Hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and medical research organizations have witnessed an upsurge in the generation of biohazardous medical waste during the COVID-19 pandemic. This waste is potentially detrimental to the environment and public health and needs to be adequately decontaminated and disposed. Incineration is the most routinely employed technique to treat biohazardous waste but the method […]

The detection of SARS-CoV-2, the causative of COVID-19, is challenging because the used techniques, such as nucleic amplification, cannot detect a whole virus. Instead, it amplifies nucleic acids that can be fragmented with no information about the presence of an infectious virus. We propose to use a technology based on the use of a physic […]

The Engineer mine in Northwest B.C. is a historical producer of gold and silver that has yet to be the focus of a comprehensive scientific study. The mineralization consists of a series of high-grade, quartz-carbonate veins and is suspected to be related to nearby volcanic rocks. The lower levels of the existing mine workings have […]

3D-printed personal protective equipment can provide a locally-sourced manufacturing network to address shortages for Canadian front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, however little is known about the harmful germs that can live on 3D-printed material. Certain metals-ions are known to have anti-microbial properties and can be incorporated into 3D-printed plastics. We will study the anti-microbial […]

The novel SARS-Coronavirus-2 becomes activated and is infective after interacting with the human TMPRSS2 enzyme, as it primes the virus to enter and hijack lung cells for viral replication. By designing drugs using a strategy that has shown success in inhibiting enzymes structurally similar to TMPRSS2 and understanding the exact shape of this enzyme in […]

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in sexual assault incidents. Research shows that when there are disasters and economic meltdowns, there is usually a spike in sexual assaults. The world is experiencing both a pandemic and economic downturn. With self-isolation, social distancing, and the stay-at-home orders, the use of technology […]

Animated fluid effects based on physical simulation have been a staple part of visual effects industry. They are characterized by offline simulation and rendering that produces high-fidelity dynamics and visuals. As the technology for computer games advances, the opportunity to create such effects in real-time as either a playback technique or dynamic simulation is becoming […]

Checkingin is a publicly available app through which users report their current emotion, energy level, and the context descriptive of this state. The present project seeks to analyze if such self-initiated technology is capable of detecting emotional shifts in well-being under times of great stress, as on-going in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, a comparison […]

The integration of significant capacities of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as renewable wind and solar generation for a more sustainable energy future creates several challenges to the reliable and efficient operation of power distribution systems. These include: (i) Uncertain and intermittent nature of renewable generation compromises power quality for end-customers. (ii) Up-to-date distribution-system network […]

The goal of this project is to understand how habitat enhancements, such as semi-natural or natural native managed hedgerows, grass margins, and grassland set-asides impact both pollination and pest control in berry fields in the Delta, BC region. Our hypothesis is that the inclusion of these natural habitats will promote beneficial insect diversity. Beneficial insects […]

The proposed research aims to optimize the use of DMSO as a lixiviant in gold recovery. To date, mercury and cyanide are the popular lixiviants used in the gold processing industry. These chemicals are harmful to both the environment and humans, and have been the major concern in gold mining. The proposed lixiviant, DMSO, is […]

Hydra Energy Corporation Commercial Demonstration Project based in Prince George, British Columbia 12.4 MT/day of waste hydrogen will be captured, purified and transported to an onsite hydrogen refueling station from which Class 8 tractor-trailer truck fleets will refuel daily. Hydra’s demonstration project can provide a significant reduction in fleet greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions, Particulate Matter and […]