms and deep learning approaches to acquire channel state information needed for wireless communications. The proposed approaches will improve the accuracy, computational speed and spectral efficiency of future 5G wireless communications.

Dr. Yuan proposed an optimally displaced threshold detection for discriminating between two coherent states. The proposed detection method can be used to improve the communication performance of both classical and quantum communications.

Dr. Sourki developed an efficient model to study the behaviour of flexible textile-based materials. He subsequently applied his method to minimize the defect formation resulting from complex deformations, and thereby, minimized waste materials.

Dr. McKay systematically co-developed a theory-based behaviour change intervention to promote leisure time activity in family support providers of people with spinal cord injury. She conducted her research in partnership with community organizations to ensure the findings could be used to support families of people with spinal cord injury.

Dr. Graziani developed new methods for studying rock deformation and ductile flow in shear zones within the lower continental crust. He applied these techniques to unravel the 1.9 billion-year-old tectonic evolution of the eastern Athabasca Mylonite Triangle in Northern Saskatchewan.

Dr. Petillion developed active learning activities for the first-year chemistry classroom and evaluated their impact on student attitudes towards chemistry and academic achievement. He found that by engaging with the learners and making connections to real-world chemical contexts, students would have a greater appreciation for chemistry’s role in society and earn higher course grades.

Dr. Friberg developed a framework for assessing the resilience of rural communities to environmental disturbance. He applied this framework to generate insights for improving the resilience of Alberta communities to mountain pine beetle outbreaks and future impacts from climate change.

Dr. Shaw deconstructed the peer mentorship experience for people with spinal cord injury to better understand how specific elements of peer mentorship contribute to its effectiveness. His research was conducted using a community-based framework to maximize community involvement.

Dr. Jiang showed that certain algebraico-geometric quantity (order of the Galois group) controls the behaviour of random walk models. He demonstrated that in contrast to the known fact that in sphere topology, a finite order can be arbitrarily large, in donuts topology, a finite order can be at most 24.

Dr. Moghaddam developed a novel method to measure the optical functions of silicon thin-films using the measurements of reflectance and transmittance spectra. In addition, he focused on finding the relationship between the micro-structure and the optical results of silicon thin-films, which can be applied in large area electronics such as solar cells and electronic displays.

Dr. Aldabagh executed a combination of analytical and experimental research programs to examine the performance of high-strength steel rebars in concrete bridge columns. His work led to the development of design guidelines promoting the efficient use of high-strength steel in bridge columns.

Dr. Mohammadnejad investigated hydrogen-enriched flames and showed how adding hydrogen influences the flame structure and burning velocity. He challenged a traditionally believed model, which assumes a thin structure for turbulent flames, and developed a model that will facilitate the improved design of combustors and gas turbine engines.

Dr. Saleem developed a continuous performance improvement framework for aquatic centres operating in a cold region. The developed framework consists of methods and approaches to assess, manage, and improve the performance of aquatic centres and will help aquatic centres achieve the goal of sustainability.

Dr. Dey developed an analysis method for evaluating seismic risk to oil and gas pipelines due to permanent ground deformation resulting from fault rupture. This research demonstrates that uncertainty quantification of buried pipeline responses faced with permanent ground deformation hazard can be efficiently and effectively carried out using multi-fidelity techniques.

Dr. Mohammadi developed and optimized real-time and miniaturized microwave sensing platforms to enable the monitoring of liquid samples and their contents. The introduced liquid sensors reduced the required volume of liquid samples down to nanoliters that can pave the path towards accurate point-of-care medical diagnosis and at-home testing using biological fluids.

Dr. Suad Alrebdi studied the CEOs’ Integration collaboration competencies in seven startups in Kelowna and Riyadh and developed measures for CEO competencies linked to CEO perceptions of startup performance and survival. Dr. Alrebdi found three modes of CEOs’ integration collaboration competencies each of which can be a source of competitive advantage.

Dr. Prabatha integrated life cycle thinking into the building energy retrofits planning and associated decision-making process. The developed decision support tools assist municipalities, building owners, and contractors in identifying economically and environmentally sustainable retrofit strategies to realize their goals. The overall research outcomes support the provincial and federal climate action initiatives and help to enhance the economic performance of the residential building sector.

Dr. Lawrence employed a decolonial feminist methodology in her study of contemporary curatorial initiatives to consider how they open up space for reimagining curation. Her research demonstrates the significance of relationality and modelling in establishing diverse precedence for curatorial practice and the impact this can have on the ethos and policies of art institutions.

Dr. Hay demonstrated how a curricular goal setting intervention in a first-year university science course could increase students’ intrinsic motivation, self-control, control of learning beliefs, and metacognition – all factors associated with persistence and academic success. This research sheds light on how educators may reduce the high post-secondary attrition rates seen across the globe.

Dr. Prasad developed new computationally inexpensive methods that enable accurate quantum mechanical modelling of chemical and biological systems. The methods he developed are valuable for those interested in designing and discovering medicines, catalysts, and materials for various applications.

Dr Loi explored the novel integration of light simulation approaches from computational nanophotonics, computer graphics and daylighting to enable multi-scale simulation of the appearance, behavior, and performance of nanoengineered materials including thin metallic films, metallic multilayers, hole arrays, and plasmonic nanostructures.

Dr. Peng studied the integrity assessment of oil and gas pipelines. The research integrated inspection data from two different non-destructive tools for comprehensive assessment results. The outcomes contribute to the safe and efficient operation of oil and gas pipeline systems.

Dr. Du developed a new type of wideband feed antenna for radio telescopes. By operating over a wide range of frequency, the developed feed reduces operating cost, enhances sensitivity, and allows for studying different astronomical phenomena simultaneously.

Dr. Rodrigues developed new control methods that can take advantage of emerging technologies in modern electric power systems. The application of his controllers provides significant opportunities for enhancing the power grid reliability and resilience to disruptive events while simplifying the integration and management of renewable energy sources.

Dr. Zhang assessed the Direct Strength Method against extensive experimental results and conducted numerous column tests, upgrading the Direct Strength Method to be more accurate and economical.

Dr. Olutayo developed a new channel model that can accurately describe the environment’s effects on communication signals of emerging wireless systems. These channel models play a vital role in designing, implementing, testing, and deploying these new wireless communication systems.

Dr. Sadeghifar developed a hierarchy of potential models for the adsorption of H2 molecules on ionic surfaces. The proposed models were then used in the molecular simulations of these systems to answer questions that remained in the field for more than 15 years. The proposed models can now be used as a predictive tool to design future experiments and to explore more important properties of these layers.

Dr. Meng developed an efficient modelling approach to accurately represent the dynamic phenomena of electric converters. He subsequently applied his method to study the severe fault impact on a large-scale power grid with connections to offshore renewable power plants, thereby lowering the overall computational cost while delivering the accurate response of the system.

Dr. Prasad studied a novel Spark Plasma Sintering Technique for the fabrication of nuclear fuel pellets and set up the first facility in Canada with that capability. His research resulted in the fabrication of several prototype fuel pellets with enhanced performance that might be powering future nuclear reactors. This technology was transferred to Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and is being actively pursued by Dr. Prasad at CNL

Dr. Arash Dalili developed a Lab-on-a-Chip, which by utilizing dielectrophoretic force can manipulate, focus, and separate microparticles and biological cells. His developed device is portable, offers high throughputs and separation efficiency. Therefore, it has vast applications in point-of-care diagnostic and environmental monitoring devices.

Dr. Rashidi developed novel characterization and modelling techniques to investigate process-induced defects in the manufacturing of aerospace textile composites. The versatile modelling framework resulting from his research enables the identification of the optimum combinations of material, processing, and part geometrical factors that can lead to defect-free aerospace composite structures.

Dr. Carturan built a complex computer model to show that coral species diversity in a reef makes the reef more resilient to disturbances such as storms and bleaching events. His research determined aspects of diversity that confer reef resilience and has concrete applications for the management of coral reefs as the climate changes.

Dr. Quin explored the relationship between maternal fat consumption and offspring health by examining differences in infant gut microbes and immune responses in acute and chronic diseases. She found that unsaturated fats reduce immune priming in infants, increasing the risk for poor health outcomes. These studies challenge current dietary guidelines.

Dr. White examined how various individual characteristics, such as personality, influenced the benefits of a well-being intervention. Dr. White found that while some nuances were discovered, on average, people randomized to a 6-month well-being program became happier and more satisfied with their lives, regardless of their personality traits.

Dr. Leitner’s research demonstrated how eye-tracking technology predicts performance on cognitive testing in young and older adults, as well as recovery of function after a stroke. This research addressed a need to explore modern technology during the assessment of cognition to further understand brain-behaviour relationships.

Dr. Coombs showed that acute passive heat stress improves markers of vascular function in both young, healthy individuals and those with spinal cord injuries. The underlying mechanisms will inform longer-term protocols. However, activation of the sympathetic nervous system and chronic heat exposures are important considerations for future research.

Dr. Luka developed simple and inexpensive on-chip-based biosensors and point-of-care diagnostic devices for the detection of pathogens. He subsequently applied his techniques to detect Cryptosporidium in water samples.

Dr. Feng developed a building-level life cycle assessment framework with the integration of Building Information Modelling and Environment Production Declaration. The proposed framework was applied to the residential building sector to support policymakers and industrial practitioners reduce the overall building environmental impacts.

Dr. Lihter examined deep crustal rocks now exposed in the High Himalaya to decipher the mountain-building processes recorded therein. Her work makes new discoveries on the genesis and age of rocks within the Himalaya and expands the current understanding of the processes active both prior to and during the formation of the mountain belt.

Dr. Kanippayoor developed the first disorder-specific quality of life measure for individuals with a borderline personality disorder diagnosis. The measure has shown promising potential for identifying and monitoring long-term changes in life quality among those pursuing early treatment. Most importantly, the measure offers individuals an alternative way of describing their current quality of life in terms that are not focused exclusively on symptom outcomes.

Dr. Arpink explored two novel approaches of measuring social support with a sample of women who had experienced intimate partner violence. Having found some benefit to measuring social support in a more nuanced manner, Dr. Arpink suggested future directions for research in this area, as well as some changes and improvements in how we measure social support for survivors of intimate partner violence.

Dr. Henderson incorporated theoretical insights from Entrepreneurship, Finance, Strategic Management and Data Science disciplines in the development of a predictive firm behaviour model. Dr. Henderson introduced one of the first applications of machine learning as well as the conceptual paradigm of candor to a significant management theory known as Entrepreneurial Orientation. In doing so, Dr. Henderson presents a text-based/semantic relationship to qualify entrepreneurial rhetoric and its association to future entrepreneurial firm behaviours.

Dr. Stroh utilized an inexpensive mining by-product to develop a new aluminum alloy that boasts superior performance at engine operating conditions. Combined with extensive residual stress and fitness-for-service analyses, this research will help the transportation industry provide a greener and more sustainable means of transportation.

Dr. Sakthivel developed an easily fabricable, high throughput stretchable platform for applying cyclic tensile strain to cells encapsulated in 3D hydrogels. He extended the platform to study the combinatorial effects of different cell microenvironment factors on cell function, which could be helpful in engineering artificial tissues and organs.

Dr. Kaseweter examined the prosocial treatment of patients in pain using a sample of undergraduate students and medical residents. She found that the effect of empathy on helping behaviour was moderated by individual differences in pain perception, emotion regulation, and psychopathic traits – potentially contributing to disparities in the treatment of pain.

Dr. Mancuso studied the migration of a common songbird, the Gray Catbird, and an endangered songbird, the Yellow-breasted Chat. She found that catbirds migrate to northeastern Mexico while chats migrate to western Mexico. Her research contributes to understanding the full annual cycle of both species plus informs recovery efforts for the chat.

Dr. Le’s research examined people’s attitudes and decisions of mentally ill offenders. Her work highlighted the importance of educating people about the Not Criminally Responsible on account of Mental Disorder defence.

Dr. Bezabeh developed and applied new performance-based wind design (PBWD) frameworks for tall buildings. His research is the first to explore the dynamic response of tall mass-timber buildings using wind tunnel tests. Overall, his dissertation demonstrated the possibility of achieving sustainable and economic tall buildings through PBWD.

Dr. Crawford used three studies to investigate if individuals underestimate the benefits of spending time in nature. The results indicate that individuals with a higher connection to nature are more accurate at predicting their emotional response to nature. As well, spending time in nature increases an individual’s happiness and sense of relaxation more than spending time in urban settings.

Dr. Salverda’s research examined three aspects of a framework for dialogue to unsettle taken-for-granted knowledges with a group of central Okanagan professionals: affinity groups, critical learning processes and the role of the facilitator. The findings highlight considerations for community development and critical educational strategies.

Dr. Unrau researched the creativity of transformation across multiple systems by examining novelty-generation through nonlinear dynamics and its impact on psychological and social systems. The outcome offers a complex systems approach to the social intervention of society’s “wicked problems.”

Dr. Mohammad Shiraz developed a new battery generation of Lithium/Sodium-Selenium batteries, which tries to tackle the issues that arise from current Li-ion batteries. He applied several methods to improve the life long, capacity and stability of mentioned batteries. The work can be implemented in today’s battery technology and make electric vehicles more proficient.

Dr. Saif developed efficient network coding methods to minimize delay while reducing the burden on the core-network of 5G mobile networks. He subsequently applied his methods to effectively and efficiently stream popular videos to users and optimize data rate. Through extensive simulations, he showed that his proposed methods achieved improved performances over existing schemes.

Dr. Good studied the difficulties faced by Indigenous speakers as they interact in the Mexican legal setting and the role Indigenous interpreters play in encouraging language and cultural revitalization. This study frames the role of interpreters as cultural gatekeepers and proposes a collaboration between State and Indigenous jurisdictions.

Dr. Sekhon examined the pathophysiology of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury after cardiac arrest in humans using invasive multimodal neuromonitoring. This research provided sentinel insights into the cerebrovascular physiology of ischemic brain disease.

Dr.Perera developed a life cycle thinking-based approach to plan recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles in urban communities. His research outcomes aid urban communities in reducing their transport-based carbon footprint.

Dr. Zhang researched how the performance of bridge structures can be improved under earthquake hazards. He investigated the dynamic responses of post-tensioned concrete columns and proposed design guidelines using the performance-based design framework. This research enables engineers to build more resilient bridges against earthquake events.

Dr. Ouache developed an integrated fire risk management framework for Smart-Green multi-unit residential buildings. He established robust machine learning algorithms and solutions to help guide policies. His research illuminates decision-makers’ roles and enhances investments for specific fire prevention, protection, and intervention strategies.

Dr. Mothersole investigated three unique proteins from the bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum in order to identify if they may be viable as drug targets. This research may help in the development of novel treatments of several conditions associated with Fusobacterium nucleatum, such as periodontal diseases, preterm births, and colorectal cancer.

Dr. Rahbarimanesh developed a cost-effective and efficient numerical solver for simulating the phase change phenomenon in liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows. His solver has been extensively used to investigate the detailed physics of LNG phase change behaviour in a wide range of industrial applications, aimed at facilitating reliable design and optimization of future green LNG-based fuel systems.

Dr. Alfihed examined a variety of semiconductors and polymeric materials for the integration of photoconductive terahertz devices and microfluidics as an optoelectronic sensor on a chip. The research results illuminate the role and importance of the terahertz sensors’ architecture for identifying material spectra at the micro-scale.

Dr. Vieira studied the Portuguese community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), its organizations and Luso-Canadian transnationalism. She suggests there are differences between Luso-Canadian transnationals conceptualizations of identity and bilingualism and the established Portuguese community. Other factors such as gentrification, suburbanization, and acculturation impact this community.

Dr. MacQueen used a stochastic individual-based model to show that the location of wildflower enhancements around a crop and the mechanisms by which bumblebees select foraging sites can strongly affect the pollination services they provide. This work helps blueberry growers with planting decisions and informs future mathematical modelling efforts.

Dr. Naghshbandi designed an interdisciplinary framework and developed a multilayered participatory model to identify the main conceptualizations of space from doctoral students’ points of view and make their voices heard. She argues that learning space is an indicator of support and has the potential to improve the well-being of students. 

Dr. Nowak’s research developed novel measurement-based techniques to optimize and control power distribution systems using distributed energy resources.

Dr. Zareie developed a smart bracing system conceptually to preserve structural health and stability. A prototype of the system has been fabricated, and its behaviour has been confirmed, characterized by experimental tests under the compression and tension loadings.

Dr. Bishop studied the production of the neurotoxin BMAA by cyanobacteria from Canadian lakes and the Andes in South America. She found that ecosystem complexity as well as nutrient and light availability influence the production of BMAA, which can help us understand how to decrease the risk of human exposure to this toxin in diverse environments.

Dr. Carpenter examined how the experience of social ostracization influences our moral judgments of racial in-group and out-group others. This research helps us to understand how we form impressions of others’ moral character and the impacts of ostracization on well-being.

Dr. Abbott compared and optimized multiple biological processes to help protect human health and the environment. His work will help wastewater treatment facilities recover energy and better treat organic matter, chemical contaminants, and recalcitrant forms of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Dr. Abebe developed a spatiotemporal decision support framework for managing urban stormwater infrastructures focusing on risk assessment, climate change adaptation, and funding strategies. The framework provides a proactive asset management approach and helps municipalities in allocating scarce public resources effectively.

Dr Hamdon investigated the use of Mixed Matrix Membranes for separating propylene off propane in petrochemical facilities. The multi disciplinary research covered the aspects of membrane material development, process design and simulation. The research aimed at reducing the separation process energy demand and carbon footprint

Dr. Zhang’s research proposes an adaptive droop control method to regulate the active power flowing through the direct current cable without using any additional power electronics devices. This research greatly reduces the capital cost and power loss compared with the traditional power flow control methods.

Dr. Yacyshyn showed that the response of the neuromuscular system to fatiguing exercise depends on the biological sex and age of participants as well as the muscle group tested. This research improves our understanding of fatigue and will aid researchers and rehabilitation specialists in tailoring their protocols to better assess muscle function.

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Dr. Adal developed molecular markers for lavender fingerprinting and diversity studies, and examined the biosynthesis of monoterpenes – the major components of lavender essential oils. He cloned and functionally characterized six genes responsible for the production of precursors and key monoterpenes that are critical steps to improve lavender oils.

Motivated by today’s ever-increasing demand for deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles in broad applications, Dr. Emran developed new control algorithms to improve their performance and stability. Through his research, he has contributed significantly to their safety and reliability subject to severe external disturbances and system failure. His research results enable the use of aerial vehicles in number of civilian applications including package delivery, transportation and pipeline monitoring.

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Dr. Xu developed numerical models to better understand the behaviour of bolted wire mesh for rock slope stabilization. He revealed the force and displacement response of steel wire mesh with various bolt patterns and spacing when the mesh is subject to loads from an unstable rock. This research has significant implications for improving the effectiveness of mesh on rock slopes using a proper bolt arrangement.

Dr. Bourne researched the influence of a set of design principles on the outcomes of a global service learning project situated in a challenging context. Her findings revealed that the three core values of respect, reciprocity, and reflection, were central to a creating a good global service learning project, worth doing for both students and in-country partners.

Dr. Goodman was passionate about improving chemistry education. Specifically, she studied the widespread use of misleading and conflicting concepts found in college chemistry teaching materials and classroom practices. In particular, Dr. Goodman’s research involved identifying the “threshold concepts” that best support students’ language development about and conceptual understanding of chemistry.

Dr.Jamal developed a business case for sustainability that linked the transportation system and projects with the quality of life,specifically by incorporating social case analysis to the economic,strategic,and implementation cases of conventional business case development methodology.Her methodology will help decision makers make informed decisions when planning and evaluating transportation projects.

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Battery chargers and Data Centers need direct current electricity for operation, thus converters are used to change the alternating input mains into Direct Current (DC) electricity. Electricity is available in single-phase (two wires) and three-phase (three-wire) form. Three-phase is more economical for high power applications.Dr. Hafezinasab’s study focuses on high efficiency three-phase AC/DC converters.

Dr. Passmore’s work involves taking notice of nature in daily routines. Her multi-national research builds a strong case that simply noting emotions evoked by everyday nature strengthens feelings of connection and elevation. Her validated Noticing Nature intervention has a powerful effect on wellbeing, even without spending more time in nature.

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Dr. Quintans studied the differences between the interactions of plants with beneficial and pathogenic fungi, and how beneficial fungi enhance plants defenses against pathogens. She identified thousands of genes that can cause or prevent fungal infections in plants. She also found novel antimicrobial peptides that represent promising targets for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industry. Together, these data will lead to the development of better strategies to control fungal diseases.

Dr. Angel’s research engages people in social change through community-based artworks and processes. The dissertation contributes an interdisciplinary design methodology and a model for nurturing creative experiential learning. This work can inform sustainability researchers situated in and across environmental, educational and health sectors.

Dr. Ye studied how nutrients, especially fat, affect metabolic disorders such as heart diseases. Her conclusion challenges the current dietary fat guidelines on promoting polyunsaturated fats, which conversely worsen the preexisting chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Her research makes people rethink dietary choices and provides a potential therapeutic target on managing metabolic diseases.

Dr Taylor investigated food security and food sovereignty in the Creston Valley of British Columbia during the renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty in the Creston Valley of British Columbia. Dr Taylor developed an innovative framework tool using key socio-economic factors which helped to assess food security and define the challenges to food producers in the area.

Dr. Jonathan Laumer examined the distribution of chemical bonds present within various types of thin-films of carbon, using an optical characterization technique. Through a characterization of the shape and form of the resultant spectra, he was able to quantitatively delineate between different types of thin-film carbon. This work has broad implications, both from basic materials and applications perspectives.

Dr. Reinholz developed a method for constructing non-congruent numbers that have arbitrarily many distinct prime factors. This technique allows known non-congruent numbers to be extended to produce infinitely many new non-congruent numbers, thereby considerably broadening the collection of non-congruent numbers that can be generated and described.

In multi-antenna systems, secure transmission designs are important for physical layer security which is a promising information security technique. In this thesis, Dr. Hui’s research focused on the secure transmission designs for three jamming signal aided multi-antenna systems, which can be applied in the next generation communication networks.

Dr. Martignoni studied the risks and benefits associated with the use of organic fertilizers consisting of commercially grown arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. She developed a series of mathematical models to determine when the introduced fungal fertilizers can coexist with native fungi and boost productivity, versus when the use of fungal fertilizers constitutes a biodiversity risk and it is ultimately detrimental to crop yield. Dr. Martignoni’s work sheds light on strategies for the management of a broad range of mutualistic communities that play a critical role in agriculture, such as below-ground microbes, bees, or other animal pollinators.

Dr. Kjorven examined the complexities of navigating her roles of clinical nurse specialist in geriatrics and daughter while caring for her hospitalized older adult father within a health care system that is risk adverse. Her research will help guide collaboration with patients and families in team based and person and family centered care.

Dr. Aubin studied the relationship among queer small presses, poetry, and lesbian and gay liberation movements in Vancouver. His study argues that small presses in Vancouver contributed to the development of liberation movements by creating queer-friendly cultural communities, publishing books, and circulating these objects to LGBTQ2+ readers.

Dr. Husain’s interdisciplinary research investigates poverty and class relations in the context of development aid projects in Bangladesh. Dr. Husain theorizes dual hegemony, an alliance between the political and economic elite and the international aid industry, to explain why development aid to impoverished countries benefit aid facilitators and donors, as well as a few wealthy clients, rather than empowering aid recipients on the ground.

Dr. Sarker investigated the structural and regulatory genes that control the biosynthesis of essential oil constituents in lavender. His work resulted in the discovery of important genes that control oil composition in this plant. Dr. Sarker also developed a comprehensive transcriptome database, which facilitates the cloning of genes expressed in lavender leaves and flowers.

Dr. Tymko’s thesis encompassed data collected on three separate high altitude expeditions in the United States, Nepal, and Peru. The research objective was to determine the impact of hypoxia on blood vessel health in lowlanders and high altitude indigenous populations. The primary was that that blood vessel function was impaired at high altitude, which was mediated by elevated neural activity.

Dr. Ahmadipour examined the effects of web and flange openings on structural capacity of timber I-joists,and proposed a design approach for such beams. He argues that the current wood design code does not address the existence of such openings effectively. His research paves the way for a safer design approach for such important building components.

Dr. Mohamed tackled some of the hurdles of current microscale tissue engineering methods. He developed efficient technologies and biomaterials for the biofabrication of 3D bioprinted and microfluidically produced constructs that can treat or replace an affected tissue. His research is a step towards translating research into real solutions for several medical problems.

Dr. Haji Mohammadi developed a mathematical formulation to perform numerical simulation of turbulent bubbly flows in complex geometries. He subsequently implemented the formulation into a parallel C++ code to run various real-life test cases. This novel formulation allows us to perform simulations of fluid flow with much less computational burden.

Dr. Kamali developed a multi-level decision support framework to quantify and benchmark the life cycle sustainability of residential modular buildings. This framework assists in selecting optimal construction methods and also improving the life cycle sustainability performance of modular buildings.

Dr. Hager examined the proposed transformation of art history into World Art History, a new approach to the study of all the worlds art based on seeking out connections between objects and their makers across nations, world regions, and time. Dr. Hager argued that World Art History signals a paradigm shift within the discipline of art history.

No citation at this time.

Dr. Muhammad developed a novel chemical additive using locally available bentonite soil for mitigating the problematic subgrade soil. Through Dr. Muhammad’s work the additive was employed as a soil stabilization technique for improving the strength and resilient modulus of the silty sand soil. She subsequently studied the mechanism of strength development in weak soil through microstructural analysis.

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Dr. Yousefi’s research was on development of an integrated management plan for urban water resources. He worked on analytical models to detect for any leakage and failure through the pipeline in water distribution systems. His research led to the development of an analytical technique, allowing for lower costs, higher accuracy and more reliability.

Dr. Wei studied deceptive language, focusing on changes in a person’s language pattern during deception. His research explored modeling techniques that can utilize the uniqueness of individual language style, and demonstrated the benefit of doing so in enhancing the performance of automatized lie detection systems.

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Motion control in micrometer scales is a challenging task due to the required stringent accuracies. Conventional sensors that can help to achieve such accuracies are often bulky and expensive. Dr. Zarif Mansour developed novel techniques to minimize the direct use of sensors in micro-positioning devices that use piezoelectric actuators. His research helps designers to design compact and economic positioning stages with micrometer accuracies.

Dr. Cook used social capital theory and participatory, spatial methods to promote understanding of homeless people’s presence/mobility in the urban environment. Her findings have significant theoretical implications and in the development of strength-based approaches to homelessness service delivery that foster maximum therapeutic benefit.

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Dr. Shrestha investigated the geological evolution of the mid-crust in the Himalaya. His research focused primarily on characterizing the cryptic geological structure of the mountain belt using an innovative, new analytical approach to detect subtle changes in the pressure-temperature-time paths that rocks record at the microscopic scale.

Dr. Morgan examined how sulfite and yeast additions during winemaking can alter the microbial communities and sensory profiles of wine, and identified a local population of yeasts that shows great winemaking potential. Her research helps winemakers make more informed decisions, enabling them to produce unique and high-quality wines.

Dr. Holland examined aspects of using symbiotic root fungi to enhance grapevine performance after transplant. He revealed that while symbiotic fungi are often beneficial to young grapevines, it depends on environmental and biotic factors. Overall, fungal inoculants are most advantageous in the presence of stressful environmental growing conditions.

Dr. Liu studied the application of microbial fuel cell technology in winery wastewater treatment. He designed an MFC reactor to treat winery wastewater meanwhile generating electricity, and studied the effect of pH, seasonality, and other operational parameters. This research illuminates the potential of recovering energy from wastewater treatment.

No citation available at this time.

Dr. Marten examined the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program in the Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada, from 2000 to 2015. Her case study focuses on German skilled workers and their families, who came to Canada as temporary foreign workers and hoped to gain permanent residence via the BCPNP. Her research reveals the BCPNP lacks oversight and enforcement, and creates a vulnerable workforce.

Dr. Kokkoris examined the effectiveness of fungal biofertilizers in the field and greenhouse. He found that biofertilizers performance depends on plant and fungal identity, and on soil conditions. The study also showed that unregulated spread of fungal biofertilizers that contain aggressive isolates have the potential to negatively affect natural ecosystems.

Dr. Tian developed chemical probes to study vital proteins in neurons. He obtained these probes through rational design and chemical synthesis. He subsequently these novel probes in living cells, which proved the application potentials. This research offered new tools to facilitate the elucidation of neurobiology problems.