Faculty of Graduate Studies Online Theses

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Access status: Open Access ,
Recruitment in Threatened Riverine Species of Nova Scotia: Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) and Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa).
(2026-04-15) Roland, Joshua; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Department of Biology; Received; Trevor Avery; Not Applicable; Cindy Breau; Glenn Crossin; Timothy Rawlings; Robert Lennox
Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened ecosystems globally, with unionids and salmonids experiencing severe declines. Conservation requires understanding recruitment and identifying where disruptions occur across life stages. This thesis examines recruitment in two freshwater species to inform conservation strategies. Chapter two used radio telemetry to assess Atlantic salmon spawning distribution in the Margaree River, Nova Scotia. Results indicated high residency in lower river reaches before spawning, with use of upper reaches occurring only in late fall (October–November). Chapter three investigated host relationships of brook floater mussels in the East St. Mary’s and Wallace rivers. PCR and sequencing of glochidia from fish gills identified lake chub as a host species in the St. Mary’s River. Additionally, a non-lethal method for sampling glochidia from fish gills was evaluated. Together, these studies address key knowledge gaps in salmon movement ecology and brook floater host associations, supporting improved conservation and management strategies.
Access status: Open Access ,
Exploring wellbeing among commercial lobster fishers in Nova Scotia, Canada
(2026-04-15) MacKeracher, Tracy; No; Doctor of Philosophy; Department of Biology; Received; Dr. Alyne Delaney; No; Dr. Hannah Harrison; Dr. Adam Cook; Dr. Anthony Charles; Dr. Megan Bailey; Dr. Aaron MacNeil
Wellbeing is a multi-dimensional concept. It is both a desirable outcome, and a lens through which to understand the ways that people perceive, pursue, and experience ‘a life well lived’. As wellbeing gains popularity as a relevant measure of social progress, it is increasingly being applied to understand the health and functioning of ecosystems. Within fisheries, a wellbeing approach is useful for understanding peoples’ connections to fishing – specifically, how fishers relate to, perceive, and benefit from their occupation. This understanding can provide insight into the potential wellbeing impacts of regulatory, environmental, and policy changes, and how the pursuit of wellbeing shapes decision-making. It also provides a useful socioeconomic indicator of fishery health, and can inform efforts to support wellbeing via management and policy. However, unpacking the connection between fishing and harvester wellbeing is not straightforward. Both peoples’ connections to resources, and the determinants of wellbeing, are shaped by a number of contextual and individual factors. As such, understanding how fisheries contribute to wellbeing requires evaluating how wellbeing dimensions vary among resource users. With a focus on participants in Nova Scotia’s commercial owner-operator fishery for American lobster (Homarus americanus), the goal of my thesis was to explore patterns of differentiation in the connection and contribution of fishing to wellbeing, as perceived by fishers. First, I applied a framework for social wellbeing to explore patterns of differentiation in material, relational, and subjective dimensions. Next, I applied a wellbeing framework developed for integrated ecosystem assessments to explore the non-material benefits of fishing, and their contribution of fishing to the conditions, connections, and capabilities dimensions of wellbeing. I then quantified the connection between measurable outcomes of fishing – specifically, catch volume, time on the water, and income – to explore how contextual and individual factors shape the connection between wellbeing and aspects of fishing that can be connected to fishery management levers. Finally, I explore patterns in economic wellbeing of fishers, to identify which fishers are most vulnerable to changing economic conditions in the fishery. This thesis can contribute to decision-making that better considers what matters most to participants in Canada’s most economically valuable fishery.
Access status: Embargo ,
Wind, Ice, and Tide Controls on the Dynamics of Mixing, Stratification, and Internal Waves in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
(2026-04-14) Rotermund, Lina M; Yes; Doctor of Philosophy; Department of Oceanography; Not Applicable; Dr. Stephanie Waterman; Yes; Dr. Daniel Kelley; Dr. Kumiko Azetsu-Scott; Dr. Ruth Musgrave; Dr. Clark Richards
The Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) plays a vital role in the global climate as a major oceanic gateway between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Barrow Strait, a high-latitude, seasonally ice-covered channel with complex bathymetry, accounts for 30 – 50 % of the volume transport through the CAA and is located within the ecologically significant Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area. Despite its recognized importance, how waters are mixed and modified in the region remains poorly constrained. This dissertation addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the variability in stratification and wind- and tide-driven dynamics within Barrow Strait, processes widely recognized to contribute to ocean mixing and internal wave activity. Analyses integrate in situ observations, including ocean and ice velocities, water column stratification, and sea ice draft, from four locations across the Strait spanning up to 18 years (1998 – 2011 and 2017 – 2022), together with reanalysis products, including wind velocity, surface buoyancy fluxes, and ice concentration. These datasets are complemented by idealized models, including a one-dimensional ice-ocean coupled slab model and three-dimensional sloping channel tidal simulations. In Chapter 2, a potential energy anomaly framework is used to diagnose seasonal density stratification and assess the contributions of local surface buoyancy forcing and vertical mixing. Stratification is found to be predominantly determined by local and upstream sea ice melt and growth. Chapters 3 and 4 examine the wind- and tide-driven internal wave field. Barrow Strait lies at the critical latitude of the semidiurnal tide, coupling wind-driven near-inertial waves and semidiurnal internal tides. Near-inertial motions are elongated along the channel, influenced by its geometry. They also exhibit a marked seasonal increase from July through October, arising from the kinematic effects of mixed layer depth and modulation of wind stress by sea ice. Diurnal subinertial tides are bottom-amplified during periods of westward low-frequency flow and increased stratification, while the semidiurnal near-inertial tide is strongly damped in the ice-ocean boundary layer, enhancing near-surface and bottom shear with implications for mixing. Overall, this dissertation presents an unprecedented and detailed characterization of stratification variability and of near-inertial and tidal dynamics utilizing long-term datasets within Barrow Strait.
Access status: Open Access ,
The Birth of a Navy: The Role of Imperialism and Nationalism in the Creation of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1910-1914
(2026-04-15) Webb, Ben; Not Applicable; Master of Arts; Department of History; Not Applicable; n/a; Not Applicable; Kassandra Luciuk; Shirley Tillotson; Jerry Bannister
This thesis examines the early years of the Canadian Navy from 1910 to 1914. It argues that early twentieth-century imperialism and nationalism had a direct influence in shaping Canadian naval policy and the creation of the Canadian Navy. Using newspapers, diaries, political debates and campaign materials, this thesis illustrates how both the Liberals and Conservatives influenced naval policy through their respective understandings of imperialism. The Liberal naval policy reflects the influence of liberal imperialism; conversely, the Conservative naval policy was influenced by their tory imperialist understanding of imperialism. Unlike most conventional studies in naval history, this thesis uses the Canadian Navy as a vehicle to examine Canadian imperialism and nationalism in the early twentieth century. Contemporarily, Canadian citizens are divided over both national identity and military capabilities. This thesis explores the origins of these questions by highlighting both the creation of the Canadian Navy and Canadian identity.
Access status: Open Access ,
Low-resistivity Metal/2D-Semiconductor Contacts through Electrene Insertion
(2026-04-15) Rafiee Diznab, Mohammad; Yes; Doctor of Philosophy; Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science; Not Applicable; Prof. Eva Zurek; Not Applicable; Prof. Penghao Xiao; Prof. Kimberley Hall; Prof. Jesse Maassen; Prof. Erin R. Johnson
Achieving low-resistance metal contacts to 2D semiconductors is crucial for improving the efficiency of nanodevices, through reduced power dissipation, higher speed, and enhanced carrier injection efficiency. Although transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), including MoS2, are promising for electronic applications, their performance is limited by high contact resistance due to strong Fermi-level pinning and the presence of a tunnelling barrier. In this thesis, we explore computationally a strategy utilizing two-dimensional (2D) alkaline-earth sub-pnictide electrenes with a general formula of M2X (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = N, P, As, Sb) as an intermediate material between the TMDC and metal. Electrenes possess one excess electron per formula unit, resulting in the formation of 2D sheets of charge on their surfaces. This charge can be readily donated when interfaced with a TMDC semiconductor, thereby lowering its conduction band below the Fermi level and eliminating Schottky and tunnelling barriers. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed for Cu,Au/electrene/MoS2 heterojunctions involving all stable M2X electrenes. To identify the material combinations that provide the most effective Ohmic contacts, the charge transfer, band structure, and electrostatic potential were analyzed. Ca2N was found to be the most promising electrene due to its high surface charge density. The electrene insertion strategy was also tested for MoSe2, MoTe2, WS2, and WSe2, and all were found to form Ohmic contacts with the metal in the presence of Ca2N as the interfacial layer. Finally, the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism, combined with DFT, was used to simulate charge injection into selected monolayer TMDCs using Ca2N as a contact material. For direct comparison, conventional metal (Cu/MoS2) and semi-metal (Sb/MoS2 and Bi/MoS2) contacts were also studied using the same computational framework. Strong charge transfer from Ca2N to the TMDC enables effectively barrier-free charge injection, yielding contact resistance values approaching the quantum limit. In particular, Ca2N/MoS2 exhibits a contact resistance of ~15 Ohm-micrometers, comparable to the values computed for state-of-the-art Sb/MoS2 and Bi/MoS2 contacts. However, in contrast to conventional metals and semi-metals that predominantly exhibit edge-dominated injection, Ca2N/TMDC interfaces support distributed, areal charge injection across the contacted region. Electrene materials therefore offer a promising route toward barrier-free contacts in 2D electronics, despite challenges associated with their synthesis and integration.
Access status: Open Access ,
Assessing Thinopyrum intermedium establishment and agronomy in the maritime region of Canada
(2026-04-15) Cole, Brittany; Not Applicable; Doctor of Philosophy; Faculty of Agriculture; Not Applicable; Dr. Jacob Jungers; Not Applicable; Dr. Douglas Cattani; Dr. Yunfei Jiang; Dr. Travis Esau; Dr. Aaron Mills
Agricultural intensification has favoured simplified annual cropping systems to maximize short-term yield, but these practices have contributed to soil degradation, nutrient loss, and a reduced climate resilience. Integrating perennial plants into annual dominated agriculture offers an opportunity to balance productivity with ecological function. However, perennials operate under different developmental and resource allocation strategies than annuals, which creates challenges for the breeding and adoption of perennial crops for grain production. In addition, there is a limited understanding of perennial grass optimization for agriculture across diverse climates. Thinopyrum intermedium (intermediate wheatgrass; Kernza®) is a perennial grass developed for dual purpose grain and forage production. The deep rooting system of Th. intermedium provides environmental benefits that improve soil health and mitigate the impact of annual cropping systems. This thesis evaluated the agronomy required to optimize Th. intermedium performance under maritime conditions in Canada. The establishment strategies, stand age dynamics, intercropping compatibility, and nitrogen management were assessed in field experiments. Results demonstrated that stand age was a dominant regulator of plant trait expression and grain yield, and that early establishment conditions influenced the long-term plant allocation strategies. Compatible intercropping systems, particularly annual forage mixtures, enhanced cumulative biomass production in stands without compromising Th. intermedium persistence or grain yield. Annual barley was an incompatible intercropping species and inhibited the establishment of Th. intermedium, resulting in reduced stand performance. Nitrogen management influenced the developmental plant traits but did not prevent grain yield declines with stand age, highlighting perennial trade-offs between reproduction and persistence. Collectively, this research advances the understanding of perennial grain management by identifying agronomic decision pathways for performance optimization, aligning management with perennial developmental phases, and supporting the integration of diversified cropping systems in the maritime region of Canada. Widespread adoption of perennial grains requires framing agricultural success in terms of economic stability and ecological function. This thesis contributes to the development of agricultural systems that align productivity with environmental stewardship to secure stability in food production.
Access status: Open Access ,
Consumer Impressions of Media Products: The Effects of Trigger Warnings on Perceived Credibility and Product Attitudes
(2026-04-15) O'Regan, Mikaela; No; Master of Science; Rowe School of Business; Received; n/a; Not Applicable; Dr. Hélène Deval; Dr. Hamed Aghakhani; Dr. Mohammed El Hazzouri; Dr. Justin McManus
This study examines how content warnings, specifically trigger warnings, influence consumer evaluations of a media product. Trigger warnings are voluntarily added by publishers before a piece of content and are often presented alongside age-based ratings that are typically mandatory in the film industry. Drawing on theories of credibility, heuristic processing, and ideological orientation, this research investigated whether the presence of a trigger warning affects perceived credibility and attitudes toward a media product. Participants were randomly assigned to view either a trigger warning or a control message prior to watching a movie clip. Results indicated that exposure to a trigger warning led to significantly less favourable product attitudes compared to the control condition. However, trigger warnings did not significantly influence perceived credibility, nor did credibility mediate the relationship between content warning type and product attitudes. Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) did not reliably moderate these effects.
Access status: Embargo ,
DESIGNING MULTICOMPONENT BORATE GLASSES: AN INTEGRATED COMPOSITION-STRUCTURE-PROPERTY-FUNCTION FRAMEWORK
(2026-04-12) Andrea, Christine; Not Applicable; Doctor of Philosophy; School of Biomedical Engineering; Not Applicable; Dr. Paul Hatton; Yes; Dr. Mark Filiaggi; Dr. Brendan Leung; Heather Doucette; Dr. Daniel Boyd
The rational design of biomaterials capable of orchestrating coordinated therapeutic responses remains an unresolved challenge in biomedical research. In bioactive glass development, discovery has largely relied on empirically driven strategies that vary components in isolation, limiting predictive understanding of interaction-governed behavior in multicomponent systems. This limitation is particularly pronounced in dental caries management, where brief clinical exposures necessitate rapid, synergistic ion delivery for simultaneous remineralization and antibacterial efficacy within stringent safety parameters. Addressing this, the present thesis establishes a safety-constrained, composition-driven framework for the translational design of multicomponent borate bioactive glasses tailored for cariostatic and antimicrobial applications. Employing a five-component system (B2O3-CaO-Ag2O-NaF-Na2SO4), a Design of Mixtures (DoM) methodology was applied within a bounded compositional simplex to systematically interrogate sixteen engineered formulations. Interaction-resolved mapping of composition-structure-property-function relationships integrated Raman and 11B MAS-NMR spectroscopy with thermal, physical, dissolution, multi-ion release, and antibacterial evaluations. Coexisting modifiers induced non-additive reorganization of the borate network topology, governing early dissolution kinetics, ion availability, and bactericidal activity. Calcium modulated long-term mass loss and served as a compositional proxy for mineralization permissiveness via Ca2+ availability. Silver dictated early reactivity and elicited concentration-dependent antibacterial inhibition under clinically relevant exposure conditions. Fluoride facilitated network depolymerization and enhanced the availability of ions relevant to mineralization, without directly controlling the dissolution kinetics. Notably, interaction effects between modifiers often exceeded the magnitude of individual component effects, underscoring that network reconfiguration and functional outcomes are governed by coupled compositional balances. These insights reveal that multicomponent borate glass behavior cannot be extrapolated reliably from binary analogs and is more appropriately resolved within a statistically robust and systematically navigable mixture design space. Dissolution testing aligned with clinically representative exposure durations was implemented within an ISO 10993-17-compliant toxicological risk assessment, embedding regulatory thresholds as explicit early-stage design constraints rather than retrospective validation criteria. By synergizing antibacterial efficacy with conservative margin-of-safety analyses, a therapeutic window within the compositional simplex was identified. Collectively, this work advances borate bioactive glasses from empirical formulations toward predictive, safety-aware systems engineering, establishing a composition-structure-property-function paradigm that enables translational biomaterials design from conceptualization to clinical application.
Access status: Embargo ,
NAD+ METABOLOME OF AGED B CELLS
(2026-04-15) McMillen, Teresa; Not Applicable; Master of Science; Department of Pathology; Received; Locke Davenport Huyer; Not Applicable; Paola Marcato; David Waisman; Sue Penny; Devanand Pinto; Shashi Gujar
The kynurenine pathway (KP) and the adenosinergic pathway (AP) contribute to the synthesis and consumption of NAD, respectively. Dysregulation of NAD levels with age is associated with impaired immune response, making the understanding of NAD metabolism vital for boosting immunity in aged populations. In this thesis, we utilized transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic techniques to evaluate the NAD metabolome in aged B cells. Young B cells possess a functional KP whereas genetic signatures suggest aged B cells lose this ability. Conversely, the AP is upregulated in an age specific B cell population that is known to hinder immune response. The combined influence of reduced KP and increased AP metabolisms will likely exacerbate age related depletion of NAD and contribute to impaired immune response by B cells. Further understanding of NAD metabolism in aged B cells could suggest targeted approaches that improve NAD availability and therefore improve immune response in vulnerable populations.
Access status: Open Access ,
Architecture of Mutual Aid: Unauthorized Infrastructures for the Cogswell District
(2026-04-15) Simpson, Zoë; Not Applicable; Master of Architecture; School of Architecture; Not Applicable; N/A; Not Applicable; Susan Fitzgerald; Julia Jamrozik; Émélie Desrochers-Turgeon
This thesis situates architecture as a tactical and relational practice operating within Halifax’s contemporary redevelopment landscape. Focusing on the Cogswell District, the project examines how state-led redevelopment and infrastructural withdrawal have produced spatial conditions in which access to food, hygiene, energy, and shelter has become uneven, conditional, or absent. Drawing on theories of dispossession, human needs, infrastructure as governance, and insurgent spatial practice, the thesis reframes mutual aid as a form of infrastructure rather than an informal supplement to state provision. Through a network of small-scale, reversible architectural interventions, the project introduces counter-logistical, parasitic infrastructures that leverage existing urban systems to redirect surplus resources and spaces toward collective care. These interventions operate within legal and spatial grey zones created by redevelopment, prioritizing adaptability and collective authorship over formal authorization. The project positions architecture as an embedded practice that supports collective survival by reinhabiting spaces where care has been systematically displaced.
Access status: Open Access ,
The Architecture of Contingency: Rethinking Canadian Schools for a Population in Flux
(2026-04-13) Skippon, Davis; Not Applicable; Master of Architecture; School of Architecture; Not Applicable; n/a; Not Applicable; Cristina Verissimo; David Correa; Susan Fitzgerald
Recent fluctuations in public-school enrolment have produced simultaneous pressures of overcrowding and underutilization within Canadian school boards. Declining fertility and immigration-driven population growth represent opposing demographic forces that have made forecasting school-aged cohorts increasingly difficult. School boards typically address overcrowding with portable classrooms and underutilization through consolidation or boundary expansion; however, both conditions compromise educational outcomes and student well-being. Statistical and spatial analyses identify pronounced enrolment volatility within the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, where in 2024, 12.9% of schools operated below 60% utilization and 35.4% exceeded capacity. The Barrhaven region of Ottawa exhibits particularly high secondary-level overcapacity, with John McCrae SS and Longfields-Davidson Heights SS operating at capacities of 142% and 111%, respectively. These conditions reveal limitations in conventional capacity management models and motivate a more adaptable school infrastructure. This thesis, therefore, proposes a modular construction strategy that enables instructional space to expand or contract incrementally with changes in enrolment.
Access status: Open Access ,
Child School Readiness from an L'nu Worldview
(2026-04-15) Gloade, Katharine; Not Applicable; Doctor of Philosophy; Faculty of Health; Received; Dr. Lisa Lunney Borden; Not Applicable; Dr. Krista Ritchie; John R. Sylliboy; Dr. Margot Latimer
Determining school readiness varies within the context of community, family perspectives, and the educational system mechanisms used to assess it. For the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, this means their ways of knowing may or may not be reflected in the Early Development Instrument (EDI), an assessment of developmental health utilized by public schools. Fifteen Mi’kmaw parents, educators, and Elders defined the domains of school readiness through Indigenous Storywork and an Etuaptmumk guiding framework. The resulting dimensions are School Readiness Indicators: Te’papu’ek, School Readiness Enhancers, and School Readiness Inhibitors. The School Readiness Indicators of Relational Safety, Social Connection, Ability to Communicate and Confidence have some alignment with the EDI domains; however, important areas were missing regarding what Mi’kmaw indicate is important for their children. The results suggest that a comprehensive evaluation of the EDI is required to determine its cultural relevance and validity to accurately reflect the needs of Mi’kmaw children.
Access status: Embargo ,
DESIGNING A PLACE-BASED DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK FOR FOSTERING MEANINGFUL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING
(2026-04-13) Martinez Calderon, Daniel; No; Doctor of Philosophy; Interdisciplinary PhD Programme; Received; Anne Marie O'Hagan; No; Karen Foster; Ramón Filgueira; Bertrum MacDonald; Patricia Manuel
This study stemmed from the critique of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) regarding the tokenistic engagement of stakeholders, especially those at the community level. Therefore, the research focused on developing a decision-making framework to foster local participation in MSP, using the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy Planning Area (SSBF) as a case study. A multiple method qualitative design was employed that integrated: 1. A literature review on the foundations of Community-Oriented Planning (COP) and the principles of stakeholder participation, 2. Interviews with MSP researchers and practitioners globally, and individual and focus group sessions with sectoral representatives to explore the key elements of effective participation (who should participate, how, when, and at what intensity), the barriers and enablers of engagement, and the expectations and concerns of sectoral representatives regarding MSP, and 3. Interviews with SSBF experts to understand how contextual factors shape public participation in the study area. The results led to the development of an integrated framework with five dimensions. The first dimension establishes the paradigmatic principles for reimagining a locally-based MSP. The second dimension highlights the importance of local communities in MSP, as well as the key conceptual elements for placing them at the centre of the planning process. The third dimension addresses the role of context in shaping the possibilities and limitations of local stakeholder participation. The fourth dimension describes specific mechanisms for operationalizing effective local stakeholder engagement. Finally, the fifth dimension incorporates trust as a cross-cutting element that permeates all aspects of the framework and is key to the success or failure of the participatory process. The value of this thesis lies in the fact that, unlike other studies that are limited to identifying and highlighting the exclusion of stakeholders, this work provides a comprehensive approach to address this problem. Consequently, this research represents an advance in understanding the participation of local stakeholders in MSP and demonstrates that meaningful community engagement is both possible and beneficial.
Access status: Embargo ,
DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A PATIENT-FRIENDLY ORAL FORMULATION OF METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE
(2026-04-14) Abedin, Saba; Not Applicable; Master of Science; College of Pharmacy; Not Applicable; n/a; No; Dr. Remigius Agu; Dr. John Frampton; Dr. Oluwatoyin Adeleke
Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels, which leads to serious organ damage. Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in Canada and the world, which can cause 1.5 million deaths per year globally. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of all diabetes cases, which is a major public health issue in Canada. Metformin is recommended as a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes due to its safety, possible heart benefits, and low cost. However, patients’ adherence to metformin is low, which can lead to higher rates of adverse effects and healthcare costs. There is an urgent need for innovative and patient-friendly drug delivery systems to enhance treatment adherence and efficacy for patients of all ages. This study aimed to develop alginate-based metformin-loaded beads with a delayed-release profile to minimize gastrointestinal side effects, as well as an extended-release profile to reduce dosing frequency.
Access status: Open Access ,
Mud Creek: Shifting Landscapes and Evolving Memories
(2026-04-15) Fitzgerald, Sophie; Not Applicable; Master of Architecture; School of Architecture; Not Applicable; n/a; Not Applicable; Catherine Venart; Julia Jamorzik; Cristina Verissimo
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, is shaped by tides, changing cultural landscapes, and daily routines. Originally named Mud Creek, the town sits at the threshold between the Minas Basin and the South Mountain of the Annapolis Valley. A harbour once located at the town’s center marked the boundary between saltwater and freshwater; today, however, Wolfville faces restricted water access and a shortage of public infrastructure. With the threat of escalating climate change, this thesis asks: How can architecture mediate a relationship between landscape, ecology, and cultural memory? Using mapping and ethnographic research, the study proposes an education and public bathing facility. This intervention enables direct interaction with the tides and the town’s historic muddy harbour, while embracing evolving ideas of social equity and local identity. By reconnecting the community to its dyke landscape, the architecture serves as a bridge between the town’s cultural heritage and its future resilience.
Access status: Open Access ,
Road to Shadow-Scapes: De-Extractive Landscapes on Vancouver Island
(2026-04-15) Croft, Vanessa; Not Applicable; Master of Architecture; School of Architecture; Not Applicable; n/a; Not Applicable; Catherine Venart; David Correa; Michael Faciejew
Extractive systems permeate the landscapes around us, yet often remain out of sight. The invisibility of humanity's imprint on ecological systems intensifies resource consumption. This thesis rethinks landscapes and infrastructures of extraction as sites of opportunity, where de-extractive stewardship, remediation, and ecological pedagogy are fostered. Focusing on ecological moments along the Malahat Highway (Vancouver Island, BC), an infrastructure of speed and mobility, this thesis proposes two transformative “rest stops” where the interdependence between human and environmental processes is reconceived. Organized around fish and forest, the rest stops are shaped on the one hand by re-thinking the phenomenology of ecology and extraction and second by integrating remediation strategies by integrating living systems as a process-based method. At the intersection of landscape, infrastructure, architectural, and environmental design, the thesis ultimately proposes that highways can become corridors of relation, creating a more reciprocal connection between humans, resources, and the ecologies they depend on.
Access status: Open Access ,
Gait and Balance Rehabilitation for Lower Limb Microprocessor Prosthetics
(2026-04-14) Eichhorn, Finn; Not Applicable; Master of Science; School of Health & Human Performance; Not Applicable; Derek Rutherford; Yes; Melanie Keats; Janie Wilson; Stefan Heinze; Scott Grandy
Although microprocessor-controlled prosthetics (MCPs) can enhance prosthetic function, many users continue to experience gait asymmetries, balance impairments, and compensatory movement strategies, suggesting that rehabilitation remains essential to optimize recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review was to examine the role of rehabilitation in improving gait and balance outcomes in lower-limb amputees with MCPs. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, six studies met the inclusion criteria, representing 20 participants and a range of rehabilitation approaches, including physiotherapy, gait retraining, balance training, and home-based exercise. Across the included studies, rehabilitation was consistently associated with improvements in at least one gait or balance outcome, including walking speed, endurance, functional mobility, balance performance, fall risk, and confidence. Overall, the findings suggest that rehabilitation may enhance outcomes in MCP users, although the current evidence remains limited and heterogeneous.
Access status: Open Access ,
The Weeping Stone: The Grammar of Extraction
(2026-04-15) Smith, James; Not Applicable; Master of Architecture; School of Architecture; Not Applicable; David Correa; Not Applicable; Roger Mullen; Michael Putman
This thesis investigates how drawing can operate as a structured method for translating the industrial logics embedded in the Levant mining landscape in Cornwall into contemporary architectural conditions. Levant Mine is approached not as an isolated ruin, but as a representative condition of the wider Cornish mining territory. Its shafts, stamping floors, separation terraces, and calciners retain a legible sequence organized through gravity, repetition, calibrated gradients, and linear thermal systems. Rather than reconstructing lost buildings, the project uses drawing as an operative tool to extract and reinterpret these spatial conditions. Through a series of design experiments, industrial alignments and structural traces are reassembled into fragmentary architectural framework. Historical events such as the Wheal Owles breach and the Levant man-engine disaster are treated as spatial conditions that inform the project’s operative vocabulary. The thesis proposes a distributed civic framework that reactivates the landscape without resolving its inherent incompleteness.
Access status: Open Access ,
Evaluation of Tesla Valves as Flow Control and Flame Arrestor Devices for Premixed Hydrogen-Blended Methane Flames
(2026-04-15) Hilborn, Michael; Not Applicable; Master of Applied Science; Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science; Not Applicable; N/A; Yes; Jan Haelssig; Jonathan Totten; Michael Pegg
Numerical simulations of Tesla valve structures were conducted to identify geometric and operational conditions that maximize diodicity at Reynolds numbers up to 1 000. A 30-run central composite design systematically varied valve geometry, channel depth, and air flowrate to determine an optimal one-way flow configuration. Numerical predictions were validated using physical Tesla valve channels machined into cast acrylic plates. With airflow and combustion data validated, flame quenching performance was evaluated for methane-hydrogen mixtures using GRI-Mech 3.0 and FFCM-2 models. Flame flashback scenarios were simulated within the geometry, where the channel depth was decreased until flame propagation ceased. Compared to straight channels, Tesla valve geometries increased the maximum experimental safe gap (MESG) from 3 mm to 6.35 mm for methane and from 0.4 mm to 0.57 mm for hydrogen. Therefore, incorporating the Tesla valve shape enhances flame quenching performance, particularly for methane-dominant fuels.
Access status: Open Access ,
Layered Landscapes: Spatializing Return for the African Diaspora
(2026-04-15) Mayhew, Theresa; Not Applicable; Master of Architecture; School of Architecture; Not Applicable; Julia Jamrozik; Not Applicable; Talbot Sweetapple; Diogo Burnay
The identity of African diasporans is in a constant state of negotiation. Tied to two notions of home, individuals inhabit space in-between. Connections to the homeland are maintained through cultural practices, return trips, memorial pilgrimage, familial ties, or embodied in layered landscapes, but there often exists a persisting desire to return. Drawing on these connections, the thesis engages architecture to question how return might be spatialized for physical and spiritual reconnection. The thesis extracts the meaning held in layers of land. It establishes a methodology to view, filter, and inscribe the landscape and reinterprets pilgrimage framework. Three operative lenses, Agricultural, Cultural, and Ecological, are employed, acting at the scale of site, region, and global diaspora. The site of peri-urban farmland near Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe is designed as a village for agricultural production, community use, and ecological learning and research, sustainably supporting the local region and productive diasporic return.

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