Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10294/32

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR) embraces numerous departments and institutes, and offers an impressive range of programs. Although its primary focus is to provide students with mastery of their subject, it prides itself on the accessibility of the faculty and quality of their research and scholarship.

FGSR emphasizes the partnership of teaching and research that provides the essence of any university: the dissemination and expansion of knowledge. Through its programs, research centres, and international activities, FGSR attempts to respond to the ever changing needs of our global community.

Doctoral degrees are regularly offered in Biology, Bio-Chemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Education, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, and Statistics.

Master's degrees are offered through the faculties of Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Graduate School of Public Policy, Kinesiology and Health Studies, Science, and Social Work.

Research is vital to the University and demonstrates the broad spectrum of our involvement. It can be pure research or applied research, long term in scope or short term. University resources are enhanced in this effort by collaboration with the public and colleagues around the world enable our researchers to examine problems in diverse physical, social, and cultural settings and provide opportunities for scholarly activity at several other Canadian and international facilities. The Office of Research Services is responsible for the administration of research at the University of Regina.

FGSR is a member of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) and participates in a number of graduate agreements with other Canadian universities.

For more information on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, visit the web site at: www.uregina.ca/gradstudies/

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Open Access
Meteorological risk assessment of Canadian transcontinental freight railway: Case study of Saskatchewan and Ontario
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2023-08) Bahramimehr, Mehrnoush; Khan, Sharfuddin; Khondoker, Mohammad; Ruparathna, Vithanapalpita Koralalage Rajeev Jayanga
Railway transportation is the heart of the supply chain in Canada. The reason is that railway transportation is known as one of the most reliable and safest modes of transportation. However, due to its complexity, a wide range of risks are associated with this means of transportation. Considering Canada's climate, studying meteorological risks associated with the railway network can be useful for decision-makers in railway transportation, especially when preparing for cold seasons and implementing railway network development. In this study, a comprehensive spatial analysis using ArcMap has been applied to identify hotspots and vulnerable geographical areas in terms of meteorological factors in two provinces with slightly different climates: Saskatchewan and Ontario. Floods, rain, snow, minimum temperature, and wind have been selected as factors to generate meteorological risk maps for the mentioned provinces. The selected railway network for analysis is the Canadian National Railway (CN), one of the two major railways in Canada and the only Transcontinental Freight Railway in North America. However, the results can be applied to any other railway network in Canada. After developing risk maps for each factor, 5 different types of integrated risk maps are generated in this thesis. The first type assumes that the weight (importance) of all factors in causing accidents or service disruptions is the same. Two versions utilize different weights for different factors. One version applies score-based weighting of factors, while the other employs expert opinion-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Additionally, two season-based risk maps for warm and cold seasons are also generated. The risk maps demonstrate hotspots and hazardous areas that require more attention and planning to maintain the continuity of the supply chain. The results can be used to enhance safety, reduce service disruptions, and ensure the smooth operation of the railway network.
Open Access
Classifying ovarian cancer using machine learning methods
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2023-11) Rahman, Rushda; Peng, Wei; Henni, Amr; Muthu, S. D. Jacob
Ovarian cancer is one of the most fatal cancers for women nowadays. It is ranked as fifth most common cancer deaths among women resulting more deaths than any other cancers in female reproductive system. According to Canadian Cancer society that about 3000 ovarian cancer patients were detected, and among them 1950 patients died in 2022 which indicating more than 50% of mortality rate. Ovarian cancer is mainly generated from cancerous ovarian tumour. So, it is very important to classify cancerous tumour from noncancerous tumour to prevent false positive for ovarian cancer. Moreover, if cancerous tumour is diagnosed in early stage, it can be prevented from spreading and thus survival rate for ovarian cancer can be increased. Also, by separating cancer patients from benign tumour patients, it will be easier for doctors to know the stages of the cancer and know patient’s prognosis and life expectancy. The principal and initial objective of this thesis is building a feasible system using Artificial Intelligence which is easy to use and compatible to classify ovarian cancer. Proposed study will give a new non-conventional way to classify ovarian cancer from ovarian tumour which will be affordable for the patients. Moreover, one of the primary benefits of this study is that doctors/physicians can detect ovarian cancer with only blood test/ serum test. There is no need to do any expensive tests such as: ultrasound, MRI or CT-Scan. The main concept of this research is the application of several machine learning techniques to correctly classify ovarian cancer and finding best technique among those in terms of Accuracy, Precision, Sensitivity, and Specificity. Original dataset is taken from website named Kaggle (https://www.kaggle.com/). This dataset is screened, cleaned and normalized first and then expert’s advice has been taken to extract the most important features to do the correct classification. Later, a correlation test has been done for better understanding of the relations and independency among the input features. 10 input features have been selected including age, menopause, CA-125, AFP, NEU etc. From correlation test result 7 inputs were taken again and a comparison had been made between 10 inputs and 7 inputs. And the output is TYPE which denotes 1 for benign ovarian tumour and 0 for ovarian cancer. Four machine learning models have been used for classification and they are, ANN, SVM, Naïve Bayes, and k-NN. Training of each model is performed and after training, each algorithm is tested and hence performance is calculated and compared. After analysing results, it is found that for the problem considered, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is the best classifier in terms of accuracy giving 85.91% accurate results on test data whereas SVM, NB and k-NN gave accuracy of 76.05%, 83.09% and 76.06% respectively. In terms of sensitivity and precision calculation, Naïve Bayes is best, and the ANN Classifier is second best algorithm. Taking specificity into Consideration, the ANN is best with 87.50%. Keywords: Machine Learning Classifier, Ovarian Cancer, Benign Ovarian Tumour, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes (NB), k-nearest Neighbour (k-NN), Confusion Matrix.
Open Access
Carbon capture, utlization, and storage supply chain risk management framework development
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2023-12) Kabir, Md Ainul; Kabir, Golam; Kahn, Sharfuddin; Tontiwachwuthikul, Paitoon
Technology called Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is important for capturing CO2 emissions before they get into the air. Because everyone wants to stop global warming by reducing CO2 emissions, CCUS is an important and emerging technology that can help slow down climate change, lower emissions in many areas, and support the move to a sustainable and carbon-neutral future. As CCUS technology and its adaptation increases, it is very important to pay attention to the CCUS risks from the supply chain (SC) point of view. The ultimate goal of this study is to is to identify CCUS supply chain risks and develop a framework that provides a structured approach to ensure safe and reliable CCUS supply chain. This study develops a complete CCUS SC risk management framework including CCUS SC functions, risks and risk management strategies. Therefore, this study analyzes the literature related to SC of different sectors and identifies the SC risks which is the foundation for CCUS SC risks identification. This study depicts that there is no research article that provides a comprehensive CCUS SC risks as well as risk management framework that connects with risk management strategies. Moreover, the framework provides a guideline for future research which enrich the CCUS supply chain risk management system as well as fight against the climate change. This study has deployed Delphi technique to validate the risks that have been identified from the literature. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to identify the communalities of the risks related to the CCUS SC functions. At the same time, 44 risk management strategies have been developed from the supply chain risk management literature in relation with the CCUS SC risks. Finally, the risk management framework has been developed in CCUS SC context which is the main objective of this study. This is the first risk management framework in CCUS SC context which connects the CCUS SC functions, risks, and strategies. This framework provides a comprehensive guideline for the management to develop sustainable roadmaps in CCUS SC management systems. Moreover, this framework helps to prevent the environment and promotes further research in CCUS risk management systems. Keywords: Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS); Supply Chain (SC); Supply Chain Risk; Risk Management (RM); Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Risk Management Strategies.
Open Access
Nanocellulose-based materials for sustainable soil remediation and water purification
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-01) Yin, Jianan; Huang, Guohe (Gordon); Ng, Tsun Wai Kelvin; Zhu, Hua; Deng, Dianliang; Zeng, Hongbo
Soil and water pollution are intricately linked environmental issues that have gained significant global attention due to their adverse effects on ecosystems, public health, and overall sustainability. In this dissertation, the pressing need for sustainable pollutant treatment using ecofriendly and biodegradable nanocellulose (CNC) biopolymers is addressed. This research focuses on the development of CNC-based materials, characterization of their adsorption behaviors, evaluation of CNC-mediated algal toxicity, and exploration of the application of the these materials in sustainable soil remediation and water purification. In the first part, the utilization of CNC nanofluid as an eco-friendly agent for the remediation of phenanthrene (PHE) contaminated soil is proposed. This marks the first exploration of CNC nanofluid’s effectiveness in mobilizing PHE in soil, with a focus on the influence of environmental factors. The findings demonstrate the critical role of temperature and ionic strength in PHE removal. This study also reveals the interactions between CNC and soil components, elucidating the primary PHE removal mechanism. Additionally, our research highlights the detoxification effect of CNC nanofluid on PHE-contaminated soil, providing a promising alternative for site remediation. In the second part, inspired by the hierarchical fibrous structure and antibacterial properties of natural silkworm cocoons, a guanidine-functionalized sericin/nanocellulose aerogel (GSNA) is designed for application in the rapid removal of both bacteria and heavy metals from water. The grafted polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) endows the biomimetic aerogel with exceptional bactericidal activity. The incorporated sericin protein brings abundant surface functional groups for heavy metal complexation. Moreover, this study provides in-depth insights into the bonding mechanism between metal ions and GSNA through density functional theory (DFT)-assisted X- ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis, representing a pioneering effort in elucidating the adsorption mechanism of heavy metals within nanocellulose-based aerogels. In the third part, a recyclable sericin/nanocellulose composite aerogel (SNCA) is introduced for efficient tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) removal from water. The developed SNCA exhibits exceptional compressibility, hydrophilicity, and adsorption capacity. In addition, the SNCA can be easily recycled through a simple compression method, demonstrating remarkable reusability even after 10 regeneration cycles. Furthermore, toxicity evaluations reveal that SNCA effectively mitigates the adverse effects of TBBPA on freshwater algae, emphasizing its environmental friendliness. DFT calculations provide insights into the TBBPA adsorption mechanism, indicating the involvement of hydrogen bonding and electron donor-acceptor interactions. In the fourth part, the investigation reveals that the presence of CNC significantly reduce ZnO NP aggregation, enhancing bioavailability and toxicity to freshwater algae. The interaction of ZnO NPs with CNCs leads to envelopment of algal cells and induces oxidative stress, affecting membrane lipids and antioxidant enzyme activity. The introduction of CNCs enhances intracellular transportation of Zn ions, influencing substance flow between algae cells and the environment. This study advances our understanding of the combined effects of multiple nanomaterials on aquatic organisms, allowing for the identification of composite risks. In summary, this research explores novel and sustainable approaches for pollutant treatment and environmental remediation, utilizing biodegradable nanocellulose materials. These efforts contribute to reducing environmental impact and promoting eco-friendly solutions for soil and water purification.
Open Access
Design, development, and control of an off-road hybrid electric vehicle power system
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-01) Hedayat Pour, Mehdi; Mehranddezh, Mehran; Stilling, Denise; Kabir, Golam
With global warming and climate change threatening the planet, the auto industry is transitioning from conventional internal combustion engines to electrical power trains. Globally, electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles are becoming popular with 10 million cars sold in 2022. Electrification is not limited to the personal cars and public transport, but includes applications in transportation, mining, and military. The power system and battery pack are the main components of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Battery pack capacity and performance affect the overall mileage. This thesis models and sizes the battery pack based on the mechanical and electrical specifications of the vehicle. The control algorithm is the heart of an unmanned, remote controlled, electric vehicle. This work presents a combined control strategy for an unmanned hybrid electric vehicle using a Joystick. The control algorithm consists of a dynamic controller designed using the mechanical modeling of the vehicle combined with an electrical control strategy known as Field Oriented Control. The proposed technique generates the torque and speed signals using dynamic model of the vehicle and trajectories applied to the model. These signals are then utilized by the inverter controller in the vehicle's power system. The proposed algorithm generates excellent results based on trajectory following and can guarantee the safe operation of the battery pack without over discharging the battery higher than its nominal discharge rate to provide longer lifespan during harsh operations. The simulation results show that the vehicle can operate in different road conditions without violating the discharge limit of the battery pack, while following the input trajectories. The highest discharge currents are associated with the toughest road conditions and shorter terminal time during which the vehicle should reach the desired speed applied through the trajectories. The proposed control algorithm can be applied to other vehicular application by taking their specific mechanical behaviors and characteristics into account. Keywords: electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle, power system, battery pack, field oriented control, dynamic modeling
Open Access
Preferences and experiences of interdisciplinary communication across hospital unit types: A survey of three health professions in a Regina, Saskatchewan hospital
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-03) Morrissette, Alana Marie; Camillo, Cheryl; Zarzeczny, Amy; Mou, Haizhen
In the literature, interdisciplinary communication has been linked to high quality patient care, reduced medical error and improved patient and care provider satisfaction. Information sharing, role clarity, and shared goal setting amongst care providers are also attributed with interdisciplinary communication. The Accountable Care Unit (ACU) is an innovative, microsystem-based approach to inpatient hospital care that incorporates distinct features facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and communication including: geographic co-location of a physicians’ patients and Structured Interdisciplinary Bedside Rounds (SIBR). During SIBR, care providers meet at the patient’s bedside and use a standardized communication protocol to provide and receive information. Traditional hospital wards, on the contrary, lack such features and intentional design. While existing research has separately explored outcomes of ACUs and aspects of interdisciplinary care, no known study has assessed healthcare providers experiences with interdisciplinary communication on ACUs versus traditional wards. The overarching purpose of this study was to understand perceived differences between interdisciplinary communication on traditional medicine wards and ACUs. The research questions that prompted this investigation included: 1. What are the experiences and perceptions of interdisciplinary communication on ACUs at the Pasqua Hospital by nurses, pharmacists and physicians who have previously worked on a traditional medicine ward? 2. How do participants perceive interdisciplinary communication on an ACU versus a traditional ward? 3.Do common themes emerge amongst research participants with similar demographics or professions? The first ACU in Canada was implemented in 2016 on unit 4A at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan to reduce lengths of stay, decrease mortality rates, and improving patient and staff satisfaction. In the following years, additional ACUs were implemented at the Pasqua Hospital and in other Saskatchewan hospitals. This research was carried out via an online survey that offered 9 demographic questions and 6 qualitative questions pertaining to interdisciplinary communication both generally, on ACUs, and on traditional wards. The survey was administered from July 13 2022 until October 31 2022 to physicians, pharmacists and nurses who volunteered to participate and who had work experience on both types of units. Fifteen respondents completed the survey and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Participants of this study reported an overall positive and enhanced experience with interdisciplinary communication on ACUs, generally finding it more effective than on traditional units. Reasons for this included structured communication amongst multiple care providers, regionalization of patients within the hospital with consistency in care providers, respect, and role clarity. Conversely, participants reported interdisciplinary communication to be more difficult on traditional units due to a lack of structure, absence or unavailability of team members, professional silos, hierarchies and egos. With the exception of respondents’ profession, correlations between demographic information, such as gender or age, and thematic codes proved to be inconclusive. The findings of this research could assist in guiding policies that adopt techniques or models, such as microsystem-based care models and scheduled, structured interdisciplinary rounds, which foster improved interdisciplinary communication and teamwork on acute care medicine wards. The implementation of such approaches could improve staff satisfaction, retention, and patient safety, while reducing liability risks and medical errors. Future researchers may consider investigating ACUs at other sites while acquiring more in-depth demographic information of increasingly diversified participants.
Open Access
Bayesian probabilistic projections of future climate over Canada based on the RCM ensemble
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-03) Song, Tangnyu; Huang, Guohe (Gordon); Veawab, Amy; Zhu, Hua; Deng, Dianliang; Li, Jonathan
In this research, a series of approaches are proposed to address the challenges in generating robust probabilistic projections of climatic variables (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and Intensity-Duration-Frequency curves) and analyzing the associated uncertainties based on the Regional Climate Model (RCM) ensemble. The proposed approaches have been applied to Canada for demonstrating their effectiveness. Specifically, a new discriminant-Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) ensemble climate modeling (DBEC) approach is developed to help address the neglected spatiotemporal variations of model biases. Through the proposed method, the BMA weights are used as prior distributions to drive the Bayesian discriminant analysis in order to generate refined weights for individual ensemble models according to their spatiallyand temporally-clustered performance. The results suggest that the DBEC approach can improve both the accuracy and reliability of ensemble projections to some extent, especially in winter and Arctic regions. The probabilistic projections of temperature for three future periods under two emission scenarios are then obtained through the proposed DBEC model. The results indicate that comparatively larger temperature increases can be observed in Arctic regions. In addition, the magnitude of uncertainties is found to be negatively correlated to the elevation. Then a new multi-dimensional discriminant-BMA ensemble approach (MDBE) is developed to quantitively characterize the relationships between the modeling performances and climatic conditions. Through the comparative assessments of the proposed approach against three other ensemble methods, its effectiveness in generating the probabilistic projections of annual and seasonal precipitation over Canada has been illustrated. In detail, the R2 and percentage coverage will increase up to 0.15 (from 0.52 to 0.67) and 20% (from 60% ~ 80%), respectively. The generated projections suggest that significant precipitation increases are observed in future periods, especially in the Arctic regions. The warming climate could be the primary reason for such increases. Moreover, the intensified atmospheric radiative cooling is also a possible explanation for the winter precipitation increase. Finally, a new CDF-distance-based method is proposed to generate ensemble projections of IDF curves over Canada. Compared with the traditional ensemble methods, the proposed CDF-distance-based ensemble approach depends less on the simulated accuracy of annual maximum precipitation time series. Consequently, it can improve both the accuracy and reliability of the probabilistic projections in IDF curves. The proposed method has been applied to Canada for assessing the future changes of the IDF curves. The results suggest that the upward shifts of the IDF curves under all return periods are observed under changing climate conditions. Moreover, the percentage changes of precipitation intensities increase with return periods.
Open Access
Investigating the role of water and nanoparticles in the performance of CO2 and ethane-based cyclic solvent injection process for heavy oil recovery
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-04) Li, Yishu; Zeng, Fanhua (Bill); Gu, Yongan (Peter); Jia, Na (Jenna); Du, Zhongwei (David); Qing, Hairuo; Zhang, Yin
Cyclic solvent injection (CSI) process is a promising method for enhancing heavy oil recovery in thin or deep heavy oil reservoirs. Foamy oil flow is a major phenomenon of the CSI process, but the impact of foam stabilizers like nanoparticle and water on its performance has not been well understood. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of waterflooding and nanoparticle affecting CSI performance is a crucial step toward further enhancing oil recovery. In addition, most studies only focus on one method. In fact, in order to develop an oil reservoir cost-effectively and efficiently, a variety of methods have to be applied in sequence. In this study, a well-designed experimental investigation was conducted to determine the role of water and nanoparticle in CSI process. First, several foundemental live oil depletion tests were applied to investigate the feasibility of using foamy oil additives in the CSI process, determine the optimum concentration of the additives, and evaluate the best operation conditions on the performance of the CO2 based CSI process. Second, three CO2 based CSI tests were performed using a cylindrical sandpack at different injection pressure. Test 1 conducted a normal CO2 based CSI process for comparison. Test 2 applied a waterflooding process and followed by a CO2 based CSI process. Test 3 was a hybrid process consisting of the sequence: CSI-waterflooding-CSI-Nanoparticle solution flooding- CSI. Third, two ethane based CSI tests (A blank test and a similar combination test) were applied in order to verify and compare CO2 based CSI process. Experimental parameters and results were monitored and recorded. Comprehensive data analytics were performed to examine the effect of water and nanoparticle and identify enhancing mechanisms for the CSI process. Experiment results indicate that using nanoparticles as foam stabilizers in CO2 live oil pressure depletion tests can enhance oil recovery while reducing gas recovery, with higher nanoparticle concentrations resulting in even greater oil recovery. An optimal depletion rate of 6 kPa/min was identified, and the waterflooding process had a positive impact on the performance of both CO2 and ethane based CSI methods, improving mass transfer by expanding gas/oil contact areas. The nanoparticle solution flooding applied before CSI process were able to effectively stabilize foamy oil even at high water saturation levels. The integration of CSI, water flooding, and nanoparticle solution flooding yields an overall oil recovery factor of 69.5% for the combined CO2 based hybrid EOR process and 76.1% for the ethane based hybrid EOR process. Simulation results show that the dispersed gas model exhibits strong alignment between oil and gas production data and pressure distribution in CO2 based live oil pressure depletion tests. For CO2 based CSI process, by incorporating a modified foamy oil model with separate sets of relative permeability curves for injection and production stages, and employing the dispersed gas model during production stage, a robust history-matching of oil, gas, and water production data is achieved simultaneously. In the Lloydminster area, thousands of wells have a water cut exceeding 90% after the waterflooding process and are subsequently abandoned due to the absence of an effective way to continue development. This study meticulously examines potential enhancements for the CSI process, which involve utilizing foam stabilizers in combination with synergistic water flooding methods. The findings of this study provide practical solutions to address the technical challenges encountered during the subsequent development of heavy oil wells with high initial water saturation. Additionally, the study highlights the promising prospects of combination approaches in enhancing heavy oil recovery.
Open Access
Crushed: Climate anxiety and grief support through ceramic art
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-07) Snider, Amy Ruth; Garneau, David; Chambers, Ruth; Fay, Holly
“Crushed: Climate Anxiety and Grief Support through Ceramic Art” is the support paper that accompanies my Master of Fine Arts graduating thesis exhibition, Crushed, an installation held at the Fifth Parallel Gallery from August 19-28, 2024. This paper delineates the exhibition its background, development, context, methodology, and artistic influence. It describes components of this project that extend beyond the gallery, and anticipants audience participation and reception. Crushed is an expression of my climate change anxiety and grief. With a floor scattered with super fragile ceramic vessels and a text about my fear and sadness on the walls, Crushed shows participants that such feelings are justified and shared and offers resources and support. At the end of the wall text is information about a support group I founded, and a discussion circle led by a psychologist that will take place in the gallery at the end of the show.
Open Access
Intersexual roost site selection by the little brown Myotis in Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-07) Blanken, Emma Catherine; Brigham, Mark; Vanderwel, Mark; Somers, Chris
Roost structures provide habitats for bats to engage in critical life processes. Identifying, characterizing, and conserving these structures is crucial for individual fitness and survival to mitigate population loss, especially for species such as the little brown Myotis facing threats such as pathogen spread from White-Nose Syndrome. During summer, little brown Myotis rely on roosts to maintain populations through successful reproduction and winter preparation, including rapid development of young and fat accumulation for the winter for all individuals. Summer daytime roosts are particularly critical for these processes to occur effectively. My research aimed to characterize the natural roost selection of nonreproductive female and male little brown Myotis during the summer in Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan (SK). I determined if roost choice differed from random available roosts and explored intersexual variation in roost use between nonreproductive females and males. Using radio-telemetry, I tracked nonreproductive female and male bats to their daytime roosts in Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, over the summers of 2022 and 2023. Identifying occupied roost structures for males and females, and comparing them against data for random available roosts may provide valuable insight to roost characteristics such as tree structure and temperature, which are essential for forest-dwelling bats. I found individuals of both sexes roosting in anthropogenic structures, though nonreproductive females were observed roosting in a known maternity colony consisting of several anthropogenic structures more than males. In terms of natural roosts, my results suggest that little brown Myotis are roosting mostly in white spruce in Cypress Hills, SK though the characteristics of these trees may differ between male and nonreproductive females. Assessing the roost selection of little brown Myotis and how intersexual variation affects such selection can guide future conservation efforts by protecting and promoting these sites for future populations.
Open Access
Suspending echoes
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Malakootikhah, Amin; Marsh, Charity; french, Lindsey; Holmes, Shannon
This critical engagement paper outlines the conceptual and technical details and theoretical support for my Master of Fine Arts exhibition project titled Suspending Echoes, presented at the Fifth Parallel Gallery from August 1 to August 15, 2024. Suspending Echoes is an interactive and immersive installation through which I attempt to represent my perception of self as a fluid entity, continuously shaped and influenced by currents, created by interactions with my surrounding environment and people. The installation creates a dynamic environment where the audience's presence and movements contribute to their overall experience. I aim to evoke empathy and self-reflection through this artwork. Through the creation of an interactive and dynamic immersive experience focused on sensory and bodily effects, I invite the audience to consider the feeling of suspension, reflecting on their own experiences of being influenced by their surroundings, which can prompt reflection on social relationships and cultural concerns. Additionally, in this paper, I review how I have developed my approach to interact with the audience, design the interaction system, create immersive and sensory-evoking spaces, provide metaphoric, universal, evocative elements and cues, and make room for the audience to create their own unique experiences and interpretations of the work.
Open Access
Do microaggressions influence cognitive performance of racial minorities?
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Adedun, Ayomide Danielle; Sangster, Sarah; Klest, Bridget; Sharpe, Donald; Tottenham, Laurie Sykes
Within the university setting, students from marginalized groups may be more likely to experience microaggressions and associated harmful effects than their White counterparts. This study investigated whether experiencing a racial microaggression hinders performance on a cognitive task among racialized students. Undergraduate students (n = 256) completed a demographic survey and then were randomly assigned to a racial microaggression or control condition in which they watched a video explaining a cognitive task (i.e., mental rotation), completed a mental rotation task, and completed ethnic identification, discomfort, and perceived discrimination measures. Racialized students had higher ethnic identification levels than White students. Further, students in the racial microaggression condition had increased discomfort and were more likely to perceive discrimination. Neither mental rotation task reaction time nor accuracy was affected by experiencing a microaggression. This study demonstrates that microaggressions within the classroom are perceived by students and have the potential to impact student well-being.
Open Access
Development of a pellet extruder with co-axial nozzle for 3D printing using inflatable extrudates
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Habib, Md Ahsanul; Khondoker, Mohammad; Muthu, SD Jacob; Peng, Wei
Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as one of the core components of the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0. Among others, the extrusion AM (EAM) of thermoplastic materials has been named as the most widely adopted technology. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) relies on the commercial availability of expensive filaments; hence pellet extruder-based EAM techniques are desired. Large-format EAM systems would benefit from the ability to print lightweight objects with less materials and lower power consumption which can be possible by using hollow extrudates rather than solid extrudates to print objects. In this work, we designed a custom extruder head and developed an EAM system that allows the extrusion of inflatable hollow extrudates of a relatively wide material choice. By incorporating a co-axial nozzle-needle system, a thermoplastic shell was extruded while the hollow core was generated by using pressurized Nitrogen gas. The ability to print using hollow extrudates with controllable inflation allows printing objects with gradient part density with different degrees of mechanical properties. In this article, the effect of different process parameters namely, extrusion temperature, extrusion speed, and gas pressure were studied using poly-lactic acid (PLA) pellets. Initially, a set of preliminary tests was conducted to identify the maximum and minimum ranges of these parameters that result in consistent hollow extrudates. Later, the parameters were varied to understand how they affect the core diameter and shell thickness of the hollow extrudates. These findings were supported by analyses of microscopic images taken under an optical microscope. In the next phase of our experiment, we printed an inflated cylindrical part using the process parameters derived from the initial set of experiments. We carefully compared the results with the data obtained earlier to ensure accuracy and consistency. Finally, we successfully printed an object with varying densities in different sections. Keywords: Additive Manufacturing; Extrusion Additive Manufacturing; Hollow Extrudates; Pellet Extrusion; Fused Filament Fabrication.
Open Access
Psychometric evaluation of the COVID stress scales in older adults and the impact of ageism and pain on COVID-related stress
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Arsenault, Kylie Ann; Hadjistavropoulos, Thomas; Asmundson, Gordon; Yamamoto, Susan
The literature has documented strong manifestations of ageism stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., social media posts suggesting that older adults’ deaths from COVID-19 are less tragic than younger individuals, beliefs that public health restrictions should only target older persons). Additionally, pain is highly prevalent among older adults and often limits mobility, which can exacerbate stress and pain severity during pandemics in which public health measures promote physical distancing or impose restrictions that reduce access to pain treatment. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, both ageism and pain have been identified as predictors of adverse health outcomes in older adults (e.g., stress, anxiety, functional impairment). However, the influence of ageism and pain on stress specifically within the context of COVID-19 had not been investigated among older adults. The COVID Stress Scales (CSS) is a widely used measure designed to measure multidimensional stress reactions related to the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., danger and contamination fears; socioeconomic consequences; xenophobia; compulsive checking and reassurance seeking; traumatic stress symptoms). Though the CSS has been extensively validated across cultures, its psychometric properties had not been confirmed in an older adult sample. Moreover, item response theory (IRT) analysis was needed to examine its properties at the item level with older adults. This study was aimed at addressing these gaps by validating the CSS in older adults and examining how ageism and pain impact COVID-related stress responses measured by the CSS in this population. A population-representative sample of 486 Canadian and American older adults aged ≥65 years completed an online Qualtrics survey in January 2024. Participants completed measures of COVID-related stress, pain, ageism, and social desirability. As expected, results indicate that the CSS demonstrates robust psychometric properties and has a defensible five- and six-factor model structure, though its six-factor model provides the most optimal measurement of COVID-related stress in the older adult population. All items on the CSS were also found to adequately differentiate between older adults with lower and higher levels of COVID-related stress, though some items were identified as having lower overall discriminatory efficacy. Furthermore, as expected, the extent to which older adults reported experiencing ageism was positively associated with both the combined domains of COVID-related stress and each individual domain of the CSS. Pain was also associated with the combined domains of COVID-related stress and several individual CSS domains (i.e., fear of danger; fear of socioeconomic consequences; traumatic stress symptoms; compulsive checking and reassurance seeking). Findings from this investigation highlight factors that are related to increased pandemic-related stress in older adults. This evidence can guide future treatment strategies for healthcare providers working with the older adult population in response to future waves of COVID- 19, or during other pandemics or infectious outbreaks. Additionally, this investigation confirms that the CSS is a highly reliable and valid measure which can be used by clinicians or researchers in future studies to assess pandemic-related stress experienced by older adults within the context of COVID-19 or future pandemics and determine appropriate interventions. Keywords: ageism, COVID Stress Scales, older adults, pain, pandemic-related stress
Open Access
L'efficacité du programme de l'année à l'étranger pour les étudiants de français au Ghana: perspectives des professeurs et des étudiants
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Anaglate, Joanita Aku Eyako; Akinpelu, Michael; Poplyansky, Michael
The growing interest in learning French in Ghana has become markedly noticeable. This increase can be attributed to a strategic emphasis placed on French education by the Ghanaian government, driven by the country's close proximity to francophone neighbors like Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Additionally, in April 2019, the Ghanaian government announced plans to adopt French as one of the nation's official languages, further bolstering this initiative. This study investigates the effectiveness of a Year-Abroad program in enhancing French language proficiency among students at Ghanaian universities. With a focus on oral competence, the research assesses linguistic improvements by comparing students' proficiency levels before and after their participation, utilizing the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The interest of this research lies in providing a comprehensive evaluation of the program's impact on students' academic and linguistic capabilities. Additionally, it collects evaluations from French professors to gauge the program’s effectiveness and explores the necessity of ongoing program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement. The findings aim to guide stakeholders, including educational institutions and the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, in refining the program to maximize benefits for students. This study not only influences educational policy and planning within Ghana but also offers insights for other English-speaking West African countries interested in similar language learning strategies. The ultimate goal is to determine the tangible benefits of immersive language experiences and to substantiate the allocation of resources towards such educational initiatives. Keywords: Year Abroad, French language proficiency, Language immersion, Linguistic skills, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), French as a Foreign language (FLE).
Open Access
The role of modular construction and BIM technologies in sustainable construction and demolition waste management
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Naghibalsadati, Farzin; Ng, Kelvin Tsun Wai; Wu, Peng
Construction and demolition activities significantly contribute to global waste generation, necessitating sustainable measures. This thesis explores advanced C&DW management through Building Information Modeling (BIM) and modular construction techniques. In the initial phase of the study, a comprehensive text-mining analysis of 493 scholarly publications (2009-2024) reveals key themes and temporal trends. The cooccurrence analysis identified three distinct clusters centered on C&DW management, highlighting strong correlations between "sustainability" (Links=41), "BIM" (Links=46), and "C&DW" (Links=46). Thematic development and evolution analysis indicated that during the third period (2018-2021), transversal themes included Material Passport (OCC=92) and Prefabrication (OCC=482). In the fourth period (2022-2024), transversal themes encompassed Digital Twin (OCC=44), Waste Minimization approaches in BIM (OCC=64), and Decision-Making Systems (OCC=64). Strategic diagrams and Temporal evolution mapping generated by SciMAT software illustrate the progressive integration of BIM tools like digital twins, Material Passport, Prefabrication, and Decision-Making System, offering avenues to optimize waste reduction. The subsequent part of the study explores modular construction techniques for their potential to mitigate material waste and enhance sustainability in building practices. Significant research interest since 2015, coinciding with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is observed. Keyword trends have sustained interest in recycling since 2014. Cluster and network analysis highlight "Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC)" as a high-impact theme (confidence 100%).The importance of the mechanical properties of RAC in modular construction is also emphasized.
Open Access
Investigative studies on the stability of an amine blend in the presence of exhaust gas dust (metal oxide) impurities during an amine-based CO2 capture process
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Boakye, Thomas; Idem, Raphael; Supap, Teeradet; Ibrahim, Hussameldin
This research work investigates the degradation kinetics of MEA/DMAE bi-blend solvent, with a focus on the influence of temperature, oxygen concentration, and type and amount of exhaust gas metal oxides. Utilizing a combination of experimental approaches and kinetic modeling, this study was used to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors that affect MEA/DMAE stability and degradation rates. This research commenced first, by determining the solubility of various dominant iron and steel flue gas metal oxides, namely, Fe2O3, ZnO, MnO, and Al2O3. The oxides were dissolved in a 200 ml, 5M, and 0.30 mol CO2/mol bi-blend of MEA/DMAE solvent. In decreasing order, the solubility results for ZnO, Fe2O3, MnO, and Al2O3 were 387.51 ppm, 15.96 ppm, 4.57 ppm, and 3.43 ppm, respectively. By flowing oxygen at different concentrations (balance nitrogen) through a 200 ml volume filtrate of the generated metal oxide dissolved amine solvent in a three-necked flask exposed to different absorber temperatures, a continuous 21-day lab-scale degradation experiment was carried out. Fe2O3 had the greatest influence on the degradation of a CO2-loaded bi-blend of MEA/DMAE among the metal oxides taken into consideration, followed by ZnO all based on amine degradation results in mmol/hr, accumulated amount of ammonia emissions in ppmV, and ammonia emissions rate in ppmV/hr. Based solely on which one had the most degrading effect, Fe2O3 in the concentrations of 15.96 ppm, 11.97 ppm, and 7.98 ppm was selected and used against varying temperatures (in the range of 40 oC, 50 oC, and 60 oC) and oxygen concentrations (ranging from 6%, 12%, and 18%) to explore their effects on degradation rates and ammonia emission rates. A kinetic model was developed for the DMAE degradation rate and MEA degradation rate with activation energies of 50,495.13 J/mol, and 60,310.9 J/mol respectively. The order of reactions obtained from the kinetic analysis was 1.22 and 0.98 for DMAE and MEA respectively. The results showed that DMAE degraded at a faster rate than MEA. The studies also showed an increasing trend in the rate of MEA/DMAE degradation and the rate of ammonia emissions with increasing oxygen concentration and operating temperature. A high activation energy for MEA implies that more energy (temperature) was needed to degrade MEA relative to DMAE, which had a lower activation energy. A lower order of reaction for oxygen for MEA, also implies that the impact of oxygen on MEA degradation is less than its impact on DMAE degradation. Fe2O3 therefore has a higher catalytic effect on MEA/DMAE degradation implying that upon contact with the amine solvent, the amine has a high tendency to degrade at a faster rate, causing an increase in solvent losses and an increase in the cost of solvent replacement. Further implications include corrosion, clogging, and the degraded amine's fouling of columns and piping.
Open Access
Prevalence and predictors of alcohol use disorder among Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans with military sexual trauma
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Kinsman, Laura Marie; Asmundson, Gordon J.G.; Yamamoto, Susan
Military sexual trauma (MST) is a pervasive issue that is associated with adverse psychological and physical health sequelae (e.g., chronic health conditions, mental health disorders, suicidal ideation). Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is positively associated with MST and may exacerbate physical and mental health conditions. An elevated lifetime prevalence of MST was recently reported among Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Members and Veterans. Still, research examining the relationship between MST and AUD within a Canadian context is lacking. Risk factors for AUD among CAF Members and Veterans with MST have also yet to be identified. The current thesis used the 2018 CAF Members and Veterans Mental Health Survey (n = 2,941) to assess the prevalence and predictors of AUD since 2002 among participants with lifetime MST, non-military sexual trauma (NMST), and no sexual trauma. Findings from cross tabulations revealed greater prevalence estimates of AUD among participants with any sexual trauma (MST = 21.6%, NMST = 29.2%) compared to those without sexual trauma (14.68%). Disproportionately greater prevalence estimates of AUD were found among males relative to females across all sexual trauma groups. Results of logistic regression analyses indicated that individuals with MST and NMST had significantly greater odds of AUD than those without sexual trauma. Younger age, male sex, and greater moral injury significantly predicted increased odds of AUD among all three groups. Few unique predictors of AUD were observed across the sexual trauma groups. Deployment history predicted AUD among those with MST and no sexual trauma. Lower rank predicted AUD among those with NMST and no sexual trauma. Military environment, lifetime other mental health disorders, and childhood maltreatment history were associated with significantly increased odds of AUD only among participants without sexual trauma. The current thesis determined that AUD represents a substantial issue among CAF Members and Veterans, particularly among those with military and civilian sexual trauma. This investigation contributes to the advancement of the current understanding of AUD among CAF Members and Veterans by identifying prevalence estimates of AUD and elucidating factors that enhance vulnerability to AUD among those with and without sexual trauma. These findings highlight the importance of supporting initiatives designed to prevent civilian and military sexual trauma. Additionally, the current findings suggest that screening for AUD among individuals with MST and NMST may be especially important. Keywords: military sexual trauma, alcohol use disorder, Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans
Open Access
Beam asymmetry in the reaction channel γp→ηΔ + at Glue X
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) Neelamana, Varun; Papandreou, Zisis; Lolos, George; Huber, Garth; Stevens, Justin R.; McBeth, Joyce; Watts, Dan
Photoproduction mechanisms studied in the GlueX experiment allows the mapping of light mesons in unprecedented detail with particular interest in exotic meson candidates. This is achieved by impinging an 8.2-8.8 GeV linearly polarized photon beam on a liquid hydrogen target. The measurement of beam asymmetry Σ will help constrain quasi-particle t-channel exchange processes using Regge theory. Understanding the photoproduction exchange mechanisms is a crucial ingredient in establishing hybrid and exotic photoproduced light meson states. Σ is extracted from the azimuthal angular distribution between the meson production plane and the polarized photon beam. In particular, we will report results on the beam asymmetry measurements for η in the reaction p →η Δ+. This reaction with a recoiling Δ+ will allow for comparison and validation of theoretical calculations and provide additional validation of the η asymmetry with a recoiling proton. The different isospin of the Δ+ imposes additional restrictions that further constrain allowed Regge exchanges. The results were similar to η-proton i.e Σ ≈ 1 but showed a deviation from theoretical models of the η - Δ+ especially towards higher t values. This may help guide modifications to these models for production and exchange processes involving η meson.
Open Access
Victim blaming in the courtroom: The influence of lawyer gender and style on juror decision-making
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-08) MacDonald, Katie Lynne; Yamamoto, Susan; Tottenham, Laurie Sykes; Sangster, Sarah
Despite the present Canadian laws meant to protect victims of sexual assault during the trial process, it is common for defence lawyers to employ stereotypes against the victim (a process known as “whacking”; Tanovich, 2015). It is unclear whether the gender of the defence lawyer is a determining factor in the influence of such stereotypes. Only a limited number of studies have examined the effects of lawyer gender, which yielded conflicting findings (Levi et al., 2022; Villemur & Hyde, 1983). Moreover, the previous studies did not explore whether the lawyers’ cross-examination style or the juror’s level of sexism factor into their verdict choice. This thesis extended previous literature by examining the potential impact of defence lawyer gender, cross-examination style, and jurors’ benevolent sexist attitudes on the outcomes of sexual assault trials and lawyer perceptions. A community sample (N = 212) of jury-eligible Canadians were recruited to read a mock sexual assault trial transcript. The defence lawyer’s gender (woman/man) and cross-examination content (whacking/no whacking) were manipulated. Following the trial transcript, participants delivered an individual verdict and completed measures of ambivalent sexism, rape myth acceptance, and perceived lawyer capability. Three-way interactions were not observed between lawyer gender, cross-examination style, and juror sexism on the verdict outcome or lawyer capability. However, benevolent sexism did directly predict perceptions of the defence lawyer, and the whacking manipulation indirectly affected the verdict outcome via mock jurors’ perceptions of the victim’s culpability. Of most interest, implementing the whacking tactic increased the defence lawyer’s chance at obtaining a not-guilty verdict if the lawyer and the juror were men. Keywords: Juror-decision making, lawyer gender, benevolent sexism, rape myth acceptance, sexual assault trials, victim blaming

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