The implementation of hydroelectric power over the past 100 years in Nova Scotia has resulted in changes to the habitats of many important species. In the watersheds where hydro dams have been constructed, plant, fish and animal habitat have all been impacted to some extent. Although some of these impacts have been positive (the creation […]

The proposed project related to renewable energy field will be undertaken by Dr. He’s student, Xingyu Peng. She will have to conduct many experimentations to produce biodiesel from waste cooking oil under changes of operational conditions. After that, she will learn and figure out how to use an artificial neural network (ANN) software in order […]

Cycling is a mode of transportation that is increasing in popularity in Brazil. Within a city, there are many different complexities due to geography and design that can lead to the accumulation of air pollution in certain areas. Cyclists, being so close to cars, are more susceptible to breathing in air with higher concentrations of […]

In this project, we will use computerized games to teach second language material to adults. We will use neuroimaging and eye-tracking (a measurement of a person’s eye movements, which can provide information about reading and the processing of language). Adult learners will complete a 5-day game-based second language-training program. Their brain activity and eye movements […]

The company will further test and develop their algorithm that will assist a money manager in managing their stock market portfolio. The algorithm chooses the stocks to buy or sell based upon its analysis of the market and a number of other market and stock related data points. The performance of this algorithm will need […]

The giant reed Arundo donax (A. donax) is a grass species with high biomass production and great potential for phytoremediation. It is a viable alternative to wood, coal and petroleum based feedstock. Our partner, Nile Fiber Canada, is designing a large-scale production system for planting, growing, harvesting, transporting and processing the grass to chips or […]

Current treatments for pain and inflammation have substantial side effects which limit their use and thus clinical effectiveness. Panag, is a Halifax based drug company which focuses on development of novel therapeutic treatments which can be applied topically to alleviate both pain and inflammation. These compounds are synthetic derivatives of plant-based molecules from the Cannabis […]

Domestic demand for wood pellets in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia has dramatically increased in recent years. Consumer angst resulted in one retailer trucking three tractor trailer loads of bagged pellets last winter (2014-2015) from British Columbia, which sold out in a few days. Port Hawkesbury Paper LP (PHP) has an opportunity to both solve a […]

Antimicrobial resistance threatens effective prevention and treatment of microbial infections. Over two million hospitalized patients acquire infection from antimicrobial resistant microbes resulting in more than 23,000 deaths in North America. Therefore, development of a novel class of antimicrobials is in urgent need. The goal of our research project is to develop a novel antibiotic for […]

Unrecyclable Waste materials destined for landfills could be used as fuel for cement kilns with little to no pre-processing. The very high temperatures required in cement production make cheaper alternatives to coal as fuel, necessary to cut down on production costs. However a selected waste material replacing coal or petroleum coke must be suitable for […]

Algae are microorganisms present in all aquatic environments with the ability to grow using sunlight as energy source. This ability can be harnessed to produce biomass for various purposes of industrial interests such as biofuel, animal feed, nutrients, etc. This project seeks to improve the productivity of an algal growth facility while reducing energy costs […]

Currently in North America, biodiesel is mainly produced from vegetable oils such as soybean and canola using a homogenous catalyst, KOH or NaOH. Two associated challenges are: 1) using edible oils as feedstock may impact food and feed supply adversely; 2) a great amount of water is needed to wash off the homogeneous catalysts dissolved […]