Ethical Design Things: More-than-Human Ethics in Design Practice

This research addresses the ethical issues that abound in professional design practice. If these issues are identified, they are seldom discussed and mitigated. As such, this research aims to 1) observe human-centered design in action, 2) develop a series of tools, artifacts, and methods—what I refer to as ethical design things—to foreground matters of ethics […]

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To promote the environmental stewardship of the aviation industry in the Canadian Prairies: The development of a mobile treatment system for aircraft de-icing fluid waste

The Canadian aviation industry is anxious to recovery from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. More air traveling requires more extensive application of aircraft de-icing fluid (ADF) to ensure aviation safety in freezing seasons. The major ingredients of ADF include anti-freeze agent (ethylene or propylene glycol), corrosive inhibitors, surfactants, pH buffers, polymers, and dyes. These chemicals […]

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Dealing with the “forever” chemicals: To develop a compact system for the treatment of aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) flush water

The decades of uncontained use of aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) is believed to be one of the main reasons of soil and groundwater per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. PFAS are widely considered to be “forever chemicals” because of their extreme inertness in the environment and even water and wastewater treatment systems. Recognizing the […]

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Improving performance of recycled asphalt applications with bitumen and asphaltenes mix

New innovative technology is proposed for Recycled Asphalt Shingles (RAS) to produce cold mix asphalt (CMA) for dust control in unpaved roads. This novel method will design a mix of bitumen/RAS/water emulsions that break in a controlled manner upon field application. The effect of asphaltenes, petroleum solvents, emulsifier type, concentration and properties, and the preparation […]

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Improving the performance of manufacturing processes at GE Bromont by using artificial intelligence and pattern recognition

The products manufactured at GE Bromont go through a series of processes that produce the specific characteristics of each product according to required specifications. The number of these characteristics is very large, and several characteristics are dependent on the others. This reality makes the use of traditional statistical techniques for quality control of products laborious […]

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Identification of early markers of developmental epigenetic anomalies in bovine production

Bovine production uses a combination of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ARTs) to improve yield and reduce generation time. In bovine production and in clinical settings, ARTs are associated with elevated rates of developmental disorders in offspring, leading to animal distress, high costs and delayed results. These include Large Offspring Syndrome (LOS) and musculoskeletal anomalies, reported to […]

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Understanding juvenile salmon passage at newly created breaches in two major barriers in the Fraser River estuary, BC.

Estuaries are crucial stopover areas for juvenile salmon during outmigration and especially for Chinook salmon who can reside in this habitat for over a month. Many populations of Chinook salmon from the Pacific Northwest are threatened and endangered making conservation important for this species. Currently, managers are investing significant public funds in estuary restoration and […]

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Combining Online and Face-to-Face Learning to Optimize Overall Learning

The project is intended to support and enhance the learnings provided by Stem Minds – a Toronto based start-up that provides digital learning focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), through the approach of gamification. The project will focus on the factors that motivate students to learn STEM subjects through gamification to deepen their […]

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Evaluation of Upland Rice Production in Southern Alberta

This project involves first steps needed to begin growing rice under irrigation in southern Alberta. Trials will use Seed Film Cultivation (SFC) technology to suppress weeds, increase soil temperature, and reduce evaporative moisture losses. Rice grown with SFC will be compared to direct seeded plots and transplanted rice seedlings. Irrigation will be provided by an […]

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Implementation of Machine Vision Algorithms in a Decision Support System for Variable Crop Management

The proposed research aims to develop machine vision-based decision support system for variable crop management. This research will deploy the deep learning models for plant/weed detection, plant growth indicators and soil organic matter assessment. The information retrieved from these models will be used to devise variable rate management map to optimize the consumption of agrochemical […]

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