Projets novateurs réalisés

Développement d’une méthode d’extraction et de purification de l’acide hyaluronique et du collagène dans les résidus de coquille d’œuf.

La gestion des résidus de coquilles d’oeufs est un enjeu important pour tous les producteurs avicoles. Cette matière à l’état brute possède peu de valeur ajoutée et est sous-exploitée alors que cette dernière renferment plusieurs composés d’intérêts pour les marchés alimentaires, cosmétiques et thérapeutiques. Le projet collaboratif entre le Couvoir Jolibec (1994) Inc. et l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) vise à contribuer à l’émergence d’une voie de valorisation de ces coquilles, une filière encore absente au Québec. Ce projet, qui sera mené par une stagiaire universitaire, permettra de développer des méthodes d’extraction et de purification des biopolymères d’intérêts contenus dans les coquilles d’œuf afin d’obtenir des ingrédients biosourcés en forte demande, pouvant être inclus dans la formulation de produits de soins corporels, produits cosmétiques ou encore comme additifs alimentaires. Ce projet permettra d’une part de valoriser des «déchets» de l’industrie et d’autre part d’offrir un avantage économique aux acteurs de la filière. Finalement, ce projet contribuera significativement à la formation de main d’œuvre qualifiée grâce au stage en recherche appliquée qui se déroulera à la fois en industrie et dans les laboratoires de l’UQTR.

Beaufort Solutions Inc. Software Development and Quality Assurance Project with Masters Level Computer Science Students

Beaufort Solutions is a software development company located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador with software products available via Mobile, Websites or Photo Kiosks. Our software combines responsive design, e-commerce ready platforms and robust promo engines. We have a growing customer base in Canada, the US and Europe that include Costco and Shoppers Drug Mart. Our software technologies and solutions enable, drive and support the transformation of digital media into high margin gifting merchandise.

In order for us to remain competitive and provide best in-class products, we need to build a more robust product that has a stronger integration between Development and QA. By adding better tools and procedures to our product, we will be able to improve the user experience for our customers by delivering better management and reporting functionality in our software. We have identified 2 interns with expertise in this area who will be able to work on this. This project is key to us will enable us to innovate our product with enhancements for increased market penetration.

The project will involve both working with the QA and Development teams.

Enhancing access and engagement in pediatric telerehabilitation for children with disabilities and their families

For children with disabilities, receiving therapy services is important to supporting development and participation. In Ontario, publicly-funded children’s rehabilitation services are offered through organizations called Children’s Treatment Centres (CTCs). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, appointments at CTCs primarily occurred face-to-face. COVID-19 restrictions meant that CTCs had to pivot and offer services remotely using telerehabilitation technologies. Current data shows that children with disabilities and their families experience barriers in attending and participating in telerehabilitation appointments and may need supports to ensure that these services are accessible. This research project will use an experience-based co-design approach, where families, clinicians and CTC leadership will work together to improve how families receive telerehabilitation services. Creative solutions to improve access and engagement in telerehabilitation services will be developed together and implemented to ensure that all families can use the services they are eligible for and to improve children’s functional outcomes.

Evaluating the Potential for using Earthworms to Produce Commercially Viable Animal Feed and Vermicompost Biofertilizer from Paper Mill Sludge

The main aim of this research project is to utilize the paper mill sludge, an organic waste product, as a value added product by converting it to animal feed that can be used by the poultry and aquaculture industries. The local paper mill produces wet paper sludge daily as an organic waste material. Currently this organic waste is burnt in the boiler by mixing it with bark and used oil. The research study will optimize the parameters needed to successfully complete the process with minimum retention time. This project will investigate creating an additional revenue stream for the mill while avoiding environmental concern of burning organic material or just dumping on lands. Local poultry and aquaculture industry would immensely benefit from this project as currently most of their animal feed are imported from mainland and transportation over long distance contributing to climate change as well as cost of production.

Industry-coached STEM experiential learning for social and environmental sustainability

Creating an inclusive environment where different innovators can feel welcome and exploit their talents is an ethical imperative no company can ignore. The scientific literature also provides clear evidence that diverse teams are more creative and high-performing, and that the engineering industry has a diversity problem. The general objective of this proposal is to research methodologies, outcomes and best practices for STEM experiential-learning environments that engage student teams in community-driven projects that address societal-impactful, sustainability problems. Engaging women and other underrepresented talent in solving real world problems with a societal impact is a powerful strategy to provide STEM education, empower the participants and stir interest for a long-life career choices in STEM. This project benefits from the sponsorship and mentorship of a number of industrial partners passionate about STEM education in experiential, real-world projects, and in providing guidance, workspace and other project support to students engaged in these developments and research projects around STEM education in community-engaged projects.

Developing CLEWs Modelling Methods to support the SDGs

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide guidance for how to address the interconnected challenges of climate change. Most modelling does not include consideration of the different factors of the SDGs, though recent work has begun to include the nexus of Climate, Land, Energy and Water interactions in models. This helps identify impacts of the energy system on land and water systems and the climate. This project expands nexus modelling to better represent the water interactions and land interactions to better address the SDGs. Working with the Canadian Executive Service Organization, the project will work with countries in Africa, Asia and/or Latin America to build tools to help them address policy trade-offs. Work with the project will use the open source CLEWs model.

Opportunities and Challenges for Transitioning Out of Single-Use Plastic Items for Advancing towards a Zero-Waste Campus

The Federal Government in Canada announced to ban harmful single-use plastics in 2019. University of Calgary has undertaken responsible stewardship towards sustainable development through the creation of a “zero-waste” campus vision. Eliminating the use of single-use plastics on the campus would directly contribute towards the goal. Dr. Irene Herremans and Kruti Mukesh working with Nature’s Ride (partner organization) have been working on a project for the last 18 months with the Office of Sustainability, a group of student volunteers, and the Facilities Department at UCalgary. The aim of the project is to conduct research to inform and develop policy for transitioning out of single-use plastics and advance towards creation of a zero-waste campus. The research project has the potential to advance into a real-time initiative on campus in collaboration with all the food and beverage vendors who are the primary stakeholders. The proposed internship will help to build on the previous work to prepare an article for publication in the International Journal of Sustainability for Higher Education or another appropriate journal.

Using quantitative methods to assess how dairy farmer stress and occupational health (mental and physical) are related to farm management, barn design, automation, and animal welfare

In a world where animal health and welfare are receiving increasing attention, it is crucial that we understand and support livestock farmers who are under an incredible amount of stress. This research is designed to start a supportive discussion and to collect information on the topic of farmer mental health in the beef and dairy industry, including factors affecting mental health and connections with animal health. We will survey beef and dairy farmers to gain a better understanding of how they are doing and which factors are related to their mental health. This research may help farmers to think and talk more about their mental health. It will improve our understanding and ability to manage farm stress, enhancing the well-being of both farmers and animals, their productivity, efficiency, and profitability.

Commercialization of Lithium Titanate Batteries

The use of products that contain batteries is increasing exponentially due to energy transition and improvements in battery technology. Therefore, using safe and efficient batteries with a longer lifetime, less environmental emissions, and higher power capacity is beneficial for the environment, economy, and energy sectors. Batteries under consideration are as replacements for those currently utilized in 1) vehicles as starter batteries, 2) remote, emergency, and critical infrastructure as a backup for renewable energies, and 3) conventional gasoline or diesel generators as storage. The lithium titanate oxide (LTO) battery is a relative-newcomer among different Li-ion batteries that have an extremely long expected lifetime and has an excellent performance in low-temperature; thus, their use is likely to grow in applications where the weather is cold for extended periods of time, as well as for when mass, lifespan, energy or power density is an essential consideration. The partner organization wants to sell these more reliable batteries to customers. The only problem with the LTO battery is its price which is 2-4 times more than the other batteries. This project will compare the benefits and challenges of this battery to its competitors (Lithium-ion and Lead-acid batteries) and study the leasing/rent options to make them economically feasible. The project can help the partner company find the best market and business model to make the LTO batteries financially feasible.

Formulation d’huiles imprégnantes écoresponsable

Le bois est un matériau courant que l’on retrouve dans tous les aspects de notre vie quotidienne. Cependant, de nombreuses dégradations peuvent subvenir au cours du temps à la suite d’agressions météorologiques (UV, froid, pluie) ou chimiques (tache d’eau, d’aliments…). Afin de préserver le bois, il est donc nécessaire de le traiter avec un traitement de surface. Parmi, les traitements de surface disponible les teintures ou huiles imprégnant démontrent des qualités indéniables. Cependant, les formulations actuelles contiennent des produits polluants ou issus de la pétrochimie. Dans le cadre de ce projet, les partenaires souhaitent s’associer afin de développer une nouvelle formulation plus verte et écoresponsable pour le traitement du bois.

Beaufort Solutions Inc Order management System Bachelor of Science Computer Science Co-op Students

Beaufort Solutions is a software development company located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador with software products available via Mobile, Websites or Photo Kiosks. Our software combines responsive design, e-commerce ready platforms and robust promo engines. We have a growing customer base in Canada, the US and Europe that include Costco and Shoppers Drug Mart. Our software enables, drives and supports the transformation of digital media into high margin gifting photo merchandise.

This project will us extend the capabilities and feature-sets of the Beaufort Solutions’ Mobile Order Management system into a more dynamic web and app order management system. It will create a more robust product (mobile and web version) that can be integrated in the supply chain with customers of all sizes. The project also aligns with the framework of the viable supply chain resilience and additional features that specifically support integrated supply chain resilience and survivability.

Using qualitative and longitudinal methods to understand dairy farmer stress and mental health as they relate to farm management, barn design, automation, and animal welfare

In a world where animal health and welfare are receiving increasing attention, it is crucial that we understand and support livestock farmers who are under an incredible amount of stress. This research is designed to start a supportive discussion and to collect information on the topic of farmer mental health in the beef and dairy industry, including factors affecting mental health and connections with animal health. We will survey beef and dairy farmers to gain a better understanding of how they are doing and which factors are related to their mental health. This research may help farmers to think and talk more about their mental health. It will improve our understanding and ability to manage farm stress, enhancing the well-being of both farmers and animals, their productivity, efficiency, and profitability.