Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

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All theses from 2011 to the present are in this collection, as well as some from 2010 and earlier years.

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Virtual reality for healthy aging: Assessing the feasibility of a community-delivered virtual reality intervention for older adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline
(2025) Tat, Natasha; Liu, Sam
Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is an early marker of cognitive decline, yet effective community-based prevention strategies remain limited. Cognitive training (CT) has the potential to support cognitive health among older adults with SCD. Virtual reality (VR) offers an engaging and interactive platform that may enhance motivation and adherence compared to traditional CT programs. However, most VR studies are conducted in laboratory settings, and little is known about its feasibility and acceptability in community contexts. Therefore, this feasibility study examined how virtual reality cognitive training (VRCT) can be used in a community setting to support older adults with SCD. Objectives: The aims of this study were to (i) assess the feasibility (recruitment, retention, adherence, adverse events) and acceptability of a community-delivered VRCT program for older adults with SCD; and (ii) examine the preliminary efficacy of the VRCT program on cognitive and psychological outcomes. Methods: Older adults (mean age = 72.11 ± 7.61) who reported subjective cognitive complaints but had no objective cognitive impairment were recruited between April 1st-April 19th, 2025 in Victoria, BC. Participants completed an 8-week VRCT program comprised of six cognitive games delivered through Enhance VR, attending three group-based sessions per week. A mixed-methods, one-group pre–post design was employed, guided by phase IIb of the ORBIT model. Feasibility outcomes were evaluated against a priori “green-light” criteria. Cognitive outcomes (memory, working memory, information processing, executive function) and psychological outcomes (perceived deficits, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety) were assessed pre- and post-intervention using paired-sample t-tests and non-parametric alternatives. Weekly physical activity, social connection, and simulator sickness were assessed for changes using repeated-measures ANOVA and assessed using correlation analyses with outcomes. Semi-structured interviews explored implementation barriers and supports and were analyzed using the Framework Method. Results: All pre-specified feasibility thresholds were met or exceeded: recruitment (75%, 30/40), retention (90%, 27/30), adherence (96%, 26/27), adverse events (6%, 2/30), and acceptability (76%). Significant improvements were observed on the Color-Word Interference Test (CWIT) inhibition trial (t(26) = –2.91, p = .007, d = –0.56), inhibition/switching trial (z = –3.89, p < .001, r = –.76), and Trail Making Test-A (t(26) = –2.92, p = .007, d = –0.56). Perceived cognitive deficits also decreased significantly (t(26) = 2.26, p = .032, d = –0.44). No other cognitive or psychological measures showed significant changes. Physical activity, social connection, and simulator sickness were not significantly related to outcomes. Qualitative findings emphasized the benefits of group-based delivery and identified logistical considerations for implementation. Conclusions: Community-delivered VRCT was feasible, acceptable, and safe for older adults with SCD. Preliminary efficacy results were selective, suggesting that while VRCT may strengthen performance on tasks of executive functioning and processing speed, it produces limited changes in broader cognition or psychological well-being outcomes. Future research should integrate VRCT into multi-component interventions, employ standardized test batteries and objective physical activity monitoring, include control groups and longer follow-up, and continue evaluating organizational feasibility for sustainable implementation in community settings.
Trans fats: A white trans social worker’s podcasted autoethnography
(2025) O’Brien, Kaitlin (Katie) Rosemary; Moosa-Mitha, Mehmoona
My podcasted, autoethnographic thesis ruminates on the question: how is my experience of transgender corporeality mediated by pathologising logics? Drawing on decolonial feminism and disability justice, I review the pathologising ways that transness, fatness, and eating disorders are normatively framed, and connect this pathologisation with the ongoing colonial project. I then explore stories about existing in my small fat, nonbinary trans, white settler body, ultimately arguing that the normative (pathologising) story of fat trans folks with complicated relationships with food and eating does colonial violence to trans people. Along the way, I refuse straightforward answers, remaining critical, uncertain, and curious about how my experiences of systemic marginalisation and privilege always overlap. I conclude by imagining a social work context that is abolitionist and deprofessionalised, centred on principles of harm reduction and community care.
An optimized approach for photodynamic inactivation (PDI) and other singlet oxygen applications
(2025) Tieman, Grace M. O.; Buckley, Heather
Chapter 1 introduces the relevant background information for the basis of the project, including fundamentals on photodynamic inactivation (PDI), photosensitization and photosensitizers, singlet oxygen (1O2), and diazirines. The overall description of the project is provided and how it aims to diminish the knowledge gap. Chapter 2 provides the proof-of-concept material for this thesis, where a porphyrin is covalently tethered to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from thermal activation of diazirines. The material is then assessed for its 1O2 production in conjunction with its antimicrobial efficacy, which was a 1.76 log-reduction of Staphylococcus aureus. Chapter 3 optimizes the light dose and porphyrin loading onto the surface by exploring how 1O2 production was affected by varying the amounts. With the optimized material in hand, it is then assessed for its durability to photobleaching under different light intensities, high (35,000 lx) and ambient (450 lx), for up to two weeks. The results indicate there was only a loss of 1O2 production after 1 week of high intensity exposure. Chapter 4 provides the synthesis of other porphyrinoid molecules, including corroles, to explore how structure impacts 1O2 generation. The molecules’ 1O2 quantum yield is determined via direct detection methodology. Two of the porphyrins, with the highest quantum yields, are then tested using the solid-state methodology developed in Chapter 2. Chapter 5 provides a summary of each chapter and subsequently explores potential future directions for the results from this work.
Numerical construction of K-optimal designs for linear, nonlinear, and generalized linear models
(2025) Zhang, Xiaoqing; Zhou, Julie
This thesis investigates the numerical construction of K-optimal designs for a variety of statistical models. These include linear models such as polynomial, trigonometric, and second-order response models, nonlinear models such as Michaelis–Menten, compartmental, and Peleg models, and generalized linear models with a particular focus on logistic regression. K-optimality aims to minimize the condition number of the Fisher information matrix to improve the numerical stability in parameter estimation. A general algorithm is proposed and applied to all models to construct K-optimal designs, evaluated under different design spaces and parameter values. For nonlinear models, the K-optimal designs are compared with A-optimal and D-optimal designs, while for the logistic regression model, comparisons are made with D-optimal designs. The results show that K-optimal designs have stable patterns between different models. Factors such as design space, model type, and parameter values influence the support points, their weights, and the condition number. In addition, K-optimal designs achieve smaller condition numbers, indicating better numerical stability, and take less computation time than both D-optimal and A-optimal designs. All key findings are presented in tables and figures, and the MATLAB code used for the computations is provided in the thesis.
Non-linear probabilistic load flow of power systems with wind and electric vehicles
(2025) Amid, Pouya; Crawford, Curran
This thesis presents a comprehensive probabilistic framework designed to assess the reliability of power systems increasingly influenced by renewable energy sources and Electric Vehicles (EVs). It addresses the critical need for methodologies that effectively incorporate complex system characteristics and uncertainties without compromising computational efficiency. Traditional deterministic methods often inadequately capture the probabilistic nature of power systems, which is essential for understanding the impacts of variable renewable energy generation and stochastic loads associated with rising electric transportation adoption. To address these limitations, this study introduces a novel methodology integrating sequential reliability simulations with detailed probabilistic analyses of non-linear load flow equations. The core of this approach employs advanced cumulant-based methods that accurately represent higher-order statistical characteristics and correlations among multiple uncertainties, efficiently modeling non-linear system behavior and fluctuations in renewable energy outputs and demand patterns. This significantly enhances computational efficiency and improves the accuracy of reliability assessments. Building upon this foundation, the thesis further develops the concept of cumulant-tensor-based Probabilistic Load Flow (PLF) analysis. This innovative methodology extends cumulant approaches to handle higher-dimensional probability distributions, providing deeper insights into system behaviors under various scenarios, particularly those involving large-scale integration of wind generation and extensive EV charging demand. An indicative real-world case study using the BC Hydro (BCH) power system demonstrates the practical application of these advanced methodologies. Through sequential reliability simulations combined with cumulant-tensor-based PLF analysis, the study examines the effects of wind generation variability and diverse EV charging scenarios, including adoption levels of up to one million vehicles. The results highlight the mixed impacts on system reliability: while increased wind generation capacity offers potential reliability improvements in urban areas with substantial EV integration, it presents challenges for rural areas with limited balancing resources. Generation facilities typically exhibit robustness against such variability; however, critical transmission infrastructure experiences significant stress, underscoring the need for targeted investments to enhance system resilience. By specifically analyzing critical transmission lines within the BCH system, the study identifies key vulnerabilities and suggests targeted opportunities for infrastructure improvements. The use of hourly PLF analysis to determine confidence margins of power flows facilitates economical infrastructure design by accurately identifying periods of peak stress, thereby preventing unnecessary over-design. While the integration of renewable sources brings clear environmental advantages, it also introduces considerable complexities in economic dispatch and system expansion planning. The developed probabilistic framework provides utility providers with practical tools to effectively and reliably manage these complexities. Overall, the methodologies introduced in this study represent advancements in power system reliability assessment and are applicable to system adequacy studies and long-term planning and risk management. As the global energy landscape continues to evolve, the deployment of such advanced probabilistic frameworks is increasingly essential to ensure the resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of future power infrastructure.
Adapting academic integrity policies to incorporate generative AI tools
(2025) Sehgal, Manish; Pelton, Tim
The rapid rise of Generative AI (GAI) presents both challenges and opportunities for higher education institutions seeking to uphold academic integrity while embracing technological innovation. This dissertation investigates how top U.S. universities are adapting their academic integrity policies and practices in response to GAI. Through document analysis of 20 institutional policies, surveys of students, faculty, and policy makers, and an autoethnographic reflection on the researcher’s use of ChatGPT, the study provides a multi-faceted view of institutional responses to GAI. The findings reveal alignment across institutions on core ethical principles, but wide variation in policy clarity, specificity, and educational integration. Survey data highlight tensions between stakeholder groups, with students eager to adopt GAI tools but seeking clearer guidance, faculty expressing cautious openness and the need for support, and policy makers prioritizing risk management. The autoethnographic reflection offers insight into the practical and ethical complexities of using GAI in academic leadership. The study concludes that successful integration of GAI requires a holistic approach that combines adaptable policy frameworks with educational initiatives, dialogue, and ongoing review. It calls for higher education institutions to engage in collaborative stewardship of GAI technologies to ensure their responsible and inclusive use.
The space between self and school: Exploring relevance, identity, and engagement in English Language Arts
(2025) Fletcher, David John; Sanford, Kathy
This self-study investigates how a focus on relevance within the English Language Arts classroom can support student engagement and identity development. Grounded in the intersecting frameworks of Identity Theory (Burke & Stryker, 2000), Self-determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000), and the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FNESC, 2008), the research explores the conditions under which adolescents connect personally and meaningfully to their learning. Drawing on classroom field notes, reflective journaling, and interpretive interviews with two secondary teachers, the study situates teaching as a relational and identity-involved practice. Findings reveal that when students are offered authentic choice, guided reflection, and opportunities to express who they are, their motivation, confidence, and sense of belonging increase. Through narrative analysis, the thesis illustrates how teacher reflection, relational pedagogy, and student voice transform ELA classrooms into spaces of personal relevance. The study concludes that learning deepens when relevance, autonomy, and belonging are treated as essentials rather than extras. For educators, this means designing learning environments that honour both curriculum and identity, allowing students to see themselves as evolving authors of their own stories.
Towards generalizable motion planning: Efficient and safe learning-based frameworks
(2025) Ghafarian Tamizi, Mehran; Najjaran, Homayoun
Robotic motion planning remains a fundamental challenge in industrial automation, with manipulators offering a clear example of the need for real-time, collision-free, and safe trajectory generation. Traditional planners often face trade-offs among optimality, adaptability, and computational efficiency, limiting their applicability in cluttered and high-dimensional industrial environments. Furthermore, most learning-based planners suffer from poor generalization, requiring retraining when deployed in new scenes or on different robot platforms. This thesis presents two learning-based frameworks designed to address these challenges. First, the Path Planning and Collision Checking Network (PPCNet) is introduced, an end-to-end neural architecture that combines a waypoint generator with a learned collision checker to enable fast, safe, and reliable planning in structured environments. PPCNet is validated in both simulated and real-world bin-picking tasks, demonstrating substantial speedups over classical planners while maintaining path quality. To overcome the generalization limitations of PPCNet, Generalizable and Adaptive Diffusion-Guided Environment-aware Trajectory generation (GADGET) is proposed, a conditional diffusion-based motion planner guided by control barrier functions. GADGET leverages voxel-based scene encoding and goal conditioning to generate safe trajectories across previously unseen environments and robotic arms without retraining. The integration of barrier-function-based guidance enables robust collision avoidance during trajectory generation. Extensive experiments demonstrate that both frameworks achieve real-time planning performance and high success rates, with GADGET offering strong generalization to novel settings. This work highlights the potential of combining deep generative models with adaptable design to create scalable and broadly generalizable motion planners, capable of transferring across diverse environments and robot platforms with minimal modification.
Assessing Canada’s hydrogen ambition: Model development and policy analysis with MESSAGEix-Canada
(2025) Danaher, Brendan; McPherson, Madeleine
Canada's national hydrogen strategy has positioned low-carbon hydrogen as a key pillar in the transition to a net-zero energy future. Energy system modelling is essential for understanding the complex interactions and regional impacts of policy design on the Canadian energy system. This thesis presents both the development of a detailed hydrogen framework within the MESSAGEix-Canada energy system model and its application in national hydrogen policy assessment. Notably, this work provides the first evaluation of the Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit, Canada’s dedicated policy for incentivizing clean hydrogen production. Scenarios explore current policy measures, the projected roll-out of major announced hydrogen projects, and net-zero pathways under optimistic and pessimistic cost projections. Findings showcase a gap between federal strategy ambitions and cost-optimal hydrogen deployment: investment tax credits alone are insufficient to scale hydrogen adoption to reach net-zero levels. Hydrogen production is shown to be regionally diverse, with more electrolysis in hydro-rich provinces such as Quebec and more natural gas reforming in fossil-rich regions like Alberta. Industrial applications have the largest uptake of hydrogen, while usage in transportation and synthetic fuels is limited. Lastly, in all scenarios, electrification prevails as the primary energy carrier relative to hydrogen. The results highlight the need for production-based, sector-specific, and regionally differentiated policy to unlock hydrogen’s full decarbonization potential. With MESSAGEix-Canada released as a fully open-source platform, policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers can assess and refine hydrogen strategies in line with evolving technological, economic, and policy conditions.
Mapping placemaking practices of five young women at the intersection of multiple marginalizations from homegrown neighbourhoods of urban India
(2025) Kazmi, Nabila; Sanford, Kathy
Urban cities in India exclude young women from public life through fear of violence, familial control and patriarchal expectations. Their existence in public spaces is generally looked at through a lens of suspicion and excessive control – emotional and embodied. This research studies the spatial lived experiences of five young women from homegrown neighbourhoods that are defined as lower income, lacking in infrastructure and mutually dependent close-knit communities. The purpose of this research is to offer a platform for the young women to share their spatial lived experiences and challenge a homogenous and normative understanding of their stories. Using a post-qualitative research inquiry, this research studies the ways young women live within their communities and the placemaking practices that they resort to in order to create safe, communal spaces for themselves. The research is interdisciplinary as it is placed within adult education, feminist geography, urban planning, and community-engaged research and contributes to each of these scholarships by offering a nuanced and complex understanding of the stories of young women from urban India. In this research, I argue that even within the bounds of limitation that young women face, they are able to find a sense of belonging and agency within their neighbourhood. These ways include acts of everyday resistances, forming support systems of friends and consistently negotiating their place within their neighbourhoods, home, and schools. The research study (re)stories the lives of the five young women and the places that they occupy through narrative mapping tool called StoryMaps that positions young women’s stories and the places that they occupy as central to the research. Through (re)storying, the research highlights the following: (1) spatial lived experiences of young women are determined by their intersectional identities and are constantly evolving; (2) placemaking scholarship should include informal acts of placemaking in order to be inclusive of the lives of marginalized people within their communities; (3) lived spatiality is a constant negotiation that young women engage in through acts of everyday resistance; and (4) lived spatiality and placemaking are paradoxical and embodied and should be examined as such.
Status beliefs and employment position and standing as factors in the stratification of the labour of knowledge sharing: A mixed methods study of early career academics’ experiences at Canadian universities
(2025) Jenni, Barbara; McDonough, Graham
This mixed methods study documents, explores, and theorizes the experiences of 18 early career academics (ECA) at three Canadian universities as they prepare, communicate, apply, or otherwise make accessible the knowledge created within universities, or in other words, carry out the implementation of knowledge sharing (KS). KS from and by universities has been identified as a way to move Canada forward economically as well as to improve social conditions. However, KS efforts do not always achieve their intended efforts, which is highly problematic at a time when we face generation-defining challenges and economic uncertainty. The conceptual framework of this study centers on the observation that the implementation of KS is at its core a matter of labour. This study shows that universities only weakly define KS, rendering the labour of implementing KS largely invisible. At the same time, the segmentation of the academic labour market into primary and secondary jobs has also stratified the labour of KS, and associated labour inequalities are replicated in the KS system currently in place at Canadian universities. Participating ECA reported they highly value opportunities to use more diversified KS approaches and are motivated for their KS to ‘do good’. However, employment standing was found to be the leading factor associated with – and restricting – ECA’s choices in how they carry out KS. Results also reveal the presence of status beliefs about what KS work, carried out by whom, is worthy of merit and material rewards. This indicates that the current KS system is perpetuated by way of underlying biased assumptions about competence associated with certain kinds of KS work. The study offers actionable steps towards better supporting ECA in the implementation of KS, and in turn, to more fully realize the potential value and quality of the labour of KS.
Quantifying greenhouse gas methane emissions from simulated plumes: A hybrid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and image-based approach
(2025) Mansoori, Ghazal; Darcie, Thomas Edward; Smith, Levi
Given methane’s role as a potent greenhouse gas with a significantly higher short term global warming potential than carbon dioxide, its accurate quantification is critical for early detection and mitigation. This thesis presents a simulation-driven framework for quantifying greenhouse gas methane leak rates using image-based projections derived from computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Methane emissions with field-representative leak rates were modeled in open-air environments using three dimensional (3D) simulations under varying wind and leak source conditions. The resulting volumetric data were transformed to mimic the output of remote optical sensing systems, enabling leak rate estimation via a MATLAB-based algorithm grounded in the principles of mass conservation. This approach offers a practical foundation for remote methane quantification, with potential applications in sensor validation, environmental monitoring, and climate action strategies focused on emission reductions.
Performance of high-capacity light wood-frame shear walls with multiple rows of nails: Experimental and numerical study
(2025) Qiang, Ruite; Zhou, Lina; Ni, Chun
With the increase of building height limit for light wood-frame construction up to six storeys and the increase of seismic response spectra in national building code of Canada, stronger shear wall systems have been facing higher demands, especially for mid-rise wood-frame buildings located in high seismic zones. The University of Victoria and FPInnovations have jointly developed a new high-capacity shear wall system with two or three rows of nails on sheathing edges. A three-year test program was carried out in 2020-2022, with a total of 30 shear wall specimens covering a range of configurations, including different sheathing thicknesses, nail sizes and spacings, stud dimensions and stud numbers. In the first part of this study, test results from 2021 and 2022 were presented. It was found that the high-capacity shear wall systems can achieve lateral load resistance proportional to the number of rows of nails on sheathing edges. Due to the brittle failure modes observed in high-capacity shear walls that are not common in regular shear walls with only one row of nails on sheathing edges, much lower design resistance has to be assigned for high-capacity shear walls to meet the ductility requirements in concordance with ASTM D7989. In the second part of this study, the brittle failure modes observed in high-capacity walls were summarized and analyzed, including stud separation from plates, plate and stud splitting, sheathing rupture, and sheathing buckling. Methods of preventing these failure modes were proposed and discussed, such as installing steel angles to prevent stud separation from top or bottom plates, installing steel plate washers at locations of hold-downs to prevent bottom plate splitting, and limiting one row of nails on each framing member to prevent stud and plate splitting. In the third part of this study, detailed 3D numerical models of high-capacity shear walls with multiple rows of nails were developed using ABAQUS. The models were first verified by test results from this program, showing good agreement in load-displacement response. The numerical models were also capable of mimicking some of the brittle failure modes observed in high-capacity wall tests, such as stud separation from top and bottom plates. Then, a parametric study based on the verified shear wall model was carried out, considering different wall configurations that were not included in the previous test programs, i.e., high-capacity shear walls with different heights, lengths, stud sizes, sheathing arrangements, hold-down types, and with and without vertical loads. Results showed that, similar to regular shear walls, the lateral load capacity of high-capacity shear walls is proportional to the wall length, while the stiffness decreases as wall height increases. Stud sizes had no significant effect on wall performance, while sheathing panel size played an important role in terms of shear wall resistance and deformability. Increasing vertical load significantly improves the lateral performance of high-capacity shear walls with no hold-downs. However, the influence of vertical load is negligible for walls with hold-downs. With the increased number of rows of nails on sheathing edges, and the adoption of new construction details in design to prevent undesirable failure modes, the high-capacity shear wall system investigated in this study can achieve both high lateral load resistance and ductility. This system is beneficial for construction of mid-rise wood-frame buildings under high seismic and wind loads and is easier to construct by utilizing traditional construction technologies in practice compared to other high strength wall systems. The research of the high-capacity shear wall system will support the implementation of the wall system in the Canadian and US timber design codes, thus providing design engineers with more options for mid-rise wood-frame buildings.
Expectancy-driven modulation of pain intensity and perceived damage in a LEGO paradigm
(2025) Mastrangelo, Sophia; Kennedy, David
Pain is a complex experience influenced by sensory, cognitive, and contextual factors. Misinterpretation of pain as direct evidence of equivocal tissue damage can reinforce fear of movement and hinder patient recovery, making it important to understand how expectations shape pain and harm appraisals. This thesis examined whether expectancy framing alters pain responses to an ecologically valid mechanical threat and whether participants dissociate pain intensity from perceived damage. Sixty healthy adults completed five walking trials across a fixed LEGO board: baseline, unexpected LEGO, expected LEGO, and two randomized cream conditions framed as protective (placebo) or sensitizing (nocebo). After each trial, participants reported immediate and delayed pain and damage ratings (0–10 NRS), while ground-reaction forces and step timing were recorded. Results indicated that pain intensity increased sharply at first LEGO exposure (ΔM = +2.95, ~30% of the NRS scale) and was further amplified by the nocebo frame (ΔM = +1.22). The placebo frame showed no significant effects. Changes in damage ratings were more subtle, diverging from pain intensity. Overall, findings demonstrate that contextual threat amplifies pain intensity more strongly than perceived damage, reinforcing a dissociation between the two and underscoring the importance of expectation in pain appraisal.
Barriers and facilitators to child participation within the child protection context in sub-Saharan Africa
(2025) Gariba, Samuel Logoniga; Kakuru, Doris
Child welfare policies and laws in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), along with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), require involving children in welfare and protection decisions that affect them. Yet, till date, research on the degree to which children and young persons are involved in the region is limited. This study explores the factors that hinder or support children’s role in decision-making within child protection. This study used a scoping review methodology, following PRISMA ScR-2020 guidelines, to map practical, structural, cultural and systemic challenges to children’s involvement in welfare or protection decisions. Seventeen (17) included articles were chosen and reviewed from an initial pool of 2,262; literature was screened with Covidence software (Babineau, 2014). The study findings revealed that entrenched cultural norms, weak recognition of children’s participation rights, and inadequate child-friendly practices are the major barriers to child participation in SSA. Inconsistencies in international child participation standards, and unclear clarity on age, maturity, and competencies threshold are also key challenges. The study suggests culturally relevant ways to improve children's involvement in SSA.
Disabled federal inmates, accommodation and the rule of law in Canada
(2025) Fyfe, Richard John Martin; Cochran, Patricia; Holder, Cindy L.
There is a body of evidence through sources including reported cases, government reports and academic literature indicating that the Government of Canada, through Correctional Service Canada (CSC), is not meeting its legal duty to accommodate disabled federal inmates. The absence of adequate measures to address this and compel CSC to meet these obligations is a rule of law problem. This thesis provides case examples of Canada’s failure to accommodate, considers contributing system elements and suggests measures to compel Canada to address this rule of law problem. The thesis examines the factors which contribute to the problem, including: the carceral burden which should but is not conditioning punishment; residual elements of the historic concept of civil death; and structural shortcomings, including judicial deference, the lack of an independent, impartial grievance process; and the scarcity of legal information or legal assistance to support rights claims. Arguing that the consequence of non-accommodation is unacceptably harsher conditions for non-accommodated disabled inmates, the thesis considers and dismisses the likelihood that effective change will occur without measures similar to those in R. v. Jordan or the recent Senate Bill S-230 . Reference is made to the experience of ‘carceral clawback’ in which reforms are either eroded or their scope limited to minimize institutional change. The thesis concludes that institutional change to achieve rule of law compliance is unlikely absent measures that carry serious consequence such as sentence reduction or release in cases of rights violations resulting from non-accommodation.
A cross-sectional examination of Costa Rican adolescents’ motivation toward physical education
(2025) Sosa Nicora, Elisa B.; Temple, Viviene A.
Background: Adolescents are becoming less physically active around the world. Physical Education can support students’ physical activity levels and encourage active lifestyles both in school and throughout life. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has been widely used in physical education research to understand students’ motivation toward physical education as well as their basic psychological needs in physical education settings. However, previous research on Costa Rican adolescents’ motivational profiles in physical education remain limited. The primary aim of this study was to examine grade 9 Costa Rican students’ motivation toward physical education and how their basic psychological needs influenced their intrinsic motivation in physical education. The secondary aim was to understand students’ leisure time physical activity levels, personal experiences in physical education and whether motivation and psychological basic needs satisfaction predicted participation in physical activity outside of school. Method: Grade 9 Costa Rican (n = 118) students in the Guápiles region participated in this mixed-method study. Quantitative data were collected using the Physical Education Motivation Scale (PEMS), the Physical Education Autonomy, Relatedness and Competence Scale (PE-ARCS); and the Physical Activity subsection of the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Qualitative data were collected from one of the two-part open-ended question included in the PEMS and from students’ responses to a checklist of preferred physical education activities included in the PE-ARCS. Results: Descriptive statistics demonstrated that students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation levels were relatively strong, and amotivation was low. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that boys were significantly more intrinsically and less extrinsically motivated than girls. A second MANOVA showed that there were no gender-based differences in autonomy, competence, or relatedness. Students’ perceived competence predicted intrinsic motivation toward physical education. A small proportion of students met the guidelines for MVPA (11.0%), strength (40.7%), sleep (39.8%) and sedentary time (32.2%). Only one student met all four guidelines, and 37 students did not meet any guidelines. Linear regression revealed that perceived competence was a significant positive predictor of days of MVPA per week, while extrinsic motivation was a significant negative predictor. Two major themes emerged from the qualitative analysis. The first was that “Students’ Experience in Physical Education Could Be Better” and the second theme was that “The Physical Environment Undermines Experiences in Physical Education”. Conclusions: Students showed positive motivation levels, their levels of amotivation were low and no gender-based differences in their basic psychological needs for physical education were found. While girls were more extrinsically motivated, boys showed lower extrinsic motivation and higher intrinsic motivation toward physical education. The more competent students felt in physical education, the more intrinsically motivated they felt toward physical education. A large proportion of students did not meet the minimum requirements of MVPA, sleep, strength and sedentary time for individual 24-hour movement behaviours guidelines or combinations of these behaviours. Students who focused more on achieving good grades and being liked by their physical education teacher were likely to engage in lower levels of MVPA outside of school. Students’ perceptions of their competence was the only positive predictor of the number of days of MVPA outside of school. In general, findings from this study highlight the importance of fostering students’ perceptions of their competence not only to improve their intrinsic motivation toward physical education, but also to help promote levels of MVPA outside of school.
The sermons of the refuter: A social symphony in three movements or… a treatise on the nature of hope and the actor/state constructed social reality
(2025) Farris, Tucker D.; Vahabzadeh, Peyman
Hope has long been a staple of academic study in the fields of psychology and philosophy, with the former experimentally endeavoring to determine the “power” of hope, while the latter has made great strides in determining a working body of theoretical work pertaining to the “nature” of hope. However, the field of sociology has largely siloed hope into singular conversations in niche subfields, and often as an operational point of investigation, rather than the subject itself. Secondarily, the sociological study of hope has itself remained fairly focused in micro analyses to date. This present work aims to present a sociological examination on the nature, sociality, and power of hope not as emotion, but as socially composed fantastical reality. In doing so, hope is examined as a means by which the individual social actor, and larger more complex social institutions such as the state can modify the fabric of their own social realities with the fantastical and imagined faux realities of hopeful existence. What emerges is a narrative theoretical consideration of the social processes by which the individual is inclined to compose their own social realities contrary to the materiality of their being; which in turn presents a discourse on the nature of being in the social, with a clearly defined delineation between the capacities for material and immaterial social reality, and the socially symbolic meanings of various states of being in temporal sociality. To more completely evolve the narrative, an examination of hopeful existence as propagated by the biopolitical state is presented in the context of a sociohistorical exploration of the Soviet Union. The history of the Soviet Union is presented in the context as a state constructor of fantastical reality. In sum, a dualism of hope emerges in this discussion, demonstrating methodologies of the state and the subject to order their own realities and that of others for either liberation or oppression. This dissertation blends a traditional dramaturgical symbolic interactionist approach with traditional (Kierkegaardian) existentialism, metaphysics, sociohistory and a newly proposed methodology of clandestine sociology. The latter incorporating elements of post-war tradecraft philosophy and method into a theoretical basis for sociohistorical examination of lived social experience. Which allows for a clear source critique situated in the theoretical assertion that reality as reported is reported for a reason, and it then falls to the theorist to examine such realities in careful environments to determine the lived symbolic impact of social experience in material and immaterial states of being. In addition, meditations toward a metaphysic of social being are present, exploring the means by which social meaning and significance is symbolically socially constructed, and the means by which individual social actors compose their realities in a temporal sense. A meditation on the social nature of time is presented, as is a reordering of traditional existential meditations on the nature of hope in a more gnostic sense.
Cruise ship-induced traffic in Victoria, BC: An integrated statistical, operational, and environmental analysis
(2025) Qasim, Muhammad; Minet, Laura
On-road transportation is a major contributor to air pollution and congestion in urban areas, particularly in cities where tourism intensifies seasonal local traffic demand. Cruise tourism exemplifies this challenge, as large passenger vessels generate short-term surges of vehicles that can overwhelm local infrastructure and degrade environmental quality. Addressing these issues requires integrated approaches that capture both the operational and environmental consequences of tourism-induced traffic strain. This thesis develops such an approach, focusing on the James Bay neighborhood of Victoria, British Columbia, where Ogden Point terminal serves as one of Canada’s busiest cruise ports. The thesis is structured around two complementary analyses. Chapter 2 investigates the statistical relationship between cruise ship arrivals and local traffic patterns. Drawing on an extensive dataset collected during the 2023 cruise season, the analysis characterizes fluctuations in traffic volumes, modal composition, speeding violations, and temporal patterns under varying levels of cruise ship activity. Regression models are employed to isolate the effects of ship arrivals, revealing significant increases in touristic buses, taxis, and heavy trucks, as well as modal shifts that reshape traffic circulation patterns and influence traffic safety outcomes. Chapter 3 extends the analysis to environmental and operational impacts using an integrated modeling framework. A calibrated traffic assignment model in PTV VISUM and intersection capacity analysis in PTV Vistro are combined with emissions estimation through the MOVES simulation, using detailed fleet composition data from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Results demonstrate that cruise ship-induced traffic not only degrades level of service in the adjacent local infrastructure but also elevates emissions of greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. These effects are concentrated during short but intense peak periods, magnifying local exposure to congestion, speeding violations and pollution. By combining the findings of both chapters, Chapter 4 highlights the collective impact of cruise ship tourism on mobility and air quality. The results underscore the need for targeted interventions such as adaptive signal timing, traffic calming measures, curb and staging management, and demand-smoothing strategies to mitigate localized congestion and reduce pollutant emissions. The methodological framework developed here also provides a transferable template for evaluating tourism-driven traffic impacts in other port cities worldwide.
Towards common ground: Barriers and enablers to low-carbon transitions in oil and gas-producing municipalities of British Columbia and Alberta
(2025) Hargreaves, Rowan; Rhodes, Katya
Oil and gas-producing municipalities host Canada’s highest emitting sector and face significant economic risks in the low-carbon transition. Understanding how these communities envision their economic futures, and the barriers and enablers they encounter in pursuing low-carbon opportunities, can inform decision-makers seeking both emissions reductions and more resilient local economies. This study engages municipal staff with expertise in economic development from oil and gas communities in British Columbia and Alberta to capture their perspectives on transition pathways. Findings demonstrate that these municipalities are actively exploring economic diversification that includes low-carbon opportunities, but face substantial barriers, including the absence of a coherent transition vision, perceptions of being broad‑brushed in policy decisions, limited capacity and funding, gaps in expertise, and delays in the regulatory process for new energy projects. Addressing these challenges through place-based industrial development strategies and targeted policy supports would better position federal and provincial governments to support local transitions in communities most affected by energy system change.

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