Doctoral Citations

Dr. Santos explored whether varying types of exercise prescription led to differences in psychological, behavioural, and physiological outcomes among individuals at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. His research added to the body of knowledge on effective intervention development and the pragmatic efficacy of high-intensity interval training among clinical populations. This research informs future intervention development practices and physical activity recommendations.

Dr. Maleki Gargari developed sensors for precise material properties analysis. What sets these sensors apart is their innovative wireless design, which eliminates the need for bulky cables and dependency on battery supply. This breakthrough marks the first instance of integrating light-sensitive components with microwave resonators, introducing selective visible light sensing at microwave frequencies, and establishing a non-contact material sensing system.

Dr. Basar studied the on-site biological treatment of hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater in municipal wastewater treatment plants, using microbial cultures in bioreactors. His research significantly advanced sustainable wastewater treatment, marking a pivotal development in eco-friendly waste management practices.

Dr. Zaji revolutionized plant analysis through the optimization of data preparation for deep learning models. Using inexpensive cameras and automated annotation, he has reduced the necessary training samples and labelled data. His contributions have significantly advanced agriculture by streamlining plant characterization.

Dr. Ogilvy’s research focused on improving the design of three-dimensional dosimetry scanners by developing a method that considers three important design parameters that work to optimize the efficiency of the instrument. The resulting optimized design was successfully created, built, and put into operation. Accurate scanning of 3D dosimeters helps to improve the success of radiation cancer treatment.

Dr. Sjodin examined the genomics of local adaptation, using the American pika as a model system. His work shed light on the genetic mechanisms underlying the ability to survive in extreme environments and contributed to our understanding of how species may respond to environmental challenges.

Dr. Rousseau developed the Pups Uplifting Public Speaking (P.U.P.S.) pilot program, a canine-assisted intervention for students with public speaking anxiety. Designed through a series of studies with teachers, students, and dog handlers, the program highlights educational and human-animal interaction considerations to alleviate public speaking anxiety, bolster public speaking skills, and safeguard animal welfare. Dr. Rousseau’s research enhances our understanding of how public speaking anxiety is experienced by students and how therapy dogs might support them.

Dr. Biener explored differences in disclosure across child abuse types, along with factors that impact non-offending caregivers’ ability to respond effectively to these disclosures. Her research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in disclosing experiences of abuse and in providing support afterward. Findings can be used to guide intervention and response efforts.

Dr. Wright studied the migration patterns and survival of mule deer in south-central British Columbia, and rigorously defined habitat quality for this population. Her results will help reverse mule deer population declines in the province by providing insight into the vegetation types and landscape features that promote population growth.

Dr. Dumigan discovered and characterized a new fungal pathogen in drug-type cannabis and found that cannabis seedlings inherit beneficial bacteria from their mother plant that can protect them against seed-borne fungal pathogens. These bacteria have the potential to be used as biofungicides in the cannabis market.

Dr. Schmidt investigated the genomics of how environmental change can generate biodiversity and impact population resiliency, using the American pika as a model species. Her research highlights the utility of DNA-based approaches for studying species responses to climate change, which can ultimately inform future conservation management.

Dr. Ahmadijokani demonstrated the effective utilization of Metal-organic frameworks, a new generation of materials, for the removal of advanced water contaminants from aquatic environments. His research explained the ways in which this innovative group of adsorbents can be fine-tuned to enhance water treatment efficiency.

Dr. Alhassan developed a risk management framework for methylmercury (a neurotoxicant) in artisanal small-scale gold mining. His work established a practical and simple approach to studying mercury fate, assessing its risk to humans, and mitigating the risk by using state-of-the-art decision-making tools to select cleaner technologies. The findings, when implemented, will help reduce health risks of methylmercury in over 500 million people across sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

Dr. Liu showed how wastewater sludge can be turned into valuable materials such as biofuels and nutrients by a novel technology called hydrothermal liquefaction. He optimized the process for biocrude oil production, recovered phosphorus fertilizer, and achieved zero waste. His research paves the way towards wastewater biorefineries.

Dr. Barnett examined how the pesticides present on foods and beverages affected gut health. She showed that peri-natal exposure altered the gut microbiome and was associated with colitis, metabolic dysfunction and detrimental behaviors. Her novel work revealed that exposure to these toxins at previously deemed safe levels, has far-reaching consequences for health.

Dr. Fayyad made significant contributions to the field of computer vision by addressing a critical limitation of deep neural networks. His research focused on enhancing the safe deployment and reliability of these networks by developing methods to identify irregular samples, which hinder performance accuracy.

Dr. Dlouhy-Nelson addressed a need in teacher education to understand how local pre-service teachers engage in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action. She found that pre-service teachers understand their settler responsibility to decolonize and Indigenize, and learn from Syilx Scholars, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers.

Dr. Falkenhain explored the effects of ketosis on cardiovascular and metabolic health in adults living with chronic disease. Building on systematic reviews and clinical trials, her research showed that carbohydrate restriction, for example via ketogenic diets, and exogenous ketosis have the potential to improve aspects of cardiometabolic health.

Dr. Rose evaluated the Phased Interview Model of Suspect Interviewing, Canada’s national interviewing protocol. Her research provides the first empirical support for this model’s intended implementation and its usefulness in gathering information. This research assists Canadian police in gathering consistently admissible information to further investigations of serious crimes like homicide, ands help lead to legal outcomes that enhance the safety of our communities.

Dr. Misener developed and examined a novel adolescent body image program. Her program, called BeMyself, is the first to integrate mindfulness, yoga, and self-compassion with media literacy and other evidence-based topics to help young girls develop a healthy and positive relationship with their bodies. The BeMyself program showed promise in a small sample and was endorsed by community stakeholders, demonstrating strong potential for the prevention of negative body image in adolescent girls.

Dr. Hasabelnaby optimized wireless networks with innovative computation schemes, enhancing performance with rigorously tested end-to-end transmission strategies. Addressing design challenges in mobile networks, his robust, energy-efficient solutions mitigate communication congestion and pave the way for lightning-fast, reliable wireless networks.

Dr. Correia’s research examined cross-cultural collaboration in water stewardship within the Syilx Okanagan Territory, applying the concept of ‘ethical space’ to highlight Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives. Her work emphasizes the importance of recognizing Syilx inherent rights and traditional ecological knowledge to foster effective and respectful water governance.

Dr. Golestani proposed a novel loading protocol for assessing the resistance of structures to earthquakes. The protocol extends the state-of-the-art performance-based methodology to dynamic testing. Dr. Golestani then developed a MATLAB algorithm for generating the protocol and verified its efficacy against actual seismic events for a bridge column.

Dr. Pilin studied how people’s emotions change when they consume alcohol. She found that before they start drinking, they expect their emotions to be more intense than what they actually feel later. As they drink, their emotions intensify. This research provides a theoretical background to help people make healthier alcohol use decisions.

Dr. Iyar designed a brief online program that significantly enhanced psychology graduate trainee knowledge about, and interest in, clinical practice in a primary care setting. Her program can be integrated into nationwide training, moving towards reducing mental healthcare barriers by promoting the presence of psychology in primary care.

Dr. Landry showed how intercultural communicative competence contributes to additional language acquisition and additional language socialization in English for academic purposes programs at the post-secondary level in Canada. These understandings help administrators provide more opportunities for international students who use English as an additional language to thrive in their communities.

Dr. St. Pierre developed a naturalistic cannabis administration protocol to study the effects of inhaled cannabis on cognition in a naturalistic setting. She found that frequent cannabis users demonstrated equivalent cognitive performance across cannabis and no cannabis assessments. This approach helps to improve the validity of future cannabis research.

Dr. Ramezankhani developed a data-efficient and uncertainty-aware hybrid machine learning framework as part of a holistic AI-driven decision-making tool for advanced composites manufacturing such as thermoforming and autoclave processing. The developed models also quantify prediction and material/process uncertainties, which are key components of decision-making tasks in highrisk manufacturing settings.

Dr. Ahmadipour examined the effects of geometry alterations on the structural capacity of timber I-joists, and proposed a design approach for such beams. Dr. Ahmadipour argued that the current wood design code does not effectively address the existence of such openings, and his research paves the way for a safer design approach for these building components.

Dr. Walsh traced changes to learning and collaboration across primary care workplaces that were performed with the onset of Wave 1 COVID-19. She developed an interdisciplinary framework to explore the process of collaboration by examining where and how we create, interact with, and cross boundaries. Dr. Walsh’s framework provides scholars and practitioners a new way to approach collaboration in healthcare.

Dr. Orvin developed innovative behavioral & microsimulation methods for residential relocation to accurately predict land use patterns. He also evaluated the model’s responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic. His research assists planners & engineers in assessing the long-term effectiveness of alternative & sustainable land use-transportation policies.

Dr. Kazemian investigated the influence of gut microbes on health and disease. She demonstrated the long-term impact of childhood experiences on gut health, the pivotal roles that bacteria play in cholesterol metabolism, and ways to optimize therapies for infections. These insights offer promising avenues for novel therapies against diseases.

Dr. Field developed a network-based approach for mapping and assessing ecosystem services that support human survival and well-being across large multifunctional landscapes. Her work shed light on how spatial networks can uncover new information about the importance of ecosystem services and their interactions, and how these approaches can inform the sustainable governance of interconnected social-ecological systems.

Dr. Shabanian developed a novel approach to introduce the first fluorine-free water and oil-repellent textile finish for a nylon jacket fabric. Her pioneering work paves the way for environmentally friendly alternative textile finishes in the fabric industry.

Dr. Mohammadiun employed various optimization and machine learning techniques to develop intelligent decision support tools for efficient marine oil spill management. These tools effectively identify optimal response strategies to mitigate economic, social, and environmental impacts of oil spill incidents, particularly in Arctic offshore waters.

Dr. Daniels examined how combining cannabis use with purposeful activity influenced well-being outcomes. She demonstrated that combining mindful movement with cannabis enhanced predictors of well-being. These finding will help cannabis users to maximize therapeutic outcomes.

Dr. Stipa studied the mutual interaction between wind farms and the atmosphere. He developed simulation models to predict how wind farms trigger gravity waves in the atmosphere and how these waves alter the wind field surrounding the wind farm. Dr. Stipa’s research helps to improve the efficiency of large wind farms.

Dr. Mosadegh conducted research on the single and multi-droplet combustion of alternative diesel fuels. His investigation delved into aspects such as burning rate, combustion dynamics, and flame propagation within biofuel blends doped with graphene oxide nanomaterials. His findings contribute to the development of engine designs that are safer, more sustainable, and more environmentally friendly.

Dr. Osman examined a corrosion-resistant reinforcement solution featuring a hybrid structure. The combination of external Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer and internal steel cages merges the corrosion resistance of Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer with the ductility of steel. This study evaluated the impact of various factors on bridge design and sought to create design tools for critical structural responses, thereby boosting seismic durability and reducing the risk of brittle failures.

Dr. Das showed an efficient reliability analysis of building structures when they are subjected to uncertain dynamic loads such as winds, earthquakes, etc. Dr. Das’ research contributes to designing structures in such a way that the structure shows reliable performance during its service period. Dr. Das also demonstrated a design strategy for high-rise timber buildings.

Dr. Wakjira introduced a novel framework for the sustainable design, assessment, and modelling of civil infrastructures, leveraging the power of advanced artificial intelligence techniques and ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) as an advanced material. His contribution has led to the development of practical tools for researchers and designers in the field.

Dr. Dineen studied the implementation of diabetes prevention programs in practice. Her research results highlighted key factors for successful implementation of programs in community sites. This research helps increase access to effective programming for individuals at risk for type two diabetes.

Dr. Kumar innovated a sustainable bioreactor system to optimize municipal waste management in wastewater treatment plants. Through advanced biochemical and process engineering techniques, he boosted biogas plant efficiency, which resulted in increased biogas fuel production from organic waste and reduced the pollutants released into the environment.

Dr. Arulnathan used life-cycle thinking and a participatory design approach to develop an online sustainability decision support tool for the Canadian egg industry. Individual egg farmers can use the tool to improve sustainability outcomes by assessing farm-level environmental impacts, evaluating sustainable technology options and benchmarking.

Dr. Hou evaluated cumulative hydrological impacts of forest disturbance in British Columbia. Her research focused primarily on determining forest disturbance thresholds and hydrological sensitivities for cumulative hydrological impacts. Her research informs forest and watershed management strategies. The methodology can be applied elsewhere to assess forest disturbance thresholds and hydrological sensitivities.

Dr. Gao’s work used computational art and immersive media to create participatory performances that transform our perception of time. Through data visualization and human interaction, her research fosters meaningful connections and opens new possibilities for artistic expression.

Dr. Dey evaluated the thermal management of high-frequency magnetic components in power electronic systems. The proposed low-cost thermal modelling approaches helped significantly reduce the computation cost of electronic component thermal models, allowing for the rapid estimation of electronic component thermal performance for varying boundary conditions.

Dr. Burgess developed and applied genetic techniques to inform the management of invasive deer in the Haida Gwaii archipelago. His research provided inferences of deer movement between islands and helped determine if and where deer could be removed. This work provided actionable data to support decision-makers in their efforts to restore the ecological integrity of islands in Haida Gwaii.

Dr. Shafer investigated how exposure to low oxygen (or hypoxia) affects the neural reflex control of the sympathetic nervous system, sympathetic nervous system recruitment strategies, and blood pressure regulation. This research provides insight into the mechanistic pathways that promote hypertension development in clinical conditions where hypoxemia may be a feature.

Dr. Baumgartner examined the status of queer women and “assigned female at birth” artists of Muslim heritage in U.S and Canadian art institutions to show how current conceptions of inclusion are not able to deal with the interlocking experiences of oppression these artists face and express in their work.

Dr. Tallon investigated the impact that sitting has on brain blood flow in healthy children. The key finding indicated that prolonged sitting results in a decrease in a metric assessing cerebrovascular health. Breaking up prolonged sitting with hourly 10-minute exercise breaks prevented these changes.

Dr. Talarico explored a means of scaling up a private or individual practise to help people explore their political views in relation to others’ views. An instrument was designed to facilitate one’s inquiry in a manner that avoids tendencies towards confirmation bias and groupthink. An experimental assessment found the instrument, along with a gamified version, increased participants’ willingness to politically participate.

Dr. Mukherjee established a comprehensive taxonomy of intelligence levels for human-robot collaboration. Based on a thorough review of the impact of natural and efficient communication to team fluency, she proposed a novel multimodal, human communication inspired framework that allows robots to adapt to human behaviour for reliable human-robot communication in industrial settings.

Dr. Fozilova studied the relationship between the secular state and Islam in Uzbekistan, paying specific attention to the repertoire of conflicting attitudes leading to the dialectical radicalization between these institutions. The government’s relationship with Islam indicates the type of secularism practiced, and what secular means, in Uzbekistan.

Dr. Wang developed a methodology for improvements to scatter plot smoothing that exploit background information. The methodology was applied in various ways, including image segmentation problems for videos of lab-based fires.

Dr. Martinez developed advanced numerical models for buried oil and gas pipelines for stress corrosion cracking in contact with a near-neutral pH environment. His solutions provided a holistic framework to understand the initiation and propagation of corrosion-induced cracking that will help decision-makers to manage aging pipes.

Dr. Courtice demonstrated that suspended sediment exposure-response observations for salmonids are best explained by the product of concentration and duration of exposure. When applied to management, this parameter may improve environmental and economic outcomes for river construction projects that release suspended sediment.

Dr. Woldesellasse developed a Bayesian belief network and geographic information system (GIS) integrated decision support framework for external corrosion risk assessment of oil and gas transmission pipelines. The proposed framework will aid decision makers in managing spatially distributed aging pipelines.

Dr. Daghigh developed a fast, automated methodology that extracts the discontinuity planes’ orientations from a 3D model of rock structures built using remote sensing techniques. The methodology yields accurate results with less bias and replaces labor-intensive manual measurements. This research helps to better identify discontinuity planes and their orientation, and improves rock stabilization design and safety.

Dr. Zafar critically analyzed the operational factors and response metrics in a food waste fed microbial fuel cell. Her work focused on sustainable management of food waste with simultaneous renewable energy generation, while exploring different configurations of microbial fuel cells. The findings recommend practical solutions for application of microbial fuel cells on a large scale.

Dr. Osman developed a dynamically growing neural network, creating an innovative approach to learning that requires only a few examples rather than a massive amount of data. This breakthrough allows artificial intelligence (AI) systems to continuously learn new tasks without forgetting previous ones, which has been a significant challenge in AI. With Dr. Osman’s model, we may be one step closer to creating AI systems that can learn and adapt like humans.

Dr. Upshaw developed a new eye-tracking program to examine the nature of attention issues in stroke patients with neglect. This research provides new insights into how patients with neglect view their world, and is an important foundation for improved diagnosis, understanding, and treatment options for stroke patients with neglect.

Dr. Robinson examined the relationship between thoughts and cannabis use behaviour. Dr. Robinson’ s research found that thinking patterns play a critical role in developing, maintaining, and reducing substance use. Her research contributes to the understanding of cognition in substance use.

Dr. Han focused on developing efficient and accurate simulation methods for next-generation high-voltage direct current converters, which are critical for the reliable and efficient operation of power grids. His research has significant intellectual and practical value, as it helps researchers and engineers better understand the performance of advanced multilevel converters and design more efficient and reliable power systems.

Dr. Carr’s research investigated the integration of multiple physiological systems in the control of cerebral and peripheral blood flow in humans. These studies contributed to the understanding of vascular regulation, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport, and blood pressure in healthy participants, and so will underpin future investigations in disease.

Dr. Magnuson assessed electrophysiological responses of the brain and muscles alongside task performance scores to provide new insight into the cortical, neuromuscular, and motor responses to both mental and physical fatigue.

Dr. Arnold examined how to account for cumulative social effects during environmental assessments of resource development projects. By analyzing assessments for hydroelectric developments, Dr. Arnold developed guidance for assessing social impacts that accumulate over time and regions, and outlined the regulatory capacity needed to implement these cumulative effects assessments.

Dr. Sakr studied novel nanocomposite bioinks for bioprinting applications. His work succeeded in developing clay based and electrically conductive bioinks that have potential for bone and neural tissue engineering applications.

Dr. Moradzadeh proposed comprehensive and computationally feasible frameworks to accommodate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles using energy storage systems integrated with renewable generation and demand-side management programs.

Dr. Kaur developed a decision support system to identify, predict, and improve the performance of buried water infrastructure under urban densification. The developed system consists of various methods and approaches to assess, manage, and improve the performance of buried water infrastructure. This study will help municipalities in mitigating the impacts of densification for sustainable development.

Dr. Debenham examined how low oxygen influences standing balance and the function of reflexes contributing to human movement. Dr. Debenham’s research demonstrated that low oxygen reduced multiple sensory reflexes and that increased postural sway seems to be a compensatory mechanism for our brain to receive more sensory information.

Dr. Rieger studied interactions between the heart, lungs and brain in children travelling to high altitudes, as well as in children who live in remote high-altitude locations. His work highlights the unique ways in which children adapt to low-oxygen environments, which will help develop future high-altitude travel guidelines for young families.

Dr. MacPherson developed a library of theory-based, user-informed text messages to improve adherence to exercise and diet changes following the Small Steps for Big Changes Diabetes Prevention Program. This research provides an exemplar for how to develop mobile health interventions with implementation in mind.

Dr. Rusk studied how immersing within local Indigenous Knowledge systems can build teachers’ consciousness of racism, privilege, and power, and validate these knowledges in mainstream education. This research demonstrated the need for educators to break down biases and put effort into learning about Indigenous Knowledge, perspectives, and pedagogies.

Dr. Hegazi studied fuel cell battery hybrid propulsion for zero emissions freight switching locomotives. His work optimized propulsion component sizing and prototyped Canada’s first hydrogen powered railway vehicle.

Dr. Bakker examined the mental health benefits of a brief app-based loving-kindness meditation practice. Participants showed decreases in depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and negative emotions compared to a control group. Her findings lend support for the use of brief loving-kindness meditation practices to reduce distress.

Dr. Haskey examined the impact of the Mediterranean Diet on the microbiome in individuals living with an inflammatory bowel disease called Ulcerative Colitis. She discovered that the unique blend of fats found in the Mediterranean Diet improved symptoms, reduced inflammation, and led to beneficial changes to the intestinal bacteria. This research offers a new strategy to manage Ulcerative Colitis.

Dr. Hebda studied wildfire impacts on drinking water quality on Vancouver Island. He found strong evidence of past fire-related water contamination that lasted for decades and may be exacerbated by climate change. His research informs source water protection strategies and can be applied elsewhere to assess wildfire risk to drinking water.

Dr. Campbell studied traditional and contemporary Indigenous storytelling practices spiraling from Interior Salish tmixw out to Indigenous storytelling practices across Turtle Island. Elders’ teachings tell us that Indigenous stories are medicine. Dr. Campbells research explores storytelling practices that inspire Indigenous persistence and renewal.

Dr. Amiri developed novel techniques to overcome the control challenges in high-performance electric vehicle battery charging systems. The proposed methods facilitate the widespread adoption of electric vehicles through the use of high-efficiency and high-power battery chargers, which get nations around the world a step closer to sustainable growth.

Dr. Rayhana focused on video data analysis to automate water pipeline inspection. She developed deep-learning-based automated frameworks to detect pipe defects and butterfly valves in real-time. Her research outcomes contribute to the improved condition assessment of water pipelines and facilitate strategic water pipeline replacement plans.

Dr. Zhang designed high-performance deep learning-based algorithms for shipping container code detection and recognition. The research outcomes significantly advance the automated shipping container code recognition systems.

Dr. Nabaterega optimized volatile fatty acids’ (VFAs) production from municipal sludge. VFAs are the precursors for methane production, a renewable energy source. Results from the study have a substantial practical impact and can be used by engineers and municipalities to increase energy supply to regulate the increasing global fossil fuel prices.

Dr. Chua analyzed several anthologies of environmental poetry in terms of their treatment of place, nation, migration, and dispossession. Her analysis contrasted the stories, or metanarratives, implied by the editors’ selections, and highlighted the role of Indigenous, Black, People of Colour and immigrant poets in questioning Eurocentric constructions of environment.

Dr. Smart examined the contribution of muscles and tendons to functional force control through sex-, age- and disease-based population comparatives. This research demonstrates that mechanical properties of the muscle-tendon unit and the coordination between muscles play key roles in producing steady force output and maintaining balance.

Dr. Ishaq developed an integrated decision-making framework that can evaluate Low Impact Developments by considering their public health risks, environmental performance, and economic cost. The results of her research are valuable in promoting both human well-being and sustainable development during project planning, thereby contributing to the achievement of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda goals.

Dr. Lawrason examined factors that influence the quantity and quality of leisure-time physical activity participation among individuals with spinal cord injury who walk. In partnership with research users, this work led to the development of a physical activity mobile health program, called SCI Step Together. The evaluation showed that SCI Step Together holds promise as a feasible and acceptable program among individuals with spinal cord injury who walk.

Dr. Pokhrel developed an integrated urban water management framework for British Columbia municipalities to evaluate and benchmark their water system’s performance using a One Water Approach index. He built a model of a One Water community that will help urban water managers in enhancing their water management strategies and advised policy makers in establishing integrated water policies.

Dr. Talebjedi developed an acoustic-based lab-on-a-chip device for the separation and isolation of exosomes. These vesicles play a crucial role in intercellular communication and the transfer of biomolecules between cells. The newly developed acoustic resonator was capable of precise manipulation and separation of nanoscale particles and exosomes.

Dr. Zeraati studied the mutual interaction of turbulence and heat transfer in forced and natural convection through high-fidelity numerical analysis of the fluid flows in solar chimneys and textured pipes. Through his analysis, valuable instructions, guidelines, and numerical tools were presented to design more efficient thermal systems.

Dr. Kianfar developed a fundamental understanding of residual stress evolution in aluminum powertrain components. Employing innovative finite element method modeling and comprehensive experimental tests, he explored microstructure, thermomechanical properties, and residual stresses. His findings contribute to optimizing next-generation internal combustion engines in the automotive industry, enabling sustainable and high-efficiency products.

Dr. Ciszewski examined the efficacy of a novel intervention that integrated psychological approaches and behaviour change techniques for weight management. Dr. Ciszewski showed that improvements in well-being were associated with changes in weight, highlighting the importance of targeting psychological factors in behavioural health interventions.

Dr. Olfatbakhsh established a novel artificial intelligence-based model to connect the geometrical features of composite fabrics to their material properties directly based on their microstructure images and without extensive experimental trials. Her model was found to be highly accurate and can be used for advanced composite property predictions in manufacturing industries.

Dr. Zhang pushed the boundary of next-generation battery technology. Using recycled materials, she developed a safer, cleaner, and more powerful battery for electric vehicles. This novel battery technology will extend electric vehicle range, accelerate transportation electrification, and promote circular economy development in Canada.

Dr. Bahrami provided automated solutions for terminals to inspect the safety and security of shipping containers. The proposed solutions are based on artificial intelligence that benefit the global transportation industry and will assist in the standardization and reinforcement of container management and logistics at terminals.

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. 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. 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. 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. Peng 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. 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.”