Full list
You will be redirected to the institution’s website in order to read these documents.
-
2016 — The Stories of Fat Women Accessing Healthcare in SaskatchewanAbstract
The research question posed within this study asks: What are the experiences of women who identify as ‘fat’ or ‘overweight’ in accessing healthcare in Saskatchewan? The ideology of ‘fat is bad, thin is good’ is buried deep within our cultural psyche. Utilizing a narrative methodology, an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of fat women pursuing health through engagement with the health care system was sought. Specifically, potential barriers such as attitudes of health care providers, shame due to weight stigma, and lack of proper equipment impact the ability of fat women to access health care services were explored. New … Read more
-
2024 — The role of municipal decision-making in community wellbeing in times of drought: a case study of Canada’s Sunshine Coast Regional DistrictAbstract
Access to clean water is essential for meeting personal, societal, and environmental needs. Climate change is causing more frequent and extreme weather events, leading to less dependable water access and intensified droughts (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2023; UNICEF, 2023). This poses significant threats to human health, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity (Brandes & O’Riordan, 2014; United Nations, 2024). This research explores the role of municipal decision-making during the 2022 drought in the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), focusing on the impact of water policies on community wellbeing. The study reviews secondary sources, including provincial documents and public reports, and … Read more
-
2024 — Implicit and explicit approaches for efficient healthcare schedulingAbstract
Combinatorial optimization problems play a major role in tackling applications such as healthcare, transportation, education, etc. Solving these applications usually involves satisfying a set of hard constraints while optimizing one or more objectives. In this context, exact or approximate methods can be used. While exact methods guarantee the optimality of the solution returned, they often come with an exponential running time as opposed to approximate methods that trade the solution’s quality for a better running time cost. In this context, we tackle the Nurse Scheduling Problem (NSP). The NSP consists in assigning nurses to daily shifts in a given planning … Read more
-
2017 — Acimowin Anaskanak - Story Scrolls: A Methodology of First Nations Art Practices as a Healing ToolAbstract
This study utilizes visual art as a tool to encourage survivors of Indian Residential Schools to share their experiences as a means toward connecting with community and fostering healing. This work is informed by personal and familial experiences and is inspired by First Nations Plains peoples who understood the power of visual art and story as a medicine for trauma. Story Scrolls use historically inspired visual artwork and oral methodologies to create contemporary Indigenous art. Due to the traumatization that occurred to First Nations children in Indian residential schools, many have not shared their personal stories. Story Scrolls combine visual … Read more
-
2014 — Executive Function, Social Emotional Learning, and Social Competence in Autism Spectrum DisorderAbstract
The main objective of this study was to investigate the concurrent role of multiple antecedents of social competence in a group of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Existing models of social competence were adapted to include three domains of executive function (EF: Cognitive, Behavioural, and Emotional Regulation), and two domains of Social Emotional Learning (SEL: Nonverbal Awareness, Social Understanding). The EF domains were related to sustained attention, working memory, planning, behavioural inhibition, and affective decision making; SEL domains included social comprehension, and identification and interpretation of social cues. Social competence was defined in terms of social skills and adaptive … Read more
-
2016 — Stratigraphic Investigations into the Genesis of Anomalously Thick Coal Deposits in East-Central SaskatchewanAbstract
The discovery of anonymously thick Cretaceous-age coal deposits in east-central Saskatchewan in 2008 generated a great deal of interest in the province and raised a number of geologic questions. Unlike other parts of the Saskatchewan where Mannville coals are laterally extensive and restricted to a few metres of thickness, these deposits appeared to be hosted in isolated ‘sub-basins’ with coal thicknesses exceeding 100 m. Coal accumulating in these thicknesses is exceptionally rare, comprising less than 1% of global deposits. The remarkable nature of these deposits provided the impetus for this study, with the aim of unravelling the geologic processes responsible … Read more
-
2014 — Parental Differential Treatment for Adult Children: Interactions, Implications and InterventionsAbstract
Parental Differential Treatment (PDT) is the conscious or unconscious action of providing one sibling more favorable treatment over another. PDT has consequences for children‟s lives. Several consequences have been identified for children who experience PDT; however there is a dearth of literature exploring the effect of PDT on adult life. This qualitative, phenomenological study is an effort to better understand the lived experiences of adult children with PDT, and its effect on their current adult life. Four people, between the ages of 25-55 who have experienced, or continue to experience PDT participated in this study. The “Modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen” … Read more
-
2020 — The Impact of a Nitrogen-Removal Wastewater Upgrade on Primary Producers in Phosphorous-Rich Streams of the Northern Great PlainsAbstract
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) from human sources has impaired streams and rivers worldwide resulting in major infrastructure projects to manage agricultural and urban wastewater. Recently, diverting urban N from wastewater using biological nutrient removal (BNR) technologies has been proposed as an effective strategy to reduce harmful algal and cyanobacterial blooms. However, mechanisms regulating lotic phototrophs can be complex due to interactions between natural controls (temperature, hydrology, transparency) and anthropogenic activities. Additionally, little is known about the effects of selective N removal, particularly on phytoplankton in small streams. This thesis investigates the impact of a wastewater upgrade from tertiary (high … Read more
-
2017 — Calculating and Preserving Star Sets and Star Complements of General MatricesAbstract
This thesis presents several results relating to star sets and star complements of graphs. While a method for calculating star sets and star complements involving pro- jection matrices has been known since their introduction, a second method involving determinants is demonstrated and shown to be equivalent to the rst method. Some of the theory for star sets and star complements is expanded to general diagonalizable matrices, regardless of symmetry. The concept of preserving star sets between two general matrices is introduced and shown to be an equivalence relation, and attempts are made to classify what types of matrices can preserve … Read more
-
2019 — The Effects of High-Velocity Resistance Training and Creatine Supplementation in Untrained Healthy Aging MalesAbstract
The purpose was to investigate the effects of high-velocity resistance training (HVRT) and creatine supplementation on muscle thickness and muscle performance in untrained healthy aging males. Participants were randomized to one of two groups: creatine (CR: n = 12, 59.0 ± 7.0 yrs, 94.8 ± 14.3 kg, 176.4 ± 8.6 cm; 0.1 g/kg/day of creatine) or placebo (PLA: n = 12, 58.1 ± 5.8 yrs, 92.0 ± 23.3 kg, 176.4 ± 8.6 cm; 0.1 g/kg/day of maltodextrin) during 8-weeks of HVRT. Prior to and following training and supplementation, assessments were made for muscle thickness (elbow and knee flexors and extensors), … Read more
-
2016 — Fabricating Gender Identity: Analyzing the Evolution of the Highland Kilt and TartanAbstract
The Scottish kilt has evolved over generations and has been adopted in various countries; however, despite shifting circumstances and consumer demands, it remains a recognizable and controversial icon. The kilt is now portrayed as a national symbol, but prior to the sixteenth century, the kilt, or belted plaid, was worn only in the Scottish Highlands. The kilt began as the primitive clothing of the Highlander, evolved into a sign of rebellion during the Jacobite Rebellion, and later became a sign of Scottish allegiance to the British army. Finally, through narratives of heroic Highlander warriors, the kilt was transformed into a … Read more
-
2020 — Screen Space Reflection TechniquesAbstract
Ray tracing is a rendering technique in computer graphics that can simulate a variety of optical effects, such as reflection from smooth surfaces, refraction through transparent objects, and light scattering on rough surfaces. Ray tracing can produce visual realism of a higher quality than other rendering techniques, such as rasterization techniques, but at a much higher computational cost. Screen Space Reflection (SSR) is a group of approximation techniques that utilize data already generated by common rasterization techniques, such as deferred shading, to produce limited reflection effects. Most rasterization algorithms use two basic data structures, an image buffer storing the colour … Read more
-
2020 — Prevention is Difficult, But Possible: A Multiple Case Study Examining The Integration of Prevention Activities in School Social Work Practice in an Urban Centre in SaskatchewanAbstract
This study, which focuses on school social work practice, responds to recent research findings that prevention is a minority focus in many areas of social work. A qualitative multiple case study of school social workers in an urban centre in Saskatchewan was employed to gain insight into the topic by examining their level and types of practice, and their experiences and perceptions of integrating prevention activities in their work. A review of relevant literature identified several major gaps: inconsistent definitions of prevention with little insight into how practitioners themselves understand prevention; reactive, incident-driven interventions being prioritized over prevention approaches; lack … Read more
-
2018 — Performance Evaluation of Steam-Enriched Air Co-Injection Using Numerical SimulationAbstract
United States, Canada and Venezuela have the largest reserves of heavy oil and bitumen resources throughout the world. Economically challenged market is the major issue associated with the extraction and production of these resources. Steam - Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) is one of the most successful extraction techniques used in the recovery of heavy oil and oil sand reserves. But the high cost of operations has made its application prone to decline with oil prices. In-Situ Combustion (ISC) is a proven method of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) for reservoirs where either waterflooding or other EOR process are not very appealing. … Read more
-
2017 — Escherichia coli and Rhizobium leguminosarum response mechanisms to sub-lethal 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acidAbstract
The chlorophenoxy herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is used extensively worldwide despite its known toxicity and our limited understanding of how it affects non-target organisms. To determine the global effects of 2,4-D at sub-lethal levels on Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 (Rlv) and Escherichia coli BL21, I used a novel combination of methods involving advanced microscopy and metabolomics. Rlv showed an oxidative stress response, but showed adaptive capabilities with changes to specific metabolic pathways and consequent changes to its phenotype, surface ultrastructure, and physical properties during 2,4-D exposure. Interestingly, auxin and 2,4-D, its structural analogue, induced common morphological changes in vitro, … Read more
-
2013 — Weak Expectation Properties of C*-Algebras and Operator SystemsAbstract
The purpose of this dissertation is two fold. Firstly, we prove a permanence result involving C*-algebras with the weak expectation property. More speci cally, we show that if is an amenable action of a discrete group G on a unital C*-algebra A, then the crossed-product C*-algebra Ao G has the weak expectation property if and only if A has this property. Secondly, the concept of a relatively weakly injective pair of operator systems is introduced and studied, motivated by relative weak injectivity in the C*-algebra category. E. Kirchberg [14] proved that the C*-algebra C (F1) of the free group F1 … Read more
-
2021 — Kinetic Study of CO2 Absorption in Aqueous Amine Solutions of MEA-AMP: Experiment and Numerical ModelingAbstract
Capturing Carbon dioxide (CO2) from the flue gas has attained considerable attention to mitigate greenhouse Gas Emission. The mitigation was one of the main pillars of the United Nations Framework Convention signed in Paris in 2016. This kinetic study was performed to capture CO2 in an aqueous amine blend of MEA and AMP to study the rate of capture. Main objective of this work was to calculate overall rate constant(kov) and determine the paramters that affects kov. Mixing ratio of Primary amine MEA with the sterically Hindered Amine AMP was studied to find out the ratio that offers best absorption … Read more
-
2021 — An Intelligent System Model for Diagnostic of Human Pancreatic CancerAbstract
Pancreatic Cancer is one of the lethal cancers in the world with vague symptoms and low survival rates. It is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world and will become the second within 2030 in USA. The five (5) years survival rate for all stages diagnosed is estimated to be 9%. More than 60% of Pancreatic Cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to a lack of highly sensitive and specific screening tests. However, surgical resection is one of the best treatments for Pancreatic Cancer; but only 5% patients are eligible for this treatment. Early … Read more
-
2014 — Depositional and Dewatering Behaviour of Uranium Mill TailingsAbstract
The Key Lake operation in Saskatchewan, Canada, is the largest uranium mill in the world. This mill process generates tailings that are deposited into an onsite storage area called the Deilmann Tailings Management Facility (DTMF). An effective tailings management scheme requires a clear understanding of slurry behaviour throughout the life-cycle, starting from production thorough the deposition to dewatering in the storage facility. The main objective of this research was to investigate the depositional and dewatering behaviour of uranium mill tailings (4%, 5%, and 6% mill tailings) from the Key Lake operation under laboratory and field conditions. All of the samples … Read more
-
2020 — Constraint Solving and Optimizationn Using Nature-Inspired TechniquesAbstract
Constraint solving and optimization is tackled by scientists in almost every area, including scheduling and planning, configuration, resource allocation, finance, computational biology and machine learning. Since classical systematic and mathematical methods cannot effectively provide suitable solutions for these types of problems, metaheuristic algorithms were introduced. Due to the fact that metaheuristic algorithms have different characteristics, they can address specific optimization problems more effectively than others. This is the main motivation for developing new robust metaheuristic algorithms with the objectives of addressing problems faster specially when they scale up. However, one challenge with metaheuristics is their immature convergence. This issue can … Read more
-
2018 — Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Addiction: A Narrative Inquiry into the Lives of Three WomenAbstract
The nexus between pregnancy and addiction is usually studied from the perspective of the fetus, quantitatively examining the risks associated with in utero substance exposure. With the focus on the fetal effects of maternal substance use, there has been little regard, in the literature, for the mother and her experiences. Addiction during pregnancy is complex and drug use represents only part of the problem. Issues of stigma and victimization are common with women describing alarmingly high rates of mental health disorders and traumatic life events. With an awareness of some of the challenges pregnant women with substance use disorders may … Read more
-
2015 — Narratives of Aboriginal Grandmothers: Stories of Identity and HealthAbstract
In recent years, researchers have been exploring the significance of identity and its relation to overall health within Aboriginal communities (Bourassa & Peach, 2009; Carriere, 2005; Mikkonen & Raphael, 2010; Wilson, 2004). Aboriginal identity is central to the health and understanding of oneself and has been recognized by researchers as a key determinant of health (Bourassa, McKay-McNabb, & Hampton, 2009; Carriere, 2005; Mikkonen & Raphael, 2010; Wilson, 2004). There is a growing body of knowledge supporting this connection, yet there remains a shortage of work specifically related to Aboriginal grandmothers’ experiences and understandings of identity and health. Consequently, existing concepts … Read more
-
2018 — A Probabilistic Approach to Card Sort AnalysisAbstract
The work in this dissertation was motivated by the desire to more fully understand the results of a card sorting study of facial photographs. Twenty-five participants were asked to sort 356 facial photographs (178 of Caucasian males and 178 of First Nations’ males) into an unconstrained number of piles according to their judgments of similarity. Researchers have used card sorting to understand different concepts, but not facial similarity. Therefore, the work presented in the dissertation is novel because it takes an existing method and applies it to a new context and adapts analysis tools to this purpose. Pairs of photos … Read more
-
2024 — Affect, the fragment, and essayism: How to live the ellipsisAbstract
In this collection of creative non-fiction essays, the author reflects on some of the life experiences that have shaped her. This project is especially attentive to the socio-political context that queer individuals have navigated in Canada in recent decades and is influenced and inspired by the affect theory and writing methodology found in The Hundreds by Lauren Berlant and Kathleen Stewart. Additionally, Brian Dillon’s Essayism: On Form, Feeling, and Non-Fiction has been instrumental to this project. Keywords: literary non-fiction; essay; affect theory; fragment; essayism Read more
-
2022 — Why do people self-censor on social media? A metacognitive approachAbstract
A lot of focus has been put on the fact that people are sharing too much misinformation online; however, the failure to share accurate and high-quality content may be just as problematic. Indeed, although there is a growing body of work examining the psychological mechanisms that contribute to the spread of misinformation, little focus has been directed on why people fail to share accurate content online. One potential explanation is self-censorship—when an individual does not share their opinion with a group that they perceive to hold differing opinions. One possibility is that self-censorship may emerge from metacognitive factors, such as … Read more
-
2013 — Aboriginal Dispossession and Proletarianization in Canadian Industrial Capitalism: Creating the Right Profile for the Labour MarketAbstract
The central theme of this paper revolves around the dispossession of Aboriginal peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) from their traditional socio-economic means of production and their subsumption into the industrial-capitalist mode of production. The investigation is a hypothesis about the historical proletarianization process regarding Aboriginal peoples in Canada stemming from dispossession. The analysis utilizes a critical political economic approach primarily in regard the revolutionary power of private property relations as the competitive antithesis to traditional-subsistence economy relations. Positing the facts of Aboriginal proletarianization within a political economic framework is an addition to the critique of capital. The research of … Read more
-
2025 — Non-traditional sources of critical minerals from the Western Canada Sedimentary BasinAbstract
The material demands of the energy transition will be immense, requiring new sources of critical metals required in clean energy technologies. Among the most important of these are the rare earth elements (REE) and lithium (Li). The REE, which include the lanthanide elements and yttrium (Y), are currently produced from peralkaline igneous complexes, carbonatites, or ion-adsorption clay deposits and are prized for their unique chemical, magnetic, and catalytic properties. Their primary importance in the energy transition is their necessity in permanent magnets for wind turbines and electric vehicles. Conversely, Li is the lightest metal on the periodic table and is … Read more
-
2016 — Assessing Pre-Frontal Cortex Oxygenation After Sport Concussion With Near Infrared SpectroscopyAbstract
Clinicians typically rely on neuropsychological and balance tests to track concussion recovery. These balance and neuropsychological tests only imply impairments that are based on performance – the tests do not directly measure (or reliably track) brain physiology throughout concussion recovery. Because of these issues, there has been a call to find an objective biomarker that can index both severity and the timeline for recovery. An additional problem is that, with the amount of concussions occurring at a recreational activity level, an effective biomarker must be cost effective, easily applied, and easily interpreted for lay people. To address these issues, non-invasive … Read more
-
2013 — Rethinking Social Assistance Policy to Reflect Modern Socio-Economic RealitiesAbstract
In the past four decades rapid change has characterized the modern world. The global market has permeated even the smallest of communities, and new economic, social and political realities exist. The political, economic and social factors that once contributed to the “success” of the welfare state are now radically different. The framework for addressing poverty in our society must also change. Currently, Canada addresses poverty through various welfare state initiatives, which translate into programs such as social assistance, tax credits, employment insurance and pensions. It is proposed that the current welfare state structure is addressing poverty inadequately and inefficiently, to … Read more