This project aims to provide real-world, verifiable estimates of impacts to watersheds from usage of back-country logging and resource roads. fRI in partnership with the University of Alberta, MiTACS and Canfor is testing computer-based tools developed in the United States to apply them to watersheds in Alberta. Given the different geography, soil types, and relief […]

Harvesting energy from renewable resources, such as wind and ocean waves, is an important issue facing our world today. With the increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, there is a need to move away from nonrenewable resources and to find new methods for capturing energy. Wind turbines operate most efficiently within a narrow […]

Water use, land use and climate change can alter hydrology and effect the downstream availably of water and timing of flows. The Athabasca River is vital for supply of oil sands energy development and in-stream aquatic habitats. Much of the water for the river originates in the Mountain and Foothills Regions, in the Upper Athabasca. […]

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) running on hydrogen are a preferred choice for on-board electricity generation in automobiles. A major challenge associated with this technology is its high cost due to the use of platinum as electrocatalyst. Implementation of inkjet printing as a fabrication tool has been investigated by the applicant and the academic supervisor […]

The washrooms can be equipped with smart objects to be controlled and monitored to increase the customer satisfaction. This technology utilizes connected washroom equipment such as toilet paper, towels, soap dispensers, and water leakage sensors. In smart washrooms, the condition of the washroom is monitored and the management is informed when anything needs attention. This […]

An “internationalized classroom” is a space wherein many of the tensions, possibilities and change factors inherent in the internationalization process are expressed in relationships between and among host students, international students, and instructors. The proposed research is part of a Canada/China comparative study on faculty attitudes towards the internationalized classroom. During Li Mao’s research trip […]

Pipelines are a common means to transport oil, gas, and other petroleum products used by citizens in everyday life. Permanent inward deformations, called dents, can develop along a pipeline, most of which are not a safety concern. The objective of the project is to develop the processes used to accurately assess the safety of different […]

This proposal concerns with monitoring of composting processes at the Edmonton Waste Management Branch Utility. The ultimate purpose is to establish a practical framework and plan to examine the current state of composting processes and to identify potential areas for improvement. To gain a comprehensive overview of composting, all involved unit operations will be monitored […]

Gliomas are the most common type of CNS cancers, originating from glial cells. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common, complex and aggressive form of brain tumor found in human adults. GBM results from transformed glial cell progenitors. These glial cells have been found to arise from neuronal stem cells (NSCs), which reside in the […]

Consumers are increasingly interested in how their pork is raised especially in terms of welfare (the five freedoms) and the use of antibiotics (in relation to antimicrobial resistance). This project will focus on pig behavioural traits such as aggressiveness, tail biting and social interaction and seek to develop new tools to allow these traits to […]

This project attempts to adapt current models for resilience into a reusable framework using accessible Canadian data sources that can guide repeated analysis to monitor and benchmark progress in an economic region. Quantitative analysis of regional resilience is needed to better inform strategy design, monitor performance trends and benchmarking resulting from investment and policy interventions […]

The industrial partner is developing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer pipe product for use in the oil and gas sector. Discrete length pipe sections require assembly in the field, which is accomplished using heat-fused overlap couplers. The project will investigate the coupling manufacturing quality, and the objective is to deliver a quality assurance (QA) framework for […]