Projets novateurs réalisés

TRLUP – Conceptual study of next-generation spacecraft components

The global space sector has seen massive growth in recent years, fueled by lower launch costs and increased commercial access. Yet, many spacecrafts still rely on decade-old hardware designs. Innovation in spacecraft components remains limited. The industry’s strong preference for “space heritage” makes it slow to adopt cutting-edge systems, even if they are flight-proven by major science missions like the James Webb Space Telescope.

In Canada, 93% of space companies are small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are disproportionately affected by this issue. While Canadian firms are highly active in R&D, many innovations become “technology orphans”. These are technically viable solutions that are commercially un-adopted due to limited flight heritage. Space agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency have launched technology demonstration programs to validate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or industrial components in space. This project explores how the outputs of that program can be repurposed to meet the needs of Canadian space SMEs and reduce the risk of “technology orphan” solutions in aerospace R&D.

The project will combine technology scouting, stakeholder interviews, and early-stage prototyping to identify and develop a minimum viable product (MVP) concept. The project will focus on optical components such as infrared cameras or multispectral imagers to reflect the intern’s academic background, though other concepts may be explored based on industry needs and opportunity. Through a structured 4-month program, the intern will deliver a business report, concept prototype, and pitch deck. These outputs will assess both the technical feasibility and market potential of selected concepts to build a practical bridge between under-utilized flight-ready technology and real business needs in Canada’s evolving space ecosystem.

Enhancing Vision Encoders for GUI Navigation with VLMs

(1) the main activities of the partner
ServiceNow develops a platform for client organizations to manage and automate large-scale processes across various industries. In 2020, ServiceNow acquired Element AI to strengthen its presence in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) research landscape and the Canadian AI ecosystem. This acquisition enabled the development of AI-driven products that improve the platform’s capabilities. ServiceNow Research has made significant contributions to the field of foundation models, notably in Natural Language Processing (NLP), and has a strong presence in developing generative models for different data domains.
(2) the challenges the partner aims to solve through this project
Navigating GUIs poses significant obstacles for AI agents, especially in ensuring generalization across diverse tasks and domains. Current vision-language models struggle with compositionality, grounding abstract plans within pixel-based interfaces, and recovering from errors. This project seeks to address these issues by developing modular architectures that enhance planning, grounding, and execution, advancing the robustness of GUI agents while integrating reinforcement learning to improve alignment between predicted actions and interface outcomes.
(3) the anticipated social or economic benefits of the project for the partner organization(s)
Developing effective web agents has the potential to enable various applications, such as automating administrative tasks, assisting new employees with tool usage during onboarding, and making web navigation more accessible for individuals with visual or other impairments. Progress in this area can lead to the creation of prototypes and proofs-of-concepts for ServiceNow, supporting the integration of web assistants into production and advancing the product roadmap.

Stage en stratégie marketing pour renforcer l’autorité de la marque Ludo et sa présence numérique

Le projet de recherche proposé vise à élaborer une stratégie marketing claire et efficace pour renforcer l’autorité de la marque Ludo et accroître sa visibilité auprès des entreprises. Le stagiaire travaillera à définir les bons messages, les bons canaux et les bons formats pour faire rayonner Ludo de manière cohérente et inspirante. Une attention particulière sera portée à la création d’une empreinte digitale durable et profitable, en développant du contenu engageant, en optimisant la présence en ligne (site web, infolettres, médias sociaux) et en analysant les retombées des actions mises en place. Ce projet permettra à Ludo de structurer ses efforts marketing, d’augmenter sa notoriété dans un marché concurrentiel et de mieux convertir les entreprises intéressées en clients fidèles.

Strengthening Canadian Competitiveness by Strengthening Local Value Chains

This proposed study is an unprecedented attempt by a North American municipality to proactively identify and strengthen the components of its local value chain to inform a comprehensive strategy dedicated to growing opportunities in local advanced manufacturing, targeting increasingly interwoven value chains. Surrey has the space and existing capabilities to become an advanced manufacturing hub for Canada, growing supply chains and attracting participants, which in turn will drive on-shoring of high value manufacturing in the region. This study can also serve as a template for identifying and strengthening other supply chains across Canada. Utilizing an established methodology developed by the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom (Kumar, Srai, Pattinson & Gregory, 2013), we hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of Surrey’s current value chain capabilities, particularly those associated with the Health Technology and Clean Technology sectors. Employing newly developed data visualization software, Firmogram by BluePrime Technologies, a Surrey-based advanced technology solutions company, this study will allow local firms to identify opportunities develop and extend their capacity and capabilities in line with local needs and allow the municipality to identify any gaps that need to be filled. It will also allow firms considering re-location to more easily identify opportunitiesand partnerships

Simulating and optimizing nanoparticle delivery through the flowing human airway mucus layer

Our airways are lined with mucus, transported by cilia in a process called the mucociliary escalator. This mucus protects against inhaled germs and pollutants but also poses a barrier to inhalable nanoparticles (NPs) used for drug or gene delivery. Understanding how NPs penetrate this layer is crucial. This internship uses Brownian dynamics simulations to study NP diffusion in flowing mucus. We focus on three main factors: the time- and space-varying mucus flow, interactions between NPs and mucin chains (both steric and adhesive), and NP shape. Mucus flow alters both NP movement and the mucin network structure, requiring our model to account for dynamic changes. NPs frequently encounter mucin chains, where repulsion and adhesion influence their motion. Rod-shaped NPs may diffuse more efficiently than spherical ones due to directional movement. This project aims to uncover key mechanisms of NP transport and inform the design of more effective NP carriers for inhalable therapies.

UPP Responsible Investing Summer 2025

The project has three objectives:
1. Establish a replicable approach to maintain a view of member perspectives: Review academic research and peer practices to recommend an approach to surveying members on responsible investing-related priorities, preferences and expectations.
2. Recommend an approach to developing materials for pension plan members on UPP’s Responsible Investing (RI) practices. Topics could include how RI ties to our fiduciary duty, exclusions, carbon footprint, climate solutions, investor stewardship, climate scenarios, and more.
3. Recommend an approach to developing RI-focused educational resources for pension plan members, informed by peer practices and academic research.

Forms and qualities of social support: Understanding the role of relationships among Inuit healing from trauma

This project provides a space for Inuk participants (community members) in Nunavut to discuss appropriate methods for conducting research related to healing in their community. Methods for data collection and collaborative data analysis will be determined in collaboration with the community partner as prescribed by the Aajiqaitigiingniq Research Methodology. This methodology outlines an Inuit-defined approach to community based participatory action research and its application will ensure that future research, and other efforts to mobilize knowledge around healing, mental health or trauma reflect the community’s priorities and customs. Such research supports the development and delivery of wellness services that reflect Inuit needs and realities.

Décentrer la « démocratie » : perspectives danoises sur le childism, la citoyenneté vécue et les méthodologies critiques

Le projet de recherche mené à Roskilde Universitet s’inscrit dans une thèse doctorale portant sur la compréhension que les élèves du secondaire ont de la «?démocratie?» à la fin de leur éducation obligatoire. Alors que plusieurs pays, dont le Canada, misent sur l’éducation à la citoyenneté pour promouvoir les «?valeurs démocratiques?», on sait encore peu de choses sur ce que les élèves en retiennent réellement. La thèse compare les représentations de la démocratie dans les manuels scolaires de différentes juridictions occidentales, dans les discours des enseignant·es et dans ceux des élèves. Durant mon séjour à Roskilde, je collaborerai avec la professeure Hanne Warming, spécialiste de la citoyenneté vécue et de la notion de childism. Ce séjour permettra d’approfondir la méthodologie de ma thèse, de recueillir des manuels scolaires et de nourrir mon analyse. Il posera aussi des bases entre mon université d’attache, l’Université du Québec à Montréal, et Roskilde Universitet, pour des collaborations concernant l’éducation à la citoyenneté. Enfin, cela permettra d’introduire le childism dans les travaux en français menés à Montréal, tandis que je contribuerai aux projets de Roskilde grâce à mon expertise en théorie politique.

Scaling up smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations with GPUs

Astrophysical simulations require significant computational resources. Most high-performance supercomputing clusters nowadays include a complement of graphics processing units (GPUs), as these have been shown to be highly efficient in terms of computation for the amount of energy consumed. Using only the CPUs (central processing unit) of a supercomputer leave the GPUs underutilized, wasting their potential. We plan to write algorithms that make efficient use of GPUs for astrophysical smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations. Working in an astrophysics context introduces unique challenges due to the vast range of length and time scales involved. One strategy is to use individual timesteps, where portions of the simulation can evolve on faster timescales than other regions, which can afford orders of magnitude savings in computational expense. We focus on the problem of writing GPU efficient code for individual timesteps, with the goal of creating a hybrid CPU / GPU astrophysical simulation software.

Synvest Capital Corporation

Synvest Capital Corporation operates in the highly competitive and dynamic hospitality industry, where maximizing revenue through strategic pricing and market analysis is crucial. The company faces the challenge of optimizing hotel performance by accurately forecasting demand and pricing, while considering economic factors, competitor activities, and consumer behavior. Their current processes for analyzing performance metrics and identifying trends are limited by traditional methods, which often lack the depth and real-time capabilities needed to make agile, data-driven decisions. This project will address the need for advanced data analytics and the development of sophisticated forecasting and pricing models that will enhance Synvest’s ability to respond quickly to market fluctuations, improve occupancy rates, and boost overall profitability. The innovation here lies in integrating business intelligence tools with market research to enable real-time adjustments and strategic decision-making. The expertise required includes advanced knowledge in data analytics, econometrics, forecasting, and hotel revenue management, with a particular focus on applying these skills in the context of a rapidly changing market. This project will go beyond routine tasks by creating actionable insights and automation that will empower Synvest to implement innovative pricing models, improve financial performance, and gain a competitive edge in the hospitality market.

TRL UP – Reusable take out project

The project idea is to drastically reduce single use take out cups and containers. To accomplish this drastic reduction, my business idea is to manufacture and provide reusable containers to businesses. In Canada there are not many businesses manufacturing their own reusable containers. In addition, there are no Manitoba businesses offering reusable takeout to restaurants. The benefit is to drastically reduce single use plastic cups and containers.

Conception et développement d’une solution complète et commercialisable d’un terrain de mini-golf innovant grâce à la mécatronique

Le présent projet vise à accompagner une entreprise de service spécialisée dans le domaine du divertissement familial. Elle souhaite développer un produit commercialisable et exportable doté de certaines opérations spécialisées en automatisation et mécatronique. Les objectifs du projet vise à accompagner l’industriel afin de rendre plus robuste son produit. aussi il est souhaité de développer davantage le produit et de le rendre mature pour atteindre le marché.