From the Networks of Centres of Excellence of Canada website

Working in a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary field requires collaborative and innovative thinking from all members of the team. For Dr. Irene Herremans of the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, the combination of her research in environmental management and business analysis requires such an academic environment to not just work, but to thrive.  So when she accepted two Mitacs Globalink students to study with her in summer 2012, it was vital that the students she hosted be the crème of the crop.

For Dr. Stephen Chen, Mitacs-Accelerate has helped him turn theoretical, academic research into commercial benefits

After completing his PhD in Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, he worked at IBM before moving to York University to take up a position at the School of Information Technology in 2001 where he is now an Associate Professor.

Less than half of all tree species now growing in urban areas around the world are native to the local environment.  While imported tree species are chosen for aesthetic reasons, it has a huge impact on wildlife.

Native trees are known to support local ecosystems much more effectively, providing a home and food source for local insects and wildlife.  But the exact benefit of using native trees has never been studied in Canada.

Ever since discovering the Mitacs-Accelerate program, Dr. Jon Rokne has shared his research knowledge with companies outside of university.

Originally from Norway, he moved to Canada 1964 and completed a Masters of Science and a PhD in Mathematics at the University of Calgary, before joining the Department of Computer Science at the university as a professor.

Dr. Yonghao Ni values international research connections and strives to incorporate them into every aspect of the Limerick Pulp and Paper Centre at the University of New Brunswick. His team of researchers is studying and developing bio chemicals/ materials using waste streams from pulp and paper mills, among other projects related to the advancement and efficiency of pulp and paper products. Though Dr.

Many regions of Canada are prone to earthquakes.  Strict building codes introduced in British Columbia in the 1980s mean newer buildings have been designed to withstand a seismic event.  However, many older structures built before these rules were created may be at risk of damage or collapse.  These buildings need to be surveyed and then retrofitted with extra support to improve their stability, a process that requires unique engineering expertise.

When it comes to medical imaging technology, accuracy is the number one priority for manufacturers, medical technicians and patients alike.  Dr. Christian Desrosiers and his research team at École de Technologie Supérieure in Montréal uses machine learning and data analysis to advance the accuracy of those machines such Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners.  In such a cutting-edge research field, it is equally important to have new students that could carry the torch and further advance the body of knowledge.

Thousands of Canadians with mobility challenges rely on wheelchairs every day.  While they offer an independent mode of transport, accidents involving wheelchairs can have significant repercussions, with users often being seniors, people with disabilities or those vulnerable to more serious injury.

Airbags have been widely used to prevent injuries in automobile accidents for many years and Vancouver-based Mobisafe Systems Inc. has been examining ways to make wheelchairs safer using similar technology.

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has changed the way we navigate the world.  It can now be found in our smart phones, in many cars, and can be used to track anything from aircraft to lost bushwalkers.

But GPS has one major drawback which limits its use – it doesn’t work accurately indoors.  Because it relies on signals from satellites, accuracy is also compromised when trying to navigate between tall buildings in urban areas, or under dense foliage.