Projets novateurs réalisés

La vaccinologie réverse comme approche novatrice pour le développement d’un vaccin hautement efficace contre l’entérite nécrotique aviaire

L’industrie avicole représente une force motrice de l’économie canadienne et les antibiotiques ont largement contribué à optimiser cette production. Cependant, le phénomène grandissant de la résistance aux antibiotiques ainsi que les pressions exercées par les gouvernements et consommateurs font en sorte que l’industrie avicole canadienne en est à revoir ses pratiques afin de réduire l’utilisation d’antibiotiques dans les élevages de poulets de chair. Une étude conduite au Québec a montré que la production de poulets sans antibiotiques est possible, mais qu’il en coûte environ 10? de plus pour produire chaque kilo de viande. L’entérite nécrotique, une maladie digestive mortelle causée par certaines souches virulentes de Clostridium perfringens, une bactérie faisant partie de la flore digestive normale des poulets de chair, en est la cause (Gaucher et coll., 2015).

Seule une approche identifiant les facteurs de virulence uniques aux Clostridium perfringens causant la maladie garantira le développement d’un vaccin permettant à l’industrie avicole de relever le défi de l’élevage de poulets de chair sans antibiotiques.

Analyse expérimentale et numérique d’un assemblage FSW dissimilaire de type 2196/2024

La volonté de réduire le poids des véhicules de transport conduit les concepteurs à choisir des matériaux et des modes d’assemblage innovateurs. Dans ce contexte, un étudiant de doctorat étudiera la possibilité d’assembler des alliages d’aluminium de nouvelle génération grâce à un procédé soudage par friction malaxage. Des campagnes expérimentales et des simulations numériques seront effectuées afin d’optimiser ce procédé dans un contexte de production industriel. Grâce à la contribution de deux industriels partenaires oeuvrant dans le domaine du transport (un dans le domaine ferroviaire, l’autre en aéronautique), des solutions concrètes seront proposer afin de réduire la consommation énergétique des structures produites tout en gardant les coûts de production similaires à ceux déjà en place.

Outward Bound Canada at 50: Reflections on philosophy, pedagogy and influence

Outward Bound (OB) was founded in 1941 and has influenced educational organizations internationally. Outward Bound Canada (OBC), founded in 1969, is nearing 50 and has yet to systematically compile its historical documents. This research project will establish a searchable and sustainable archive for the organization and for external researchers. The project will identify how OBC has operated over time relative to foundational values and educational beliefs of OB. The OB philosophy and vision of its founder Kurt Hahn, still significantly impact practice in outdoor, adventure and experiential education. This research will provide a starting point for numerous research questions to be asked of OBC as well as provide the organization with a narrative of its “story so far”.

Design of drug delivery systems based on polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles

No overview was provided with the application due to the lack of an overview

Database for an Agent-Based Decision Support System

No overview was provided with the application due to the lack of an overview

Monitoring of peatland restoration

No overview was provided with the application due to the lack of an overview

Design and Analysis of Picocells in Wireless Cellular Networks

Future wireless networks demands ubiquitous coverage and higher data rates at low infrastructure cost. The novel network deployment where macro base-stations overlaid with low power nodes referred as picocell is the most promising solution towards this goal. The proposed research project intends to evaluate the system-level performance of the picocell wireless network. To quantify the benefit of this network, intelligent scheduling and power allocation schemes will be developed under optimized topology parameters. Picocell network simulation platform will be built based on realistic wireless heterogeneous channel model to accurately evaluate the systematic performance. The results are expected to provide quantified evaluation on the benefit of the picocell network architecture. These results will be helpful in attracting customers to subscribe their wireless service through this advanced wireless cellular network.

Developing a citizen science application for monitoring biodiversity

The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) monitors biodiversity across Alberta. ABMI has developed an application called NatureLynx to facilitate the collection of natural history observations by broad stakeholders, including the public. This application will enable people who are not professional scientists to participate in the process of collecting data; this is called citizen science. Initially, NatureLynx will be released to a few groups of citizen scientists (e.g. naturalist organizations) who will provide feedback to improve its design in preparation for wider distribution. Following testing, the application will be released to the public and will be freely available. After its public release, the quality of the data collected by the application will be tested by comparing it with data collected systematically through ABMI’s monitoring activities. Once the NatureLynx data collected by this application has been assessed, it will benefit the organization by increasing the range of biodiversity monitored (via citizen scientists) and facilitating more effective public outreach and engagement.

Fault Modelling Using Extended Fault Trees

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Évaluation en flexion et en tension de tenue de structures de bouleau assemblées avec des connecteurs métalliques

Le présent projet porte sur une étude de praticabilité de nouvelles solutions technologiques dans la construction des assemblages de chevrons et poutrelles en bois. L’attention est portée sur le bouleau comme un candidat potentiel pour ces types d’utilisations résidentielles et commerciales. En effet, malgré ses caractéristiques favorables prouvées par plusieurs études, le bouleau ne figure pas dans la liste des essences normalisées et destinées à une utilisation dans les fermes de toits assemblées avec des plaques métalliques. La stagiaire retenue pour ce projet, doit se pencher sur la réalisation d’un nombre raisonnable d’essais expérimentaux dans l’objectif de confirmer ce potentiel. La prise en considération de type des chargements permanents, la qualité des connecteurs, la teneur en humidité seront privilégiées. Les résultats obtenus seront analysés statistiquement et des recommandations de conformité seront formulées et transmises ensuite aux instances décisionnelles de normalisation.

Study of Cyclic Solvent Injection (CSI) Process with Carbon Dioxide/Methane/Propane Mixture Solvent

This project is to perform systematic studies to better understand key recovery mechanisms of mixture solvent CSI process and provide fundamental parameters for field-scaled prediction. For mass transfer, a methodology of measuring diffusion coefficients for multiple components simultaneously dissolving into heavy oil systems under bulk volume and porous medium conditions will be established. For foamy oil flow, its properties of non-equilibrium will be investigated by PVT measurement and depletion tests, respectively. The sequence of multiple components in the solvent released and the role of each component in mixture solvent with considering the effect of other associated components on foamy oil flow will be examined in depletion tests. Mixture solvent CSI tests will be conducted by five sandpack models. Numerical simulation models will also be built to perform history matching and predicting study. Then scaling criteria from laboratory tests to field applications will be established based on experimental results, numerical simulation models and field data.

Evaluating the impact of an educational arts program on adolescent socio-emotional and academic growth among inner-city, high needs schools

Capturing the impact of program performance on adolescent outcomes is an important way to understand the ways in which a program has best provided its services for optimal outcome success. However, there is limited literature on valid measurement of program success among arts-based educational programs. The project will undertake an outcome evaluation, which focuses on using evidence-based methods that can be validly and reliably used to capture adolescent outcomes that align with the program’s objectives. In other words, the goal is to align program goals and latent concepts, to measurable activities, ultimately informing observable measures that would indicate that a program’s outcomes are being achieved. Additionally, data will be gathered and analyzed throughout program sessions in order to measure program activities, outputs, and outcomes.