The Toronto and Region Area of Concern (TRAOC) has been one of the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes posing health risks to millions of people. The Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has made significant progress towards restoring the system and meeting the delisting targets. Yet, several critical questions still need to be addressed, such as: How close is the Toronto ecosystem currently to meeting the TRAOC RAP delisting criteria? What additional research and assessment will be required to guide remedial actions? Which attributes best reflect the integrity and health of the ecosystem?

The objective of this project is to develop a computational simulation model designed to determine how the resource-extraction industries of oil, gas and forestry influence woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) habitat selection and use in west central Alberta. Specifically, an agent-based model will simulate caribou as individual agents that 1) are capable of making trade-off decisions to maximize their reproductive success and survival, 2) are spatially aware of their surrounding environment, and 3) can learn where to forage, while concurrently avoiding predators and habitat disturbance.

The objective of this research project is to improve the definition of extinction-risk for Pacific salmon species by determining which extinction-risk criteria best reflect the chance of quasi-extinction (extremely low abundance) for the individual conservation units (CUs), which are spatially-defined management units. Two sets of evaluation criteria will be used; those developed for Canadian biota by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, and another set developed by the intern.

The operation of a fuel cell to produce electricity requires a number of components outside the fuel cell stack itself. One key component is the humidifier. Proper operation of a Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell requires a certain humidity level to be maintained in the membrane(s) present in the stack; the humidifier fulfills this requirement by transferring moisture from the exhaust gas stream to the inbound fuel, as well as increasing efficiency by preheating the fuel with waste heat in the exhaust.

Biodiversity is critical in mediating, and even preventing, the spread of emerging zoonotic diseases, or diseases that are transmissible from wildlife to human populations. These include avian flu and Hantavirus. Understanding how threats to biodiversity conservation may also threaten human health is urgent, particularly as human development, changing environmental conditions and global trade are facilitating the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases.