This project aims at providing a comprehensive appreciation of the net carbon capture potential of using pine beetle affected wood as feedstock for biochar (a carbon rich material) production and use throughout British Columbia. The carbon capture potential will be assessed by balancing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, transport, and amendment of […]

This project aims at providing a comprehensive appreciation of the net carbon capture potential of using pine beetle affected wood as feedstock for biochar (a carbon rich material) production and use throughout British Columbia. The carbon capture potential will be assessed by balancing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, transport, and amendment of […]

The Honna River is the drinking water source for the Village of Queen Charlotte (pop. 950), and is also important salmon habitat. Sediment from unpaved forest roads near the river may be entering the channel in significant quantities. In a previous internship, intern David Reid implemented a channel reach-scale study of all sediment sources in […]

International legislation and growing environmental issues have put a lot of pressure on companies and manufacturers to minimize and recycle scrap. Such demands have had significant consequences for the rubber tire industry to use recycled rubbers from the scrap tire. As such, this research project is an initiative taken by the Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites […]

This project aims to find the durable coating which resists blistering (bubble like spots (somewhat like chickenpox sores) beneath or within a coating or paint film) for uses on steel swimming pools which is of concern for Nanaimo, BC based company Dunk Pool. This study will find suitable coating from already available coating and study […]

For many regions in Canada, wood is a plentiful and renewable resource that can be burned to offer low-cost and reliable heating for homes and buildings in remote communities. This project will support Demizine Inc., a Canadian company focused on remote and off-grid technology solutions, in developing a new forced-combustion heater system. The wood burning […]

Climate change is understood variously across populations, and climate action strategies receive varying degrees of support. This study will explore climate action pathways towards a broader, deeper social mandate for a net-zero carbon economy. It will specifically identify the communication and engagement strategies that are most resonant with certain segments of the population in BC, […]

Climate change is understood variously across populations, and climate action strategies receive varying degrees of support. This study will explore climate action pathways towards a broader, deeper social mandate for a net-zero carbon economy. It will specifically identify the communication and engagement strategies that are most resonant with certain segments of the population in BC, […]

UV light is known for its antimicrobial properties. In this project, we expect to use a proprietary lamp which will provide a specific light that will target bacterial, fungal and viral strains commonly found in health care facilities. Results of the project will have a direct impact in the sterilization of areas with a high […]

The overall objective of this project is to develop approaches to improve rating robustness that are distributionally robust. We will develop techniques to utilize ensemble learning machine learning models with categorical monotonic constraints. Lastly, we will develop novel data visualization tools for business intelligence tasks that will help decision makers at Scotia Bank.

Freeze-thaw is a major cause for distress of roads in Canada. This research project is to investigate the use of Neoloy geocells to strengthen the roads to minimize the freeze-thaw damage. A fully instrumented road stretch will be constructed to monitor the long-term performance of the geocell-reinforced roads subjected to seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. Meanwhile, a […]

This project aims to develop propagation techniques of biocrust species for mine reclamation. Biocrust -which is the community of mosses, lichens, algae, and cyanobacteria-, protects the soil surface from erosive forces, restore nutrient cycling, sequester atmospheric carbon and retains water in its matrix. Its establishment on reclamation sites is therefore very desirable. However, due to […]