This project will assess the potential for a certification program to enhance the Wine Council of Ontario’s voluntary initiative Sustainable Winemaking Ontario. This will involve an investigation of the barriers to implementation and acceptance, consumer interest and purchasing behaviour, the optimum format for a certification program and corresponding labelling and the types of indicators that […]

Forest fires are a natural feature of the Canadian landscape, but they pose a threat to individuals and property. Being able to predict the behaviour of a given forest fire is an important element in successfully managing fire suppression resources. Alberta Department of Sustainable Resource Development is responsible for PROMETHEUS, Canada's foremost fire growth modeling […]

Evapotranspiration is a fundamental component of the hydrologic cycle. According to Environment Canada, on average, as much as 40% of precipitation in Canada is evaporated or transpired. Since evaporation makes up a considerable portion of the water budget, its variability will therefore have proportionally larger impacts on all other related processes. For example, evaporation impacts […]

This research project proposes the exploration of various mechanical systems configured in two residential homes in Milton, Ontario. The primary goal is to determine the energy consumption and monetary costs associated with integrating new technologies of both heating and cooling requirements of a new home. Refinement of previously collected data and software modeling are keys […]

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a chemical found naturally in the brain that plays a key role in the stress response. CRF is also known to be involved in anxiety and mood disorders, as well as various aspects of drug dependence, including long-term relapse to drug use. Pathological symptoms in the form of mood disorders and […]

The interns will spend time in the company lab to build and test proprietary electronic chemical detectors. These will be tested and undergo quality control measures in Universal NanoSensor Technologies’ lab. Once deemed robust, these detectors will then be used concurrently with present art detectors in a real-world, cutting‐edge, applications‐driven setting so that direct comparison […]

Asparagus contains rutin, a falconoid associated with anti‐carcinogenic properties and decreased cholesterol and heart disease. Ontario growers could benefit from value‐added or ‘branded’ asparagus products that can be marketed based on the health benefits of rutin, for example, fresh product in grocery stores, or asparagus flour as a supplement in bread and pasta, made from […]

Red wheat is the more predominant wheat grown in Ontario. However, red wheats impart an off]flavour to products when used in whole wheat formulations. The food industry is moving towards developing a whole portfolio of whole wheat products in order to provide a healthier alternative to consumers. However, issues related to the sensory characteristics of […]

This project is in partnership with AUTO21. Van Rob is an automotive parts manufacturer of metal stampings with plants in the Toronto area. The objective of this internship is to evaluate the performance of a machine vision inspection system in an industrial environment. The evaluation of the intelligent neuro-fuzzy inspection algorithm used by the machine […]

The Ontario beef industry is a significant part of the agricultural economy, accounting for the highest farm cash receipts in the sector. Through linkages to other parts of the economy, beef production employs thousands of Ontarians and generates $1.4 billion for the provincial economy. The industry is under threat, however, from such challenges as trade […]

In the project, three interns will work intensively with Philip Beesley Architect Inc. on designing and implementing kinetic architectural envelopes. The envelopes will be presented as sculptural installations and as a dynamic shading system for the Canadian North House entry to the 2009 Solar Decathlon. Parametric modeling of components will be used to explore the […]

This project is in partnership with AFMNet. Coasun is a monoglyceride-stabilized oil in water emulsion (MAG gel) that is trans fat free and low in saturated fat and can be a substitute for standard fats in a range of bakery products. Specific focus of the intern's research will be on the interaction of this MAG […]