Projets novateurs réalisés

Development and Validation of Asset-Level Climate Risk and Financial Impact Modeling Frameworks

This project focuses on the development and validation of asset-level climate risk modeling frameworks for infrastructure and institutional portfolios. As climate-related hazards intensify, asset owners and financial institutions require forward-looking, decision-grade analytics that quantify physical risk under multiple climate scenarios. The project applies a structured hazard – exposure – vulnerability – loss framework, integrating geospatial analysis, scenario-based climate projections, and engineering-informed damage functions to generate asset-level risk metrics and financial impact estimates. The research will support the expansion and methodological validation of RESILIOCS’ modeling engine through improved spatial data harmonization, probabilistic hazard analysis, expected annual loss (EAL) estimation, and adaptation return-on-investment (ROI) calculations. Emphasis will be placed on analytical reproducibility, sensitivity testing, uncertainty documentation, and workflow formalization to ensure defensibility for institutional use. The outcome will be a strengthened and validated climate risk modeling framework capable of supporting infrastructure resilience planning, portfolio risk assessment, and capital allocation decisions. This applied research contributes to advancing quantitative climate risk analytics while bridging engineering-grade modeling with financial decision-support applications.

Spatial analysis of women’s football

This project aims to study how football players move and interact on the field by using advanced data analysis. We will combine local GPS data from Uruguayan women’s football with international event data (such as World Cups) to better understand team tactics, physical performance, and coordination between players. By applying tools from statistics and data science, such as spatial models and visualizations, we seek to identify patterns of play, styles of organization, and differences between local and international football.
The project will strengthen collaboration between the University of Alberta and Uruguayan research institutions, providing new knowledge and practical tools for coaches, analysts, and researchers, and supporting the development and professionalization of women’s football. The project also seeks to contribute to the development of research using quantitative methods in sports, and particularly in soccer.

MobilitiQ: Improving Access, Efficiency, and Sustainability of Shared Mobility and Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT).

MobilitiQ is a Canadian mobility-technology partner developing an AI-enabled, on-demand shared mobility platform that helps public-sector and private operators design, operate, and continuously improve flexible-route/flexible-schedule services. The organization’s core activities include: (i) integrating operational data sources (e.g., AVL/dispatch logs, booking/ride requests, service policies); (ii) building analytics to understand spatio-temporal demand patterns, service reliability, and operational efficiency; and (iii) translating these insights into actionable service design and operational decision-support (routing, stop patterns, fleet sizing, zone definitions, and performance KPI dashboards).

Trichomonas vaginalis and its association with cervical cancer: The price of neglect in women’s health

This project aims to investigate whether the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis, the etiological agent responsible for the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection worldwide, trichomoniasis, is able to impact the production of small vesicles by cervical cells. In addition, this project also proposes to investigate whether these small vesicles could result in the transformation of fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts. The results of this collaboration aim to provide indicators for the improvement of public health through the recognition of T. vaginalis as an accelerator of cervical cancer, as well as to establish pioneering findings for both institutions, since there are no reports in the literature regarding exosome production in the presence of T. vaginalis.

Computer-assisted design and development of 3D-printed limb prosthetics

This project focuses on developing a low-cost limb prosthesis tailored to resource-constrained and conflict-affected settings. It leverages open-source designs and additive manufacturing to provide customizable, locally fabricated solutions for individuals with limited access to conventional care. The proposed devices will incorporate 3D-printed components within a parametric design workflow that enables rapid patient-specific customization and scalable production using accessible materials and standard printing technologies. The prostheses are designed for durability, ease of maintenance, and reduced lifecycle cost. Iterative testing and clinician feedback will inform ongoing refinement. Overall, the initiative aims to advance equitable access to limb rehabilitation through sustainable, digitally enabled prosthetic innovation.

Computational design of catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction using quantum and electronic structure methods 2026

The reduction of CO2 to value-added products is critical towards the reduction of carbon emissions and eco-friendly fuel production. Two dimensional materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), have proven as effective catalysts for reactions involving CO2 reduction, but a better understanding of how the catalytic activity, reaction mechanism, and to a greater extent the CO2 adsorption is affected by defect engineered TMDs is needed in order to develop more effective catalysts. Through density functional theory modeling, quantum computing, and multiscale quantum embedding we aim to develop a computational framework for investigating CO2 adsorption and reduction in order to enhance catalyst design.

Marketing & Communications Intern

Our organization is currently facing a strategic growth challenge related to brand visibility, digital engagement, and member/client acquisition in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving communications environment. While we maintain day-to-day marketing activities such as event promotion, email communications, and basic social media management, we lack the dedicated capacity to analyze performance data, modernize our digital marketing approach, and implement new tools and strategies that would position us for long-term growth. Hiring a marketing intern through this project will allow our organization to move beyond transactional marketing tasks and focus on strategic innovation. The intern will support initiatives that would otherwise not be possible due to resource constraints.

A key improvement priority is strengthening the connection between our marketing strategy and our in-house printing and production capabilities. Our printing department plays an important role in delivering branded materials, publications, and promotional assets; however, there is an opportunity to improve workflow efficiency, brand consistency, and the strategic use of print within integrated marketing campaigns. Currently, much of our effort is focused on meeting immediate production needs rather than optimizing processes or exploring innovative approaches that combine digital and print communications.

Optimisation de l’expérience client avec l’utilisation de l’IA dans la plateforme web Kara Analytix

Kara RH est une entreprise spécialisée en intelligence d’affaires appliquée à la gestion des ressources humaines. Sa solution web, Kara Analytix, permet aux gestionnaires d’accéder à des tableaux de bord RH intelligents pour optimiser la prise de décision, améliorer la performance des équipes et favoriser la rétention des talents. Dans une optique d’innovation, l’entreprise souhaite intégrer un ou une stagiaire pour développer des fonctionnalités basées sur l’intelligence artificielle (IA) qui viendront enrichir et personnaliser l’expérience utilisateur sur la plateforme. L’innovation visée Le projet vise à concevoir, prototyper et intégrer des solutions IA orientées client telles que : · Un moteur de recommandations personnalisées (ex. : suggestions de KPI, visualisations pertinentes selon le profil utilisateur), · Un assistant intelligent pour aider à l’analyse de rapports ou à la navigation, · Une fonctionnalité de résumé automatisé des tableaux de bord. Principales tâches du stagiaire · Analyse de l’expérience utilisateur actuelle (UX audit, points de friction, entretiens). · Identification des opportunités d’intégration de l’IA (benchmark, faisabilité). · Développement d’un prototype fonctionnel basé sur une API IA (ex. : Azure OpenAI, modèles de classification ou génération de texte). · Tests utilisateurs internes et documentation des résultats. · Propositions concrètes d’amélioration de l’interface ou du processus. Méthodologies et technologies utilisées · Méthodologie agile en mode collaboratif (sprints, revues de code). · Développement web dans un environnement Microsoft (.NET, Azure). · Intégration d’outils d’IA via API REST ou SDK. · UX Design, et gestion du versionnement (Azure Devops). Ce projet offre une opportunité concrète de développer une solution innovante alliant IA, UX et performance RH.

Light-Generated Alternative Fuels: Towards a Sustainable Hydrogen Photoreactor

Net Zero Atlantic is a non-profit organization, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that is seeking to advance a sustainable and inclusive transition to a carbon-neutral Atlantic Canada through the provision of credible and objective data and support services. In service of this objective, Net Zero Atlantic leads applied research projects designed to help inform Atlantic Canada’s transition to net zero emissions. There are still significant knowledge and technology gaps that must be identified and addressed and the Emerging Concepts and Technologies (ECT) Research Program will make R&D investments to foster early-stage genesis of novel technologies in the region, and to evaluate the suitability of technologies emerging from other jurisdictions for application in the region. The economic potential for current emerging technologies in Canada is significant. By the 2060s, the market for netzero solutions for the steel, cement, and chemicals sectors, for example, could reach almost $100 billion USD per year. The outcomes of the project with be leveraged by NZA ECT program to support Nova Scotia’s net zero emissions goals.

Business Development & Outreach Intern

This project will support the growth of Take Care, a physician founded SaaS platform that prepares users (and really their families) for aging, sudden illness and end of life. This project focuses on improving how individuals and families move from starting to completing important planning for aging, illness, and major life transitions. While advanced care planning tools exist, follow-through remains a persistent challenge—particularly in emotionally complex areas where people often delay or disengage.
Through a collaborative internship, Take Care is developing and testing a more structured, human-centred approach to engagement that connects partner onboarding, user onboarding, and ongoing support into a cohesive system. Our goal is to not just sell copies of Take Care, but to support families in completing it so our good work is achieved and our impacts can ripple outward.

L2M-AI-Driven Hot-Embossed Visible-Wavelength-Metasurface Platform for Dual-Modality ctDNA Based Multi-Cancer Screening

This project will evaluate the commercial readiness of EarLIX’s hot-embossed metasurface biosensor platform designed for rapid, low-cost multi-cancer screening using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). The intern will conduct structured interviews with healthcare stakeholders, analyze adoption barriers, and refine the business model, pricing strategy, and regulatory pathway. In parallel, the project will assess intellectual property positioning and freedom-to-operate to support future scaling and investment decisions. The expected benefit to the partner organization is clear: reduced market uncertainty, evidence-based customer insights, and a validated commercialization strategy. These outcomes will directly guide product positioning, clinical integration, and funding strategy, accelerating EarLIX’s transition from a research-stage technology toward a deployable diagnostic solution.

L2M – BIM-RISE: An Automated BIM-Enabled Workflow for Sustainable C&D Waste Management and Environmental Impact Assessment

This project will validate and demonstrate BIM-RISE, an automated BIM-enabled workflow that supports more sustainable construction and demolition (C&D) waste management and environmental assessment. Using information already available in building models, BIM-RISE will produce early, decision-ready estimates of expected material quantities (e.g., concrete, metals, wood, gypsum) and organize them into practical end-of-life streams. It will then compare realistic recovery scenarios such as conventional demolition, selective deconstruction, and recycling/reuse-oriented strategies and report clear indicators for each option, including diversion potential and environmental impact estimates (e.g., carbon-related proxies) to show the trade-offs between alternatives. The project will incorporate industry-informed assumptions (such as recovery rates, waste factors, and local handling constraints) and apply the workflow to a pilot case to confirm usability, credibility, and relevance to real project conditions. The expected benefit to the partner organization is faster and more consistent early-stage waste planning, improved ability to evaluate diversion and environmental outcomes before decisions are locked in, and clearer reporting that supports sustainability targets, compliance needs, and better project decision-making.