Projets novateurs réalisés

Projet d’implantation de la norme ISO 9001

Le projet est d’implanter une norme ISO 9001 dans une PME Québecoise, pour cela le stagiaire devra étudier l’ensemble des processus de l’entreprise, effectuer des audits internes, mener des actions correctives, former le personnel aux nouvelles procédures etc… La qualité en entreprise repose sur l’amélioration continue, le projet ne repose pas uniquement sur des audits, le stagiaire devra également identifier des problèmes dans les processus, les analyser, les résoudre et tenir informer le personnel en assurant la communication interne liée à l’ISO.

L’entreprise en tirera de nombreux bénéfices, comme avoir un système de gestion de qualité performant suite à la mise en place de procédures de qualité en fonction de la norme ISO 9001.
La mise en place des indicateurs de performance sera également un avantage, cela permettra à l’entreprise de piloter ces processus en fonction de ces derniers et de cibler des axes d’amélioration.
Cela permettra à l’entreprise d’avoir des normes de qualité élevées afin de répondre aux besoins de ses clients tout en réduisant les coûts liés à la qualité.

L2M – Land to Sea : A Bio alliance for a sea of hope

The expanding economy, coupled with increased human activities and the rising demand for petroleum hydrocarbons, has led to a surge in high-risk pollutants like Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX). These carcinogenic chemicals are notorious for their potential to escape from storage tanks, pipelines, and oil tankers, infiltrating the ocean’s subsurface. Once in the environment, BTEX can contaminate groundwater, endanger delicate marine ecosystems like coral reefs, and seep into coastal aquifers. This pollution poses a significant threat to public health, particularly for the 9 million Canadians who rely on groundwater for drinking water, most of whom are in Eastern Canada. Despite the concerted efforts of governmental agencies, research institutes, and environmental remediation companies to address BTEX contamination from oil spills along the Canadian East Coast, existing technologies remain ineffective, lacking specificity and often falling short in their impact. As a result, 3 out of 5 remediation and environmental companies in Eastern Canada are leaving conventional approaches for bioremediation technologies. These innovative approaches promise to accelerate BTEX degradation, offer greater contaminant specificity, and keep groundwater free from toxic substances. The widespread adoption of bioremediation could save billions in healthcare costs over the coming decades by preventing the illnesses associated with BTEX-contaminated water.

Exploring ERP capabilities to maximize ROI which focuses on efficient and effective methods

Natik Projects (2007) Inc. is a complete mechanical systems contractor, actively working in Nunavut. Natik not only holds a strong safety, production, and quality culture but is a strong believer in Safe Production. This allows us to stand out as a Mechanical Contractor due to our high standards for being and maintaining efficient and effective construction execution.

Natik is growing exponentially and in order to keep up with the demands, we need to find ways to simplify the business process by eliminating nonvalue-added activities like bottlenecks to save time and maximize productivity. With this challenge, Natik invested in a new ERP, Sage 100, which is specifically focused on construction. To maximize the investment, Natik needs to identify and assess which features the ERP has that can contribute to the company’s efficiency and effectiveness.

The accounting team needs support from an intern, an outsider and unbiased participant, for data gathering, analysis and can recommend solutions that are practical and actionable. This will be an opportunity for the student to test his skill sets learned from school and transferable skills from his past work experiences.

Understanding the changes in functionality and mechanical properties of cold plasma-activated edible coatings and its impact on quality and safety of pears

Edible coatings have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional plastic packaging due to their biodegradability, minimal environmental impact, and ability to incorporate functional ingredients. Despite these advantages, most existing edible coatings suffer from poor mechanical properties and limited surface functionality, which constrain their industrial use and commercialization. Cold plasma (CP) has shown significant interest for its potential to enhance the surface properties of coatings and offer additional phyto-sanitary benefits. Cold plasma is a partially ionized gas that produces reactive species such as electrons, ions, and free radicals. These species interact with polymer materials, leading to changes in morphology, functionality, and surface chemistry. Research has demonstrated that CP treatment can modify biopolymer surfaces through processes like crosslinking, surface etching, and plasma oxidation. Additionally, CP treatment has been shown to enhance the adhesion, wettability, hydrophilicity, and hydrophobicity of biopolymer materials. However, there exist a lack of studies focusing on the effect of CP-activation on surface
functionality, mechanical and barrier properties of edible coatings. As a result, this project aims to investigate the effects of CP-activation on the chemical structure, chemical backbone, as well as the changes in micro/nanostructure of sodium alginate edible coating.

Anion exchange membrane for water electrolysis for hydrogen production

The proposed research project aims to develop next-generation materials for sustainable hydrogen production through water electrolysis. Hydrogen is a key energy carrier in the transition to a clean, carbon-neutral future, and this project focuses on improving the efficiency and durability of anion exchange membranes (AEMs), which are critical components of water electrolyzers. The research will explore the synthesis of hyperbranched polymers with stable cationic groups to enhance ion conductivity and mechanical stability in alkaline environments. Additionally, the project will investigate the incorporation of biopolymers, such as cellulose and chitosan, to reduce the environmental impact of membrane production. This work will contribute to the development of more cost-effective, durable, and environmentally friendly materials for green hydrogen production, supporting global efforts to combat climate change and promote clean energy technologies.

The effect of glacial minerals on skin cells

The overarching goal of this project is to determine whether glacial mineral extract improves the overall health of skin cells. To do this, we will test the extract on human epithelial cells in petri dishes. More specifically, we will test whether the glacial mineral extracts help the cells to grow and study how the cells use energy to survive and thrive.

The BIOmonitoring of the OMega-3 IndeX (BIO-OMIX) Pilot Study

EPA and DHA are two important omega-3 fats that people mostly get from their diet or dietary supplements. The Omega-3 Index (O3I) reflects the amount of EPA and DHA found in red blood cells. A high O3I is linked with good health, while a low O3I is linked with higher risk of heart disease. Importantly, most Canadians have a low O3I. Measuring the O3I requires a blood sample; however, many people are anxious to give blood because of a fear of needles, especially children. We therefore began to explore if small molecules (also called metabolites) in urine could be used to non-invasively assess a person’s omega-3 status. We identified a panel of urine metabolites (also called biomarkers) in men and women that were linked with the O3I. To validate these biomarkers, we conducted a time-response trial in 24 individuals. Matched blood and urine samples were collected from these individuals at numerous time points before and after receiving omega-3s. The specific goal of this project is to measure fatty acids in red blood cells in partnership with Lipid Labs. This will help us achieve our overall goal to determine the accuracy of urinary metabolites as markers of omega-3 status.

Enquête sur la pérennisation de modèles agricoles alternatifs via un projet pilote de ferme soutenue par la communauté

Le système agricole industriel est insoutenable, tant sur le plan social qu’écologique. Pour étudier des modèles
agricoles alternatifs, nous étudierons les apports et les limites de l’agroécologie via le projet pilote de ferme
soutenue par la communauté des Bontés de la Vallée, situé au Québec. Cette ferme innovante est portée par
des producteurs maraîchers engagés à pratiquer une agriculture régénératrice. Dans cette recherche, nous
désirons comprendre comment cette ferme tente de relever les défis de soutenabilité, de démocratie et de
justice sociale via la perspective des communs. L’analyse des apports et limites de cette approche permettra de
formuler des recommandations pour assurer la pérennité de la ferme. Nous contribuerons à la réflexion sur des
modèles d’agriculture plus soutenables, tout en explorant les conditions d’une mise à l’échelle d’un tel projet.

Beyond HIV: Ultra-massive surveillance for retroviruses across all domains of life

Viruses impact almost every aspect of human life, such as in carbon availability oceans impacting climate, food security in agriculture, and importantly in health. Humans are colonized by both benign and disease-causing viruses. Retroviruses, such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), are a class of viruses that use reverse transcriptase (RT) to convert RNA-based genomes to DNA, allowing for exploitation of host cell machinery for replication, which can result in permanent infection if integrated into the host genome. However, very little is known about the diversity of retroviruses, and what is characterized today remains a small portion of retroviruses. Given the impact of known retroviruses, uncovering the full diversity of retroviruses may provide insight into emerging pathogens, informing preventative measures and biological insights in advance of outbreaks. This will also provide information that can be applied in the prevention, treatment and overall control of retrovirus-associated diseases. Given the impact of retroviruses on all aspects of human life and their zoonotic potential, this project holds immense relevance to global one health. Participating institutions will benefit from access to cutting-edge research infrastructure and expertise, strengthening overall scientific capabilities, and positioning them as leaders the field of viral diseases and related public health insights.

Étude des impacts liés à la consommation des drogues sur les travailleurs du secteur de la construction et l’exercice de représentation syndicale afférents: regards croisés France-Québec

Le séjour de recherche de Mme Megan Collins visera, dans un premier temps, à cerner les impacts liés à la prise de drogues stimulantes chez les travailleurs de la construction et les actions déployées par les syndicats du secteur au chapitre de la prévention de cette même problématique. Dans un deuxième temps, ce stage cherchera à comprendre la fatigue militante associée potentiellement à un tel exercice de représentation syndicale chez les dirigeants concernés, dans ce même secteur d’activité. À notre connaissance, aucune étude à ce jour n’a abordé ces questions dans une perspective de relations de travail, propre au champ des relations industrielles.

Rôle de la consommation de café, thé et caféine sur le risque de cancer de la prostate

Le cancer de la prostate est le cancer le plus fréquent au Canada. L’histoire naturelle des cas diagnostiqués et de leur progression demeure inconnue. À date, aucun facteur de risque modifiable a été clairement identifié. Certaines études ont suggéré que la consommation de café et de thé serait protectrice contre le risque du cancer de la prostate. Toutefois, les changements pouvant survenir dans le temps au niveau de la consommation ont rarement été considérés.

Cette étude vise à décrire comment la consommation de café, thé et caféine change au cours de la vie des hommes atteints de cancer de la prostate. Ensuite, nous allons utiliser des méthodes statistiques qui permettent de regrouper les gens selon leur profil de consommation. Enfin, nous allons estimer l’association entre les différents profils identifiés et le risque de cancer de la prostate, globalement et selon le degré d’agressivité.

Pour répondre à ces questions, des données montréalaises comprenant des hommes ayant eu un nouveau diagnostic de cancer de la prostate seront utilisées. Les conclusions de cette étude aideront à produire des évidences scientifiques sur les facteurs de risque modifiables du cancer de la prostate.

Vision AI model generation for broccoli property extraction and health detection

Research Question: How can we optimize the processes of data collection, annotation, and model training to
develop a robust and generalizable AI system that maintains high performance across diverse scenarios?