This project involves researching and developing templates for heritage conservation plans and temporary protection plans to manage impacts to cultural heritage resources, such as historic buildings and landscapes.

This project examines the feasibility of low-cost evolutionary housing strategies to accommodate changing uses in Canada. It is a partnership between the University of Waterloo school of Architecture and architect John van Nostrand who has developed numerous prototypes for evolutionary housing in Canada and internationally. The research will begin with an analysis of existing prototypes in order to develop best practices.

Humic Land is a 100% organic fertilizer that was produced from black peat using innovative technology that protects live soil microorganisms. It contains complex organic compounds known as humic substances and a microbial consortia that can biologically promote the growth of field crops. Since corn plants that obtain a balanced nutrient supply from the soil microbiome are expected to grow larger and have faster phenological development, compared to their counterparts that have a suboptimal nutritional balance, we evaluated the agronomic performance of Humic Land on field-grown corn.

The New Brunswick Multicultural Council is the developer and coordinator for the Creating Inclusive Workplaces and Communities training program, and this organization is in the process of developing an anti-racism training program.

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive insect from Asia that was detected in Ontario in 2002 and has caused severe declines in ash trees. EAB is able to kill a healthy ash tree in 3-4 years and has caused declines of up to 99% in some areas 8-10 years after arriving. Although there is substantial research on EAB and its impacts, there is not a lot of research on the aftermath of EAB. Credit Valley Conservation, a conservation authority in Ontario, has noticed an abundance of invasive plants and ash regeneration in areas impacted by EAB.

In this project the intern will preform detailed geological mapping and where available drill core logging at a series of sites of known highly metalliferous shales in the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories. This will be followed by detailed reflected and transmitted light optical microscopy. Select samples will be further analysed using scanning electron microscope. This will allow comparisons of these less well understood occurrences (Rod, Van, Harvest, Harlot, and Harlow properties) with the better understood occurrences elsewhere in Yukon and China.

This project shows the possibility of decreasing the power consumption of Industrial robotics. Design methodology for Intelligent Energy Management for Production Facilities with Robotics Automation [IEMPRA] is proposed to Cherkam, by predicting the energy consumption over the energy model, which delivers a guide to enable energy-efficient approaches. The total energy consumption is evaluated using ML and optimization of the robotic is described to propose a design interfaces with robotics and automation systems.

Blockchains have evolved from an obscure technology powering bitcoin to a multi-billion- dollar research area. From the financial tech industry, healthcare, digital identities, and government services, blockchains are touted as a revolutionary new mechanism for communication and transactions. As popularity in blockchain technology increases, many are left in the dark as to how this technology works, why it is important in preserving privacy, and how it can be used.

The advent of blockchain technology has revolutionized the perception of modern payment systems. However, in such a system securely managing one’s wallet is a challenging issue. A typical user has access to a suitable wallet software and uses it to authenticate transactions. As wallets generate digital signatures, it requires an access to the private key of the user. The presence of a key in a system which often comes online increases its vulnerability - when a wallet is hacked then essentially the private key is lost and so is the money associated with it.

The proposed study will focus on extending the Wilden Living Lab (WLL) Research Program by constructing a net-zero house (as the third house of the program) with new material combinations and construction practice. A post occupancy evaluation will be conducted to identify cost-effective material selection tools for building energy-efficient detached homes. Accordingly, a net-zero house will be built in collaboration with the partners, and the user behavioral data will be monitored and assessed for the next 3 years.