Metagenomic analysis of oil refinery wastewater

Treatment of wastewater from refineries removes toxic compounds prior to the water being released into the environment. Treatment could be made more efficient and done more cheaply if we knew how to promote the growth of bacteria that enable toxin breakdown. The aim of this project is to identify which bacteria are present and active […]

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Polymer composites with graphene

With the increasing effects of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions on climate change, there is also increasing interest to alternatives to internal combustion engines for mobility. Battery electric vehicles are one route, and another is fuel cells. There is increasing interest in polymer composites that are not only mechanically strong and lightweight, but also have […]

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Developing and Testing a Miniaturized In Situ XRD for Mineralogical Characterization of Planetary Surfaces

Mineralogy is the key to interpreting planetary geology and climate history. The aim of this project is to develop initial designs and prototype components of a portable and miniaturized In situ X-ray diffractometer (ISXRD) that will be mounted on a rover for planetary exploration applications. This miniaturized instrument will enable direct mineral characterization of intact […]

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Self-Assembly of Nanocluster-based Colloidosomes via Click Chemistry for the Formation of Inorganic Prototissues

Protocells are synthetic, cell-like microcompartments designed to mimic key aspects of living cells to provide researchers with deeper insights into primitive cellular functions and behaviours. This research project is aimed to design and synthesize functional polymer coated gold nanoparticles and clusters (AuNP and AuNCs) that are capable of self-assembly into gold inorganic functional colloidosomes. The […]

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Ice-melting performance and environmental impacts of various de-icer salts

The application of road salt to our roads, parking lots and sidewalks, is causing long-term corrosion to infrastructure and vehicles, and damage to the environment. Various alternative de-icing salts have been proposed but a holistic understanding of their ice-melting performance, corrosion effects and environmental impacts is limited. The goal of the broader project is to […]

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Conversion of biosolid to value added biochar via pyrolysis technology for PFAS elimination

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a very large family of persistent anthropogenic chemicals utilized in the manufacturing of industrial materials with non-stick and oil/water repellent properties, Teflon, and fire-fighting foams. Their use has resulted in their final dispersion in soil, groundwater, and surface water, causing adverse environmental and health effects. They are responsible for […]

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Supercritical Water Processing of Electronic Waste for Generating Value Added Products

Electronic waste is one of the largest intensifying waste streams in the world. Although some traditional disposal methods are available to process electronic waste, these methods have several disadvantages from both the economic and environmental perspective. Some processes create challenging gases that require expensive clean-up, while others use harmful and toxic solvents which create air, […]

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In-Vitro Analysis of Cardiac Tissue Under Severe Strain

The main goal with this research project will be to investigate the effects of strain on cardiac tissue using in-vitro studies. This proposed research will look to analyze high levels of strain in cardiac tissue using equipment that can stretch cells, which was designed and is currently being used in the physiology lab at Bern […]

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Re-conceptualizing youth concussion recovery: A virtual multimedia storytelling project

Youth concussion rates are rising across Canada. In response, efforts are being made to enable the recovery of injured youth. However, little is known about what recovery ‘is’ (how youth understand their own recovery, what constitutes a ‘good’ recovery). This omission represents a major gap in knowledge of youth concussion. This research project will partner […]

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Process Optimization and Bio-Augmentation of In-Sewer Treatment Strategies for Optimal Wastewater Quality Control And Nutrient Management

Sewage collection systems have long been considered as sanitation and hydraulic infrastructure, i.e., a medium for transporting wastewater to the treatment facility. Therefore, the management focus has been mostly on hydraulic performance and the prevention of particle settling/odor development in pipes. Current research extends beyond sewage conveyance into sites of chemical and biological transformation with […]

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