UWSpace

UWSpace is the University of Waterloo’s institutional repository for the free, secure, and long-term home of research produced by faculty, students, and staff.

Depositing Theses/Dissertations or Research to UWSpace

Are you a Graduate Student depositing your thesis to UWSpace? See our Thesis Deposit Help and UWSpace Thesis FAQ pages to learn more.

Are you a Faculty or Staff member depositing research to UWSpace? See our Waterloo Research Deposit Help and Self-Archiving pages to learn more.

Photo by Waterloo staff

Communities in UWSpace

Select a community to browse its collections.

Recent Submissions

  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type: Item ,
    Sanctuaries of the Heart: Perception, Phenomenology and the Architecture of Salutogenic Healing
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-01-13) Ahsan, Rabbiya
    The thesis investigates the role of architecture as an active agent of healing by redefining salutogenic design through the lens of spatial phenomenology. It draws from the author’s own lived experience with mood disorders as well as extensive interdisciplinary research. The paper critiques historic, as well as modern healthcare approaches and treatment methods for mental health, with case studies such as Bethlem Royal Hospital and more sterile hospitals of today. In contrast, it studies the ancient healing methods that integrate the mind, body and spirit through spatial symbolism and rituals. Additionally, the project incorporates Maggie Keswick Jencks’ diaries through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis, to understand a patient’s perspective when they navigate healthcare facilities. The thesis further studies the impact of the diaries in the form of a detailed case study of the Maggie Centre. Other case studies also contribute to understanding nature, materiality and sensory experience which combine under the umbrella term of spatial phenomenology and often nurtures positive recovery. Central to this research is salutogenesis, an idea that can be reframed to fit in the architectural narrative. This results in a proposed design of a mental wellness facility, located on the banks of the Grand River, a site with rich history and ecological vitality. The design serves as a manifesto for salutogenic design, choreographing light, sound, scent, texture and time, it dissolves the Cartesian split between mind and body and creates a space which contributes actively in the healing process.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type: Item ,
    A Proteomic Analysis of Biological Sex and Health in Gurat, France
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-01-13) Sellers, Cassidy
    Paleoproteomics, the study of ancient proteins, uses mass spectrometry to identify and characterize proteins by their amino acid sequences. This thesis explores the potential of paleoproteomics to inform bioarchaeological interpretations of biological sex and health in a small medieval population from Gurat, France. Ten milligram enamel samples from six individuals excavated from a rock-cut cave church were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify proteins in enamel and evaluate their interpretive potential. The primary aim of this project was to test a modified method to investigate its ability to successfully identify amelogenin (amelogenin-X and amelogenin-Y) and immune proteins (C-reactive protein and immunoglobulin-gamma). This method was intentionally modified to reduce analytical costs and resource requirements, while remaining applicable to very small quantities of dental enamel, thereby increasing its feasibility for archaeological and ethically sensitive sampling contexts. The enamel-specific protein amelogenin was successfully identified in all six samples, allowing for proteomic estimations of biological sex to be made. In contrast, one non-enamel-specific immune protein (C-reactive protein) was identified in only one sample, reflecting uncertainty regarding the abundance and preservation of immune proteins in enamel, the immune histories of the Gurat individuals, and the sensitivity of the modified method for immune protein detection. These results highlight both the strengths and limitations of paleoproteomics, offering avenues of exploration in future directions. Above all, this thesis finds that proteomic analyses can complement osteological analyses to offer valuable insight into archaeological populations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type: Item ,
    Disaggregating Distributed PV Power From Aggregate Measurements in Transmission Systems
    (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2025-08-25) Safari, Hediyeh; Cañizares, Claudio A.; Sohm, Daniel; Ahmed, Elyas; El-Samahy, Ismael; Dusseault, Maurice
    The growing integration of Photovoltaic (PV) systems into distribution networks has limited visibility for system operators, as the power output of low-power PV systems is not typically monitored. The study presented in this paper introduces a novel approach for disaggregating PV generation from net-load measurements recorded at the transmission system level. The proposed technique is applied to actual data from an existing transmission line feeder to identify PV generation from net demand measurements. The developed methodology incorporates Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for detecting PV panels based on an algorithm that provides an accurate estimate of solar PV capacity. These estimations are validated against actual data from a local utility, showing a close match between the two. This information is then utilized in reliable software tools to simulate PV power generation in the studied region, which is then used to estimate and disaggregate the generated power from net-load data by applying multiple Machine Learning and Deep Learning models. The results demonstrate that, with the proposed approach, it is feasible to adequately disaggregate PV power generation from transmission feeder net-load measurements with minimal or no additional sensor infrastructure.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type: Item ,
    Le Projet Rideau Project : le théâtre « co-lingue », le bilinguisme officiel et le va-et-vient de la traduction
    (Erudit, 2014-12-16) Nolette, Nicole
    En 2009, le Théâtre la Catapulte, compagnie professionnelle francophone de création et de production théâtrale de la capitale nationale canadienne, montait un spectacle ambulatoire « co-lingue » où les spectateurs devaient circuler entre différents lieux du quartier central et historique du Marché By d’Ottawa. La composition de ce spectacle, le Projet Rideau Project, comptait six pièces de vingt minutes, dont trois étaient rédigées en français et trois en anglais, de six auteurs et metteurs en scène différents. Les négociations linguistiques au coeur du projet ont exigé l’apport de traducteurs de théâtre pour rééquilibrer la dynamique des langues dans le contexte de sa représentation : quatre pièces en anglais et deux pièces en français au festival de théâtre anglophone, et la proportion inverse au festival francophone. Selon sa propre appellation, « co-lingue », le Projet Rideau Project met en relief les enjeux dramaturgiques et traductologiques propres à la pratique et à la mise en scène de l’hétérolinguisme théâtral dans un contexte de bilinguisme officiel.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type: Item ,
    Balancing female basketball players’ career progression with family planning decisions
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-01-13) Miscione, Alliasen
    Abstract Background: Female professional athletes face unique challenges, including lack of funding for league improvements or player salaries, fewer opportunities in terms of exposure to or abundance of professional leagues, and gender norms that limit their engagement in professional sport careers. These limitations are exacerbated when childbearing during the peak years of their career comes into consideration. The goal of this research is to better understand the impact of family planning and pregnancy on career progression of professional female basketball players. Research Questions: This thesis examined: What impact, if any, do female basketball players believe pregnancy, giving birth, and parenting may have on their career progression? Specifically, I explored (a) What potential implications on physical performance exist because of pregnancy? (b) What financial changes do athletes anticipate pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period could bring to a career in sport? (c) What supports are necessary to help female athletes balance pregnancy and motherhood with a career in sport? Methods: This study employs a qualitative research design. Narrative inquiry was used to examine how athletes navigate decisions regarding pregnancy, childbearing, and the career progression. The study population included nine professional athletes who are considering or who have experienced childbearing, and who have or had a basketball career. Participants were recruited through personal social media accounts. Individuals were eligible for this study if they self-identified as a professional basketball player and felt they could speak on pregnancy or motherhood in sport through personal experiences. Semi-structured, individual interviews lasting approximately 45-60 minutes explored participants’ accounts regarding the factors influencing their pregnancy decisions and the effects childbearing may have on their careers. Narrative thematic analysis was used to capture common themes across interviews. Findings: Three stories were created from a compilation of participants’ accounts at three stages of the decision-making process to have children. Five participants did not have children at the time of interviews, and four participants were mothers of one or more children. First, a professional basketball player before pregnancy and motherhood, a professional basketball player after pregnancy while still competing, and lastly, a retired professional basketball player who waited until after their career was over to have children. These three stories demonstrate multiple stages of this decision and how the participants navigate the decision-making experience. These three stories also highlight four main themes within the analysis. The themes highlighted are financial insecurity and structural constraints that exist within professional women’s basketball, global mobility in sport, the body as a site of uncertainty because of pregnancy, and lastly, the stigma surrounding pregnancy and motherhood in professional sport. Many participants experienced difficulty or conflict in making decisions about pregnancy and childbearing and participants often found balancing motherhood and professional basketball challenging. Lastly, their perspectives on pregnancy and motherhood in sport was largely influenced by their personal situations and experiences and therefore is different for every athlete. Conclusions: The findings from this study contribute to understanding the unique challenges female athletes might face when making decisions about pregnancy and childbearing. The findings can also be leveraged to advocate for improved support systems and practices in professional sports to ensure female athletes who choose to become pregnant and give birth are supported in maintaining their athletic career. Ultimately, this research highlights the need for further exploration into the intersection of gender, sport, and reproductive choices.