HARVEST
University of Saskatchewan's Repository for Research, Scholarship, and Artistic Work
Welcome to HARVEST, the repository for research, scholarship, and artistic work created by the University of Saskatchewan community. Browse our collections below or find out more and submit your work.
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Recent Submissions
Improving Temporal Resolution and Spatial Coverage of SuperDARN Radars using Wide Transmission Beams and Multistatic Operation
(2025-04-29) Rohel, Remington A; McWilliams, Kathryn; Hussey, Glenn; Ponomarenko, Pasha; Boland, Mark; Bourassa, Adam; Morozov, Igor
The recently developed Borealis digital radar system for Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) radars has the potential to vastly improved the resolution of retrieved ionospheric data. The standard common operating mode for SuperDARN radars scans sequentially through 16 or 24 beam directions over the course of one minute. The data from each radar are combined to generate maps of plasma drift in each hemisphere, from which the global ionospheric plasma convection pattern and hemispheric electric potentials are estimated. The network has been operational for over 30 years, providing an unparalleled historic dataset. The work presented in this thesis improves upon the standard common operating mode through increasing temporal resolution and extending spatial coverage of SuperDARN radars, enabling high resolution data collection with the potential to increase data rates by two orders of magnitude.
The first improvement to the common operating mode was achieved through broadening the transmitter beam pattern to illuminate the entire radar field of view at once, thereby enabling simultaneous sampling of all receiver beam directions. Broadening the beam decreased the peak directivity and increased the relative side lobe level. Given the high signal-to-noise ratio of signals received by SuperDARN radars, the decrease in peak directivity only marginally impacts data quality. The increased side lobe levels have been remedied through applying an amplitude taper to individual antenna signals during beamforming. The second improvement to the common operating mode is achieved through multistatic radar operation. Implementation of pulse sequence synchronization between different sites provided the necessary timing stability for multistatic operations. A geolocation model for single-hop ionospheric scatter of HF waves at high latitudes was derived for bistatic radars, and shown to converge in the case of a monostatic radar.
The decrease in scan duration achieved by transmitter beam spoiling increases data production sixteen-fold, increasing temporal resolution without sacrificing spatial coverage. A full-day experiment utilizing a multistatic configuration with one transmitting radar and three receiving radars yielded a 114% increase in spatial coverage over single-site monostatic operation, plus additional independent measurements in 81% of single-site scattering locations.
The new operating modes are a significant improvement to SuperDARN radar capabilities. To further advance this work, transmitter calibration, transmitted power modulation, optimization of beam patterns, interferometry, and multi-hop multistatic geolocation could be explored.
A Rethinking of Mathematical Proficiency: Lessons Learned From Noticing Mathematical Missteps Situated In Science
(2025-04-28) Huber, Kyra Jeaniece; Chernoff, Egan; McKee, Lori; Molnar, Tim; Postnikoff, Derek
This thesis investigates the recurring phenomenon I experienced as a teacher when students made seemingly trivial yet significant math mistakes in science class that they could not justify, despite demonstrating proficiency in the same skill during math lessons. This study utilizes a multiple-case study methodology with narrative methods, drawing on Mason’s (2002) noticing framework during data collection. I documented my experiences through field notes, focusing on instances where students made small, unexplainable math errors in science. I developed these observations into narrative-style vignettes, called Episodes, to represent the situations as I experienced them while preserving student anonymity.
Using abductive reasoning, I analyzed each vignette individually, grounding my interpretations in existing literature. Following the multiple-case study approach, I then conducted cross-case analysis to identify broader themes and patterns. This iterative process involved forming hypotheses, testing them against relevant literature, and refining conclusions.
The analysis reveals that the students I observed in my study appear to primarily rely on secondary intuitions, as defined by Fischbein (1987), as their main form of mathematics knowledge. These secondary intuitions emerge from prior mathematical instruction emphasizing procedural proficiency over conceptual understanding. While these intuitions can create the appearance of proficiency in math class, they break down in science contexts where flexible, nonlinear thinking is required. This finding suggests that procedural, intuitive knowledge alone is not transferrable to new learning environments, exposing gaps in conceptual understanding when students face unfamiliar contexts.
These results raise critical concerns about how mathematical proficiency is defined and assessed. This study highlights the importance of prioritizing conceptual understanding in math education and fostering cross-curricular connections to improve students’ ability to apply their knowledge in diverse contexts. By addressing these issues, educators can better prepare students to engage with complex, interdisciplinary problem-solving and ensure a more comprehensive understanding of mathematics.
School Food Operation Models: Program Typologies
(University of Saskatchewan, 2025-04-28) Ruetz, Amberley; Foster, Stefanie; Engler-Stringer, Rachel
In April 2024, the Government of Canada announced the establishment of a National School Food Program with a funding commitment of one billion dollars over five years. Then, in June 2024, they released a National School Food Policy that will frame the development of the program as it is established.
To date, there has been little research examining how programs operate. To develop a nationally-harmonised program consistent with the new National School Food Policy,there is a need for an in-depth understanding of how school food models operate. The purpose of this project was to adapt, detail, and validate preliminary SFP operation models – food procurement, production and service - developed from case studies of promising programs across Canada, see the School Food Programs in Canada – 15 Promising Cases report for more information. The school food operation models – which we collectively refer to as school food typologies - can help inform Canada’s National School Food Program, a comprehensive national research framework for Canada, as well as other country's programs.
This report also acts as a supplement to the University of Saskatchewan's School Food How To Guide: Operations and Costing manual.
“WE HELP OURSELVES”: SELF-TREATMENT USING MEDICINAL PLANTS AMONG Q’EQCHI’ MAYA VILLAGERS OF SOUTHERN BELIZE
(2025-04-28) Gowan, Michelle Lynn; Downe, Pamela; Stuart, Glenn; Natcher, David; Nomokonova, Tatiana
This thesis explores the role and significance of self-treatment using medicinal plants in the health care and lives of Q’eqchi’ villagers in southern Belize. Grounded in medical anthropology, this research employs a community-based ethnographic approach, including participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and participant-led plant walks, to explore medicinal plant use in Q’eqchi’ health practices across three key areas of inquiry: (1) the nature and extent of medicinal plant knowledge and use at the household level; (2) the transmission and acquisition of medicinal plant knowledge among Q’eqchi’ villagers; and (3) the moments when medicinal plant use is employed as a health-seeking behaviour. Using assemblage thinking to explore how medicinal plants are “made” within and, in turn, “make” Q’eqchi’ lives, this research reveals that medicinal plants occupy a central role across the material, social, and political dimensions that define Q’eqchi’ health and well-being. First, the material role of medicinal plants in managing diverse ailments within the Q’eqchi’ popular health sector is revealed through plant walks conducted with a selected sample of participants, which identified an estimated 82 unique plants used to address 75 distinct health problems. Second, the social role of medicinal plants is highlighted through diverse learning pathways, in which the transmission of plant knowledge occurs across socio-spatial networks where empirical knowledge is cultivated and expressed, constituting a form of collective care. This knowledge transmission underscores the importance of kin and community relationships, as well as traditional settlement patterns sustained by land access, in supporting Q’eqchi’ health and well-being. Finally, the political role of medicinal plants emerges in their capacity to assert both bodily and political autonomy, where medicinal plant use becomes an act of resistance, enabling Q’eqchi’ villagers to reclaim agency over their health in the face of socio-economic and political barriers that create and exacerbate sickness and threaten well-being.
Fairness In Classroom Assessments at Individual and National Culture Levels: A Cross-Cultural Empirical Examination
(2025-04-28) Fazeli Falavarjani, Mehrdad; Wotherspoon, Terry; Squires, Vikki; Seitz, Paolina; Teucher, Ulrich; Louis Volante, Louis
This dissertation examines, for the first time, the effect of cultural values on students' perceptions of (un)fairness in classroom assessments (CA) across two phases, considering both individual and national culture levels. Hofstede’s cultural framework and organizational justice theory serve as the central theoretical foundation for this dissertation. Empirically, a two-phase quantitative methodological study was conducted. Phase I utilized a comprehensive survey distributed among all five U15 institutions—University of Saskatchewan, University of Manitoba, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of British Columbia—via the SurveyMonkey platform (N=626). After accounting for the direct impact of demographic characteristics, the results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that both the power-distance index and the uncertainty-avoidance index significantly predicted students’ perceptions of CA (un)fairness. In Phase II, the findings from Phase I were extended to the national culture level using two achieved datasets: the 2015 PISA (i.e., Programme for International Student Assessment) and the 2015 Hofstede datasets. After matching the data from both archived datasets, 60,004 students from 2,957 schools across 20 countries participated in this phase. The results of the HLM analysis indicated that none of the cultural values predicted students’ perceptions of CA (un)fairness at the national culture level. Overall, the findings from both phases of this dissertation demonstrate that various variables, including cultural values (i.e., power distance and uncertainty avoidance) at the individual level, significantly predict shaping the student’s perception of CA (un)fairness. These individual-level variables include demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, SES, immigrant status), psychosocial predictors (i.e., test anxiety, achievement motivation, experience with bullying), classroom predictors (i.e., perceived feedback, adaptive instruction, teacher support), and cultural values (i.e., power distance and uncertainty avoidance). The findings reveal significant variations in perceived fairness in CA contexts linked to these factors, providing insights into how assessment practices can be enhanced to align with diverse student needs. This study contributes to a broader understanding of CA fairness in educational contexts, offering actionable recommendations for educators and policymakers to promote equitable and culturally responsive assessment environments.
Towards the End of the Century: Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Modeling for Lake Diefenbaker in the Presence of Climate Change
(2025-04-25) Vatanparast, Maryam; Lindenschmidt, Karl Erich; Ireson , Andrew; Terry, Julie; Sadeghian, Amir; Rodriguez, Erasmo
This study examines how climate change affects the water quality of Lake Diefenbaker, a water reservoir in Saskatchewan that supplies water to more than a million people. The focus is on key water quality parameters, including temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Phosphorus (TP). For this purpose, a robust framework for modeling water quality using the CE-QUAL-W2 model is established to simulate conditions up to the late 21st century and analyze potential climatic effects on the lake's water quality. The model was calibrated and validated using observed data. The MESH (Modélisation Environnementale communautaire – Surface Hydrology) hydrological model provided inflow and outflow data from 2011 to 2100 as inputs for the CE-QUAL-W2 model.
Future scenarios for 2041-2050 and 2081-2090 are projected using the SSP5-8.5 climate scenario and nutrient concentrations from the SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed Attributes) model. Two strategic locations near Gardiner and Qu’Appelle Dams were selected for detailed analysis, focusing on the epilimnion, metalimnion, and hypolimnion layers. The findings suggest alterations in water quality towards the end of the century. Water temperatures are predicted to increase by up to 4°C during the summer and fall seasons, with a corresponding 20% decrease expected for DO levels – particularly evident towards late summer – posing a greater threat for hypoxia. TN and TP concentrations are projected to nearly double, increasing the risk of eutrophication.
The findings of this study highlight the risk of water quality degradation in the presence of future climate conditions. These findings emphasize the necessity to develop adaptive water management strategies to help Lake Diefenbaker continue to be a vital water resource for various uses. The model’s results will also provide insights for studies on other connected water systems downstream of Gardiner Dam and Qu’Appelle Dams.
International Perspective of Pharmacists' Role in Transplant
(2025-04-25) Loureiro Orsi, Gabriela; Mansell, Holly; Rosaasen, Nicola; Taylor, Jeff; Mainra, Rahul; Dadachova, Kate
ABSTRACT
Background: Pharmacotherapy for solid organ transplant recipients is complex. Pharmacists are recognized as part of the transplant team in the USA, but in other countries the role is less defined. Our objectives were to identify which countries have transplant pharmacists and to describe their role in solid organ transplant care.
Methods: An internet search identified contact information for solid organ transplant centers in countries other than the USA. (Search=country name + transplant + center OR institution OR program). Institutions were emailed a survey in one of their official languages (39 translations) to determine if they had a transplant pharmacist (Survey 1). Snowball distribution was undertaken via transplant networks. If ‘yes’, institutions were asked to share another electronic survey with pharmacists (Survey 2). If ‘no’, they were asked why. Survey 2 for pharmacists had 4 sections: demographics; assessment of roles; barriers to providing care; interest in joining a network. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.
Results: Of 194 countries identified by the World Health Organization, 128 (65.8%) performed solid organ transplants. Survey 1 (sent to 1726 institutions) received responses from 131 institutions/42 countries. Survey 2 received responses from 157 pharmacists in 17 countries other than the USA and 54 from pharmacists in the USA. Of 43 countries responding in total, 41.9% had transplant pharmacists, 21% supplied mixed responses, and 37.2% did not; the most common reason was that pharmacists did not routinely provide clinical care. Most pharmacist respondents from countries other than the USA (n=157) were licensed for 6 to 10 years (26.3%), didn’t have specialized transplant training (88.4%) and provided inpatient care (86.6%). Nearly all were confident in their ability to provide solid organ transplant care (94%) and perceived a demand for solid organ transplant pharmacists (94%). Having a variety of duties leaving insufficient time was the most common barrier (59%). In contrast, 72.5% of pharmacists from the USA had clinical training. Almost half of participants from non-US countries (47%), and majority of participants from the USA (70.4%) demonstrated interest in joining a network.
Conclusion: Transplant pharmacists are present in many countries and successes and barriers are identified. A professional network may facilitate international collaborations.
Precision medicine within health professions education:Defining a research agenda for emergency medicine using aforesight and strategy technique (FaST) review
(Wiley, 2024-05-19) Chan, Teresa M.; Thoma, Brent; Finnell, John T.; Gordon, Bradley D.; Farrell, Susan; Pusic, Martin; Cabrera, Daniel; Gisondi, Michael A.; Caretta-Weyer, Holly A.; Stave, Christopher; Ankel, Felix
Background
Precision medicine, sometimes referred to as personalized medicine, is rapidly changing the possibilities for how people will engage health care in the near future. As technology to support precision medicine exponentially develops, there is an urgent need to proactively improve our understanding of precision medicine and pose important research questions (RQs) related to its inclusion in the education and training of future emergency physicians.
Methods
A seven-step process was employed to develop a research agenda exploring the intersection of precision and emergency medicine education/training. A literature search of articles about precision medicine was conducted first, which informed the creation of future four scenarios in which trainees and practicing physicians regularly discuss and incorporate precision medicine tools into their discussions and work. Based on these futurist narratives, potential education RQs were generated by an expert panel. A total of 59 initial questions were subsequently categorized and refined to a priority list through a nominal group voting method. The top/priority questions were presented at the 2023 SAEM Consensus Conference on Precision Medicine, Austin, Texas, for further input.
Results
Eight high-value education RQs were developed, reflecting a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities for precision medicine education in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes relevant to emergency medicine. These questions contend with topics such as most effective pedagogical methods; intended resulting outcomes and behaviors; the generational differences between practicing emergency physicians, educators, and future trainees; and the desires and expectations of patients.
Conclusions
Emergency medicine and emergency physicians must be prepared to understand precision medicine and incorporate this information into their “toolbox” of thinking, problem solving, and communication with patients and colleagues. This research agenda on how best to educate future emergency physicians in the use of personalized data to provide optimal health care is the focus of this article.
Competence By Design: a transformational national model of time-variable competency-based postgraduate medical education
(Ubiquity Press, 2024-03-18) Frank, Jason R.; Sherbino, Jonathan; Atkinson, Adelle; Snell, Linda; Atkinson, Adelle; Oswald, Anna; Hall, Andrew Koch; Cooke, Lara; Dojeiji, Sue; Richardson, Denyse; Cheung, Warren J.; Cavalcanti, Rodrigo B.; Dalseg, Timothy; Thoma, Brent; Flynn, Leslie; Gofton, Wade; Dudek, Nancy; Bhanji, Farhan; Wong, Brian M.-F.; Razak, Saleem; Anderson, Robert; Dubois, Daniel; Boucher, Andree; Gomes, Marcio M.; Taber, Sarah; Gorman, Lisa J.; Fulford, Jane; Naik, Viren; Harris, Kenneth A.; Croix, Rhonda St.; Melle, Elaine Van
Postgraduate medical education is an essential societal enterprise that prepares highly skilled physicians for the health workforce. In recent years, PGME systems have been criticized worldwide for problems with variable graduate abilities, concerns about patient safety, and issues with teaching and assessment methods. In response, competency based medical education approaches, with an emphasis on graduate outcomes, have been proposed as the direction for 21st century health profession education. However, there are few published models of large-scale implementation of these approaches. We describe the rationale and design for a national, time-variable competency-based multi-specialty system for postgraduate medical education called Competence by Design. Fourteen innovations were bundled to create this new system, using the Van Melle Core Components of competency based medical education as the basis for the transformation. The successful execution of this transformational training system shows competency based medical education can be implemented at scale. The lessons learned in the early implementation of Competence by Design can inform competency based medical education innovation efforts across professions worldwide.
Fenton-Based Treatment of Flax Biomass for Modification of Its Fiber Structure and Physicochemical Properties
(MDPI, 2024-07-15) Aliasgharlou, Nasrin; Cree, Duncan E.; Wilson, Lee
The availability of a sustainable technique for degumming lignocellulose fibers is a challenge for the fiber processing industry. Removal of non-cellulosic content from lignocellulose fibers is essential for improving their mechanical and chemical properties, which makes the fibers more suitable for various applications. Herein, a catalytic Fenton-based oxidation process was employed to isolate microcellulose fibers from raw flax fibers. Various complementary methods such as FT-IR/NMR spectroscopy and TGA were used to obtain insight into the thermal behavior of the treated fibers. The morphology of the fibers was studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), whereas the surface chemical properties of the fibers was evaluated by a dye-based adsorption method, along with a potentiometric point-of-zero-charge method. To obtain fibers with suitable properties, such as uniform fiber diameter, several Fenton reaction parameters were optimized: pH (7), reaction time (15 h), iron sulfate (2 wt.%), and hydrogen peroxide (10 wt.%). The results indicate that, under the specified conditions, the average diameter of the raw fibers (12.3 ± 0.5 µm) was reduced by 58%, resulting in an average diameter of 5.2 ± 0.3 µm for the treated fibers. We demonstrate that the treated fibers had a lower dye adsorption capacity for methylene blue, consistent with the smoother surface features of the treated fibers over the raw flax fibers. Overall, this study contributes to utilization of the Fenton reaction an efficient oxidation technique for the production of lignocellulose fibers with improved physicochemical properties, such as reduced fiber diameter distribution, in contrast with traditional alkali-based chemical treatment.