Projets novateurs réalisés

Pharmacokinetics of nicotine delivered by a novel electronic nicotine delivery system in healthy adult smokers: a feasibility study

Ditch Labs is a medical technology company developing a new treatment for smoking cessation. The objective of this research project is to understand how nicotine delivered by a novel electronic nicotine deliver system travels through the body from its absorption to its excretion. The study is important because it will allow Ditch Labs to select optimal nicotine doses to be delivered to patients and then subsequently reduced over a period of several weeks until complete cessation.

Non-destructive applications of gene transcriptional profiling to fish health and stress quantification

Freshwater fish contribute to the economic and ecological wellbeing of Canada; however, they are in decline globally. To mitigate those threats, accurate health status data for individual fish is critical. Since fish respond to changes in their habitat through gene expression, unexpected changes in gene expression patterns are powerful indicators of fish stress and declining health. “Transcriptional profiling” is the quantification of gene expression across multiple related function genes to detect changes in fish health. This project will develop non-destructive sampling methods for gene expression fish health assessment. Specifically, methods to sample tissues such as blood, mucus, gill and muscle without harming the fish will be developed. also It will explore using environmental RNA whereby transcriptional profiles can be determined from RNA extracted from the water the fish live in – without even touching the fish! Such non-destructive approaches will revolutionize fish health assessment for industry, government and ecological purposes

Dimensionnement mécaniste empirique de chaussées

Le dimensionnement des chaussées au Canada est actuellement effectué avec des méthodes empiriques. Ces méthodes limitent la possibilité d’utiliser de nouveaux matériaux et de nouvelles technologies qui permettraient de prolonger la durée de vie des chaussées tout en limitant leur impact négatif sur l’environnement. Il existe des méthodes de dimensionnement mécaniste-empirique, comme PavementME et des méthodes rationnelles comme la méthode française qui utilisent le comportement thermomécanique et les performances des matériaux testés en laboratoire afin de faire un dimensionnement optimal. Ces deux méthodes utilisent par contre différents intrants et différents modèles de calcul qui complexifie la comparaison entre les deux. Ce projet de recherche porte sur l’étude et l’optimisation du dimensionnement mécaniste-empirique des chaussées bitumineuses pour le Canada. Le projet est séparé en trois phases. Une première phase théorique dans laquelle des corrélations entre la procédure française et la procédure utilisée dans PavementME seront effectuées. La deuxième phase consiste en des essais de laboratoire pour avoir les données nécessaires aux différentes corrélations, mais également des essais de caractérisations de matériaux de chaussées à faible empreinte environnementale non usuels au Canada. La troisième phase porte sur la calibration des modèles de calculs à partir de résultats sur chantier.

Set-Theoretic Output Feedback Control for Safety-Critical LPV systems

The proposed research aims to develop an innovative control framework to deal with safety-critical systems in which the plant’s safety constraints must be fulfilled regardless of the possible presence of unpredictable disturbances and measurement noise. The technology developed by this project is expected to be beneficial in different application domains of current interest to Quebec, Canada, and the world, such as smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, medical technologies, and industry 4.0.

In the project’s first phase, the student (Jackson Ernesto) will perform an in-depth literature review. Then, in the second phase, he will develop novel control strategies to ensure the stability and the safety of linear parameter varying systems subject to disturbances and limitations on the actuation signal. In the third phase, he will validate the proposed solution by implementing it into the Matlab/Simulink environment, where a near-to-real testbed system will be considered. Moreover, the proposed solution will be contrasted with different state-of-the-art approaches. Finally, during the final phase, the student, under the guidance of the home supervisor (Dr. Eugênio Castelan) and host (Dr. Walter Lucia) supervisors will prepare a research manuscript.

Using advanced technology, public engagement, and citizen-science to understand responses of wildlife to urban development

The incorporation of natural habitats into urban planning is becoming commonplace and these habitats are important for biodiversity conservation, improving human well?being, and inspiring urban residents to participate in science and connect with nature. Our project aims to document the changes in bird and mammal communities along an urban to rural gradient within and just outside the boundaries of the City of Regina. The project will be accomplished using two concurrent studies: (1) using trail cameras and microphones to monitor wildlife and (2) using biodiversity surveys done by citizen scientists. We are partnering with the Saskatchewan Science Centre to conduct this research program. The Saskatchewan Science Centre will form the “hub” of this program, allowing for broad engagement and training of citizen scientists and providing outreach and dissemination of our results for the general public, while meeting the Science Centre’s broad mandate of igniting scientific curiosity in Saskatchewan communities.

GNP Ventures Seaweed Market Assessment

GNP Ventures Inc. is a Newfoundland-based company that is looking to potentially harvest nutrient-rich
seaweed and kelp in coastal communities along the Great Northern Peninsula and other coastal areas
within the province. Our goal is to implement and promote regenerative ocean farming as a strategy to
create equitable and sustainable economic opportunities and also to expand existing expertise and
infrastructure within Newfoundland’s rural areas. The company is in its early planning stage and needs a
student to compile information about potential markets, kelp uses and challenges in the industry and
other information about set-up requirements and regulations for seaweed farming in Newfoundland
and Labrador. Global growth projections for farmed seaweed are strong. A recent study estimates the
industry will grow to $92 billion by 2025 across a diverse range of markets. Newfoundland and
Labrador’s coastal waters support rich seaweed growth with approximately 300 species, that largely
remain untapped. This project will underpin a market entry approach for us and enable us to move
forward based on market information that we need to inform our decisions.

Business Analyst Intern – First Canadian Financial

First Canadian Financial Group (FCFG) provides services and products to automotive and recreational vehicle dealers across Canada. First Canadian Insurance Corporation is a life company providing creditor group products on vehicle loans. Millennium Insurance Corporation is a property and casualty company offering after-market warranties, protection products and agreements, and total loss assistance on financed vehicles.

Our strategic objective to leverage technology has resulted in more changes that require testing and complex specifications. We continually enhance or introduce products and programs to meet the changing demands of the dealer while improving the sales experience. Our role also includes a need for reporting and statistics. As such, FCFG is continually making changes which require development and testing for the dealer portal and our administration teams to manage. We are building a team of Business Analysts for documenting processes, developing specifications including use cases and quality assurance.

Development of lead-free solder alloys for electronic assembly Year Two

Recent environmental concerns and legislations over the use of lead are driving the microelectronics industry towards intensive search for lead free solder alloys in electronic packaging. Among many lead free solders, Sn-Cu-Ag system has been regarded as the most promising and attractive candidate alloy system for the conventional Sn-Pb solder alloys, owing to its wettability and mechanical properties. However, problems such as the formation of large brittle phases, high melting temperature, low reliability and high cost of silver prevent its wide practical application in microelectronic industry. Moreover, in order to comply with demands for finer pitch and minatory microelectronics, novel lead-free solders with better thermo-mechanical and metallurgical performances are required. The alloys that are developed in this project should address and resolve those issues.

Not Far From The Tree: Building Capacity Through Data Management, Research, and Networking

This project will support Not Far From The Tree, a nonprofit organization which coordinates volunteer picks of fruit trees on private property in Toronto’s downtown core. The intern will work on database management and spatial visualization of tree health, type, age, and other details across Not Far From The Tree’s working area. The intern will also conduct a literature review and informal interviews to better understand food security and sovereignty in Toronto, as well as the city’s policy and plans for the future regarding urban fruit trees. Through this work, Not Far From The Tree will be equipped to expand the area in which it organizes picks, deepen its understanding of the health and composition of Toronto’s urban orchard, and have a voice in plans for the future of the city’s fruit trees.

NFFTT: Cross-Cultural Urban Fruit Tree Management

This research project will examine fruit tree health in the City of Toronto. This will be done by conducting a health assessment of Not Far From The Tree’s fruit trees and will examine if there is any variance between species or neighbourhoods. Additionally, since NFFTT’s trees are located on privately-owned land, this project will examine how landowners of different immigrant backgrounds have positively influenced fruit tree health. This will be done by mapping the geographical movement of Toronto’s major immigrant groups in and around the city’s neighbourhoods through time and merging this with a map of the fruit tree inventory. Any variations in species composition, health, or the overall abundance of fruit trees in a specific neighbourhood will be examined. Studying NFFTT’s fruit trees in a cultural context is important for the organization because it will help them improve fruit tree health for particular species by drawing upon a relevant knowledge base. Additionally, this project will help NFFTT educate new homeowners on intercultural fruit tree management, knowledge that is often lost when someone sells their house.

Quantifying the Potential of Project Return Amplifiers: Nexite High Performance Envelope (Nexii) Panels

The construction industry is plagued by a multitude of rising costs that threaten to curb achievable profit margins. This rise in costs is ultimately transferred to the end-user, as the construction industry seeks to maintain the viability of their business model. Nexite High Performance Envelope (Nexii) panels are composite polymer-concrete cladding panels with a finished interior surface that have the potential to save cost and schedule, with the potential to amplify project returns. The objective of this assignment is to quantify the potential amplification in new-construction and retrofit high-rise applications. The Nexiite panel design promises to solve many of the present day persistent challenges faced by the construction industry, however quantifying the revenue amplification potential is a critical step in validating the value proposition.

Sustainable Finance – Protect Our Winters

Please refer to attached PDFs