Projets novateurs réalisés

Enabling Rich Internet Applications with HTML5 & JavaScript over unreliable, high latency and low bandwidth connections.

This project investigates the use of HTML5 & JavaScript as a means to ensure rich engaging interactions for remote clients that are using low bandwidth connections with high latency and frequent interruptions.

Representations of the Colonization of Indigenous Peoples in Canadian and Australian Picture Books

This project will compare representations of the colonization of Indigenous populations in Canada and Australia in picture books. The paper will explore how authors and illustrators express the complexity of colonization to child audiences. I intend to examine which textual and visual techniques most effectively and accurately communicate colonization and post-colonial stories to young readers, ultimately considering whether Canadian or Australian texts employ these techniques more successfully. Some primary texts I intend to study include A Coyote Columbus Story by Canadians Thomas King and William Kent Monkman and The Rabbits by Australians John Marsden and Shaun Tan. Conducting research for this project in Canada and Australia alike will allow me to engage intimately with the history, art, literature, and picture-book culture that inspired each text I examine. The Globalink program will ultimately enable me to produce a rich, timely, and authentic analysis of significant Canadian and Australian picture books representing the colonization of Indigenous peoples.

Grimm Boom’s Translation: Beyond Akai Tori

I hope to conduct research on the growth and cultivation of the Grimm Brothers’ folktales in Japan. To do this I will be analyzing the first adaptations of the folktales seen in an early Japanese Children’s Magazine known as Akai Tori and will be contrasting it to more contemporary adaptations. I specifically wish to study the illustrations that were used along with Grimm Brother’s tales that were retold through Japanese authors. To do this I will analyze the content of the retold narratives, the art style in the illustrations as well as how these translations helped to cement an early growing Japanese national identity. I hope to further English research conducted on the magazine as well as provide further insights behind Mayako Murai’s “Grimm boom” era in Japan where the tales were utilized as critiques of modern gender norms in Japanese society. The tales themselves continued to be used afterwards for various media such as games, manga and television series, I hope to provide insight behind what this “Post Grimm Boom” era may be attempting to critique through its depictions […]

Transition metal-catalyzed nitrene and related species transfer reactions

A major challenge in the field of synthetic organic chemistry consists in the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. These types of bonds occur frequently in molecules found in nature, and often under the form of heterocycles. The design of new reactions which provide access to both known and unknown heterocyclic motifs in a rapid and efficient manner, therefore, has a direct and important role in breaking down synthetic boundaries in the pharmaceutical and agricultural chemistry industries. In fact, many nitrogen-containing cycles have biological activities, and have found applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Nitrenes can be used as versatile building blocks, but are however inherently highly reactive. Transition metals can instead be used to fine-tune their reactivity. In this research project, I will participate in the development of novel methods to incorporate nitrogen and carbon atoms in complex molecular structures through the use of transition metal-catalyzed nitrene transfer.

Female Empowerment: Exploring the Influence of Living and Working in Informal Settlements

Poverty and insecurity disproportionately affects poor, urban women in Global South cities which negatively contributes to their status and sense of empowerment. Female empowerment is important because when a woman feels empowered, she is better able to positively contribute to society. It is therefore important to explore the relation of both living and working in a slum and whether this positively contributes to a woman’s increased sense of empowerment and ultimately the gender dynamics within the community. The study aim of this project and case study is to better understand how both living and working in an informal settlement setting impacts a woman’s sense of empowerment in the West Bengal state of India. To understand this, I want to compare types of employment, levels of status within a job, and social life with a woman’s sense of empowerment. More specifically, the following research questions must be answered: Does living living in a slum and working in the informal economy positively affect one’s life? What cultural norms are in place that shape a woman’s life and ability to work? TO BE CONT’D

Étude de l’implémentation de la Transition Énergétique au niveau des territoires français

Le programme de recherche dans lequel ce projet s’inscrit porte sur la trajectoire et la gouvernance de la transition énergétique en France. Le programme consiste à analyser la politique de transition énergétique à l’échelle du territoire pour comprendre les enjeux d’un nouveau mix énergétique qui combine des sources renouvelables et est connecté à un réseau intelligent. Les nouvelles sources d’énergie renouvelable peuvent être issues d’une production régionale, communale et parfois même individuelle; avec les réseaux intelligents, une dynamique inédite d’échange énergétique bouscule les logiques de distribution et les besoins de stockage. Sur le plan de la gouvernance, la gestion d’une production décentralisée pose aussi des défis quant au volume d’énergie produite, aux pics de production et de consommation, sans compter le développement et la couverture du réseau, ainsi que la participation de nouveaux acteurs aux décisions. Enfin, d’autres enjeux émergent dont, par exemple, la sécurité d’installations décentralisées, parfois autonomes, la sensibilisation, la connaissance et éventuellement la formation requise en lien avec ces installations, l’accès aux données associées aux flux d’échange énergétique et leur confidentialité.

Electrochemical promotion of Ni-based catalyst for hydrogen production via ethanol and glycerol steam reforming

The proposed research will result in better understanding of the mechanism of ethanol and glycerol steam reforming while using Ni-based electrocatalysts. The main goal is hydrogen production from glycerol waste and ethanol. It will foster research in one of the promising process of hydrogen rich gas production. The results will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals, international and regional events such as conferences and workshops. This will allow us to interact with the research community, diffuse the scientific results and anticipate the future research behind the proposed work. All in all, this project will lay the foundation of Canadian leadership in the next generation of electrochemical clean energy technologies.

Building a National Ocean Literacy Strategy

This collaborative, pan-Canadian and consultation-based research project will develop an ocean literacy strategy for Canada with the aim of elevating Canadians understanding of the importance of ocean health and their capacity to participate in ways that promote a sustainable ocean ecosystem and economy. The interns will respectively coordinate the overall national consultation process (pdf#1), facilitate regional consultations (pdf #2; pdf #3; pdf #4; intern #5) and synthesize regional reports into a draft national strategy (pdf #1; intern #6). Partner organizations will benefit from strengthened network relations – both existing and new – as well as from the extended reach of this project across five regions of Canada. Reciprocally, the Canadian community will benefit from the collaborative partnerships in this project on account of each partner’s vested interest in strengthened public engagement in ocean conservation, citizen science, behaviour change-oriented education, industry innovation and policy efforts.

La “communauté” entre le cynisme et le stoïcisme

Le cynisme est un courant philosophique qui a vu le jour au IVe s. av. J.-C. et qui demeure méconnu en raison de la rareté des sources historiques. Mon projet de recherche aborde la question des liens entre le cynisme et le stoïcisme, une école philosophique avec laquelle le cynisme entretiendrait une relation de “communauté”. C’est du moins ce que rapporte Diogène Laërce, un historien de la philosophie du IIIe s. ap. J.-C., dans une formule énigmatique. Mes recherches feront la lumière sur la nature de la relation particulière qui unit les deux courants philosophiques et ouvrira une perspective nouvelle sur le cynisme et les modalités de ses contacts avec les écoles philosophiques de son temps. Grâce à mon séjour en France, j’aurai la chance de travailler sous la supervision d’un spécialiste du stoïcisme et de côtoyer de nombreux spécialistes de mon domaine. Leur expertise m’apportera une aide cruciale dans l’avancement de mes recherches.

Indigenous Art & Culture in Public Space

There is a gap in the research pertaining to Indigenous populations and the inclusion of their art and culture in public space. I became aware of this while serving as a volunteer on the Public Art Advisory Committee for the City of Saskatoon. The literature and policy development falls short in cities across Canada.

The opportunity to learn about the Sami (the Indigenous who reside in the northern regions of Sweden, Norway and Finland) and the mechanisms that are in place to activate their engagement in the community, will be of value to Canadian cities. I will present my research analysis to the relevant departments at the City of Saskatoon. I will also present to the University of Saskatchewan’s Art and Art History Department, Regional and Urban Planning Department and the Indigenous Studies Department. I will also seek opportunities to disseminate my research beyond to neighbouring provinces.

The Generation of Market and Ethical Values in a Canadian Wild Food Network

This research focuses on a product of growing popular interest: “wild foods” like morel mushrooms,

wild blueberries and fiddleheads. Why do the people who produce, trade and consume these foods

value them? How can this value, whether economic, social or ecological, be increased? Because the

attraction of these foods comes from their being “wild,” and thus depends on facts about production

and trade not cultivated; non-industrial; traditional-I interview the suppliers of a Canadian wild

foods distributor and retailer to determine how their products are actually produced and traded. I also

work as a participating ohserver at office, market and harvest sites, producing naturalistic data about

how people work with, talk about and value these foods as they gather, trade and taste them. This

provides the details about production and trade required to fuel processes of value enhancement, while

identifying which sorts of information, within which marketing methods, best generate value- and

why.

A Comparative Analysis of Self-employment Work Disability Policy in Ontario (Canada) and Australia

Currently, self-employment is one of the non-standard and precarious work relationships internationally. Unlike regular employees in Canada, self-employed workers can expect little from the state in terms of social securities. While some self-employers may feel financially secure without supports from the state, this reality does not reflect the experiences of all self-employed workers. Despite the internationally growing gig/self-employment economy, little is known about how the existing legislation and policies support self-employed workers, including when they are ill or injured and unable to work. Under these circumstances, this comparative policy analysis will shed light on how Ontario and Australian work disability policies support self-employed workers. This policy study will contribute knowledge to identify the gaps in existing work disability policies in Ontario and Australia. Overall, using this base-line study, researchers may conduct empirical studies focused on understanding how self-employed workers experience their lives navigating their ill health, injury, and disability.