The Internet is the decisive technology of the Information Age. This global network of computer systems, largely based on platforms of wireless and near instant communication, provides limitless opportunities for multimodal interaction in chosen time, transcending space. Increasingly driven by the need to constantly produce greater amounts of information and knowledge, the Internet transmits data at higher and higher speeds over fibre optic networks and its impact on culture and commerce has fundamentally altered the way we live, work, and interact. 

When Vladyslav Los, an undergraduate student at RWTH Aachen University, in Germany, applied to the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship program, he knew he wanted to study in the area of quantum physics and quantum computing. It was during an interview with Dr. Adrian Lupascu, Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing, that he began to see an exciting path forward.

Dr. Lupascu had a project for an intern that wanted to look at how to do optimal control in multi-level systems, or how to control quantum systems that have multiple states.

With the goal of reducing the risk of arsenic contamination in drinking water, American chemical engineering student Andrea Green is helping a University of Victoria (UVic) lab create a rapid, low-cost, and reliable detection test using a cellphone — all from the comfort of her home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Indumathi Prakash, a 21-year-old undergraduate student at Harvard University, is working remotely from home under the guidance of Dr. Robert Colautti, who heads a lab at Queen’s University devoted to the study of genetics and biological invasions. Prakash is helping to develop a first-of-its-kind device to quickly extract and purify DNA from ticks in the field as part of a project for rapid detection of pathogens using on-the-spot gene sequencing.

Screening for lung cancer may soon be as routine as having your blood pressure taken and as convenient as picking up your prescriptions, thanks to a breakthrough innovation by a Moncton-based company. 

As a result of the AI and machine learning expertise of University of New Brunswick biomedical engineering master’s student and Mitacs intern Robyn Larracy, biotech firm Picomole Inc. has developed a first-of-its-kind screening tool that makes lung cancer detection as simple as breathing into a tube. The innovation is expected to be commercialized as early as 2024. 

A recipient of the World Economic Forum 2015 Technology Pioneer Award, Vancouver-based quantum computing company 1QBit is a leader among the most promising technology companies. The company works closely with Fortune 500 clients and leading hardware providers to solve problems in the areas of optimization, simulation, and machine learning. 

In urgent situations like natural disasters — or even the current pandemic — Canadian first-response teams rely on mobile radio systems to communicate in a fast and secure way. Manufacturers globally also use radio systems in their production plants. Enabling radio communications requires a complex infrastructure with hundreds of thousands of radio repeater sites spread across North America and the globe.

With the cost of living sky-rocketing and incomes lagging, it’s no wonder why people are anxious about their financial futures.

No one teaches you this stuff in high school. But there will soon be an app for that, thanks in part to recent York University research funded by Mitacs.

“Most Canadians don’t have a tool to optimize their investments and only the wealthiest Canadians have access to professional financial advice. But everyone needs a solid plan for retirement,” says Dr. Michael Chen, Professor of Mathematics at York University.

Karthik, an undergraduate student at National Institute of Technology in Hamirpur in India, has joined Associate Professor Andrew Park this summer for a 12-week Mitacs Globalink research internship. He’s helping to develop an algorithm that can accurately and precisely identify the most likely location of a potential sniper attack on a public gathering.

With one in four recent Canadian STEM graduates leaving the country, citing better job opportunities abroad*, talent migration affects us all. A shortage of talent in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math constrains Canada’s potential for economic diversity, development, and innovation.

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) may have found a solution to Canadian brain drain. Its research and development unit, Borealis AI, supports innovation through scientific study and exploration in machine learning and artificial intelligence.