Undergraduate Student Research

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19th-Century Visions of Prague: Guiding UNESCO Historical Preservation and Urban Development in the City Today
(2023-03-18) Pacina, Noah
The Langweil Model of Prague, constructed in the early 19th century, provides an unparalleled perspective of the city. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Historic Centre of Prague remains an exemplary urban space, displaying its rich architectural and visual history for all to see. Ultimately, however, Prague is a living and evolving European capital city. As such, my project seeks to address how the city contends with serious decisions about how cities deal with the problems of today, with heritage integrity and environmental sustainability remaining further heightened issues. To that end, I will engage with the way that the Langweil Model (in particular its modern virtual counterpart) remains at the heart of these issues, as an informing resource for historical preservation and urban development in the city. Furthermore, conclusions on necessary priorities moving forward will be brought to light.
A bad miracle: Postmodern science fiction horror and religion
(University Of Victoria, 2025) Goodacre, Prym
A bad miracle is a term coined in Jordan Peele’s 2022 film Nope. Bad miracles represent the contradiction and connection between the firm, hegemonic, Christian ‘good’ and the terrifying, consuming unknown. Postmodern science fiction horror offers bad miracles as unavoidable: the deconstruction of long-held truths, whether they be religious or scientific, are occurring all around us and are endemic to progress. This is effective in delivering horror, but it is also affective. While religious experiences like modern megachurches offer a space for empowerment and loud, comforting praise, postmodern science fiction horror films ask us to exercise our fear, our reason, our empathy, and our ability to sit in the intimacy of not-knowing. Through the investigation of popular postmodern science fiction horror films, the affective nature of cinema, and the rise of the megachurch, the ability for fear and film to offer growth through narrative disempowerment becomes clear.
A comparison of drought tolerance in two conifers with contrasting mycorrhizal associations
(2023) Robson, Bethany
Drought events are increasing in frequency, severity, and distribution as a result of climate change. Plants have a variety of adaptations to water stress, including symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi. Little is known about how the type of mycorrhizae (arbuscular or ecto-) may affect drought tolerance, especially in conifers that are restricted in what association they can make. Research suggests that there may be an effect of mycorrhizal type on drought tolerance, and that mechanisms for this may be different in arbuscular and ecto- mycorrhizae. The objective of this study was to determine how the type of mycorrhizae may affect drought tolerance in Pinus contorta and Thuja plicata, species that make contrasting mycorrhizal associations. Three experiments were performed using both aeroponics and traditional soil culture to explore the effects of mycorrhizal association on drought tolerance. P. contorta performed consistently better in all experiments when compared to two populations of T. plicata from different ecozones in British Columbia. Quantum yield declined linearly with increasing drought stress in both treatments with mycorrhizal colonization, and non-linearly in the treatment with no colonization. These trends were consistently shown across all seedling populations, which suggests that both types of mycorrhizal symbioses are important in the drought tolerance of these species. Further investigation is needed to determine how mycorrhizae may influence recovery after drought in these species, as well as the mechanisms mycorrhizae may use to improve drought tolerance in host plants like P. contorta and T. plicata.
A comparison of Saprolegnia parasitica gene expression in the presence and absence of a host
(2018) May, Emily
As the importance of aquaculture increases globally, determining the infection strategies of opportunistic fish pathogens like Saprolegnia parasitica grows increasingly vital. Saprolegnia parasitica, a hemibiotrophic oomycete, has an initial biotrophic stage in which it suppresses host defences to facilitate infection, but the molecular mechanisms behind this infection strategy are largely unknown. In this study, I tested the hypothesis that expression of two S. parasitica virulence genes differs in the presence and absence of a host. The studied genes were: SpHtp1, a putative RXLR-like effector gene and SPRG_13235, a potentially horizontally transferred disintegrin gene with no known oomycete analogs. To test my hypothesis, I exposed pure S. parasitica zoospore cultures either to water imbued with Salmo salar effluents or to sterile water; then, I extracted RNA from experimental samples and measured expression differences with polymerase chain reactions (PCR). I successfully used nested PCR with gene-specific primers to qualitatively analyze expression, but quantitative analyses with real-time PCR (qPCR) were unsuccessful. Based on qualitative analyses, I concluded that SPRG_13235 was expressed in low amounts in both host presence and host absence, implying that factors other than host presence mediate gene expression variance. I was unable to determine whether SpHtp1 expression varied. Future studies should consider both studied genes but should focus on SPRG_13235, which remains largely uncharacterized. Disintegrin proteins inhibit vital cell functions by blocking integrin ligand-binding domains, potentially making them vital for host infection. The SPRG_13235 primer sets designed in this study can be used to facilitate future research in this area and can also be used to effectively detect S. parasitica propagules in environmental samples.
A literary case study of medieval Anglo-Jewish women in the plea rolls of the Exchequer of the Jews
(University Of Victoria, 2025) Alexandria, Brooks
Judicial records are the largest body of historical primary sources involving medieval Anglo-Jewish women, and so scholarship relies on them heavily; however, even today, a court ruling does not always mean truth. With a comparative historical and literary analysis, this research focused on the Solomon Turbe case—a complex murder trial that was recorded in the plea rolls in 1220 CE. Comitissa Turbe, the plaintiff, is determined to avenge her husband when he falls, or is pushed, off the Gloucester tower. Solomon’s death is ultimately ruled a suicide, but this case demonstrates an autonomy that Anglo-Jewish women enjoyed in the law courts. This autonomy did not come without strife. Comitissa is depicted within the record, through dramatization and stereotypes, as hysterical. These elements provide an opportunity for a literary reading. With the application Twine, potential histories have been mapped out and constructed into an interactive narrative to explore the literary elements that affect the portrayal of Comitissa (and others such as Mirabel of Gloucester) as well as to demonstrate the value of a literary reading and alternative forms of data representation.
A mouse model of Rett syndrome shows a cell-autonomous reduction of α4* nicotinic receptors in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta
(2018) Le Gratiet, Keyrian
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder due to spontaneous mutations in a gene (MECP2) on the X chromosome. With the mutations typically found in the paternal germline, female RTT patient are more common than males and manifest a constellation of severely debilitating symptoms after birth. Development is mostly normal during the first 6 months but then stalls and regresses resulting in individuals that lack motor coordination, have impaired speech, and exhibit Parkinsonian symptoms often accompanied by seizures. Mice with the same mutation have many neuronal dysfunctions including poor neural communication, some of which is due to improper signaling by the transmitter acetylcholine (ACh). The cholinergic system is critically involved in the generation of purposeful behaviours including voluntary motor acts, which correlate with some of the conditions seen in RTT patients. The present study investigated whether mutant (Mecp2-) dopaminergic (DAergic) cells have downregulated α4-containing (α4*) nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs) expression compared to wild-type (Wt) (Mecp2+) DAergic cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of a RTT female mouse and whether this downregulation was cell-autonomous. Spectral confocal imaging was used to quantify the YFP-tagged α4* nAChRs in five-week-old Mecp2EGFP/+/ α4YFP/+, Mecp2+/- / α4YFP/+, and Mecp2+/+ / α4YFP/+ female mice. Imaging confirms that mutant DAergic neurons have reduced expression of α4* nAChRs compared to spatially colocalized Wt DAergic neurons in the SNc of a young RTT female mouse. Furthermore, the reduction in nAChR expression in DAergic neurons was found to be cellautonomous with Wt DAergic neurons from the RTT female and DAergic neurons from Wt females displaying similar amounts of α4* nAChRs on their soma. Finally, there was convincing evidence for spatially-modulated reduction in nAChR expression in mutant DAergic neurons with the lateral SNc showing a greater reduction in levels of nAChR expression compared to the medial SNc. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide anatomical evidence for a cellautonomous downregulation of α4* nAChR expression in DAergic neurons in the SNc of a young RTT female mouse.
A novel 3D bioprinted model of Alzheimer's disease using patient derived hiPSC derived neurons in a fibrin-based hydrogel bioink
(2021) Walters-Shumka, Jonathan
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that does not yet have any disease modifying treatments. Because there is a high cost associated with the disease and because the prevalence of AD is increasing, the need for new drugs to treat AD is high. Many drugs have passed pre-clinical trials only to fail in clinical trials. Most of the pre-clinical trials have been conducted on 2D monolayer cell culture and animal models. The failure of these drugs in clinical trials indicates that these two kinds of models do not accurately model AD. A 3D bio printed hydrogel model of AD which uses familial AD (fAD) patient derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can provide a more accurate model. Here we describe the first steps in creating a novel 3D bio printed model of AD using hiPSCs derived from a patient with a fAD mutation on the APP gene and a healthy control hiPSCs line. We 3D printed ring-shaped constructs 8mm high and 1cm wide containing fAD and healthy patient derived hiPSC derived neural progenitor cells (NPC's). The 3D printed constructs were then differentiated for 45 days in a cortical neuron differentiation medium. We have shown that both the AD and healthy cell lines are able to produce neurite extensions and stain positive for the early neuronal cytoskeleton marker ß tubulin III in our bioink. This indicates that the cells have successfully differentiated into neurons within our bioink. We have also observed axonal boutons, and dendritic spines on both cell lines and an axonal swelling on an AD neuron which is associated with early AD pathology. These findings confirm past work that healthy and diseased patient derived hiPSC derived neurons can be differentiated in hydrogel scaffolds. This is however, the first time this has been done in 3D printed hydrogel scaffolds. This is also the first time that dendritic spines and axonal swellings have been observed in a 3D hydrogel model of AD.
A roadmap to analyzing the role of nature on school grounds
(University of Victoria, 2026) Stokes, Devin
This project involved preparing preliminary materials for an assessment of the impacts of a schoolyard greening project. The project is a collaboration between researchers at the University of Victoria and the BC Parks Foundation through their Learning by Nature initiative. In my involvement with the project, I compiled elements of a literature review on the relationship between nature and the wellbeing of school-aged students. I then summarized the desires that various interest groups involved in the project had for its outcomes. Finally, I compiled assessment materials that would be used to evaluate project outcomes, such as student surveys and physical activity assessments.
A simulation-guided method to tackle supramolecular complexity and save me time
(University Of Victoria, 2025) Desnoyer, Madison; Camelo, Gustavo; Bohne, Cornelia
Supramolecular chemistry is a broad branch of chemistry that studies weak, reversible intermolecular interactions. A subset of this field, host-guest chemistry, has a wide range of applications, including drug delivery, sensing, and catalysis. Supramolecular complexity refers to the idea that, in a solution of host and guest molecules, there are multiple distinct host-guest complexes, also known as species. Most reductionist approaches to characterizing host-guest interactions focus solely on the most abundant complex (major species), as other complexes (minor species) are present in much lower proportions. Studies have shown that, in some cases, these minor species exhibit unique and emergent properties. Since these complexes exist in such small proportions, it can be difficult and time consuming to find experimental parameters over which their concentrations are large enough to be detected. In this project a holistic approach was taken where titration simulations, that considered all species, were performed prior to in-lab experiments and were used to find experimental conditions such that minor species were maximized. By guiding experimental design without bias toward major species, this approach reduced the number of preliminary experiments required to explore supramolecular complexity.
A survey of meiofaunal communities in beaches of Victoria, B.C.
(2021) Dundas, Amanda
Meiofauna are an understudied category of beach biodiversity worldwide, even though they are highly abundant. Factors that control the distribution of meiofauna, such as those related to sediment characteristics, are unclear. This study aimed to categorize the abundance and taxonomical diversity of meiofauna, the median grain size (Q50), the sediment sorting coefficient (Q25/Q75), and the organic matter content at 18 beaches in Victoria, B.C. It also investigated if those characteristics differed between two beach types, muddy and sandy, and whether meiofauna abundance was correlated with sediment characteristics. To test the hypothesis that meiofauna would be more highly abundant in fine sediment beaches (mudflats) than in coarse sediment beaches (sandy beaches), nine mudflats and nine sandy beaches were chosen based on visual inspection of the sediment. Then, sediment cores and meiofauna samples were taken at each of the 18 different beaches. Sediment size was determined using sieving, and organic matter of the sediment was quantified using loss on ignition. Meiofauna were enumerated and quantified using microscopy. The data were analyzed using two-sided t-tests and regression analyses. Meiofauna were found to be extremely abundant (on average 835 animals per 15cc of sediment) across all sample beaches. Median sediment size and sediment sorting (heterogeneity) did not vary significantly between muddy and sandy beaches, although the overall trends were in line with the prediction that muddier beaches had lower median particle size and higher sediment heterogeneity than sandy beaches. Organic matter was significantly higher in mudflats compared to sandy beaches. Meiofaunal abundance and total number of taxa were not significantly different among the beach types, and were not correlated with sediment characteristics. Based on my study I make several recommendations for future sampling programs. More research, especially time-series data collection, is needed to understand variation in these communities, as it is difficult to observe patterns from a single time point. My results illustrate how vast meiofaunal communities are (millions per square meter), yet how little we understand them. As the world changes, it is important to understand all aspects of beach biodiversity, and these tiny animals account for most of the non-microbiotic portion of it.
A tale of two surveys: Improving biodiversity monitoring through rapid baseline assessments
(University Of Victoria, 2025) Toma, Emily; Melchers, Grace; Dudas, Sarah E.; Hunt, Brian; Hessing-Lewis, Margot; Juanes, Francis; Cox, Kieran
Biodiversity monitoring is critical for understanding ecosystem condition and guiding conservation efforts. While the scale and scope of biodiversity data collection have expanded through novel techniques and citizen science initiatives, methods for integrating diverse datasets remain poorly developed. This has hindered our ability to leverage the full potential of modern biodiversity monitoring approaches. I address this gap by producing a framework for synthesizing data across multiple techniques, comparing rapid baseline assessments that emphasize expert identification with systematic surveys that prioritize replication over space and time. I use a multi-ecosystem approach, examining 3 distinct marine communities: soft-sediment bivalves, temperate kelp forests, and tropical coral reefs to test the broad applicability of this framework. Using species lists to develop a standardized framework for data integration, I address a fundamental challenge in biodiversity monitoring: how to effectively combine data from diverse sources to create more comprehensive and accurate biodiversity assessments. The results will inform the development of more efficient, ecosystem-specific monitoring.
A Time for Recollection: Exploring the Temporality of Victoria‘s Sea-to-Sea Green Blue Belt Campaign
(University of Victoria, 2024) Lefort, Audrey
From 1988 to the early 2000s, the Sea-to-Sea Green Blue Belt campaign successfully protected the lands connecting Tod Inlet, Sooke Basin and Sooke River as a way to promote urban containment and wildlife protection. Within the frameworks of future orientations and social ecology, this study explores the timeline of the campaign, as well as the temporal experiences of environmental activists. This was accomplished by interviewing nine individuals from the Sea-to-Sea Greenbelt Society, the Sierra Club, the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, The Land Conservancy, the Capital Regional District, and a former MLA of the Province of British Columbia. Catalyzed by the 1988 algae bloom in the Greater Victoria drinking watershed, the campaign worked to protect the Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park in 1997 and the purchase of nearby private lands. The participants’ temporal experiences during the campaign were shaped by how they remembered their past and valued their future, as themes of home and legacy were emphasized in conversation. It was concluded that the Sea-to-Sea Green Blue Belt has become a timeless tribute to the passionate individuals dedicated to preserving the natural world. Embodying a success story, this landscape can act as a source of inspiration for future environmental activists.
A Time for Recollection: Exploring the Temporality of Victoria’s Sea-To-Sea Green Blue Belt Campaign
(2024) Lefort, Audrey
The rapid growth of our Earth's population has increased the demand for development and urban sprawl, consequently endangering the protection of the natural world. To ensure the future of functioning ecosystems, recreational spaces, and agricultural land, many have turned to green belts as planning strategies. Specific to Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, the collaboration between different organizations, community members, and levels of government successfully protected the lands connecting Tod Inlet, Sooke Basin and Sooke River. This Sea-to-Sea Green Blue Belt is the subject of this research, and semi-structured interviews, modified photovoice activities, and secondary data were used to understand the timeline and temporal experiences of nine participants who were actively involved from 1988 to the early 2000s. The article explains that the campaign was catalyzed by an algae bloom in the drinking water which led to a court case against the Greater Victoria Water District’s (GVWD) illegal logging activities in 1994, and the eventual creation of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park in 1997. This was followed by a 2000 Regional Park Acquisition Fund used to secure private lands for the green belt, which has resulted in the acquisition of over 4,900 hectares of parkland as of 2024. In addition, the anthropological theoretical frameworks of future orientation and social ecology revealed that participants’ identity influenced how their expectations, anticipation, and hope propelled the Sea-to-Sea Green Blue Belt campaign towards success, but that they now rely on speculation to envision the future of global environmental protection. This research contributes to current green belt academic literature by providing a deeper look into the human experience of advocating for this green infrastructure.
A trait-based assessment of the functional diversity of marine Cetacea in the Canadian Offshore Pacific Bioregion
(2025) Tuck, Matthew
The identification of biodiversity hotspots is a critical step in the protection and conservation of wildlife, and the ecosystems they depend upon. Recently, the identification of numerous highly diverse benthic seafloor and seamount habitats in the Canadian Offshore Pacific Bioregion (OPB) has prompted the establishment of large marine protected areas (MPAs) which target the protection of these sensitive benthic habitats. This region has high productivity due to eddy associated upwelling of nutrients, and contains numerous unique environments, including the continental slope, cold water seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and the open ocean. Elevated productivity supports a number of Cetacea species, which take advantage of seasonal windows of productivity. Cetaceans provide ecological functions related to nutrient transfer (e.g., the whale pump), food web processes (e.g, suppression of lower trophic levels), and the creation of unique seafloor habitats (i.e., whale falls). Despite the functional importance of these species, present conservation measures in the OPB and its associated MPAs do not legislate protections targeting the surface waters Cetacea species depend on. Here, I assess whether the OPB hosts a functionally diverse subset of the global marine Cetacea species pool through comparative analyses based on the global functional space of Cetacea spp., using seven traits related to species roles in food web processes and nutrient cycling. I also identify unique features of the species found in the OPB by comparing their trait distribution to the global Cetacea species pool. The OPB hosts 28% of the known marine Cetacea species but encompasses 70% of the global marine cetacean functional space. The functional dispersion and functional redundancy of the OPB mirrors values obtained from randomly subsampling the global species pool, indicating that the region is a representative sample of functional diversity present in the global species pool. Species using the OPB are distinguished by increased body sizes, likely due to the increased richness of large-bodied, baleen feeding Mysticeti species. The functional roles of large bodied species are fundamental for ecosystem health and stability, but are being eroded around the world as human activities continue to down-size the populations of the largest megafauna on Earth. Thus, the OPB is critical for protecting a high proportion of the global cetacean functional diversity, and the ecological roles of large cetaceans.
Absolute Power and the Unsustainability of Tyranny: Seneca's Depiction of Nero's Power in "De Clementia"
(2023-03-19) Granirer, Jon (he/him)
This research project examines ancient discourses concerning the limits of authoritarianism. In circa 55 CE, Seneca, a Roman philosopher and a senior advisor to the emperor Nero, published the treatise De Clementia, in which he advises the young emperor to rule with clemency and moderation. Despite the rich body of academia which examines this treatise, there is a lack of in-depth scholarship that looks beyond the treatise itself by analyzing De Clementia's wider importance to the study of Roman government. In this research project, I argue that Seneca’s political advice contained in De Clementia presents Nero's possession of absolute power as contingent upon his ability to fulfil his obligations to the Roman elite. Further, this reading provides an accurate account of the political dynamics between Nero's regime and Rome's aristbocracy that has not been examined sufficiently by previous analyses of this treatise. After providing a brief history of clemency in Roman society, I discuss how Seneca portrays Nero's possession of absolute power as contingent upon his ability to fulfil his obligations as emperor. Next, I lay out the obligations with which Seneca tasks Nero with. Then, I discuss the consequences which, according to Seneca, Nero will face if he fails to uphold his obligations. Finally, I set Seneca's advice to Nero alongside instances in Roman history in which emperors who forget their obligations become the targets of plots and revolts in a manner that mirrors Seneca's presentation of the limits of the emperor's power.
Acadieman vs l’idéologie du standard : les représentations linguistiques dans Acadieman
(2019-04-21) Kuo, Tiffany
Acadieman is the protagonist of the animated series Acadieman by Dano LeBlanc, which aired on Rogers Television from 2005 to 2009. An inhabitant of Moncton, New Brunswick, the superhero (sort of) and pirate of the French language is only heroic because he dares to express himself in the local vernacular Chiac, which is often denigrated due to the fact that it borrows extensively from English. Although this series is somewhat controversial, Acadieman and his friends have won the hearts of their audience through the use of humour and Acadian inside jokes, as well as sheer approachability, while also broaching current linguistic issues and topics. In recent times, it has been noted that due to the increased visibility of Chiac thanks to local media and artists, attitudes towards Chiac have been gradually shifting towards the positive; some could even say that this variety of French is no longer stigmatized. By focusing on two episodes (“Acadieman vs la war des étoiles” and “Acadieman vs la guerre civile”) and an excerpt (“Chiac pour les dummies!”) of the second season of Acadieman, I uncover the ongoing linguistic ideologies in Acadie which are sometimes opposing, showing that attitudes towards this vernacular are mixed.
Acceptance Through Story: Using Theatre to Nurture Inclusivity
(2018-04-13) Mailloux, Jena
The purpose of this project is to explore which theatrical conventions and story-telling techniques nurture inclusivity as children grow. One of the main objectives is to discover if children and young adults can respond to the same theatrical conventions in a meaningful way that provokes inclusive based critical thinking. A series of two theatrical based workshops have been designed that involved social intolerance and gender inequality. The same workshops will be facilitated in both a Kindergarten class and a Grade 12 class. The workshops are meant to assess the effectiveness of theater practice in developing a positive social awareness, to create a dialogue between students, to cultivate community through story, and encourage accepting behaviours and tolerant thinking in future educational, professional, and personal experiences of life.
Accessibility Innovation in Higher Education Through Telepresence Robots
(2019-04-27) Silvera, Alexis
In this project, I will examine the use of telepresence robots to increase accessibility into physical classroom environments. Despite the supports we provide at UVic, students with special needs for access are underrepresented on our campus and alternative online programs charge three times our tuition, making obstacles even harder for accessing higher education. The 3,775,900 Canadians with a disability, or 1 in 7 people, consist of 13.7% of the total population. For half, the cement ramp, where it does exist, does nothing in terms of assisting them in gaining access to a physical location as their health issue may not be related to lower limb mobility. This JCURA project will entail implementing and evaluating one element of an accessibility pilot on campus in partnership with the Centre for Accessible Learning and the Technology Integration and Evaluation Research Lab. The goal is to determine its impact on the quality of learning experience and to gather the perceptions by instructors and learners in the classroom. Other applications will also be studied. For example, these telepresence robots can also support a variety of situations beyond supporting learners who cannot attend in person for a variety of health and other reasons, such as extending our reach into the community, supporting collective class observation of remote spaces, or bringing in specialists to interact with our students in various classroom environments.
Accessing three-dimensional space for novel pharmaceuticals
(University of Victoria, 2026) Epp, Erin; Dhake, Kushal; Leitch, David C.
Developing new chemical synthesis methods for building chiral multicyclic ring systems. This project builds upon an aldehyde-functionalized bicyclobutane to make more previously unknown bicyclobutanes. All of these were tested based on previous reactivity methods to demonstrate their synthetic capabilities. The goal is to demonstrate new ways to access three-dimensionality in pharmaceutical candidates.
Acromial fracture testing and analysis: Research summary and key takeaways
(University of Victoria, 2025) Navsarikar, Zara
This research concerned the testing of foam and plastic scapulas, and the usage of Direct Image Correlation technology to analyze the locations of most and least stress and strain under physiologically accurate loading.

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