Projets novateurs réalisés

Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation for Sustainable Fuel Synthesis: Kinetics (Canada-Germany) II

This project brings together a multi-institutional collaboration among the University of Toronto (Canada), the Technical University of Munich (Germany), and the Université de Paris Cité (France) to investigate the role of reactive hydrogenation intermediates in the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived phenolic compounds.
Understanding these intermediates is critical for advancing sustainable catalytic pathways for biomass valorization. The proposed Globalink Research Awards will support the mobility of PhD and undergraduate students across the three institutions, enabling hands-on training in sustainable catalysis research. Students will engage in complementary activities encompassing nanomaterial synthesis, advanced characterization, and kinetic investigations, fostering interdisciplinary skill development and international research exchange.
Within this tri-partite collaboration, the University of Toronto will contribute advanced kinetic and mechanistic analysis strategies; Université de Paris Cité will lead catalyst fabrication and materials characterization; and CRC-TUM will provide expertise in electrochemical techniques applied to catalytic systems. Together, these integrated efforts will accelerate fundamental understanding of catalytic hydrogenation processes while training the next generation of researchers in sustainable chemical technologies.

Personalized gamification of educational software

By leveraging personalized gamification and persuasive technology, this project aims to improve motivation and engagement in introductory computer science (CS1) courses, which are often associated with low persistence and high dropout rates. A growing body of research shows that gamification, when grounded in motivational theory, can positively influence learner engagement; however, generic, one-size-fits-all approaches frequently fail to support diverse student needs.
In this project, we propose to design and evaluate a personalized gamified learning environment that adapts game elements to students’ motivational profiles, informed by established models such as the HEXAD framework and Self-Determination Theory. Using empirical data collected from CS1 students in Chile and analyzed in collaboration with an experienced research lab in Canada, the project seeks to generate actionable insights into how personalized persuasive strategies can foster sustained engagement and more inclusive learning experiences. This work represents a step toward evidence-based design of adaptive educational technologies that can be extended to other foundational STEM courses.

Digital health assistants for Wellness and Social Isolation Support in Aging 

As Canada’s population ages, many seniors face long wait times for healthcare and increasing social isolation. This project develops a voice-activated AI companion that acts like a caring friend, checking in daily on seniors living alone. Unlike current smart speakers that only respond when asked, this system proactively starts conversations to monitor mood, provides personalized safety reminders based on local weather conditions, and helps manage daily health routines. By combining compassionate technology with Canadian specific environmental and healthcare information, the system aims to help seniors age safely and independently at home while alerting family members or caregivers when extra support is needed.

L2M – AllerEase: Commercialization Strategy for a Personalized Allergy-Safe Grocery Decision Platform

AllerEase is a personalized allergy-safe grocery decision-support tool designed to help individuals and families navigate food allergy risks with greater confidence. The project aims to develop and validate a system that translates ingredient and allergen information into clear, actionable safety guidance during grocery shopping. Through user research, data mapping, and prototype testing, the project will evaluate how digital tools can reduce cognitive burden, improve decision clarity, and increase trust in food purchasing decisions. The outcome will include a validated MVP framework and strategic roadmap for future implementation.

Enhancing Educational Business Intelligence with Predictive Analytics and LLM-Driven Insights

This project aims to enhance the data analytics capabilities of an educational software company by upgrading its existing Business Intelligence (BI) system. Currently, the system mainly shows past trends, requiring educators to manually interpret data to spot issues like students at risk of failing. The research will integrate predictive machine learning models to forecast these risks earlier and use Large Language Models (LLMs) to automatically generate clear, plain-language insights from the data. The expected benefit to the partner organization is a more powerful and proactive analytics product that helps schools make faster, data-driven decisions, strengthening the company’s competitive edge in the educational technology market.

Examining the role of extracellular vesicles in cardioprotective effects of adiponectin

Many reports have established a correlation between obesity and diabetes plus cardiovascular complications with the amount of a hormone in the body called adiponectin. Interestingly, the amount of adiponectin circulating in the blood decreases in obese and diabetic individuals. The precise reasons why changes in adiponectin cause diabetes and its complications remain to be determined.
This project will focus on the role played by adiponectin – and how it is carried in the bloodstream by structures called extracellular vesicles to have effects in many parts of the body. Understanding the effects of adiponectin and how it works may facilitate development of new drug treatments, leading to improved health for Canadians.

From Transactions to Insights: Procure-to-Pay Standard Work and Dashboards for Operational Decision-Making

This project will support Scott Pump Service Ltd. in strengthening its Procure-to-Pay (P2P) operations by improving how day-to-day purchasing and invoice transactions are tracked, standardized, and used for decision-making. The intern will work within the procurement function to document the current P2P process, define practical performance measures (e.g., cycle times, supplier delivery performance, invoice exceptions, expediting drivers, and inventory availability), and identify opportunities to reduce rework and improve consistency. Building on these findings, the project will develop a future-state process map and an implementation roadmap to guide adoption of improved workflows.

The project will also create fit-for-purpose dashboards that provide operational and management visibility into key P2P metrics, supported by clear documentation and handover materials. The outcome will be a repeatable “transaction-to-insight” operating model that enhances transparency, supports more proactive procurement decisions, and strengthens operational execution in Edmonton’s industrial services sector.

L2M – DeepSimu: Next Generation of Deep Learning Frameworks

This project is related to training students and postdoctoral fellows to be proficient in machine learning and Python.

From Assistance to Accountability: Generative AI in Service Work

This project examines how customer support staff use generative AI tools that suggest responses during live service interactions, and how responsibility for what is ultimately said remains with human workers. Focusing on customer support operations in Japan, the study looks at how agents decide whether to accept, modify, or reject AI-generated suggestions when handling real customer concerns, especially in interactions that are recorded and later reviewed for quality, compliance, or training. By closely observing everyday service work, including chat logs, call recordings, and on-screen use of AI tools, the project will clarify when and how AI assistance actually improves service performance, supports professional judgment, and protects workers under demanding conditions. Participating institutions are expected to benefit from concrete insights into how AI tools are used in practice, which can inform training, quality assurance, and responsible deployment strategies that improve service consistency while maintaining accountability and trust with customers.

Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Linking Metabolic Dysfunction to Cardiovascular Pathology

Many reports have established a correlation between obesity and diabetes plus cardiovascular complications with the amount of a hormone in the body called adiponectin. Interestingly, the amount of adiponectin circulating in the blood decreases in obese and diabetic individuals. The precise reasons why changes in adiponectin cause diabetes and its complications remain to be determined. This project will focus on the role played by adiponectin – and how it is carried in the bloodstream by structures called extracellular vesicles to have effects in many parts of the body. Understanding the effects of adiponectin and how it works may facilitate development of new drug treatments, leading to improved health for Canadians.

Triboelectric nanogenerators-new materials development (BC)

Clean electricity is energy that is both sustainable and non-polluting. Such sources of energy are ideal for mitigating climate change. For the full benefit of clean energy generation to be realized, sustainable practices must be integrated into the development of clean technologies. This requires using materials that are both renewable and recyclable. These can indeed offset the otherwise large carbon footprint of clean energy generating technologies. The project will endeavor to integrate sustainable materials that are also compatible with electricity generation by mechanical actuation. Elastomers that are ideally suited for such actuation will be developed exclusively from renewable materials with the advantage of being compostable. The project will evaluate how renewable materials can be compounded to maximize electricity generation without sacrificing sought after elasticity. The capacity of the elastomers to generate electricity by mechanical actuation will also be evaluated. A major benefit of the project will be zero polluting technology for generating electricity that can be recycled by composting.

AI visual biofeedback system for muscle control

At PhantasiAI, we disrupt neurotechnology by orchestrating an AI stack that powers non-invasive neurostimulation to power human mobility. This closes the motor precision training insufficiency gap, reduces its burden on the healthcare system, and ignites everyone to move better. This AI-stack is embedded in affordable customized hardware capable of: (I) Generating adapted neurostimulation (II) Analyzing multimodal data (III) Suggesting good care practices. Supporting the latter and in order for motor therapy to be effective, patients necessitate to engage their attention in external circumstances, I.e. endgoal, (Gottwald et al., 2023) instead of internal conscious processes. Therefore, we seek to augment the speed of their recovery by offering a biofeedback system that allow them to have a real-time visual representation of the exercise they intend to master. Our solution accelerates motor recovery and enhances neuromuscular control by 500000% compared to other players (Moritz et al., 2024). This overcomes critical shortcomings of traditional therapy by augmenting ~50% of patients’ adherence to rehabilitation (Argent et al., 2018), defeating long wait times and “one-size-fits-all” therapeutic approaches that do not yield meaningful results. Besides, it reduces the outpatient costs of the healthcare system in 70%, bypassing the limited access to therapists (e.g. van Meijeren-Pont et al., 2021)