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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Revelatory economics: Discerning prudence and realizing theosis in Latter-day Saint southern Alberta
(2026) Campbell, C. William; Rudnyckyj, Daromir
This dissertation examines how Latter-day Saints in southern Alberta use revelation as an epistemological technique for discerning prudence in social-material matters. Drawing on long-term participant observation with Latter-day Saints in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, I show that revelation functions not only as a spiritual experience but as a structured knowledge practice for deciding what to do in matters as diverse as household finance, welfare, entrepreneurship, and municipal policy. Revelation is not an alternative to rational calculation but a technique for bringing together rational calculation, scripture, affect, and social obligations (among other things) in the pursuit of discerning prudence. I argue that the best way to understand how and why Latter-day Saints subject economic decisions to revelation is as a way of cultivating what I call divine-human capital, the capacities that constitute a person’s latent characteristics as divine beings in potentia. In Latter-day Saint theology, humans are already the same kind of being as God, distinguished only by degree. Exaltation names the gradual realization of this inherent divinity and is a form of human theosis. Within this continuous human-divine framework, discernment through revelation becomes a means of developing attributes such as obedience, contextual judgement, and covenantal alignment, capacities understood as both inherently human and, when fully realized, constitutive of exaltation. By cultivating these attributes through the practiced deployment of revelation in even mundane moments of economic discernment, each decision becomes part of the incremental realization of theosis. The revelatory technique therefore both expresses an inherent subjectivity and increments the individual towards a fuller realization of that subjectivity. Out of this analysis of revelation in LDS economic life I develop a broader analytic. Revelatory economics describes economic epistemological practices that both disclose and cultivate a subjectivity. Rather than treating decisions about work, care, or finance as merely instrumental, the analytic reveals how people use techniques of discernment that draw on an understanding of who they already take themselves to be and to become that person more fully. In this framework, economic reasoning is simultaneously epistemological and ontological, a way of knowing what is prudent and of shaping the self toward a desired form.
Seen to be done: Credibility, performance, and legitimacy in R v McLeod et al.
(2026) Sapic, Lauren; Calder, Gillian; O’Bonsawin, Christine
This thesis explores how legal credibility is built and challenged in high-profile Canadian sexual-assault trials, through the single embedded case study of the R v McLeod et al. (the 2018 World Junior sexual assault proceedings, or "R v McLeod et al."). With specific attention to the court's reasons and credibility analysis, this thesis examines the acquittal of five former Canadian World Junior hockey players, followed allegations of group sexual assault after a Hockey Canada Foundation Gala and Golf event in June 2018. At the time the charges were laid, all five accused were playing professional hockey, including four in the NHL. In an era of media saturation and institutional crises, Canadian courts are increasingly expected not only to deliver justice, but to be seen to do so. I refer to this concept as "mediatized justice," a cultural-legal paradigm where courts must perform this "fairness" as much as courts may enact it procedurally. Despite legal reforms intending to curb rape myth-based reasoning within sexual assault procedures, the Canadian criminal justice system continues to struggle to accommodate the complexities of trauma testimony and fairness, particularly where powerful institutions, intense publicity, and multiple accused are involved. Drawing on feminist legal theory (in particular, Judith Butler's concept of grievability), critical legal theory, and media spectacle theory, this thesis applies critical discourse analysis to the judgment, institutional statements, and media coverage. I examine how legal actors navigate the tension between the presumption of innocence and the realities of trauma, memory, and evidentiary rules. A close reading of Justice Maria Carroccia's decision reveals that while rape myths were formally rejected, the decision still relied on credibility markers, such as affect regulation, evidentiary clarity, and timeline analysis in a manner that I argue is trauma incompatible. I also analyze Hockey Canada's efforts to manage public perception, as well as the post-trial discourse around judicial neutrality and activism. Rather than calling for retributive outcomes or symbolic reform or for the court to act in an "activist" manner, this thesis advocates for procedural and evidentiary shifts that center trauma-informed fairness. This can prompt a reconsideration of what it means for courts to adjudicate legitimacy of the complainant in high profile sexual assault trials, and in the age of media visibility.
3D bioprinted skin co-culture model with air liquid interface (ALI) stratification for investigating microbiome-skin cell interactions.
(2026) Díaz González, Giselle Yolanda; Willerth, Stephanie; Tuffs, Stephen
Chronic wounds pose a serious and persistent public health challenge, resulting in devastating patient consequences and imposing a substantial economic strain on healthcare systems. Conventional treatments frequently fail because they target only single characteristics of the wound rather than addressing the complex, interconnected cycle where the microbiome and microenvironment play crucial roles in perpetuating inflammation. To develop effective biotherapies, advanced in vitro models that accurately replicate the complex skin microenvironment are urgently needed. Existing models, such as two-dimensional (2D) cultures and animal models, lack the necessary physiological complexity, are hindered by species-specific differences, and present ethical concerns. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a powerful alternative, enabling the creation of in vitro skin models that more closely mimic human in vivo conditions. The primary goal of this work was to investigate the clinical need, design, and verification of a 3D bioprinted stratified skin co-culture model suitable for studying the intricate interactions between the skin microbiome and cutaneous cells. Constructs were generated using extrusion-based bioprinting (EBB) with a high-viscosity, fibrin-based bioink containing co-cultured human keratinocytes (HEKa) and fibroblasts (HDFs), successfully creating a multi-layered structure replicating the epidermis and dermis. Crucially, epidermal stratification was induced through the Air-Liquid Interface (ALI) methodology to replicate the primary air-liquid barrier where bacteria reside and ensure comprehensive host-microbe dynamics. The functional maturity and interactions between the host-microbiome within the model were validated through biochemical signaling detection of cytokines through Human Cytokine/Chemokine Panel A 48-Plex Discovery Assay®, analyzing conditioned media collected pre- and post- inoculation with Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), the results confirmed a colonization model capable of restoring the cutaneous barrier and maintaining a stable homeostatic environment through active molecular communication. Furthermore, achieving comprehensive analysis of this full-thickness, high-viscosity hydrogel construct required optimizing bioprocessing techniques. This process involved utilizing cryoslicing methodology, following specific protocols for cryopreservation infiltration using sucrose and optimal cutting temperature (O.C.T) solution, to preserve scaffold integrity and facilitate accurate microscopic evaluation. Optimized staining procedures, including Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) for scaffold stratification development, DAPI immunofluorescence staining for structural morphology, Safranin-O for extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and Gram staining for bacterial characterization, were then employed. This comprehensive framework provides a crucial standardization for creating and analyzing complex 3D skin models, offering a valuable, controllable, reproducible in vitro platform. Ultimately, this research aims to facilitate the efficient development of novel biotherapies that encompass microbiome homeostasis to effectively and efficiently address chronic wounds.
Sulfo-pillar[n]arenes and their applications in complex sensing systems and the molecular recognition of illicit drugs
(2026) Baker, Seth; Hof, Fraser Alan
Host-guest systems are increasingly relevant in chemical sensing and therapeutic applications. Sulfo-pillar[n]arenes are a recently developed class of highly anionic macrocyclic hosts that exhibit very strong binding affinities (Ka = 107–1011 M-1) toward multiple cationic small molecules in biological media, enabling their applications in drug sensing and drug reversal. This thesis explores how the unique properties of sulfo pillar[n]arenes can be used to create complex, information rich sensing systems and how structural modifications to these hosts influence their molecular recognition of illicit drugs. In Chapter 2, we demonstrate that sulfo-pillar[6]arene (sP6) forms a highly emissive co assembly with the fluorescent DimerDye 13 (DD13) sensor. This mixed host system produces enhanced and diversified fluorescence responses to a broad range of illicit drugs, including exceptionally bright ternary complexes formed with cocaine. The co assembly significantly lowers limits of detection for illicit drugs relative to DD13 alone and enables a minimalist two component sensor array to discriminate structurally similar drugs. We further demonstrate that a single DD13-sP6 co assembly, deployed as two sensors by preparing solutions with the two components at different ratios, can reliably differentiate complex whole-tissue biological samples such as locally foraged wild mushrooms. In Chapter 3, we synthesize three pseudo sulfo-pillar[6]arenes in which selective removal of sulfate groups modulates host charge and therefore binding properties. These new hosts display altered affinities and selectivities towards DAPI, fentanyl, cocaine, and acetylcholine, demonstrating that binding strength is strongly influenced by subtle differences in charge distribution and host shape. Notably one of these new hosts (sPABD) retained strong affinity for fentanyl while exhibiting improved selectivity over acetylcholine. NMR studies further show that these hosts adopt distinct guest binding geometries. Overall, these studies show how co assembly and specific host modifications can tune sulfo-pillar[6]arene molecular recognition, enabling improved sensor performance and more selective binding of illicit drugs.
The intersections between social identity, assistive technology and user lived experience
(2026) Lund, Jessica V.; Lawrence, Breanna
Research on assistive technology (AT) in post-secondary education has largely focused on functional effectiveness and usability. Although this work demonstrates the potential benefits of AT, persistently high rates of AT abandonment suggest that functional perspectives alone do not adequately capture students’ experiences. In particular, the social, relational, and identity-based consequences of AT use remain underexamined within existing literature. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of university students who use assistive technology. This study was informed by the theoretical frameworks of intersectionality, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and neurodiversity, which foreground the influence of social context, power, and diversity on learning and participation and remain underutilized in AT research. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten students at a mid-sized university who used assistive technology as part of their academic experience. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with attention to participant perspectives and the institutional and social contexts shaping their experiences. Five interrelated themes were identified: (a) Gaps in assistive technology access and usability, (b) Institutional barriers and biases to student belonging and academic experience, (c) Social consequences of academic supports and assistive technology use, (d) How assistive technology improves academic experience and sense of belonging, and (e) Emergent Artificial Intelligence (AI) use. Findings demonstrate that students’ experiences with assistive technology extend beyond functional considerations and are shaped by intersecting identities and institutional practices. This study highlights the need for UDL-informed, neurodiversity-affirming approaches in higher education and offers implications for policy, practice, and inclusive design aimed at reducing AT abandonment and strengthening inclusive post-secondary environments.
Seeing, engaging, and supporting caregiving at the end of life in contexts of homelessness
(2026) Mollison, Ashley; Stajduhar, Kelli I.; Gagnon, Marilou
Caregiving is a potentially universal experience as many of us have offered and received care or will in the future. Yet, these experiences are made different by the social, political, economic, legal, and health systems in which caregiving takes place, shaped by systems of privilege and oppression like classism, structural racism, colonialism, sexism, cisgenderism, heterosexism, ableism, and ageism. Palliative care research is increasingly focused on considering inequities, in particular, inequities that are embedded in palliative care systems, policies, frameworks, services, and practices. Homelessness is a site to examine these inequities whereby not having a stable place to live is associated with higher rates of acute and chronic health conditions, increased mortality rates, and a life expectancy of nearly half that of the housed population. As people facing homelessness approach the end of life, accessing palliative and end-of-life care becomes even more difficult due to structural and social barriers. Assumptions embedded within palliative care systems that people have safe homes, financial and social support – including biologically- or legally-related (i.e., bio-legal) family caregivers who are willing and able to provide unpaid care – continues to produce inequities in access to and quality of care at the end of life. In Canada, most palliative and end-of-life care is provided by family caregivers whose unpaid care is increasingly relied upon due to population aging and pressures on the formal healthcare system. Decades of research has revealed the experiences and burdens faced by family caregivers in palliative care highlighting the significant social, mental, emotional, physical, and financial strain. Yet, there is very little research about who provides care for people facing homelessness at the end of life especially when the family networks expected to be there (i.e., nuclear, bio-legal) are limited, absent, or strained. This dissertation addresses a gap in the empirical evidence describing caregiving among people who are facing homelessness at the end of life, their experiences and barriers faced, and the broader implications for policy, practice and programming, and research. This dissertation focuses on system gaps caused not by deficits in people, but on the assumptions embedded in our systems about who or who should provide care at the end of life and beliefs about how that care happens or should happen. In Chapter 1, I focus on the background of the problem, research purpose and objectives, and in Chapter 2, I offer a discussion of my positionality, theoretical perspectives, and methodological approach. In Chapter 3, I apply these perspectives to the research itself, outlining my research process from developing the research questions to evaluating the work. In Chapter 4, I explore dominant, Western conceptualizations of family (i.e., nuclear, bio-legal) and then family formation among people who are unrelated, biologically or legally, to one another in the concept of ‘fictive kinship’. In Chapter 5, I draw on primary research including 300 hours of participant observation and 44 interviews over a 27-month period (Aug 2022 – Nov 2024) with Equity-Oriented Palliative Care (EOPC) team members, clients of these teams, their caregivers, and other service providers to offer an analysis of the key challenges faced by caregivers who are bio-legally unrelated in contexts of homelessness. In Chapter 6, I illuminate a less recognized but important role of EOPC teams’ work in supporting caregiving and caregivers of people living with life-limiting conditions in contexts of homelessness. In my final chapter, Chapter 7, I summarize findings from this dissertation and then focus on three thematic areas to offer implications for policy, programming and practice, and research.
Flow and friction: Campus experience of post-secondary middle-year students with disabilities
(2026) Lo, Shui Man Vivian; Vukovic, Rose
Research on students with disabilities (SWD) in post-secondary education has largely focused on entry into undergraduate study or transitions to post-graduation outcomes, leaving the middle years under-examined. The study examined how campus experiences during middle years are shaped for students with disabilities, compared with students without disabilities. Secondary data from the 2023 Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC) Middle-Years Student Survey were analyzed using quantitative analyses. Campus experience was examined across academic, social, and institutional dimensions. Findings revealed that middle-year experiences were largely and relatively similar between groups, with differences concentrated in a few areas: comfort on campus, commitment to completion, and use of campus services. The results suggest that institutional systems may not align with students’ increasing demands during middle years. The study foregrounds the middle years as a meaningful stage for understanding campus experience and informing more targeted support practices.
Coming home to a Métis identity – “All My Relations”: (Re)Searching for identity stories from urban Métis Elders and youth
(2026) McLeod, Kristine Louise; Sanford, Kathy
Indigenous Peoples living in what is now known as Canada have faced injustices due to policies and practices. These were partly due to laws passed by colonial governments that were attempted to eradicate their cultures, languages, and people. Métis People were affected by unjust colonial policies toward Indigenous Peoples in Canada, such as residential schools, stripping lands away, and removing children from their families in acts such as the 60s Scoop. All of these attempts to destroy Indigenous Peoples were done in the name of ‘civilization’ and were intended to divide and conquer the Indigenous Peoples living on these lands. These racist policies led to a diaspora of Métis People, forced away from kin and communities. The purpose of this (re)search was to offer spaces where urban Métis Elders and youth living on southern Vancouver Island, away from the Métis homelands, could explore what it meant to be Métis, to share their lived experiences, and pose questions about identity. Some key questions included: · What does it mean to be Métis in this time of trying to right colonial wrongs that led to many Métis people being disconnected from their heritages and cultures for Métis Elders, Knowledge Carriers, and youth living on southern Vancouver Island? And the sub questions: · In what ways might one reconcile what seemingly are conflicting worldviews, especially when they are expressed within one’s own cultural heritage and within oneself? What stories are shared about how they were able to navigate this process? · To what extent do they believe that connections to Métis family and/or community who share cultures and languages help to have a clear sense of one’s Métis identity? What stories are shared that convey the way these connections have impeded or enhanced a sense of connection with their Métis cultures? · To what extent do those participating feel that sharing our Métis experiences and having family and community connections contribute to having a better understanding of a path toward reconciling past injustices toward Métis People, to move forward into a future where diverse ways of knowing and being are respected and included in political, social, educational, and spiritual discourses? This (re)search was done with co-participants with the intention of sharing what was learned with local Métis communities in a reciprocal manner. This (re)search was intended to push the boundaries of qualitative research and provide an approach that honoured my Métis worldview and ways of knowledge-sharing. All the threads of the (re)search were held on an Indigenous loom paradigm that was focused on relationship embedded in “respect, reverence, responsibility, and reciprocity” (Archibald, 2008b, p. 1) with all my relations, for “in indigenous frameworks, relationships matter” (Smith, 2012, p. 210). An Indigenous sash-weaving methodological approach was created to enable it to honour the perspectives and knowledge in a way that aligned with the community it was embedded in. The methods used to gather knowledge on this (re)search journey were ones that were part of ceremonies and practices of the Métis People, and valued self-reflection about what was being learned by me as the (re)searcher: Sharing Circles (Gaudet, 2019), Métis Kitchen Table Talks (Forsythe & Markides, 2024), and autoethnography (Sanduliak, 2016) were all part of this learning journey. Autoethnography was done in the form of stories, poems, visual art, and photographs that documented my learning throughout the (re)search (Rowe, 2026). Meaning-making of what was gathered during the (re)search was based on a sash-weaving metaphor of gathering and aligning the threads in the process of weaving them together to understand what the Elders and youth co-participants shared about what it meant to be Métis in the urban context of Southern Vancouver Island.
Quantum field lens coding
(2026) Alipour, Philip B.; Gulliver, T. Aaron
This dissertation introduces Quantum Field Lens Coding (QF-LC) and its thermodynamic metrics, expanding scalar theory across multidisciplinary fields. Prior research in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics has not explored these QF-LC concepts and project. The QF-LC project comprises of 1- the quantum double-field (QDF) model, 2- QDF model’s code as the QF-LC algorithm (QF-LCA), 3- application software as the QF-LC simulator (QF-LCS), simulating a QDF system with its, 4- QF-LCA/QDF dataset. QF-LCA is a QF lens distance-based algorithm implemented on N-qubit machines to simulate and predict thermodynamic system events. This algorithm makes strong predictions on system state transitions and phase transitions (STs and PTs), which are based on the QDF model and its QF-LC data. In a QDF-based system, QDF transformations are simulated by a DF computation model to simulate systems as QF-LCS, and generate a QDF dataset. QDF datasets are generated by a QDF circuit where QF-LCS simulates. The QF-LCS analyzes the measurement outcome probability P data from these datasets to predict STs and PTs. This includes classifying system states, their ST probabilities, and entanglement entropy (EE) values which determine entanglement. This EE measure quantifies the degree of entanglement between qubit pairs and other sampled particles from the system. QDF datasets are compared between the excited and ground states (ES and GS), as a P indicator generated for measurement samples. These samples denote 1) A particle pair energy state |ij⟩ superposing between QDF points (sublevels of a GS), 2) a single field (SF) or particle state i, which is an ES relative to a GS, prior to its transform into a QDF, and spin order change (magnetization), 3) the expected transformation of fields (ES ←→ GS) and their expected P|ij⟩ value. QF-LCA encodes system states as data points represented by qubit pairs, which are counted and recorded in a QDF dataset. The QDF circuit uses at minimum a qubit pair to generate this dataset. This circuit samples particles and counts entangled qubits. One qubit is for a sampled particle from the thermodynamic system that entangles with a trapped particle within each pair. The circuit has a 3rd particle which complements the entangled state of the pair, decoding their hidden Bell state information through qubit exchange. This quantifiably maximizes the correlation (entanglement) between all three particles. This process establishes a three-way entanglement, creating a unique quantum information exchange network among these particles. The 3rd particle in a three-way entanglement can exhibit orthogonal and non-orthogonal relationships, allowing for qubit pairs complementarity. Their pairwise state is detected by a photonic probe that is used to encode-decode qubits. The decoding process of data corresponding to system STs and PTs is observed as the macrostate change within the system. The QDF circuit functions as an encoding-decoding mechanism, which is a heat engine to process the hidden information of the particle-pair state via the 3rd particle. The encoding process occurs at near absolute zero temperatures (≈ 0 K) on microscopic scales as a GS matter, while decoding occurs on macroscopic scales at low and high temperatures (≳ 0 K), given the system target state (TS). This TS is the desired Hamiltonian set by the QF-LCA user to achieve the expected system outcome. A strong system state prediction is achieved by computing the QF lens distance-based variables associated to ST probabilities from a QDF dataset. Thermal events are predicted by implementing a QDF lens function in the heat engine. The function (de-)focuses the distribution of energy states via QF lenses which encode the system state and produce the dataset. The energy path of an unfocused distribution of states is determined via EE values from the dataset. Particles not reaching a desired energy state (or TS) by observing a GS/ES probability outcome and entanglement (EE classification) at the decoding step can be rerouted by the engine for a TS outcome. This is achieved by focusing the energy state distribution through the lenses and qubit pair entanglement. At this step, the GS/ES energy profile is generated and accessed to classify states by a QF-LC classifier (QF-LCC) and predict the next system state. An ST probability space doubles in prediction at this step, e.g., P|ij⟩ ≥ 1/3 into P|ij⟩ ≥ 2/3 via (1)-(3), as SF − κ → QDF, where κ is a field scalar. Scalar κ, scales a particle QF during interactions or diffusion of a GS matter in this system. QDF datasets can be used to train a QF-LCA. This is done by running a quantum AI (QAI) algorithm on qubit machines which combines a QDF dataset with external datasets. The data points (qubits) in the QDF dataset are inverse distance-based that quantify EE, and are labelled for specific states by a QF-LCC. After learning this profile, the QF-LCC decodes and predicts the next system state suggesting an efficient energy path to choose by the user. A QDF game Alice & Bob Quantum Doubles is developed to validate the dataset as the P|ij⟩ map for a strong prediction, where the P|ij⟩ and user probabilities correlate in their value difference, ∆P. Dataset validation results are mapped to a decision simulator as a QAI map, which maximizes system efficiency on a TS via the EE of energy states. QF-LCA applications are mostly in data science and particle physics, where particle states from an evidence sample are classified based on their QDF probabilities. Examples are reconstructing damaged DNA strands of cells to predict a virus (TS) or cancer cell, its spread and growth against healthy cells, identify forged documents from genuine based on their P|ij⟩. The top sustainable development goal (SDG) for the QF-LCA, as assessed by SDG AI classifiers, is access to affordable and clean energy in society.
Optimizing extrudable bioinks: Mechanical and chemical properties for tailored tissue engineering
(2026) da Silva, Victor Allisson; Willerth, Stephanie; Yu, Bosco
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a powerful strategy for generating physiologically relevant tissue models that better replicate native cell–matrix interactions than traditional two-dimensional cultures or animal models. Such constructs hold promise for regenerative medicine, disease modelling, and drug discovery, yet the relationships between bioink properties, printing fidelity, and subsequent cellular behaviour remain poorly defined. This gap limits rational material design and slows translational progress. This dissertation focuses on the pre-processing stage of extrusion-based bioprinting, with particular attention to the design and characterization of bioinks. Using a CELLINK BIO X extrusion bioprinter, we systematically investigated how rheological descriptors, chemical functionalities, and nanoscale crystallinity govern construct fidelity and the fate of encapsulated cells. A range of fibrin-, alginate-, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)-, and cellulose-based formulations was developed to investigate how material properties govern bioprinting performance and cellular responses. In Chapter 2, a 3D bioprinted skin model was established as a case study, revealing that cellular organization and cross-talk not only shaped construct viability but also actively influenced the rheological properties of the bioink, demonstrating a reciprocal interaction between cells and material mechanics. Chapter 3 expanded this investigation by engineering fibrin–alginate formulations and showing that rheological features, particularly elastic modulus, were powerful predictors of early biological outcomes: softer hydrogels favoured initial viability, while intermediate stiffness supported proliferation and neuronal activity. These descriptors were then used to train a support vector regression model that accurately predicted cell viability, proliferation, and functionality across fibrin–alginate formulations and generalized to chemically distinct systems, identifying F20A1 as an optimal candidate validated experimentally by enhanced neuronal identity and neurite outgrowth. In Chapter 4, chemical functionality emerged as a critical determinant of long-term outcomes: N,O-CMC bioinks supported >80% viability and robust differentiation into neurons and astrocytes by day 30, whereas O-CMC constructs showed declining viability (~35%) and persistence of progenitor markers. Finally, Chapter 5 addressed the influence of nanoscale structure, showing that cellulose nanocrystals enhanced shear-responsiveness, porosity, and shape fidelity, whereas cellulose nanofibers increased stiffness but impaired extrusion. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that bioink performance arises from the interplay of mechanics, chemistry, and nanostructure. By linking these material features to biological outcomes, it establishes a predictive framework for rational bioink design, advancing the development of reproducible, functional, and clinically relevant 3D bioprinted tissue models.
SPaCeD: Spatial point process distances for pairing the heavy and light chains of B cell receptors from spatial BCR-seq
(2026) Liu, Yimeng; Nathoo, Farouk; Nelson, Brad H.
The immune system recognizes tumor cells through antigen-specific receptors expressed by T cells and B cells. In B cells, functional receptors are formed by paired heavy and light chains, and reconstructing these pairings is essential for understanding tumor–immune interactions and cloning antigen-specific antibodies. In spatial transcriptomics experiments, heavy and light chains are often detected independently across spatial locations, leading to a challenging combinatorial pairing problem. We propose SPaCeD, a statistical framework for inferring receptor chain pairings from spatial BCR-seq data by integrating transcriptional expression matrices with spatial co-expression point patterns. Spatial distances between clone-specific point patterns are computed using an optimal transport–based metric and combined with expression-based similarity in a unified objective function. A tuning parameter enables multiscale solutions that balance transcriptional and spatial information. Simulation studies based on ovarian and breast cancer samples, together with real spatial B cell receptor sequencing datasets with ground truth known from single-cell sequencing, show that SPaCeD achieves higher pairing accuracy and improved stability compared with existing state-of-the-art methods. These results demonstrate that incorporating spatial structure can substantially improve receptor chain pairing in spatial transcriptomic data. These findings highlight the potential of incorporating spatial information to improve receptor chain pairing, thereby enabling more accurate characterization of tumor–immune interactions and supporting downstream applications such as antibody discovery and immunotherapy development.
Extractive roots, branching futures: How British Columbia government speeches and strategies imagine the provincial economy, 1960–2024
(2026) McBride, Matthew; Krawchenko, Tamara; Kennedy, Christopher
The narrative history of British Columbia’s (B.C.) economy follows a resource extraction path with the timber industry taking a central role in self-image since the early twentieth century. However, the government institutions that shape economic activity from policies to promotion often go unrecognized in forming this self-image. Using content analysis and topic modeling of government strategic documents, budget and throne speeches together with economic statistics, this thesis combines quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore publicly available government documents that set out a vision of B.C.’s economy, and how they relate to the direction of B.C.’s economy. Specifically, speeches, broad strategic documents, and economic statistics produced since 1960 are examined using content analysis with industry classification codes and topic modelling to produce a picture of the broad currents found in B.C. government institutional discourse. The findings indicate that B.C.’s economy evolved alongside the language it uses about itself and its future. Specifically, the government of B.C. over successive administrations has struggled to reconcile the need for economic growth based on a staples economy with the pressures to meet environmental standards targeted by mature economies. This struggle appears across institutional discourse as the government tries to forge a path forward. While the precise impact of discourse on economic outcomes remains difficult to isolate, the analysis reveals meaningful patterns linking institutional narratives, broader government discourse, and economic change while demonstrating a set of methods that future studies can build upon.
Sound and trance states: Identifying the elements of music most conducive to altered states of consciousness
(2026) Kiley, Sean; Tan, Anthony; MacDonald, Stuart Warren Swain
A trance state is a heightened expression of an altered state of consciousness (ASC) that has been shown to be beneficial for both development and regeneration. These states are often strongly influenced by aural stimuli. My research aims to codify the characteristics of sound that most support trance induction and other forms of ASCs both scientifically and artistically. The former is explored through a cognitive psychology experiment making use of electroencephalography (EEG) to test specific types of rhythmic entrainment most conducive to an array of ASCs. Artistically, I composed a guitar duet that employs more general trance inducing musical features discovered through music perception analysis and ethnographical accounts of traditional ritual trance music. Together, the goal is to be able to leverage sound more therapeutically in clinical settings and develop new methods of exploring the intersection between the science of perception and music composition.
Under the Mango Tree: Decolonizing education using lessons from Ghanaian schools, communities, and museums
(2026) Balabuch, Allison; Sanford, Kathy
Public education systems globally are built on a colonial model that privileges Western knowledge and pedagogy at the cost of local and Indigenous knowledge systems. This dissertation explores how insights from communities, schools, and museums in Ghana can inform the decolonization of public education. Driven by questions regarding how the school system must change to better meet student needs, this research identifies and challenges entrenched colonial structures that prioritize theoretical models over practical and embodied local knowledge systems. The study employs a post-qualitative, rhizomatic methodology, following the encounters, entanglements, and assemblages of learning events that glowed. The key findings are presented through thematic "story vines" that emphasize four transformative shifts: 1) reimagining educational spaces that move beyond rigid colonial structures toward flexible, community-centered learning environments, 2) valuing embodied, experiential learning through examples of traditional practices such as weaving, potting, and glass bead making—which integrate math, science, and history while fostering environmental sustainability and a deep connection to the land, 3) prioritizing and valuing local and Indigenous knowledge in schools, and 4) the need for the co-creation of educational resources between researchers, educators, and local knowledge keepers to replace pervasive deficit models of Africa with narratives of innovation and historical truth. I argue that decolonization requires the dismantling of rigid colonial timetables and disciplinary silos to make space for slow, embodied pedagogy. By thinking locally and working together across disciplines, educators can challenge the colonial system and build a more equitable future rooted in relational accountability, respect, and reciprocity.
Impact of social support and loneliness on structural brain health in older and younger adults: A voxel-based morphometry study
(2026) Coleborn, Samantha Gwendolyn; MacDonald, Stuart Warren Swain; Gawryluk, Jodie R.
Background: Lifestyle factors, like social support and loneliness, have known associations with neurocognitive health yet their precise impacts on specific neural structures remain unclear. Notably, the differential impact of social support types and the influence of both loneliness and social support types across the lifespan are understudied topics. The current study sought to explore the associations of loneliness, emotional support (ES), and instrumental support (IS) with grey matter volume within healthy (i) younger and (ii) older adults, as well as (iii) to compare differences in these associations between age groups. Methods: Participants (N = 164) were retrieved from the Neurocognitive Aging Data Release on Open Neuro and separated into two age groups: younger (N = 82, 55% female) and older (N = 82, 55% female) adults. Participants underwent a 3T T1 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan and completed assessments from the NIH Emotion Toolbox to assess perceived loneliness, ES, and IS. Analyses examined the correlations between grey matter volume and self-reported loneliness, ES, and IS within-groups. Results: No significant associations of loneliness, ES, or IS with grey matter volume were found within the younger adult group. Older adult within-group analyses revealed a positive association of loneliness and bilateral cerebral white matter volume, and a negative association of ES and these same regions. These results suggest there are substantial differences in how loneliness and social support affect younger and older adults. Conclusions: Findings suggest that younger adults are less impacted by loneliness and social support and highlight how the impact of loneliness and social support on neutral structures are influenced by other additional factors.
Body image and exercise identity as moderators of the relationship between regular exercise and exercise dependence
(2026) Ghorbani, Avishan; Rhodes, Ryan E.
Background: While the benefits of regular physical activity (PA) are well established across health and educational research, the potential harms associated with excessive exercise have received comparatively less attention. Exercise dependence (EDep) is a dysfunctional behaviour characterized by loss of control over excessive exercise behaviour which are also accompanied by psychological, physical and social issues. Existing research has largely focused on psychological constructs such as body image (BI) and exercise identity (EI) as univariate correlates of EDep with less attention on how they might interact with other individual factors. Thus, the present study investigated the main and moderating effects of BI and EI in the relationship between regular exercise and risk for EDep. It also explored the lived experiences and challenges of individuals at higher risk for EDep. Method: Regularly active adults (N = 172; 40% females, 5% gender diverse; mean age = 30.5) were assessed via questionnaire data (anxiety, depression, exercise levels, body image, exercise identity, eating disorder symptomology) and then again at a two-week follow-up (EDep risk). Inclusion criteria included being aged 18-39, meeting Canadian guidelines for PA, and living within Canada. Results: Linear regression analyses revealed that BI and EI did not moderate the relationship between regular exercise and EDep risk. However, EI and some BI variables (Negative Affect & Social Dependence) showed main effects on EDep. Minutes of strenuous exercise also showed a main effect on EDep within the BI regression analysis. Further, due to an insufficient number of participants qualifying as symptomatic and at risk of EDep (n=8, 5%), analyzing primary and secondary EDep and their respective BI and EI levels was not possible. Qualitative analyses revealed exercise as a non-negotiable part of routine, BI as a central motivator, difficulties balancing health and excess, and some variability in the centrality of exercise to EI. Conclusion: Findings suggest that BI and EI exert direct effects on EDep risk, though not moderating effects between minutes of strenuous exercise and EDep. Future research should examine additional contextual and interpersonal variables and further integrate qualitative approaches to better understand diverse pathways to EDep. Further, the current research corroborates prior literature identifying BI and EI as salient psychological facets relating to EDep. Future intervention approaches may benefit from shifting maladaptive beliefs around BI and EI to improve treatment efficacy.
Methods for regression with conditionally Poisson measurement error
(2026) Yang, Aijun; Nathoo, Farouk; Lesperance, M. L.
Measurement error in covariates is a pervasive challenge in regression and survival analysis, particularly when predictors are discrete biomarkers derived from cell counts or densities. Such data commonly arise in tumor tissue histology and tissue microarrays, where biomarkers are obtained by subsampling small tissue cores from larger sections, leading to non-Gaussian and heteroscedastic measurement error that is rarely accounted for in practice. In this paper, we develop a unified methodological framework for regression models with conditionally Poisson-distributed covariates, motivated by Poisson process models for the spatial distribution of marker-positive cells. We first extend the simulation–extrapolation (SIMEX) methodology to this setting, proposing POI-SIMEX, which accommodates conditional Poisson surrogates and enables correction for measurement error in the absence of internal validation data. Within a linear regression framework, we establish strong consistency of the POI SIMEX estimator under suitable regularity conditions. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate that POI-SIMEX substantially reduces bias and improves estimation accuracy compared with naive analyses and alternative corrected likelihood approaches, for both linear regression and survival models. To further enhance flexibility, we also introduce a Bayesian semiparametric joint modeling approach in which the latent covariate distribution is modeled using a Dirichlet process mixture. This framework naturally captures complex latent heterogeneity, induces appropriate heteroscedastic variance structures, and supports formal inference through Bayes factors. Simulation results show superior robustness and bias reduction relative to existing methods under realistic data-generating mechanisms. The proposed methods are illustrated using studies of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, examining associations between survival outcomes and immune cell densities measured from tissue microarrays. Together, these developments provide practical and theoretically grounded tools for analyzing regression and survival models with conditionally Poisson measurement error, addressing a critical need for methods for discrete biomarker data in cancer research.
Thermal and exhumation history of Quesnel terrane: New low-temperature thermochronology constraints and implications for copper preservation
(2026) Wang, Xi; Jiao, Ruohong
The porphyry copper (Cu) deposits typically form at shallow paleo-depths (1-6 km) vulnerable to rapid erosional removal. Research on the preservation of shallow-crustal porphyry Cu systems is relatively weak, restricting the regional mineral search and exploration. The Quesnel terrane in the Canadian Cordillera is a globally significant metallogenic province, yet the post-emplacement exhumation history that allowed these Mesozoic systems to survive remains poorly quantified. This study uses apatite fission-track (AFT) and apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) thermochronology, integrated with inverse thermal history modelling, to reconstruct the time-temperature (t-T) evolution of the Quesnel arc. The data reveal a three-stage cooling history. Phase I (ca. 200-90 Ma): Prolonged residence within the upper crust following Late Triassic-Early Jurassic magmatism, with rocks from present-day levels remaining within the AFT partial annealing zone (60-120°C). Phase II (ca. 90-40 Ma): A pronounced pulse of accelerated exhumation during the Late Cretaceous to early Eocene, with cooling rates of approximately 2.5°C/Myr accounting for 1.7-2.7 km of unroofing. This phase represents the primary exhumation of the porphyry deposits. Phase III (40 Ma-present): Transition to thermal quiescence, characterized by negligible exhumation (<0.7 km). This study shows that the Quesnel terrane remained thermally stable during the Neogene (<40 Ma), unlike the adjacent Costal Mountains and Cariboo Mountains, which underwent high-magnitude exhumation (>5 km) that stripped away Mesozoic mineralized levels after 40 Ma. This stability effectively "locked" the porphyry systems within their optimal preservation window. These results suggest that the exceptional mineral endowment of the Quesnel terrane is dependent on a specific t-T trajectory that avoided deep Cenozoic unroofing. This study further provides a quantitative framework for assessing the preservation potential of concealed porphyry targets in active orogenic belts worldwide.
Towards advancing health equity in cancer care: Understanding the barriers to accessing cancer treatment for people who experience structural vulnerability in Canada
(2026) Bourgeois, Amber; Stajduhar, Kelli I.
Current estimates suggest that one half of all Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and one in every four will die from the disease. Yet the cancer burden is not evenly distributed and inequitable access to healthcare leads to differences in health outcomes for certain groups. Despite a universal, publicly funded healthcare system in Canada, there are challenges in achieving equitable access to healthcare, and those who are impacted by structural vulnerability face significantly poorer cancer outcomes. Structural vulnerability encompasses a diverse range of social disadvantages and locations; however, the focus of this dissertation is primarily concerned with inequities related to extreme socioeconomic status such as poverty and homelessness. Population health studies suggest that people who such disadvantage have higher cancer incidence and mortality, and are less likely to receive timely, high-quality treatment. These disparities signal the need for more comprehensive understanding of the barriers to accessing cancer treatment in order to inform the development of models of care that promote equitable access and improve cancer outcomes. At the time of embarking on this dissertation, little was known about barriers to cancer treatment for people who experience structural vulnerability in the Canadian context. Therefore, the overall goal of this dissertation research was to better understand barriers to cancer treatment for people who experience structural vulnerability in Canada. To achieve this goal, a multiple-methods manuscript-based dissertation was employed. The format of this dissertation is organized into seven Chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction which further details the aims of this dissertation. Chapter 2 presents a review of the literature with a focus on the cumulative upstream inequities across the cancer care continuum that lead up to treatment—from etiology, prevention, and early detection to diagnosis—that contribute to barriers to accessing cancer treatment among people who experience structural vulnerability. Chapter 3 outlines the multiple methods utilized in this dissertation and describes my dual positioning as a nurse practitioner and novice researcher. All studies in this dissertation are informed by critical perspectives of social justice and health equity, including an expanded discussion of structural vulnerability, are described in Chapter 3. Intersectionality has also been employed as an analytic lens to deepen my understanding of barriers. The multiple methods for the findings Chapters 4 through 6 are also detailed in Chapter 3. Because the methods for Chapters 4 and 5 have already been well described in their published manuscripts, greater attention is given to the focused ethnography stronger emphasis on the focused ethnography utilized in Chapter 6. Chapter 4 is a scoping review that examines barriers to cancer treatment for people who socioeconomic disadvantage in high-income countries. This Chapter includes the manuscript published in BMC Health Services Research. This scoping review included 20 studies. Most were conducted in the United States (n = 16), with additional publications from Canada (n = 1), Ireland (n = 1), the United Kingdom (n = 1), and one scoping review. Across the literature, the most frequently reported barriers included inadequate insurance coverage and financial constraints (n = 16), unstable housing (n = 5), limited availability and geographic distribution of services and transportation barriers (n = 4), insufficient resources to address social care needs (n = 7), communication challenges (n = 9), system fragmentation (n = 5), implicit bias (n = 4), advanced disease or comorbidities at diagnosis (n = 8), psychosocial stressors (n = 6), and constrained social support networks (n = 3). These barriers often intersected and compounded one another, resulting in poorer access to cancer treatment across diverse social locations of socioeconomic disadvantage. While the majority of studies were conducted in the United States, the findings have relevance for other high-income countries, including Canada. At the same time, this scoping review highlighted the need for more nuanced research on barriers to cancer treatment within the Canadian context. Chapter 5, has also a manuscript published in International Journal for Equity in Health, is a secondary analysis of ethnographic data which aimed to understand barriers to cancer treatment from participants who faced structural vulnerability with advanced cancer in one Western Canadian city. This secondary analysis draws from 30 months of repeated interviews (n = 147) and 300 h of observational fieldwork with people experiencing health and social inequities at the end-of-life, their support persons, and service providers. An interpretive thematic analysis identified four themes presenting as 'modifiable' barriers to inequitable access to cancer treatment: (1) housing as a key determinant for cancer treatment; (2) impact of lower health literacy; (3) addressing social care needs is a pre-requisite for treatment; and (4) intersecting and compounding barriers reinforce exclusion from cancer care. These findings illuminate the contextual and structural factors that contribute to inequitable access to cancer treatment within the Canadian health care system. In particular, findings from this emphasized the importance of identifying and addressing social care needs as integral to treatment assessment and delivery, alongside biomedical considerations. The final findings Chapter 6 is a focused ethnography examining the impact of homelessness and access to cancer treatment in one Western Canadian city. The manuscript “Making Cancer Treatment Work”: A Focused Ethnography to Understand the Impact of Homelessness and Access to Cancer Treatment has been drafted to submit for publication. Findings from Chapters 4 and 5 further emphasized housing as a critical social determinant of health, and people who experience homelessness face remarkably greater barriers to cancer treatment resulting in more frequent delays to receiving a timely diagnosis or initiating treatment, interrupted treatment, or exclusion from care altogether. Data collection for this focused ethnography was embedded within a larger ethnographic study on the topic of examining caregiving in the context of inequities at the end-of-life (H22-00313-A001; PI: Stajduhar). Data were generated through more than 100 hours of participant observation and 28 in-depth interviews with individuals with cancer and their informal caregivers experiencing homelessness, community-based health and social service providers, and healthcare professionals working within a cancer treatment facility. An interpretive thematic analysis informed by a socioecological framework was used to examine the data. Findings revealed four intersecting themes that illustrate how homelessness constrains cancer treatment access across multiple levels: (1) ‘Is this the right choice?’: Weighing the competing priorities of unstable housing with cancer treatment; (2) ‘It takes somebody’: How non-traditional support networks sustain access to cancer treatment amid housing precarity; (3) Attending to cancer treatment without a fixed address: How cancer, community health, and housing organizations contribute to the ecosystem of care; and (4) ‘Housing as healthcare’: The structural role of policy in cancer treatment access. Overall, the findings demonstrate that improving equitable access to cancer treatment for individuals experiencing homelessness requires coordinated, cross-sectoral approaches that integrate cancer care, housing, and community-based health and social services. In closing, Chapter 7 is a discussion and is the final chapter in this multiple-methods manuscript-based dissertation. A summary of the collective findings is provided, which emphasize that barriers to cancer treatment for people who experience structural vulnerability in Canada are multifaceted and shaped by the complex intersections of unmet social determinants of health, fragmented health and social care systems, and cancer treatment structures that are not designed to consistently respond to complex social care needs. Across studies, unmet social care needs such as safe and stable housing, income supports, and transportation (among others) were implicit prerequisites for engaging in cancer treatment, placing individuals who experience structural vulnerabilities at greater risk for falling through gaps in the cancer treatment, often compounded by the need to independently navigate disintegrated health and social care systems without sustained support. Recommendations for advancing equity in cancer care therefore requires coordinated policy and organizational commitment, strengthened intersectoral partnerships, and the expansion of equity-oriented, mobile, and community-based models of care that integrate social and health supports rather than relying on individual capacity alone. This chapter concludes by examining implications for oncology nursing policy, practice, education, and research, highlighting how nursing’s longstanding social justice mandate positions the profession to contribute meaningfully to leadership and innovation in advancing more equitable cancer care.
“It’s an information highway”: Social media, the digital divide, and Inuvialuit food systems in Inuvik, NWT
(2026) Woodward, Bryan; Singh, Gerald; Little, Matthew
Sharing and trading country foods has been an important cultural practice among Inuvialuit (Inuit of the Western Arctic) for millennia. Such practices are essential for maintaining positive social relationships and promoting food security. In recent decades in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), social media has become an increasingly important tool for facilitating food practices, including Facebook, which is now used to coordinate food sales and share food preparation advice. Despite the growing popularity of online tools for food-related communication, research has yet to explore community perceptions and experiences of the impacts of social media platforms on food access, affordability, preparation, and safety. Such research is important for regional organizations and policymakers to better understand food systems in the region in the digital age. Using community-based semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, this thesis presents participants’ perspectives on social media use, Inuvialuit food systems and the digital divide (unequal access to digital opportunities). It explores participant perspectives on which social media platforms are most frequently used in the ISR and how the digital divide affects their use, how social media is used in the ISR to discuss food-related topics and how community members perceive its use. Findings indicate that for many, social media is an important part of everyday life in the ISR. Most notably, Facebook is often used to sell, trade, and share food within and between communities, while TikTok is used for the wider dissemination of food-related knowledge. However, access to the internet and digital literacy were seen as factors which can limit participation. While participants were worried that social media could erode Inuvialuit food-related values and traditions, they indicated that social media supports food security (by facilitating food sharing, trading, and selling) and intergenerational knowledge transfer.

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