Projets novateurs réalisés

Bridging Genomics and Society: Advancing Knowledge Mobilization through Digital Engagement

This project will help Genome Prairie make genomics research easier to understand and more accessible to a wide range of audiences. The intern will translate complex scientific information into clear, engaging digital content for the website, social media, and newsletters. By improving how research is communicated, the project will increase awareness, strengthen engagement with stakeholders, and highlight the real-world impact of genomics. This will enhance Genome Prairie’s ability to share its work more effectively and support its role in advancing innovation and knowledge across Canada.

The Sensor Data Mesh: Building an Open, AI-Ready Architecture for Modern ISR Platforms

Modern defense and security operations rely on rapidly expanding networks of distributed sensors operating across air, land, maritime, cyber, and space domains. These sensors generate vast volumes of heterogeneous data—including EO/IR imagery, radar tracks, and RF detections—often transmitted across bandwidth-constrained, unreliable, or contested communications networks. In many current architectures, sensor data must pass through centralized processing systems before it can be analyzed or shared, creating bottlenecks that delay decision-making and limit the operational value of the data collected. To address these challenges and remain competitive with emerging defense technology platforms, TACTIQL must evolve FULCRUM toward a Sensor Data Mesh architecture. A Sensor Data Mesh distributes processing, storage, and data synchronization across multiple nodes spanning tactical edge devices, operational hubs, and enterprise or cloud environments. Rather than relying on centralized systems, each node in the mesh can ingest sensor feeds, normalize and condition the data, store it locally, and synchronize it with other nodes when connectivity is available. This offline-first design reflects operational realities in which networks are contested, bandwidth is limited, and operators must still process and share critical information at the edge. Within the mesh, FULCRUM serves as the core processing and interoperability engine. It normalizes diverse sensor modalities—including EO/IR, radar, and RF—and translates them into interoperable operational message formats, enabling data generated anywhere in the mesh to be shared across systems, platforms, and organizations. Each instance acts as both a processing node and collaboration point, locally fusing sensor data while synchronizing insights across nodes when communications permit. Developing this capability is critical to delivering value. A Sensor Data Mesh overcomes fragmented systems, constrained networks, and rigid pipelines through resilient, distributed intelligence processing. For military operators, it delivers faster situational awareness, improved coalition collaboration, and AI-enabled analytics closer to the edge.

Démonstrateur de lévitation magnétique dans le cadre d’une exposition du Musée de la civilisation

Le Musée de la civilisation, à Québec, travaille au développement d’une exposition intitulée « La Machine : Mission vers le futur ». Un des thèmes de l’exposition touche aux transports, passés, présents et futurs. Le musée désire présenter des exemples réels de lévitation, appliqués aux transports, par exemple un modèle réduit de véhicule en lévitation magnétique. Le projet vise à concevoir et mettre en œuvre une installation de lévitation magnétique stable, didactique et visuellement attrayante pour des fins de démonstration grand public. Il contribue à la mission du musée d’accueillir et stimuler les gens, en proposant des expositions interactives, en suscitant des réflexions sur l’adoption de nouvelles technologies et sur les enjeux politiques, économiques et environnementaux sous-jacents.

Bats, Birds, Bees and Berries Project (BBBBP)-FARHA

Historically, the Anisininew were nomadic hunters and gatherers who spent part of the year on their ancestral trap lines during the hunting season, and the rest of the year on-reserve. They occupied a region from northeastern Manitoba to Ontario and southwards to Winnipeg. The Island Lake Anisininew communities face many challenges including, long-term evacuations from the devastating fires of 2025 and other effects of climate change, limited access to urban amenities including health care, and colonial assimilation practices which have reduced use of traditional healthy foods and medicines, and reliance on land-based traditional practices. Diet changes, reduced food security and physical activity have contributed to chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, obesity, renal and metabolic liver disease and a range of mental health conditions. In the coming years, these challenges are likely to be exacerbated as the homelands of the Anisininewuk face increasing pressure from development for resource extraction, further compromising traditional activities, food security, cultural preservation and public health.

The project, the “Bats, Birds, Bees and Berries Project” (BBBBP), will help FARHA co-create a program integrating western scientific approaches with Traditional Indigenous Knowledge, to provide land-based training and capacity building for monitoring ecosystem health, devise management and conservation plans for Anisininew territories and, ultimately, implement cutting-edge wildlife and plant monitoring plans that can help address public health and ecosystem conservation. FARHA’s holistic vision of Mamow Anisininew Minoyawin (Anisininew Oneness in Health and Wellbeing) treats the health of people and the health of the environment as inseparable pillars supporting wellness. “One-Health” in western public health and wildlife/ecosystem conservation relies on a similar perspective (e.g., Zinsstag et al. 2011). Our project will be guided by these crucial connections between people and the environment to prioritize species and habitat conservation/protection and education, data collection and improved social outcomes.

Summer Student – Anthony Sears

Radcom and Varcon will design a standardized, high-velocity “Programmatic Build” framework for greenfield cellular towers in rural New Brunswick, enabling faster, lower-risk deployment to support provincial connectivity goals.

Stage Passerelles x UdeM — Méthodes d’inventaire et analyse patrimoniale / Heritage Inventory Methods and Assesment

Passerelles, coopérative en patrimoine, accompagne les municipalités québécoises dans la documentation, l’évaluation et la mise en valeur du patrimoine bâti. Dans un contexte d’exigences réglementaires croissantes, les municipalités doivent compléter et mettre à jour leurs inventaires patrimoniaux, structurer leurs données selon des systèmes normalisés et s’appuyer sur des études patrimoniales rigoureuses pour orienter les décisions relatives à la démolition, à la transformation et à la conservation. Par son travail, Passerelles joue un rôle important en aidant les municipalités à répondre à ces défis, tout en améliorant la connaissance du cadre bâti et en soutenant des approches plus durables de sa gestion.

Afin de soutenir ce travail, Félix-Antoine Blais, étudiant à la maîtrise en conservation du patrimoine bâti à l’Université de Montréal, effectuera un stage au sein de Passerelles. Au cours de ce stage, il contribuera à des mandats en cours liés aux inventaires et aux études patrimoniales en participant aux relevés de terrain, à l’analyse architecturale, à la structuration des données et à l’évaluation patrimoniale fondée sur les valeurs. Il participera également au perfectionnement des méthodes et des outils internes pouvant être réutilisés dans de futurs projets. Cette recherche appliquée permettra de renforcer les capacités méthodologiques de Passerelles, d’améliorer la cohérence et la qualité de ses travaux de documentation patrimoniale, et de contribuer à la formation d’un futur professionnel à l’interface entre recherche universitaire et pratique du patrimoine.

ESROP + Development of a Reflection-Mode Circular Dichroism Microscope

The proposed project involves designing, assembling, and testing a reflection-mode microscope that can perform circular dichroism (CD) imaging, which is used to study the chirality of molecules. Current CD microscopes are based on transmission – this project would involve developing a new optical system that uses reflection. Specific tasks include reviewing literature and learning lab techniques relating to CD microscopy and precision optical assembly, designing the microscope, and testing/optimizing the system. Benefits to the participating institutions include developing further knowledge in high-precision CD microscopy with applications in fields of chemistry and biochemistry, while encouraging international collaboration and knowledge sharing between the University of Toronto and the University of Osaka.

Analyse de marché du podcasting : stratégies de marketing, de croissance et de monétisation

Ce projet de recherche vise à aider une entreprise à développer et faire grandir son podcast. Il commence par une analyse du marché des podcasts au Québec et aux États-Unis pour mieux comprendre le public, la concurrence et ce qui permet de se démarquer. Ensuite, le projet propose une stratégie pour augmenter la visibilité du podcast sur plusieurs plateformes (comme les réseaux sociaux et les médias) afin d’attirer plus d’auditeurs. Enfin, le projet cherche à créer un modèle durable pour générer des revenus et faire évoluer le podcast à long terme. Ce projet permettra à l’entreprise d’améliorer sa présence, d’élargir son audience et de développer des sources de revenus. Ce projet contribue à la recherche en s’intéressant au podcasting francophone québécois, un domaine encore peu étudié, ce qui permet de produire des connaissances utiles pour d’autres organisations similaires.

Project Maple: Avonhead Commercial Expansion

The proposed project will help Avonhead Electric build a clearer and more organized way to grow its business in the EV charging market. Instead of relying mainly on manual outreach, personal relationships, and case-by-case decisions, the project will identify the best customer groups to target, find the most useful channel partners, create a more standard process for screening and advancing opportunities, and develop clearer messaging for different parts of the market. The main benefit to the partner organization is that Avonhead will have a more repeatable and scalable commercial model, which should improve customer acquisition, reduce wasted effort, strengthen pipeline management, and support faster long-term growth in a complex but important market.

Improving River Routing Using a Differentiable Kinematic Wave Model and Physics-Informed Machine Learning

This project aims to improve hydrological modeling by combining Machine Learning (ML) models with physics-based models to better simulate how water flows through river networks. While traditional models are physically consistent but limited in using big data, and ML models are powerful but lack interpretability, this project integrates both approaches through a framework called differentiable modeling (DM). The work will focus on enhancing the HYDROTEL modeling platform by improving its river routing component and extending it to water temperature module as well. A pilot study on the Nicolet watershed, Quebec, Canada, will be conducted to evaluate the approach. The expected outcomes are anticipated to improve the accuracy of streamflow and water temperature simulations, supporting better water resource management and decision-making under climate change. The proposed DM framework will enhance knowledge discovery at the participating institutions by advancing hybrid modeling and integrating it with large-scale HYDROTEL simulations across the hydroclimatic atlas of southern Québec.

Quantification des composés carbonés dans les polymères recyclés

Upsolv a développé une technologie verte pour le recyclage de plastiques tels que le polystyrène (PS). Upsolv souhaite maintenant étendre sa technologie, pour son usine commerciale, au recyclage de PS contenant des charges carbonées telles que le noir de carbone, le graphite et le graphène. Ces charges sont présentes dans le PS utilisé dans de nombreux secteurs industriels tels que l’électronique, l’emballage et la construction. Connaître la nature et la quantité des contaminants présents dans les feedstocks permettra de maitriser l’étape cruciale de purification du PS lors du recyclage. Toutefois, les méthodes permettant de distinguer et de quantifier ces charges nécessitent des équipements spécialisés coûteux et des procédures analytiques complexes. Actuellement, les méthodes de calcination standard (perte au feu) permettent de mesurer la charge minérale totale, mais elles sont aveugles à la nature spécifique des charges carbonées.
Ce projet vise à développer un protocole de calcination séquentielle sous air afin de quantifier les charges carbonées présentes dans les feedstocks. Cette méthode permettra d’optimiser le processus Upsolv de recyclage du PS et d’autres résines. Cela permettra ainsi à Upsolv d’affirmer son leadership international dans le recyclage des plastiques et d’améliorer la qualité de notre environnement.

Quantum Magnetic Fingerprinting for GNSS-Denied Navigation in Urban Air Mobility: A Machine Learning Approach from Ground to Altitude

GPS works poorly in dense city environments because tall buildings block satellite signals. This project will test whether a new type of ultra-sensitive sensor—a quantum magnetometer that measures tiny changes in the Earth’s magnetic field—can help drones and future flying taxis (Urban Air Mobility) figure out where they are when GPS fails. The research team will first build detailed magnetic “fingerprint” maps at ground level in outdoor urban spaces, then fly a drone at different heights (up to 100 meters) to see if those same magnetic patterns can still be recognized from the air. Using machine learning, they will develop software that predicts a drone’s location based on the magnetic field it measures. The expected benefit for the participating institutions is twofold: the host university (in Canada) will gain unique datasets and advance its leadership in quantum sensing and drone navigation, while the partner university (in South Korea) will bring back specialized expertise in field-testing quantum sensors and integrating them with artificial intelligence—creating a lasting research collaboration between the two countries.