Projets novateurs réalisés

Healthy Active Learning

Healthy Active Learning (HAL) is a government wellbeing Initiative. It has been designed to promote and improve healthy eating and physical activity in 800 schools, Kura and early learning services across New Zealand. The student intern will help collect data by visiting primary and intermediate schools (children aged 5-13 years) throughout select regions of New Zealand. The intern will also be required to undertake data analysis and data entry as required. This is a great opportunity to build global relationships in the field and get involved in a nationwide research project. The expected outcomes of this interdisciplinary initiative include the children involved making positive and informed choices surrounding physical activity and nutrition, increasing physical activity of the children, and having the children be actively and positively engaged in learning. These outcomes will be studied via comparative analysis of the data between demographics as well as longitudinal/exploratory analysis. Overall, it is hoped that the data and research generated by the study can inform future health promotion initiatives in children across the world, and can combat childhood sedentary behaviors that contribute to the global spread of chronic disease.

Années de vie ajustées par la qualité : analyse de cinq techniques d’élicitation

Parce qu’il est urgent au Québec, tout particulièrement pour l’Institut National d’Excellence en Santé et en Services Sociaux (INESSS) et la communauté des évaluateurs, de disposer d’un ensemble de valeurs d’utilités pour les états de santé de la population qui reflète ses préférences et soit basé sur les meilleures méthodes, nous proposons ce projet. Il vise ainsi à : 1) comparer différentes méthodes d’élicitation (SG et DCE) des utilités en santé utilisées dans les évaluations économiques en santé; 2) proposer une nouvelle approche (SG-MBDC) qui nous l’espérons sera en mesure de répondre plus facilement et de fournir des données de meilleure qualité

Opérationnalisation et déploiement d’un outil utilisant l’intelligence artificielle afin d’assister la prise de décision pédagogique

Videns Analytics a lancé en 2018 le projet Réussito. Ce dernier est un outil technologique qui aidera le personnel enseignant dans sa prise de décision. Pour ce faire, les commentaires de rétroaction des enseignants sont analysés, à l’aide d’intelligence artificielle, pour les classer dans plusieurs catégories ciblées par des chercheurs en éducation. Les algorithmes d’intelligence artificielle (modèle de prévision) permettent maintenant de classer les commentaires, mais ce n’est pas suffisant pour avoir un outil utilisable. Ce projet vise à réaliser l’interface pour permettre aux enseignants de fournir les données aux modèles et de visualiser le résultat des analyses. Ce projet permettra de mettre en place l’architecture nécessaire pour assurer la performance de l’outil ainsi que sa sécurité.

Geospatial-based Modeling and Prediction of Marine Bird Distribution in the Chilean Patagonia

This internship is included in a bigger perspective that aims to characterize and organize the environmental management of fjords. Based on monitoring data from 2013 to 2022, the density of around twenty bird species has been determined. Therefore, from these data it will be possible to create a geographical model to determine the presence of certain species according to the studied sectors.
With the use geographic information systems modelling tools such as MaxEnt and Forest-based Classification and Regression, the likely presence of certain species and climatic and oceanographic factors having a major influence on the distribution of birds in the territory will be determined. Other indicators will also be used to enrich the quality of the research.
The project will help understand dynamics taking place in the southernmost tip of the American continent. The elaborated models will help understand bird population repartition and will also facilitate predictions for years to come.

Lie Group Statistical Analysis of Human Movement

Statistical analysis of 3-dimensional motions of objects or humans is instrumental to establish how these motions differ, depending on various influences or parameters. When such motions involve no stretching or tearing, they may be described by the elements of the Special Euclidean Group. Statistical analysis of physical processes of this kind is complicated by the basic properties of the group; for example, by the fact that the arithmetic average of two rotations is not a rotation. Algorithms developed by Mr. Till in the course of his doctoral research to date, which exploit the unique properties of a formalism called Conformal Geometric Algebra, permit such statistical analyses to be carried out efficiently by computer despite these complications. This project will extend and generalize these algorithms to create a set of analytical tools which can be made available to a wide variety of researchers, clinicians and commercial users, who can apply them in a wide variety of statistical-discrimination and hypothesis-testing contexts while remaining focused on their own disciplines.

A feasibility study of an adapted psychosocial intervention to improve the psychosocial well-being of asylum-seekers families in Montreal—A mixed methods approach

In 2017, Canada hosted over 13 thousand asylum seekers younger than 15 years. In Canada asylum seekers wait on average for two years for the determination of their refugee status. Moreover, asylum seekers are being vulnerablized not only by pre-migration trauma, but also because of the ongoing stressors of resettlement, including legal precarity, racism, discrimination, insecure housing, and other forms of social exclusion. The need for programs that can protect and prevent mental health problems in asylum seekers families is crucial. The ‘Teaching Recovery Techniques’ (TRT) is a promising psychosocial intervention developed for children affected by war. However, little is known about how this intervention is experienced by children and parents, and how, aside from decreasing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, this intervention may support children’s resilience. Indeed, there is limited data on the cultural appropriateness of the intervention. This research will address two urgent gaps: first, the lack of preventive services on the ground for refugee claimant children and families in shelters in Montreal despite the ongoing stressors they face affecting their wellbeing and mental health; and second, the lack of data on the cultural appropriateness, safety, and meaningfulness of the TRT model.

Effective monitoring of honeybee health and pathogens

Honeybees are considered the world’s most devoted pollinators as they provide an essential ecosystem service that is vital to the maintenance of both wild plant communities and agricultural productivity. In Canada alone, the honeybee industry is worth over 4 billion dollars annually. Over the last years, beekeepers have been faced with major colony loss due to pathogen infections. Unfortunately, there is currently no easy and rapid way to detect these infections in their early stages and avoid complete loss of hives. Our team is working on developing an assay that will effectively assess the health of honeybee hives and help manage early infections.

Détection de marqueurs d’inflammation avec SPR

L’étudiant effectuera des recherches en laboratoire pour la détection de marqueurs d’inflammation.
Il utilisera la résonance plasmonique de surface pour développer des capteurs pour les protéines associées à l’inflammation.

Evaluating grid modernization pathways, opportunities and emissions impacts

Across Canada, electricity is becoming a scarce resource as there are increasingly urgent calls to electrify fossil fuel loads. Furthermore, even if ample generation is present, the electrical grid will be unable to accommodate the increased demand. This research project will propose and investigate tangible solutions to optimize the power flow and usage within the distribution network so that existing electrical grid infrastructure will be able to deliver more energy with fewer losses, while ensuring the grid remains safe and stable. One of the interns will investigate best practices and methods to implement protection systems for bi-directional power flow within distribution networks. A second intern will investigate voltage control strategies to maximize the energy that the grid can deliver. A third and fourth intern will evaluate electrification initiatives, such as replacing furnaces with heat pumps, and demand management to minimize emissions in terms of cost and energy required.

NAIT Co-Op Student SRO learning Program

Northern Asset Management is a holistic financial advisory and investment planning practice with a specialization in working with individuals on retirement and estate planning needs. The practice works with clients across Canada, helping them to achieve their financial goals and maintain their financial health. As such we are bound by many regulatory bodies of which the Canadian Investment Industry is merging its two Self Regulatory Bodies into one as of Jan 1, 2023. this project will be to learn and assist in the management of new regulations affecting the firm’s clients as we move forward in their financial health futures. The student will help with day-to-day operations as well as helping learn the new rules so all clients managed by the firm are conforming with the new regulations laid out by the Canadian securities administration. There is a vast integration of products that were previously only used by institutions that will now be available to the public. The student will work with the senior planner to integrate new options to clients to provide them the best financial future available at the lowest risk possible.

Multi-Category Classification Confidence for AdContextualization

This project studies Machine Learning algorithms for multi-category document classification. The purpose is to effectively predict user’s behavior based on the contextualization of the advertising and the associated document and therefore, to increase the click rate and the success of a dynamical advertising campaign.
Due to the nature of the World Wide Web, the feature sets for the classification is extremely large. However, many learning algorithms don’t perform well with large number of features or attributes. Feature selection technique is necessary to avoid overfitting and provide faster and more cost-effective learning models. The focus of our study will be on the process and methods of feature generation and selection. We will also study the effectiveness of different learning algorithms such as the Naïve Bayes classification, Support Vector Machines and Neural Networks in this particular application area. The work will directly contribute to the business of the industry partner and also generate research achievement academically.

Seniors Fair Develoment and Social Media Campaign Strategy

Central Lions Seniors Association (CLSA) is an organization led by volunteers with an operational staff of 6. CLSA exists to encourage, promote, and provide opportunities through recreation, education, and socializing to enhance the well-being of persons aged 55 and older. The organization plays host to 1800 users and a daycare for seniors. Our Association offers sports, fitness, art, music, health and wellness presentations, general interest courses, cards, games, crafts, and social events that bring people over 55 together in a safe and supportive environment.

“Although there is substantial evidence about the many contributions that older people make to their societies, they are frequently stereotyped as dependent, frail, out of touch, or a burden. These ageist attitudes limit older people’s freedom to live the lives they choose and our capacity to capitalize on the great human capacity that older people represent” (WHO, 2015). However, opportunities for and contributions by seniors depend on their health. Educational activities are strategies for enhancing health outcomes and eliminating ageism (WHO, 2022, Ageing Canada.). To support the seniors, CLSA is planning, 1) a Health and Wellness Fair intended to provide education and activities for seniors and 2) the development and implementation of a social media campaign using seniors’ experiences and stories to address ageism.

An intern is needed to increase capacity for CLSA to execute the project. With a staff of 6 and financial constrains due to COVID, an intern can greatly enhance our ability to execute the project effectively and efficiently.